letters from camp
Celebration Camp:
My week with the sparrows
by Charles Maynard
This really is a letter from camp – Camp Dickenson in Wytheville District, to be exact. I've just spent a week as a minister- in-residence with the Rev. Don White at this beautiful spot on the New River. The theme for Bible study and worship this summer was, "Follow Me in the Footsteps of Jesus." Our memory verse has been, "Whoever claims to live in Jesus must walk as he walked."
This week we've had more than 70 children and youth at this camp alone. I sang and worshipped with the little children of day camp. I rappelled the cliff with the Extreme Adventure group and kayaked with the River Adventure group. But the amazing part of the week for me was working with the children of Celebration Camp. Celebration Camp is the session for mentally and physically challenged boys and girls.
Celebration campers opened my eyes to much that surrounded me. Their delight in peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches. Giggling at nonsense knock-knock jokes. Running around the circle in a game of "Duck, Duck, Squirt" (a water-pistol version of the game I learned in kindergarten). Rolling down the huge hill at Dickenson ñ arms and legs flailing about with laughter, laughter, and laughter.
These Celebration campers tried everything! The climbing wall, the zip line, the slip and slide. They hiked, swam, ran, and jumped. They shot arrows at the archery range. Even Melissa, the only camper in a wheelchair, attempted to shoot an arrow. Two counselors helped her position her chair, hold the bow correctly, and release the arrow. Her first two attempts fell short. Then ñ whap! ññ the arrow slapped into the target. Everyone cheered. Everyone celebrated this small victory.
Celebration Camp is well named. I truly celebrated with these youth and children in the everyday moments of life. I celebrated that Mr. Dickenson gave this land for children to have a camp. I celebrated the patient staff who worked with each and every child in special ways. I celebrated the people who gave scholarships to enable these children to be here.
A hummingbird flitted about the pavilion during morning watch one day. It sat on the branch of a bush for a moment or two. It was tiny, bright, colorful, delicate – in a word, amazing. This tiny bird reminded me of Jesus' words about God's mindfulness of the sparrow. At Celebration Camp, I got to be with some sparrows and hummingbirdsósmall, fragile creatures whom God cares for and loves very much.
One afternoon a warbler sat on a wire singing its heart out. Tiffany, a Celebration camper, tugged at my arm and said with a smile, "Hey, listen to that bird." And I did. I listened to the song from one of God's little creatures. I reveled in Tiffany's joy at hearing the bird. Then together, we sang praises to a God who loves us all, right down to the smallest.
The Rev. Maynard is development officer of Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries.
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