A Day in the Life of a Busy Camp Director
Rush, rush, rush! A camp director’s morning starts in high-gear. I need to make sure that I have everything we need for the day.
Coffee. Check.
Donuts. Check.
Gas in the van. Check.
Candy for prizes. Check.
Crafts for the kids. Check.
Bible. Check.
Peanut butter. Check.
Jelly. Check.
Bread. Check.
Ok it looks like we are ready to go. Hopping in the van I yell to my brothers to hurry up. I feel like it takes them forever to scramble into the van. Then screech, we head to the office. I drive carefully. Well, carefully for someone who is running late and has a long list of things that need to be done before nine AM.
Arriving to the office I realize there is no one there. “Oh, man” I think, “Why is no one ever on time?” zooming down the road I pull up to a team members house. Trevor hops out just as Hannah rushes to the van. When we arrive back at the office I haphazardly parallel park, jump out, and jam my key into the office door. The teens work to situate themselves in the van as new people arrive. “Good morning!” I call over my shoulder but they’re too busy scrambling in and out of the back seat to answer. They toss supplies around for a quick exit from the vehicle once we arrive at camp.
Make copies. Done.
Grab lesson plans. Done.
Write instructions. Done.
Hop back into van. Done
Pull out into traffic. Done
Soon the team is setting up for the day. The morning zooms by. Every day at camp is exciting and this one is no exception. Between ecstatic children, injured leaders, performances, stories, and games, I’m kept busy.
When lunch time rolls around counselor Katie scours the kitchen. “Hey Janel,” she wonders “did you bring peanut butter?”
I show a hint of annoyance at the obvious, “Yeah, it’s in the bag with the rest of the sandwich stuff.”
She looks confused. “I don’t see it.”
“Really?” I’m confused now. “It’s got to be in there. I remember packing it.”
We search the kitchen, unfolding one bag, then another, and another. No luck.
“I guess we’ll do bread and jam.” I respond.
The rest of the afternoon flies by. I hardly have time to catch my breath.
Set up for end of week carnival. Need to do.
Meet with the pastor. Need to do.
Help homeless people find winter clothes. Need to do.
Mop up sticky lemonade. Need to do.
Call parents of vomiting child. Definitely need to do!
I bound from one responsibility to another all afternoon.
When the day ends the van ride back is quiet. Still wound up from the excitement of working with energetic children the team is exhausted. Pulling up to the office I notice a brown crust spread across where I parked, just that morning. “Good grief!” I exclaim “Can’t people be careful? What a mess!” I rush into the office, write a quick message to the treasurer, and place it on her desk. I swivel to Holly’s desk to write her a note as well. I lurch. There’s a noise at the door. It’s Christian. He has something in his hand. A smashed brown jar with something oozing out of it. “Oh gross! What is that?”
“I think it’s peanut butter.” deadpans Christian.
Something’s familiar. “Oh!” I exclaim, “That’s our peanut butter. That’s the peanut butter we were missing at lunch.”
Humbly I realize our bread and jam sandwiches were my fault.
I’d run the van over the peanut butter jar.
I’d made that mess.
Learn my lesson of the day. Check.
(This is one peek at my summer. Thiis could have been anyday, and every day. It is typical life...the summer life that I adore)
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