September 18th

The Joy of Being a Camp Chaplain

I’ve had the honour to be invited to Camp Valaqua for several years now, as a chaplain (even though I am a school teacher, not a pastor!). Sometimes people thank me for “giving up” a week of my summer, but let me share with you what I get out of it.

First, I love the wholesome atmosphere at Camp Valaqua. If you’ve ever been there, you probably recognize that it is a special place. It seems to have an atmosphere of peace and relaxation. I find that I sleep better there than I do at home. I feel less rushed or stressed. The surrounding forest certainly helps, but there’s more to it than that. The staff seem to take everything in stride from Jon and Jeff, right down to the teens who work there in the summer. They demonstrate patience and kindness in seemingly every situation. And there seems to be a quiet acknowledgement of the presence of God in every aspect of the place.

The most important part of being a chaplain is interacting with the campers, and it may be the most fun, as well. These children come from a variety of backgrounds. Many are from families in Mennonite congregations, but others come from other Christian backgrounds, a few from other religious backgrounds, and some with perhaps no religious training. But the structure of summer camps seems to unite them in enjoying activities together and in singing songs, both silly and sacred. I feel blessed to play with these kids, to worship and pray with them, and to tell stories to them and hear their stories. I can’t overstate how humbled I am by the opportunity to share stories and principles from the Bible and to get young people to look deeply at the words and actions of Jesus.

Perhaps a less obvious joy of being a chaplain at Camp Valaqua is watching developing leaders from our churches. I am always impressed at the way counsellors, counsellors-in-training (CITs), and other young camp staff dive into their roles whole-heartedly. I’ve seen kids from my own church (First Mennonite, in Edmonton) grow in social skills, problem-solving skills, and “church skills" (song leading, public speaking, organizing activities, leading small groups, etc.). The confidence that I see, especially in those who return several years in a row (often starting out on the PIT crew, moving up to CIT, and then counsellor or other positions of responsibility) is amazing. As I write this, I am smiling, thinking of so many faces that I’ve seen develop that way over the years.

Camp Valaqua is a true treasure of Mennonite Church Alberta. It benefits those who spend time there, but it also benefits our churches in less direct ways. It presents opportunities for faith to come to life for children. It gives a way to share our faith to others who come to camp. It’s also a great place for our young people to develop skills that will be useful to them, and to our churches. What a joy to be one small part of this!