Parents would be arriving soon to take their cub campers home. "I really liked the play" one said. "Singing Fruit of the Spirit!" another shouted excitedly. "Mr. Kevin I am really excited to go home but I'm also kind of sad that camp is over already." "Me too, William," I said. Don't get me wrong, I was looking forward to a Sabbath of rest with my fellow staff, but there was a sense of sadness that this group of cub campers, I had spent the last week with and getting to know, were heading home.
If you talk to any counselor during the middle of Teen Camp, they are likely going to be sick or exhausted, sometimes both. Working at camp isn't a sprint or a marathon, more of a triathlon. It can be exhausting, not just physically and mentally, but especially spiritually. We are constantly facing push back from all directions. Dealing with sickness, burnout, and exhaustion has been a problem for multiple staff before. However, many of those staff choose to return year after year.
I had no intention of returning to Wakonda after 2016 as a staff member. I'm blessed to say that I will be returning for my third official year this summer. When I talk to people about my time at Wakonda, it's easy to talk about all the different things I enjoy. I mention the friends, the activities, and even the silly little camp songs. However, the main reason I find myself consistently returning to is the impact. Seeing a camper make the decision to give their heart to Jesus is something so special, that I just can't quite explain. It has been amazing to see the impact camp has had over my last 2 years, not just on the campers, but also on the staff. It's easy to forget that camp is often times just as much a ministry to the staff as it is to our campers. I often look back on my memories as a camper and think about how my counselor and other staff helped me find my way to that decision to be baptized. I am so thankful I now can do the same for our campers.
You never know what sort of impact you may have on a camper while simply helping them climb onto a saddle, chatting at the rock wall, or singing "Fruit of the Spirit" at an evening program. Camp Wakonda will always hold a special place in my heart. The friendships and memories, but most importantly, the decisions that I made at camp have been some of the most important in my life. There are many reasons why I love Camp Wakonda, but I will leave you with the one I believe is the most important to me: I love Camp Wakonda, not just because it is a place set apart, but because it is where I learned that God made me set apart.
Kevin Wilkinson enjoys just about anything outdoors, especially hiking and skiing and action filmography. He is also involved in Wisconsin’s young adult ministries and has served as one of the conference’s public campus missionaries.
Contact person: zpayne@wi.adventist.org
Information: www.wakonda.org
Location: W8368 County Hwy E, Oxford, WI 53952
