These People Actually Live By The Golden Rule.
Both of my kids had a blast at camp. They went to River Valley Ranch, which is a Christian-based camp. I sent them there because it seemed to be the closest thing to stereotypical summer camp that I could find – a week without electronics, with woods and acres of fields and night-time games and campfires. I thought they’d make new friends and spend lots of time running and swimming and playing. The boys went for the zip line, the swimming pool, the ninja warrior course and the gaga pits.
They came home talking about God.
Apparently, there was half an hour every evening devoted to spiritual discussion. There were adult speakers and small group chats, centered on stories from the Bible. The kids now know the Bible better than I do.
On the way home, both boys were very philosophical. They spoke wisely about their beliefs and what they heard, and what they believed about what they heard. They talked about what they didn’t like, and how sometimes the counselors contradicted what they believed the Bible said. They talked about how powerful the week was for them, and how they had new friends – but also felt reconnected to God.
I had no idea, when sending them to this camp, that they would even notice a Christian influence. But they noticed not only the evening stories, but the kindness of the counselors, the trustworthiness of the campers, and the way their new friends treated them with care and respect. They noticed the Christian nature of the place.
Unlike much of the world, then, these people actually live by The Golden Rule.
They had other fun, too. They rode the longest triple zip line on the east coast. Shane played 11 hours of gaga. Dylan dove head-first into a mud pit. They climbed a warp wall, swam in a gorgeous pool and ran around outside after dark. They did chariot races and tug-of-war-type games and archery tag and and skeeball and human foosball and miniature golf. They had a carnival and a luau and milkshakes and snow cones. They sang songs and did chants and danced and laughed and cheered.
I was just happy to have them home. Their experience – one that they will hopefully replicate annually for years to come – is just a bonus.