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Thursday Thirteen
13 Things about our Summer Bible Camp

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Thursday Thirteen
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13 Things about our Summer Bible Camp

  1. It is run by a different set of volunteers each week. The only paid staff members are caretakers and summer staff like lifeguards.
  2. My Dad was a volunteer director and started the senior teens’ week in the early ‘70s.
  3. I have been going to camp almost every year since I was two. I have been a workers’ kid, a camper, a worker and a counselor.
  4. When I was a teenager I attended multiple weeks of camp, working as a volunteer and attending as a camper as well as going to weekend camps during the school year.
  5. I met my husband there when he was 16 and I was 17. (We didn’t start dating until our early 20’s.)
  6. My husband is now a volunteer program director for one of the weeks.
  7. The camp is located on a beautiful secluded island.
  8. The only way to access the island is by private boat – no ferries.
  9. My favorite part of camp is Chapel.
  10. We aren’t a wealthy camp with a lot of fancy toys like some other nearby camps, but we are rich in the Spirit and in fellowship. I think almost everyone who comes to our camp is inspired and touched by the warmth and love of the staff and campers and can sense the presence of God.
  11. It is my favorite place in the world – except for the mice and the mosquitoes.
  12. I must have been to the island well over a hundred times.
  13. My son has been every year of his life. His first time was when he was six months old and this will be his fourth year. He loves it there! When he was six months he burst into tears as our boat pulled away and he realized we were coming home. During the year he will cry and beg to go. I love that he loves it there so much and that we are carrying on our family tradition with him.
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30 Comments

  1. I’m pretty sure I’m not doing this right, but I want to practice before next Thursday!! By the way – your baby is gorgeous.

    I’m signing up for Thursday 13 now.

    Reply

  2. My daughter is at Bible camp as we speak. She always has such great memories and such a fantastic introduction to the world of fun as a Christian. I would not trade one day of it for a week at Disneyworld. (The kids probably would though…)

    Reply

  3. I like the fact that I gave myself to the Lord every summer for three years. It finally stuck! lol, Thanks for the T13 and visiting FBO. lgp

    Reply

  6. My kiddos are going for their 3rd time this year, and LOVE VBC. 🙂 It’s such a wonderful Summer thing for them to participate in, isn’t it?

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  7. Sounds so great!!! How ’bout pictures? So neat that you met your husband there at camp! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful memories.

    I had a similar experience as you did. I met my American husband at a Young Life camp where we were both youth leaders. We married three years later, just after we graduated from university. And that’s how I ended up moving from Canada to the US. Such sweet times!

    Maybe you’ll be priviliged to watch the cycle repeat itself, like I am. Our daughter is now a Young Life leader and plans to take some jr. high girls to camp this summer as their counselor. My husband is still going to camp too. He’s been asked to help coordinate at a youth camp in Russia this August. We love camp!!!

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  9. I LOVE CAMP!!! i grew up spending my summers at bible camp and my heart is full of happy memories. 🙂

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  11. I loved camp when I was little…I hope David will love it just as much when he gets older.
    My TT is up!

    Reply

  12. I never went away to Bible camp, but I always helped with VBS at my church. I was part of the praise band and i worked in the nursery. It was always so much fun!
    My TT is up.

    Reply

  13. Some of my best memories growing up as a kid are of VBS, or Bible camp. My brother and I always had a great time.
    I think I’ll post some of them on Monday for Monday Memories.
    Have a great Thursday!

    Reply

  14. I took my kids to camp when they were babies too. Kent was a youth pastor for 10 years and we ran our own camps. Usually that would be two weeks of camp and several retreats a year. Ours was on a lake, but an island would be even better. One of my favorite pictures is giving my firstborn a bath in a big metal tub at camp.

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  17. Sounds like fun! My kids are in VBS this week and the volunteers are knocking themselves out making it fun for the kids – people like you really make the summer great!

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  18. I want to go too… That sounds like so much fun and the fact that it seems to be a family tradition makes it better….

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  21. On an island? That sounds great. When I was a kid, our church camp was at a lake. My favorite part was vespers–after dark, sitting around a campfire, singing songs. Nice memories.

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  22. That IS cool about having camp on an island. I’ve never been to camp, but my daughter goes to our church’s youth camp every year – unfortunately it’s only a week long but she loves it.

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  24. Oh, thank you for brining back my own memory of summer camp. I think is cool that you and your hubby are involved with the camp you have met. I think that you don’t have to have fancy stuff – God is enough :smile:.
    Have a blessed day…

    Reply

  26. Sounds like a great camp! I love that it’s on an island – I bet that makes it even more special for the kids.

    Reply

  27. I used to love the summer bible school that our church had. It was called Youth For Christ. It was alot of fun going with my Aunts, Uncles, cousins and brothers.

    I’m up.

    Reply

  28. I remember saying THE prayer at my cousin’s camp when I was 5 or 6. Very special.

    Your camp sounds wonderful, too. But I’m more hit by the “roots” that your family put down for you, and now you are passing them along. It must be wonderful to have that for your children, too. 😉

    Reply

  29. the important thing is the spiritual experience, and you have both, the camp might not like other camps but you’re all enjoying it and it’s a blessing to experience that.

    Happy TT. my list is up too.

    Reply