lor; but this year I shall be the counselor that God would have me to be. And now abideth good pro gramming, excellent camp facili ties, well-trained counselors and staff members, the largest and best meals possible, and genuine love. These are the essentials for a good camp; but the greatest of these is love. Roscoe Williams is Minister of Christian Education at North Long Beach Brethren Church, Long Beach, Calif. He is a gradu ate of Talbot Theological Semi nary.
The love of which I speak is kind and patient even when the body and the mind are weary. This love is not jealous o f other counselors. This love does not brag about its own group. It does not embarrass or make fun of the campers. It does not cherish inflated ideas of its own impor tance. Love does not behave itself im properly before the campers (or anyone else!), seeketh not her own way when it should be with the campers, is not easily irri tated when changes must be made in the schedule, thinketh no evil if the director must reprimand the counselor. Grieves when a difficult camper is removed to a different cabin or sent home; rejoices when the camper acknowledges his need for the Saviour. Bears all things for the sake of reaching each camper with the Gospel message, believes all things are possible w ith God, hopes for the best in each camp er’s life, perseveres in prayer for the camper after he has returned home. Love never fails: but where there have been mountain hikes and nature studies, they shall be forgotten; where there have been devotional times and group sings, they shall cease; where there have been campfires and faggot serv ices, they shall become a thing of the past. For now we know imperfectly about camp counseling, and we counsel imperfectly. But when we have learned the correct way, the incorrect and imperfect ways shall be put away. When I was a first-year and an immature counselor, my talk was childish, my reasoning was child ish, my thoughts were childish; but when I became a more expe rienced counselor, I began to put away my childish ways (or did I? ). Last summer we saw the coun selor’s responsibility dimly; but this year it will be different; last summer I did only part o f that which was expected of ,a counse
Youth Directors Write From Experience
1Corinthia Parody for Camp Counselors
b y W e s H a r ty T his past summer we at Forest Home Indian Villages experi mented with a daily theme development of Bible study-Quiet Time-Campfire-Devotions materi al. It proved very successful. The morning Bible study, called “ Parables from the Plains” and taught by the Lead Counselor in each tribe, was in actuality one of Jesus’ parables, told in an In dian setting and dealing with some pertinent truth which the Junior child should know. Quiet Time was centered around a pas sage of scripture chosen for its relationship to the truth stressed in the parable. Memory work like wise was selected on this basis. Then the evening Council Fire featured what we called “ Parallels to Parables”—incidents in Jesus’ life which showed the outworking of the truth taught by the morn ing parable. One evening the Vil lage “Chief” would counsel with his “ Indians.” Another night the Lead Counselors (called “ Tribal Chiefs” ) would tell the story in dramatic form. Once a week we had an interview with Zaccheus
b y Mtoscoe W illiam s T hough I, as a camp counselor, speak to my group with the combined eloquence o f men and angels, and have not love, my words will do little good in the lives of the campers. And though I have the gift of working with groups, and under stand all the intricacies o f child psychology and youth behavior, and am versed in all counseling techniques; and though I have all faith, so that I could deal with the most difficult camper, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I give up a good paying job for a week or two, and though I give my body to be put through the physically demand ing program of camp — early- rising campers and morning flag raising, Bible exploration and na ture studies, craft time and moun tain hikes, game time and com petitive sports, free time and not- so-free time, noisy meals and non relaxing rest periods, evening de votions and talkative campers af ter the lights are out, and do not have love, it profits me nothing.
MAY, 1969
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