Re-Word this
It was the first time I would be gone from home for a week. I could feel the excitement in the air as this was the first time this camp Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp had come to Aspendale Mountain retreat in Cloudcroft New Mexico. At the time I was 13 years old. When I got there, I could smell the pine trees that surrounded us like a fence protecting the huge property. From where I stood, I could see the cabin the would be my home for a week. I could not help but marvel at how big the camp was. There was even a rope's course that we would get to do. The only thing that this place did not have but I hoped that would soon be a pool. Every night, we would have evening worship around the campfire.
At camp, I was known by two nicknames, Sarge because I liked to wear a battle dress uniform top and also tambourine man because that was my instrument of choice. During the day, we would do various activities. During the morning we would have the morning watch which would start at 7:00, we would listen to a song that would be based around the theme of the day, after the song we would spread and be in solitary time with God. We could be in groups if we so wished so, I always spent that time with my big sister Ellie. When the bell rang, we would eat breakfast. After that, we would head outside and while the senior counsellor and a select camper went to a morning meeting. After that was morning worship. The night before the VOD (Village of the Day) would plan what the worship would be and where, and the theme of the day.
When worship was over, we would do an activity like low ropes or bible study and then eat lunch. After that, we would all have a rest hour at noon. After rest hour (or sometimes hours), we would get up and do more activities until dinner. We would now have a village get together where all the villages would do an activity that the VOD had planned.
One thing I loved about camp is that you could do anything you wanted, as long as the village wanted to, so if your village wanted to stay in bed all day, you could, if you wanted to play a game of Gaga ball, then you could. At camp, I created a well-loved mascot known as Foxy, whom I used as a ventriloquist puppet. It was just a hand puppet but when the talent show came around Foxy was the naughtiest creature to know. He detuned guitars and was pleased when he sang a solo. I still have a lot of fond memories about camp. In three years of going there was really one incident that I did not like that took place at camp.
Breakfast was when it all started. Someone had stolen another groups mascot, and for it to be returned, they had to sing a song in front of the whole camp. Since the theme of the day was pranking, they had no choice but to do so. After the mascot was not returned I said I would help find him. For some crazy reason that rose suspicion. As the day wore on and the mascot wasn’t returned I was also getting a headache. I would like to say that the biggest thing that affected how I responded to the conflict is my emotions and the fact that I was not feeling too well.
I was walking around during free time and someone told me “ just give the mascot back because everyone knows you took it.” The day had been one thing after another and I had a headache so I kind of blew my top at them and said “I didn’t take the stupid mascot! You are some friend if you believe that I took it. I have a pounding headache. All I need is you blaming me for something I did NOT do. If another person blames me I swear I will end up decking them! It is some thanks for blaming me when I offered to help find the mascot in the first place.” I stormed off and ended up crying because that day had not been pretty pleasant. I admit that that was not the best way to handle it.
During the VOD event Pastor Adam whom I had told what had happened along with my village counsellors apologised and said it was him and the staff who had taken the mascot as a joke. He told me where the mascots current position was and let me return it. I still remember what he said. “I’m sorry that our prank hurt your feelings. We didn’t think about others being under suspicion when we did it. I hope you will never stop being my friend because of what I did.”
Thinking back there prank was kind of ingenious as well as funny. Because the village that the mascot belonged to decided to force staff to let them check their cars, the staff moved the mascot from place to place. They also moved it to places I had personally just looked. I apologised to the girl that I had blown up at and she and the mascot cabin apologised for blaming me. Other than that incident, the camp was and still is, my favourite place for a vacation.
If RTLC-South is held next year, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be there.
For the first time in my life, I was leaving home for a week to attend the Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp at Aspendale Mountain retreat in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. I was only 13 years old at the time, but I could feel the excitement in the air. The camp was massive, surrounded by pine trees, and I was assigned a cabin for the week. I wished there was a swimming pool on the property, but there was a rope's course, and that was just as exciting. Every evening there was a worship ceremony around the campfire, and during the day, we had different activities. In the morning, we would have a morning watch, followed by breakfast, morning worship, and then more activities before lunch and a rest hour. In the afternoon, we had more activities until dinner, and then the Village of the Day would plan the evening's entertainment.
During camp, I was called "Sarge" because I loved to wear a battle dress uniform, and "Tambourine Man" because I chose the tambourine as my musical instrument. What I loved most about camp was the freedom to do anything as long as the village approved. I even created a puppet called "Foxy" and used it for ventriloquism during the talent show.
However, there was one day that wasn't pleasant. During breakfast, another group's mascot was stolen, and they had to sing a song to get it back. When it wasn't returned, I offered to help find it but was accused of taking it. As the day progressed, I had a pounding headache and was emotionally affected. When someone accused me again, I lost my temper and stormed off, crying. Later, I found out that the staff had taken the mascot as a prank, and they hadn't considered other campers being blamed. They apologized, and the incident was resolved.
Despite the incident, I still consider camp my favorite vacation destination. If there is an RTLC-South next year, I will undoubtedly be there.
At the end instead of saying Despite the incident, I still consider camp my favorite vacation destination. If there is an RTLC-South next year, I will undoubtedly be there. say
Now that I am 18, I have been offered a job as a counselor myself, By the guy who was my counselor