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At camp things don’t always go as you plan … they go far better than you could ever imagine. Here Mark Standish writes about a program at Ontario Pioneer Camp that fits that description in all kinds of ways.
In the Dining Hall, we are promptly exposed to the unpredictability of camp; you can plan things to go one way, and regardless of how thoroughly you prepare, activities can quickly turn into something you had never imagined or accounted for.
In one of the wackier themes that I can remember at Boys’ Camp (designed by Candy Man, of course), villains entered the Dining Hall; a mob of L-Team members was cloaked in black, scampering between the tables. Kid’s mouths were left agape at this display, as the mob-leader murmured descriptions of his insidious plot into a microphone.
Boys’ Camp was in danger.
Then, suddenly, a heroic character swung the Dining Hall doors open, revealing his posse of heroes. They were ready to save Boys’ Camp. The leader yelled, “Get ’em boys!” and all the staff watching assumed a stand-off between the two groups was impending. However, as I’ve learned, assumptions are never smart at Boys’ Camp. The campers had a different expectation.
The campers realized that they were supposed to be on the side of the good and the righteous and had to stand up against all that is bad in the world. So, they followed their leader’s command.
Rovers leapt off their benches, latched onto the L-Team villains, dragged them to the ground, and, I’m sure, clutched the poor villains until their skin was raw. Quickly, the villains were bound and Boys’ Camp was saved. It was a joyous moment for all of Boys’ Camp. After some retrospection, it became clear that this was more than just a simple moment of joy. It was a formative moment for the boys standing their ground in the Dining Hall, finding an untapped heroic capacity in themselves.
About InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Ontario
Ontario Pioneer Camp is an award-winning Christian summer camp located in beautiful Muskoka, Ontario, serving campers from ages five to 17. Sessions range from one to four weeks, providing lots of opportunity for campers to grow spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally. Activities include swimming, high ropes, boating, rock climbing, mountain boarding, media and arts. Ontario Pioneer Camp has been been welcoming campers for nearly 90 years.
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