My Camp Week

Another week of Camp Otyokwah is in the books for me, as I just finished my 8th year on staff for the junior week. I lost my voice by Wednesday, slept in a sleeping bag in a bunk bed, had kids hanging off my limbs several times a day, sang ridiculous songs, ate camp food, and trudged through mud and rain every day, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world because I also had so many absolutely wonderful experiences.

One of the best parts of camp for me is seeing my camp family. Kevin and Kelly have been on staff with me for 7/8 years I've been here and took over as deans my 3rd year. This was their last year leading junior week and it has been very bittersweet for me. I love them like family and we have all gotten so close over the last few years that it was hard to see them go. Kevin, Kelly, Johnny and I have been staffing together for 7 years and it's sad to see it come to an end, but I know I'm not done at Camp Otyokwah yet, and hopefully Johnny isn't either!

Kelly, Kevin, me and Johnny at the end of camp

Speaking of Johnny, we first met 7 years ago during my first week on staff. We got close a couple years later and our friendship has been growing ever since. We joke that we are the survivors because we are the only two staff members left from that first year, but we really are survivors in a lot of ways. When we first met we were both in high school and life seemed pretty simple. Today we are both college graduates and have each been through some tough times, but we're still at camp and I think there's a reason for that. We laugh so much and make an awesome team, and I'm excited to see what next year has in store for us!

Johnny and me in '06 and then this summer. We've grown up some :)

Another awesome thing that happened at camp this year was that I met Johnny's little sister, Rachel. She joined the staff this year and we ended up being in the same cabin together. Within an hour of meeting her Sunday morning I knew I was going to like her a lot. By Tuesday we knew more about each other than most people would know in years. People didn't believe us when we told them we met literally two days before. We had such a fun week together both in our cabin with our girls and in our one on one time with each other. It was totally worth it to lose sleep those nights we stayed up after the kids went to bed so we could get to know each other. I feel very lucky to have gained another wonderful friend from my camp experience.

Oak 1 cabin moms on the last day of camp

The main goal of camp is to witness to the kids, of course. We spend every day teaching kids about the bible and the Christian lifestyle, leading bible groups, praying at vespers, leading devotions, singing Christian songs,  and answering questions about all kinds of things. Spending time with other staff members is a bonus. The last couple of years we have been so lucky to have a lot of fun staff members, and this year was no different. Friday night a few of us girls stayed up laughing, eating junk food, stargazing, talking, and generally just spending time together. We didn't get to bed until 5am but all the laughs and memories we have from that time make it totally worth it.

We're missing Kyrsten but here's most of the 5am crew: Rachel, Stacie, Emily and me

I turned my phone off Saturday night/Sunday morning when I got to camp and didn't turn it back on until the following Saturday. There's something very freeing about not being connected to technology and I sometimes wish I could just turn my phone off more, but unfortunately that's just not realistic these days. I've spent the last couple of days catching up on emails and phone calls (I had 250 emails and 7 voicemails when I turned my phone on...) as well as sleep. In addition to all that fun, Rachel and I both discovered Saturday night that both of our legs are covered in itchy bumps that we aren't sure what they are or where they came from. No one else seems to have them and they don't look like anything either of us has ever had before, so we've both also been drifting in and out of Benadryl induced sleep for the better part of the last two days.

I'm exhausted, sore, physically and mentally spent, itchy, and I still have no voice, but I'm already missing camp, especially all the kids and fellow staff. Less than a year until I get to go back again! Until then, hopefully some of us staff can visit each other in addition to keeping up on Facebook and via text. It's time for my next dose of Benadryl, so I'll end here for now. See you all soon!