Anxious About Camp?

By: John Vandervelde, Program Director

Getting ready to come to camp can often be a stressful time.  Sometimes
what should be a time of excitement is often clouded by anxiety.  Here
are 5 simple things parents can do to prepare their children for camp
this summer:

1) Packing:
 

a)
I know it's tough but if you can pack earlier rather than later it is
better for your child.  Rushing to find the right stuff and frantically
packing the night before gives your child a sense that they are not
ready for camp. Often on the first day or two of camp they are consumed
with wondering if they have everything. 

b)
We highly encourage you and your child to pack together but if you pack
your child's things: Take 10 minutes to go over everything in your
child's bag with them, show them where stuff is and make sure they feel
that they are well prepared for camp.  If your child packs themselves: 
Take 10 minutes to have your child show you what they packed.  This is
a check to make sure they have everything they need and that they have
not packed things they should not bring.

2)  Practice being away from home:

This
is highly recommended for new campers who are going away to camp for
the first time.  Have your child do an overnight at Grandma and
Grandpa's house or another close friend's house without you.  This
gives them some experience before heading to camp.

 
3)  Set some goals and expectations: 
Talk
to your child about camp and what it's all about.  View the videos on
the website.  Talk to other families who have been to HoneyRock
before.  You can't prepare them for everything but you can give them
some idea of what to expect.  This also gives you a good opportunity to
set some goals for camp. 

Some sample goals: 
1)  I want to become friends with 3 new people - kids not from my school or church. 
2)  I want to get an intermediate in Sailing this summer. 
3)  I want to do Solid Rock Club.   

4)  Begin praying about camp:

Set
aside some time at meals or before bed to pray about camp.  Pray for
your child's cabin mates, their counselor, the bus ride up, the Bible
studies and for safety.

5)  Don't make promises you can't or don't intend to keep. 

Often
times as parents we make little promises to our children to release
their fears before they leave for camp.  It can be devastating to a
camper if those promises aren't met. 

Some examples: 
1)  Don't tell your child you will talk to them on the phone.
2)  Don't promise you'll be at Family Day if you really can't make it.
 3)  Don't tell your child they have $100 in their Beehive account when they only have $20.
4)  Don't promise they will know everyone in their cabin. 
5)  Don't tell them it won't rain and that there are no bugs.
6) Don't tell your child you'll come pick them up if they don't like camp.

Getting
ready to go to camp should be a time of great joy, excitement and solid
preparation.  We hope in the next few weeks you'll truly enjoy getting
ready for HoneyRock.

Message from the Director

Summer is here! Today our high school and residential camp counseling staff arrive for 5 weeks of training and preparation. Tonight for dinner we will have over 100 Wheaton students. We are totally psyched. Pray for great group bonding, personal and spiritual preparation, and for the training/classes designed to equip them all for the summer of ministry ahead.  We still have room in quite a few camper programs. Get the word out! Invite a friend who has never been to HoneyRock and get $60 deposited in your Beehive.

Rob Ribbe
Director

Unit Leader's Thoughts

Being a Unit Leader has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my time at Wheaton.  Let me explain.  

Our
theme for residential camp last summer was "The Northern Kingdom."
 Each of the unit leaders was outfitted at the beginning of the summer
with metal helmets, jerkins, chain mail, and medieval weapons, or the
dress of a queen or princess.  We proceeded over the following weeks to
develop characters and a story-line which turned into skits we
performed during each session.  We also developed a special cheer we
would let out like true kings and queens whenever we embarked on a new
adventure or fought a battle (in the skits, of course): "Battle cry!"
 I know, that probably seems generic and uncreative, but our sense of
humor at that point had begun to match our middle school audience, and
our creativity had been exhausted by all of the impressive skits we had
created. 

Regardless, we somehow rallied around our new battle cry and
had a good laugh while we were at it. But this chance to do something
absolutely ridiculous, and to forget about all of the serious ideas and
work which normally preoccupy Wheaton students, has always been for me
one of the most refreshing parts of being at HoneyRock.

The change of pace was also what initially drew me
to HoneyRock, when I came during student development week as an RA.
 What especially stood out was the way that I experienced relationships
differently at HoneyRock than at Wheaton.  It seems that when a group
of Wheaton students are transplanted to HoneyRock, suddenly all of the
pressures and expectations--which reflect the good and bad of
Wheaton--tend to dissipate.  Of course, living in the close (even
closer than Wheaton) community at HoneyRock presents its own set of
challenges.  As a unit leader, I went to bed, woke up, sang zacco
songs, ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, prayed, led worship, managed
campers and counselors, performed skits, cried, laughed, and told
stories (I know that sounds melodramatic, but it's true) everyday with
the same group of people for three months.  We got to know each other
unusually well, and had equally unique opportunities for conflict.  But
one of the most powerful experiences in the midst of that closeness and
conflict was to see God draw us together through prayer, through
turning together to him to unite us.  Honestly, there's no way we would
have made it through last summer without prayer.  I'm a doubter, and
it's often hard for me to point to specific and concrete ways that I
can remember God working.  But I'm confident that the love we developed
for each other last summer, in spite of tremendous differences between
us, was God's doing, not ours.  

So, as it turns out, I learned and would suggest to
others (and remind myself) what we all already know, but so often
forget: HoneyRock is God's ministry, not ours; our relationships depend
on God's strength, not ours; everything we do of lasting value is God's
work, not ours.  May we always remember that our work at HoneyRock and
wherever else God leads us will be valuable to the extent that it is
based on this reality.  Battle cry!!

Jimmy Haring, Unit Leader 2008

April 20, 2009

There is a lot of snow outside for it being April! I guess I have to take back the last post for at least a couple of days!! The Graduate students even had to cancel their tour of a few other camps today!

From Winter to Spring

By: Courtney Fenton

As signs of spring burst forth, I am realizing how quickly I
have forgotten the winter, yet I know God brought me through this frigid, snowy
time to teach me something. As I soak up the new, warm sunshine, I try to think
of what this lesson might be. I experienced many new things this winter at
HoneyRock. Since my husband and I moved here from Missouri, my idea of winter was very
different from what actually happens at HoneyRock. I had anticipated the worst,
thinking I was going to die from frostbite and get cabin fever in my apartment.
On the contrary, I had one of the most fun-filled winters of my life. I
tried many things for the first time including cross-country skiing,
snowshoeing, broomball, downhill skiing, standing on the frozen lake, and
roasting marshmallows while the ground was covered in snow. For the first time
in my life, I enjoyed the snow-covered trees and actually liked being outside!
The Lord changed my heart toward His outdoor beauty and I am forever grateful!

HoneyRock Round-Up for Three Lakes Area

This past Saturday, HoneyRock hosted a Three Lakes area Round-Up. Campers and families came to play broomball, wallyball, climb on the climbing wall, make crafts and have fun. There were about 30 campers and their parents who participated in this fun event. Many campers registered for camp and now have a renewed excitement for camp this summer.

 

Matt Tees, Graduate Assistant and Camper, Brooke Welch

 

Craft Time!

Wallyball!