The NC Dish...

North Carolina was an adventure from the start.

My flight was delayed for a few hours and I spent a lovely amount of time in the Birmingham airport. Not a big deal honestly, I just read, slept on the ground and texted back and forth with my soon to be Big-Mama-director Kathy Jo.

When I did arrive in North Carolina it was close to 11:30 and we still had an hour or so to drive to Kathy Jo and Andy's place. Once I got there we sat and talked for a little while and then I went and happily slept for 9 hrs.

In the morning I headed to church with Kathy Jo and Andy and took a moment to get up and talk to the congregation about what I'm doing as a Peace Intern. I mentioned that I was traveling the country leading workshops on Peace and Social Justice issues, working with high school students at different CYF camps.

And then... I had my first question about my allegiance or non-allegiance to the communist party as a result of these word choices.

Although the encounter was somewhat comical - it was a good reminder of the importance of defining what it is I'm doing. And a great exercise in patience. I am happy to report I emerged unscathed by the confrontation and I think that my new friend is both relieved I'm not a communist and aware that the words "social" and "justice" in the same sentence are not bad words for us to use in church.

Once I reached camp it was a whirlwind of activities, small groups, cabin time and games. Camp Caroline was very accommodating indeed.

My favorite experience as an Intern in Carolina is difficult to put a finger on. I had a very controversial interest group on global poverty and the wealth disparities we see around the world... and I got hit from all angles with opinions.

It was fantastic.

I thoroughly believe the following: if they are ticked off and want to say so, GREAT. Because if they're ticked off - they heard me - and if they are talking about their thoughts and feelings - we have a chance to be in conversation about the issue.

The other experience I cherished was a 40 minute keynote to the whole camp on language. A keynote on the words we use and the power they have. It was a hard hitting message and I wasn't shy about the delivery. I could not have been more proud of the campers. They were incredibly receptive and there were multiple follow-up conversations that I will hold in my heart for the rest of the summer.

The one thing that breaks my heart about Camp Caroline is this: I missed the Dolphins.

I missed sailing and in the process I missed a school of Dolphins.

If I had been out at free-time sailing instead of working on my keynote, I would have been feet away from wild dolphins.

Tragic.

I guess to hit a homer on the language presentation I had to miss flipper and the fam.

North Carolina

So, we'll start with the easy part - here are some photos of North Carolina and what I did in that glorious place we call Camp Caroline!

Above is my fantastic co-counselor - Peter. What a great guy to work with.

Mr. Rob McRight - my former peace intern. If you told me 6 years ago that I'd be the peace intern at a camp he would be counseling I would never have believed it. On the right is Mr. Johnston - also known to Camp Caroline as Richard Simmons now. It was one of the best camp skits I've seen as of late. But where can you go wrong when you jazzercise?

The Camp Caroline CYF staff for 2010. Quite the group of people. I had a ridiculously good time with all of them. One particular highlight was busting out of a UHaul style trailer to storm the field for the counselor vs. camper kick-ball game. EPIC.



My small group right before the Senior Banquet (Hence, the dress). These kiddos were straight-up all stars. They asked all the right questions and they put together all the pieces of the small group lessons on their own... a counselor's dream team.

Guest appearance made by baby raccoon. Only a little distracting at camp. Ok... a lot distracting.

The Vespers area at Camp Caroline. What a beautiful view of Dawson's Creek. YES - that's right, Dawson's Creek - like the television show. There were even scenes filmed on a dock just around the corner. Pretty nifty I'd say - and I never even watched the show!

Me and Richard Simmons after skits. He later drove me to the airport - bless his heart.

North Carolina - you are welcome. This is a shot from a thrilling game of "blind ninja." The game was a personal Frog Camp favorite that I passed on to the youth of Camp Caroline. One person stands in the middle, gets blindfolded, and then the rest of the group covers the blindfolded "ninja" with clothes pins. Once they are covered, the group backs up and when the ref (me, of course) says GO! the crowd tries to remove all the clothes pins as the "blind ninja" swats them away. If you are touched by the "ninja" you are out. The person with the most clothes pins in hand at the end of the game is the next "ninja." Awesome - I know.

Whispering Pines... I think? Or maybe it was Whistling Willows? Or Whispering Willows? Or maybe Whistling Pines? Goodness gracious - I don't know. It was only week two and I was already unable to remember cabin names. Not a good sign...

Alabama photos

Small group... oh my goodness gracious COULD I LOVE THEM MORE? Doubtful.

Hike to the cross. Beautiful view of the campground.

On the hike to the cross with one of my new favorites.

