More than fun and games
Camp Medley is deeply spiritual



by Ana Watts

Archbishop Claude Miller has great respect for Liz Harding’s ability to recognize the good in others. “She really knows how to read people,” he says of the Camp Medley director. “She accepts staff where they are. They don’t have to be Christians, they must, however, not be negative about Christianity. The grand daughter of a friend found unconditional love at the camp and went on to find her faith and I know there are other conversion experience stories.”

Liz knows the young woman of whom Archbishop Miller speaks well. “She worked here last summer. She was raised in the church, even sang in the choir. When she interviewed with us she expressed skepticism about her faith, openly saying that she didn't know whether she believed anymore. All summer long all the staff members gave her unconditional love and support as she had never experienced it before. The people at camp loved her for who she was. At the closing service for the summer we had a time of open prayer. At it she told God that she was sorry she had neglected him over the years and had shut him out from her life. She committed to God publicly that she was open to him and would not neglect him again in her life.”

She is not the only Medley staffer who has encountered a deeply spiritual experience. A few years ago another staff member was open at her interview about the fact that she did not know if she believed in Jesus. “During the summer she dealt with a homesick camper and knew other staff members often prayed with the campers when in this situation,” says Liz. “She had never ever prayed for someone else in her life, but she prayed for this camper and immediately the camper was happier. In response that she said to herself that there is a God and she committed her life to Christ. She glowed for the rest of that summer and worked for us for two more summers.”

Some applicants are unsure of their faith, a few even admit they don’t have one. "If they possess other good qualities and skills, that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t get hired,” says Liz. “I tell them that if they can respect the camp’s mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the making of young disciples, and if they can refrain from saying ‘I don’t believe’ in front of the campers, I have no problem hiring them.”

Campers also have spiritual experiences at camp.

“Each night at the end of chapel the campers are invited to stay either for quiet prayer on their own or to have a staff member pray for them,” says Liz. “Most often the campers ask someone to pray for them — it could be a commitment or re-commitment to Christ, or prayer for a problem in their lives. After chapel staff members also lead a time of devotion in their cabins. These are very close and meaningful times for all of them, and again young people have used this opportunity to open their lives to Christ.

“A grandparent once reported to me that their grandchildren told them that they went and prayed in the chapel. The grandparent asked them what they had prayed about. The response was, ‘Well, you know, the world and stuff.’”

Liz has had campers tell her that they know camp is a safe place to talk about their faith and for some it is the only place where they feel comfortable talking about or exploring it.

“Our staff is trained to value each young person's ideas. We take our baptismal covenant seriously, we ‘respect the dignity of every human being’ so we must respect the campers’ thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we need to guide the young people on a different path, but again, our staff has the skills to do that. We are all specifically trained.”

Liz says it is these spiritual experiences that lead staff to work the inordinate number of hours that they all work before and throughout the summer.

Camp Medley employs about 25 people during the camping season, including Shawn Branch who has served as assistant director for the past two summers. He also monitors and updates the camp website. Counsellors, lifeguards and kitchen staff are hired for each season. But the paid staff is just the tip of the iceberg. Clergy and nurses volunteer on a weekly basis and committee members volunteer all year long. Paul Mills and Art Arnburg co-chair the facilities committee and Clare Box is a faithful member. They spend many, many hours working on the property and the buildings — often late at night and on weekends. Ann Pinell chairs the programme committee, Youth Action Director George Porter and Liz Harding are members. Ann is also camp registrar.

 

Diocesan Communications

01 March 2011