For some young people, summer camp is an opportunity to experience service, sacrifice, and leadership for perhaps the first time in their life.

Phillip Somers felt God must have something special planned when he discovered he was assigned to be a CIT (Counselor in Training) for Blind Camp, even though he volunteered to work during different camps. Phillip says, “I was very tempted to call Pastor Charlie and tell him I would like to do a different week, or back out. I was scared because I had never seen a blind person, except on TV.”

Phillip could only imagine what his responsibilities would be at camp. He thought he would help the campers eat, get their clothes, and lead them around. “That was all that really came to mind since I didn’t know what to expect. Boy, was I in for a surprise,” he exclaimed.

During orientation, Phillip learned how to correctly lead and approach someone who is blind. “And we were told to be patient,” he remembers.

The campers arrived, and Phillip soon found himself busy. Some of his responsibilities were like he imagined, but there were many others.

"Anyone who has ever worked at summer camp knows the hardest working staff are counselors. From the time a camper wakes up until it's time to go to sleep, counselors are on duty. CITs are an extra pair of eyes, hands, and feet when necessary, not to mention the moral support knowing help is close by," said Charlie Thompson, Timber Ridge Camp director.

Phillip's week was filled with many unforgettable experiences, and he was surprised by all that the campers were able to do. But, Phillip says, “I think my favorite [memory] would be canoe wars. We would have one guy in the front and one in the middle. The one in the front controlled the ramming speed … and the one in the middle controlled the weapons—some of the guys brought squirt guns. Our motto was, 'It’s all fun and games until someone’s canoe gets tipped.'” Well, a canoe did tip and Phillip and another CIT soon found themselves rescuing campers from the water. “We pulled in close so we could get them in our canoes, but our guys weren’t cooperating. So we pulled on our life jackets and jumped in.” They soon had their campers back in the canoes and, with the help of others, pulled the almost-sunken canoe to shore. Phillip remembers, “There was so much action on my very first day.”

Matt visited camp for the first time and didn’t seem to know too much about Jesus. He asked Phillip, “Is Jesus really coming back?” Phillip said, “Yes, He is. Why do you ask?” The camper said, “I heard stories that He was and I just wondered where He was.” The camper told Phillip he didn’t like it here on Earth and, after a long wait, shared a few prayer requests with Phillip.

Phillip says being a CIT helped him learn to cherish his sight and to give thanks for it. And through this experience he says, “I know I have gotten closer to God.”

Diane Thurber is the Lake Union Herald managing editor. Phillip Somers is from Cicero, Indiana, and is a freshman at Indiana Academy.