Volunteer Story - Iain
Iain's Camp Experience
The first time I went to Camp of the Woods was to staff in 2024, and now I can’t picture myself not being involved in camp ministry. I went for the first time with some of my family, after being urged to come by another family member. That first week of camp was the best time of my life. Even though I was working and having to get out of my comfort zone, I was still able to spend time with the campers and play lots of games. I immediately felt like family in the camp environment. I got to spend lots of time with the campers getting to know them and collecting some nick-names along the way. I knew I wanted to come back and that is what I did the next year and the year after that.
While working at camp for the past few years I have been pushed out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. I learned how to clean better than I ever wanted and have enjoyed it more than I ever thought I would. I also got the opportunity of cabin leading and spending even more time with the campers. Even with all of the work that we did, we never lost sight of Jesus and the ministry He had set before us.
At camp I have never felt closer to God and others. While at camp I really felt like it was the place for me. I was pushed, not only out of my comfort zone, but also pushed to rely on God a lot more. I realized very quickly that without God, I would not survive the summer. One of the weeks we were talking about our purpose of being at camp. Our “why” for cabin leading, for playing games, and best of all for cleaning. I remember one of the nights as I was thinking about the last week, which was my first week in a cabin, I felt like God said to me, “This is your why.” I knew this was the place that God had called me. During my time at Camp of the Woods I learned a lot about cleaning and a lot about my “why.”
One of the things that has impacted me the most throughout my camp experience, is my relationship with the campers and the fellow staff. As a cabin leader I had the opportunity to share a lot about myself and my faith in God with the campers. Also, working with others who are very different from you, forces you to work more as a team, and therefore grow closer and tightly knit together. My relationships with the other staff members and the campers will continue to impact me for the rest of my life.
