FOCUS Camp - A Magical Place

Living at home this summer was taxing for many reasons. While I love the feeling of being home, enjoying family's company, home-cooked meals, sinking into the covers of the bed that I grew up sleeping in... there are also so many new realities of going home after college. Suddenly, you're old enough to see aspects of life more clearly. Which leads me to the conclusion that I will never be able to move back in with my parents.

As someone who likes being busy, I certainly got tired of sitting around enjoying doing nothing for all three months of the summer. In my last week before coming up to school I spontaneously decided to go back up to FOCUS camp - the camp I grew up going to.*

FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools) has been such an influencing factor in my life. It was at camp that I first left home without my parents; it was at camp that I became friends with people from all up and down the East Coast; it was at camp that I learned how to clean a bathroom and be joyful about it. There's just something about being at camp that makes life good.

FOCUS's study center is located on the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard, MA where an alumna of the fellowship had donated a large and plush plot of land. It's a glorious place to be: There's a lodge, dinning hall, barn (where meetings are held), girls and boys bunks (with outdoor showers), a pond, a couple cottages for families, and an outdoor chapel. People often refer to the place as "magical" but while up there this summer, a speaker made a point that hit home that that magical feeling of goodness can and ought to exist in our hearts wherever we go.

So while up on the Vineyard, I led a camp of high schoolers from the MidAtlantic and Southern regions. There were some familiar faces but overall, it was students I hadn't met before. And now I'm proud to say I have about 80 new high school buddies! haha. High Schoolers are great though - they are in the stage where they are intellectual enough to really battle concepts and doubts but young enough that they are still bright-eyed on life. For the first time being at camp, I felt a little bit on the old side. But God wanted me there and it was great to continue to grow alongside new friends. The week filled me up and put me in such a good place so that when I returned for VA I might be ready to enter this new chapter of schooling...

more to come on that.

* note: this is how i travel by the way, i decided i want to go somewhere either at the last minute OR merely 3 days before I have to be in a place. i guess it's my way of keeping life interesting.