Family Camp

September 2, 2008

Camp Tawonga is quiet now. No sounds of kids running around with the hustle and bustle of activity. All of that will change on Friday when another round of family camp begins. For the past two weekends I have seen more of the Camp Tawonga property than I did all summer.

Family camp at Tawonga has a completely different feel then camp during the summer. You aren't responsible for the kids the entire time. I imagine it is what it feels like to be a grandparent. Have the kids for a little while in the morning and then give them back to the parents in the afternoon.

For the past two weekends I have dipped my hands in a variety of different jobs which again has given the weekend a different feel. Take a group of adults on a 2 mile hike in the morning up to the ridge. Take a bigger group of a adults on another hike down to Lower falls for a swim in the river late morning. Reunite them with their kids. Have Lunch and then help with arts and crafts in the afternoon after rest hour. Shabbat Dinner, enjoy the evening activity scheduled for the families like a talent show and then enjoy the adult activities at night like a dance.

Most of the time I feel like I am just part of the big clan of people that is here enjoying the activities and having conversations with people from all walks of life.

The weekend comes to an end and the quietness of camp begins again as I stay on to work maintenance during the week; preparing the buildings to be used again in a few short days. A computer and a phone are my only outlet to the outside world. Two more weeks and this haven of solitude and peacefulness will disappear and become another life that I once lived. I will walk away from this place with a different world view then when I entered three and a half months ago and with a different view of myself.