The atmosphere is supercharged with excitement as counselors scurry around putting the final touches on their cabins, lifeguards get ready for swim tests, and the lodge fills with the smell of chocolate chip cookies as the kitchen pulls out the first batch of sweet treats for check-in time. Uniforms donned, banners raised, and flags flying high-- we’re ready. This is what we’ve planned for…what we’ve trained for. It’s time for all our best laid plans for this 10-week journey to be carried out.
Flash forward a week later. It’s Wednesday morning: girls cabin 4 is having a meltdown because the girls can’t remember their power passage routine; boys cabin 1 is running late because the bathroom door locked from the inside again; and the honor cabin raised the flag upside down. We make it to Camp Council only to find a family of racoons have made their home under the stage and are not particularly pleased with the rhythms of making melodies, so they begin to screech. Campers are screaming, counselors are trying to keep everyone back, and the camp director is looking for a way to restore order to this morning worship service. This was NOT how the day was supposed to go.
Flash forward to week six. It’s Sunday again. This time, the last set of youth campers are boarding the bus to head home. Bags are loaded in the back; attendance is complete. The last round of hugs is underway, and tears are flowing from both the kiddos and the staff. Just as the bus begins to pull away, we hear the roar of “We Are Soldiers,” the unofficial Camp Akita battle cry, erupt through the windows. That poor bus driver…it’s going to be a long 3-hour drive back to Hinsdale. As the bus disappears through the tree line, we get back to the grind. We know this part. Clean, welcome, serve, repeat.
Now, flash forward to week 10. The last Sunday of the season. We ask our staff how they saw Jesus throughout the summer, and responses are surprising. The commonality amongst all the answers is this: Even in the moments of chaos or amid a storm, we could see Jesus, because He was always the anchor. Even when the uniforms were wrinkled, the banners fell, and the flag was upside down. Not a single moment was wasted because it was always Jesus holding things together and moving on our behalf. He was always there.
When campers arrive at Akita, our hope for them is that they would come into an encounter with Jesus that gives them a deep knowing that He will always show up. Even when our plans fail. Even when our best efforts aren’t enough…He’s more than enough. This summer, we hope our campers experience that Jesus: the one who can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ever imagine!
Stacey DePluzzer is associate youth director for Illinois Conference.
