The Same Yet Different

During this past summer I had the privilege of serving as both a bus chaperone and a session volunteer for Dragonfly Away /Hole in the Wall camps. I went to Lake Luzerne, New York to the Double "H" Ranch on a bus with some extraordinary teenagers from the Philadelphia area. None of us had met before, but we became fast friends. This provided us with a unique opportunity to bond one-on-one before even setting foot on the camp.

Although it was a long bus ride ("almost ten hours!" by some accounts, though I am confident it was notably shorter), we talked and laughed -- a lot!! This was the first Dragonfly Away experience for all of us, so none of us knew quite what to expect. One of the kids was a little skeptical. He couldn't imagine that it was as wonderful as it sounded. He had some not-so-great camp experiences in the past, and was being careful not to get his hopes up. I assured him that this camp was amazing and would provide him with many unforgettable memories.

Once we arrived at the Double "H" Ranch, we were separated and sent to our different bunks. Every time I saw them during the week, they were grinning from ear to ear and telling me how much fun they were having.

My week at camp was equally memorable. I was assigned to a bunk of young boys -- 9 very energetic and adventurous pre-teen boys. I had such an amazing time, watching them each conquer their fears, whether it was by getting on a horse, making it up the ropes course and then down the zip-line, or just by being at camp. Every aspect of camp was appreciated and loved by the entire bunk, along with every other camper that was blessed by the experience. By the end of the week, everyone was tired yet ecstatic. It had been an awesome week!! Tears were shed when the goodbyes began, but everyone was already looking forward to next summer.

I returned to Philadelphia on a bus with the same kids. Except they weren't the same and I doubt they ever will be again. They were so excited to share all of their adventures, stories, and accomplishments from their week at camp. And the "skeptic" was beaming with a smile that was filled with so much joy. He could not believe that it was all true. The people really were wonderful and the camp really was awesome. He and every other camper were able to enjoy a week of fun, away from the worries of their everyday lives. They were able to be who they are meant to be -- kids.