So, this years True North overnight Camp was a great success. The kids had fun (they were also crazy) and things were better prepared, and it was less hectic. Mind you, there’s A LOT to be improved on for next year, but this year is definitely a big step up from last time around. I’m looking forward to being a part of the process again next year.

The food was good, but it seemed that for the first day or two, that we didn’t have enough. But by the end, they started bringing around extra, and giving us left overs if we were still hungry. Any ways, we never starved, thats for sure. The kitchen staff were great.

Games and activities were great, lots of fun. The program team worked hard, but there was some conflict you could tell. But when it got down to getting down and doing things, they worked as a team. We played a rendition of a game called Ninjas ( usually played at dark, but we played in the light for the smaller kids ), and the kids loved it, for the most part, unless they were crying, if at first they thought it was real. It was interesting to see the kids look after their own though. They totally took care of each other. I got a lecture from one of the kids that carrying a crocket mallet A.K.A. a “Sludge Hammer” was totally wrong. The girl went to City Kidz, and used what we taught as evidence that violence is wrong. So I gave in gracefully and put away the “Sludge Hammer” I carried. I dunno why I wanted to carry it, Ninjas tend to carry swords and stuff, I wanted to be different. Any ways, there were lots of games that the kids loved.

Campfire’s are always good it seems, the kids love them. Kim, the program director totally brought some new inspiration to this year’s camp fire. There were some awesome skits and songs. But of course, returned some old favourites. I don’t understand it, it confuses me, but every year The Beaver Song instantly becomes a camp favourite. It is certainly my favourite, but I’m a complete weirdo. The song is so simple, but fun at the same time. I think thats what does it, unlike some more complicated songs. the skits were good, but off the top of my head I can’t really think of any that stood out.

The songs and worship for session (which is where we gather the kids and teach and stuff) were rocky to start. We found out two or three days before that we were doing the music. So we had to skip out on cabin clean up every day and go practice. We really did pull it off though, we noticed that we messed up some places, but the kids didn’t notice, and thats all that matters. The kids enjoyed the songs, especially Trading My Sorrows, Days of Elijah, and Pharoah, Pharoah.

For session we took an idea and ran with it this year. Our skits were based on American Idol, we called it Bible Idol, bringing to the future David, Moses and Jesus to tell us their story, and what impact they made. Of course, Jesus won. It’s funny, because we let the kids vote, and they totally voted for Jesus. Originally, we were all a little bit scared they may vote for David, because there was a lot more energy and fun brought into that part of the skit than with Jesus. Jesus was more serious, but while I was up there, talking, the kids were actually listening. Like, all of them. At City Kidz, when we get to the serious part, half the kids tune out it seems, and are all over the place. I don’t know, I think they just needed to hear that story, and they were totally in to it.

Well there’s just so much I could talk about, but I’m not going to. I’ll probably write a little bit about specific experiences that I had that I thought were funny, or important, but I think thats a good recap for this year’s True North Camp.

I Just wanted to thank Austin, my cabin co-counsellor and Paris, my group co-counsellor for picking up the slack when I had to go off and set up, or practice. They were absolutely awsome, and I’m sure things would have fallen apart if they weren’t so understanding, and co-operative. Thanks guys!