Tuesday, June 13, 2006

D I S C O, that's the way we disco...

I just had the wonderful privledge of being a leader at Melbourne Central's kids camp this past weekend. My body is absolutely aching, and I'm feeling a bit under the weather...but it was most definitely good times none the less.

A highlight to the weekend was getting to be in charge of the campfire Sunday night. To everyone who reads this in Canada...try to wrap your head around this like I've had to...in Australia, there is no "camp culture." And when I said there's none..I mean nothing. Going to a kid's camp for 3 days is HUGE for both the kids and the leaders, and there are no such thing as campfire songs. Well, there's the traditional, have someone play a guitar and sing along with whatever songs they can play on guitar...but that's about it.

So..I decided to use the opportunity of being in charge of the campfire to introduce a few things into Australia. There was a wonderful rendition of "I've come to marry the princess" done by Matt who taught it to one of the other male leaders at the camp. As well....I introduced "There ain't no flies on us" and the "DISCO" song to the kids. It's great to know that kid's internationally are just the same...they get addicted to the DISCO song. I'm glad I wasn't on the bus ride from the camp to Moreland Corps...because apparently it's all they sang for the entire trip. They even got me to lead a singing of it at the concert Monday afternoon. So now that every camp leader in Canada officially hates that song...now Australia can be infected by it too (lol).

I got to meet and hang out with heaps of amazing and brilliant kids. From little 6 year old girls who you just wanted to put in your pocket because they were so cute, to the older kids of the camp who just provided a laugh in every conversation you had with them. It even felt like I was back at camp at home when I had to sleep without a pillow because I'd given it out to a camper, and I had a sweater smelling like pee because I let one of the younger boys wear it.

The weekend definitely made me realize how much I really am going to miss being at Camp Wabana this summer (well, summer in Canada). There's lots of things I guess I won't miss...but getting to hang out with kids 24/7 for 2 months straight...definitely something I'm going to miss hard core. I guess the idea of our camp culture is something I took for granted because I've just always done it, so it's something to be added to the list of things I've come to really appreciate because I'm so far away from home.

You can check out pictures from the weekend by clicking here.

Blessings!

P.S Mum is coming in 28 days!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are changing the wholeeeeeeeee camp fire experience in Australia. It was an Australia who brought timbrels to Canada ... well ....

you are at a grass roots level...

woohooo watch out australia

and soonnnnnnnn i will be there .. love u
mommy

Matthew said...

why did you torture yourself with the DISCO song...I thought that all Wabanians hated it! (is the right word Wabanian?)

Esther Atkins said...

because the children love it lol...and it's always all about the children :P