CYF conference 2010 at Hargis - unbelievable group of 25 campers. Tiny but mighty.

Walking the temporary labyrinth they built. Great experience.

This was my meditation spot for the week - you can't ask for a much better place to worship God is silence.

Ohhhhh Hargis geese. How quickly you ruin a perfectly nice field for playing.

A fantastic camp-skit put on by my small group - depicting the story of David and Jonathon's great friendship - Madison on the floor is a table, obviously.

Just hanging out by the lake with the resident "Peace Expert" - amazing Hargis campers

A good look at the beautiful lake and some of the fun things to do at camp.

I miss Alabama already.

Alabama - HARGISSSSSS!

"Oh my goodness you are cute - I like you already."

That was my airport - welcome in Alabama last Saturday. And it was the pre-cursor to an incredible week of hospitality, laughter, and admiration. Getting picked up by Alex Horne was the best kind of welcome. Giggles, questions and entire life stories exchanged on the way to camp.

The first week of camp as a Peace Intern could not have gone any smoother. The camp staff was brimming over the sides with humor and compassion. People who GENUINELY love camp and care about the high school youth who make the trip out the Y camp ground they call Hargis.

Hargis is an institution for these kids and their adult counterparts.

Nisha Warbington, Tommy Morgan and Beth Thomason were some of the most laid back directors I've ever worked with - and I mean that in the best possible way. They see camp as a time for youth on their way into young adulthood to assert their independence, pursue their faith and bond as a group. Their approach works. Man, does it work.

These directors and their camp counselors commit their whole hearts to their camp. I was incredibly proud to be a part of their staff.

The campers... oh my goodness the campers. Their hearts, their minds, their ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings... they rocked my world.

I did 4 different workshops with them and every single one was well attended, had ample participation and put me over the moon with pride.

Serenades, water balloon fights, canoeing... all new to me - but great fun.

Favorite story of the week:

So at this camp here at Hargis - there is a tradition that they call "corruption 101." Technically, it is actually corruption 801 or something of the like. What happens during corruption is the following:

Sit in a circle.
Call the counselors over.
Ask questions about sex and relationships.
Ask progressivley more awkward and forward questions about SEX as the week goes on.
Make counselors blush.
Make counselors laugh.
Make counselors answer your questions.
Laugh at your counselors' answers.

The first time I sat in on corruption the question that put me on the map with the campers:

"What does an orgasm feel like?"

Oh sweet fancy moses... the laughter that followed.

Now, you can laugh or you can have some sort of opinion regarding these kinds of conversations at camp, but let's think this through... what is the safest, and best place to have an open and honest conversation about sex and all the questions and mystery that surround it? Church camp. Youth need a place to ask these questions, and a place to get answers from adults they can trust.

I think "corruption" should happen at every single Disciples camp. Every church camp for that matter.

I love Hargis. I love every bit of it.

Thanks for the good times Alabama.

The Beginning

After one very long week of workshop training, small group role-playing, all-nighter resource gathering and a whole lot of meals with Disciples leadership... it's all over. One of the many highlights of the training week was dinner with our General Minister and President Sharon Watkins. Exceptional pizza, dazzling conversation and some much needed couch-lounging... not sure of a better way to get to know the resident-big-deal of the Disciples Church.

Peace Intern Pizza Party with the General Minister and President

From left to right: ME, Sharon Watkins, Katie Russell, Christian Watkins

Tomorrow morning I depart the beautiful city of Indianapolis for Alabama. Camp numero uno.

The way the Disciples Peace Fellowship Peace Intern program works can be broken down like this:

Learn really fast.
Get creative.
Make workshops that won't bore high school students to tears.
Find a way to empower youth.
Don't sleep.
Learn even faster.
"Finalize" your plans.
Get dropped off at an airport.
Hope to all things that are holy your flights go through.
Get picked up at the airport by a stranger.
Sleep at a stranger's house.
Transform the stranger into a friend.
Revel in the glory of sleep.
Go to camp.
Change all the plans you thought you finalized.
Forget what sleep is.
Spread the message of peace.
Go to another airport.
Rinse and Repeat.

In blogs to come you can look forward to the following: all things camp.

Here is the state-list:

Indiana ~ DPF Intern training
Alabama ~ CYF camp
North Carolina ~ CYF camp
Arizona ~ CYF camp
Kentucky ~ CYF camp
*Vacation in LA*
Seattle, WA ~ CYF camp
Spokane, WA ~ CYF camp
*Vacation in Seattle/Vancouver*
Kentucky ~ Young Adult Event

The adventure begins.