Reunion...An Affirmation

After posting Reunion on What’s the Good Word yesterday morning, my 14 year old grandson and I traveled to Ziontario to spend the day at Loaves and Fishes reunion.  He is a graduate of Kid’s Camp, (more on youth camps another day) and now attends Jr. High, also held this year at Ziontario. 

It was a wonderful day.  The weather was cool but warmed up nicely in the afternoon and it didn’t rain!  About 225 people appeared to be having a great and relaxing time visiting, sharing food, enjoying guest minister Dale Luffman’s class, singing old and new hymns during worship, playing games and swimming in the campground’s pool.  All ages were well represented, from infants in arms to people in their 90s.  

In an afternoon discussion group under the canopy, I listened as some folks shared their stories of faith, and others shared their doubts or questions.  I thought, isn’t this a wonderful thing that the community feels safe enough so that people are comfortable giving voice to the questions or doubts we probably all have at time!  It means they trust that no one will judge them or think less of them for sometimes wondering if God is really there.

I watched children swinging on the swings, sliding on the slide, and playing on the climbing apparatus.  I saw young folks playing volleyball or throwing a Frisbee.  I noticed that people of all ages were really enjoying the pool, fully and properly staffed by our three appropriately observant lifeguards.

I met a friend who is no longer active in church but had “dropped in” the day before, returned yesterday, and now planned to come back twice more later in the week bringing some others whom she felt could be blessed by this experience. There must be something to this camping experience, don’t you think?

Yes, as usually happens when I attend such events, several people asked, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”  So we sat on a bench under the trees while they aired their concerns.  Generally these were leaders wondering how to handle some kind of puzzle or problem, or perhaps just needing someone else to “bounce ideas off.”  Even this is a very good thing, as it means those leaders have found the time and space to work through some of their struggles while the reunion goes happily on around them.

By now you are wondering what the point of this post might be.  Perhaps I just wanted to share the sense of peace and happiness I observed yesterday as a further affirmation of the value of the family camp experience.  It is confirmation that personal and interpersonal peace really is possible, and a family camp is a lovely place to share it.

Is reunion always perfect; the peaceable kingdom come at last?  No, probably that would be just too much to expect, but yesterday, I thought it was close!

May you be blessed with a great reunion experience this summer.

Carman