Camp Niangua 2012

It's been several weeks since camp, so it's about time I write about my experience. First of all, camp was amazing. God worked in so many ways.
We arrived on Monday, registered and had lunch. The first day was pretty low key. I knew ahead of time that I was going to teach and help with the choir class. In addition, I was asked to be a team leader during the midday gathering. The job description was to be encouraging and have energy. I could do that.What was not mentioned was the fact I would be challenged with an extremely diverse group and had to get them to work together in harmony.

My group ranged from the athletic to the geek, from tall to short, from small to large, from energetic to too-cool-to-be-there attitudes. Our first team project was to come up with a name and a cheer associated with our team color: green. Encouraging isn't the word for what I had to do to get my group to voice opinions and agree. "Pulling teeth" is a clearer depiction. Finally, we came up with a name: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They were teenagers and green, so the name was fitting. Our cheer was using our bodies to form the letters TMNT while our cheerleader (literally speaking) shouted each letter. We got second to last place. First place went to the blue team, who danced around in a circle mimicking the Smurfs. No contest really. The goofier, the better, and we were not goofy.

Tuesday's activity was trying to hit other teams with water balloons while they walked in connected lines back and forth across the softball field. The further the team, the higher the points. Each team got 10 balloons. We shot off 8...3 popped in our hands, 1 was mercifully replaced. Needless to say, we didn't do so hot. However, my team worked a little better together. Some took the lead and organized who would hold the sling shot. We gave everyone a turn, regardless that some were obviously better shots than others.

Wednesday we played tug-of-war on a tarp slathered with dish soap and hosed down. We lost each time but had a blast! We worked together on strategy. We were a true team!

Thursday the activity was human battleship. Volleyball nets covered with tarps separated each team, who lay on the ground in various positions. Each team had a player throw a beach ball over the net, and if s/he hit an opposing player, that player hit was out. Our team took turns at who would throw the beach ball. I was impressed by the lack of arguing. They really did work well together. We earned the most activity points that day.

I was pleasantly surprised by my team's positive attitudes. Compared to the other teams, we were losing...bad! Regardless, they tried their best and never blamed each other for our failures. On Thursday, one boy even shouted out, "Go, green team," to me across the quad. He was one of the kids I thought had the I-don't-want-to-be-here mentality. Looks like I was wrong =).

In the end, we came in last place, even after I earned us extra points by participating in a skit (which was super funny!). Placement didn't matter, though. I was so proud of them for working so well together. An accomplishment I didn't see us achieving that first day.

Along with being a team leader, I also taught 13 and 14-year-old girls each morning and helped with a choir class in the afternoon. This blog is long enough without describing these experiences in detail as well.
Let me just tell you of one major impression I got. Teenagers are lonely. I found that many of these girls had no true friend, someone they could always rely on. Someone loyal in all life's circumstances. My heart ached at their stories. At the same time, my heart rejoiced in my fortune. I'm surrounded by caring people. I have not only my husband, but a best friend whom I consider a sister.

Never take true friends for granted. They are rare gems.