Good Clean Fun: A Recap of my Month at Lost Canyon
Just over a month ago, I packed up my truck with an air mattress, a couple blankets, some t-shirts and shorts. I grabbed my Nalgene, some Gummy Worms, jars of Nutella, Peanut Butter, and a loaf of bread. Then I left my home to drive over 700 miles to Flagstaff to camp out for a few days, and get my head and heart in the right place before I began my adventure serving on volunteer Summer Staff for a session at Lost Canyon Younglife Camp in Williams, Arizona.
Going into this experience I had expectations, and was excited for what was to come out of my month term out of state. I knew I would meet some pretty cool people, that I would get a killer tan from being in the sun, and that I would have a valid excuse to flee to the mountains for some time away from reality, but never did I realize that it would shape me in the tremendous ways that it did over the course of my time here.
Surrounding myself with around 50 other college students who all have similar goals and aspirations, who aren’t satisfied with the stagnant conditions of the world, makes you begin to recognize that the actions you take aren’t a waste of effort, because you never truly may see what difference you make in someone’s life. The irrational idea that an organization can find college students who are willing to work long intensive hours for free for an entire month—frankly is insane. For most of us, we had to take a month away from our actual jobs, cancel our plans for summer classes, and put off our summer adventures with friends to go and spend time at camp for high schoolers. It shouldn’t work—yet it does.
Every summer staff member comes from a wide variety of backgrounds, and experiences. Some students from massive D-1 Universities like Boise and Auburn, [War Eagle, Anna] some from small private and community colleges from all over the U.S. {(Side Note: There were like ten schools who all have the same wolf/coyote hand-sign…not very original UNM and CSU-P)} I will never forget the times when we’d have nightly meetings, and sitting in a circle, we would all be very differently dressed, and looked like none of us would fit together in a normal situation, but we were united by a similar mission—to me, that’s the perfect image of the world as it is intended to be. Regardless of our diverse backgrounds, we all made the same choice to serve the same students because our hearts were in the same place.
My job this summer was serving on the high challenge course—a job I find myself doing at home as well. This was so special for me because over the course of each week I got to see every one of the several hundred campers, and merely every one of their leaders that brought them. Like most courses, Younglife follows the policy of ‘Challenge by Choice,’ meaning that we will not force anyone to complete anything that they are uncomfortable with, but ultimately we want them to be successful, and leave with the confidence and satisfaction of completing challenging elements; facing a internal fear of heights while being elevated at 40+ feet. My team and I would be on a four foot platform for sometimes ten hours a day, which often drained me physically, but I left each day so fulfilled and satisfied. Working in this type of environment daily, it became something that was just second nature, but I had to remind myself constantly that I needed to maintain, excitement, enthusiasm, and support for every camper and their leader, because even though this may have been the third week for me, it was only week one for them, and I needed to bring my A-Game. The same expectation translated itself to every staff member’s jobs. This vigor was truly the hardest part of my job, even more so than the physical exertion and exhaustion from the days in the trees.
One situation that caught me off guard in ways which I wasn’t prepared for was an instance when a boy came on the course, passed the first bridge element but then totally locked up and froze with fear and death gripped the tree, right before the second obstacle. It took me a couple minutes of talking to him before he would respond to anything I was saying. He then said that he didn’t trust the harnesses and cables would hold him if he were to slip off. In order to show him it was safe, I threw myself off my platform, and swung in my harness to show that everything was stable and supportive. He reluctantly began and was fine for the rest of the course. However when he passed by my station, he told something that stuck with me, and utterly wrecked me. He apologized for taking so long, and then proceeded to explain that he has had a hard time trusting me and people since his dad had left him.
Hearing this totally changed how I handled each participant for the rest of the month. This kid who had only met me for five minutes was already telling me the heaviest part of his life, and sharing his deepest most tender wounds. It was a tough reminder that these kids lives are filled with brokenness that they want to feel validated and recognized for, and don’t want to face alone.
Story after story came up like this over the course of the month, and was such a clear reminder of why I was doing what I was doing with my time and energy. I may not have gotten to individually interact with each camper, but the attitude, excitement and positivity I approached them with may have been something that they never have experienced before, and it was something every kid wants to feel, even if they don’t recognize it’s something they’re searching for.
Throughout my time at Lost Canyon, I was placed in circumstances that reminded me that I was a small part of something greater, and that subconscious notion was so rewarding. When every summer staff member would leave their daily jobs to come together to put on massive camp wide events, no matter what job I was doing, I knew that I was playing a tiny role in providing an experience that campers will make memories at, and never forget. Often times the jobs weren’t the most glorious, but I was humbled and learned to find joy in all things, which is something I would have not found doing other things this summer. (Don’t tell my family or my boss, but I’m really good at cleaning things now.) Jobs often required cleaning up hundreds of empty paint bottles from messy games, sweeping up smashed popcorn kernels, making beds, (then having to redo them, so that they were done right) scraping plates for a few hundred place settings, or my all time favorite job of cleaning hair out of shower drains at the end of the week. [Stewie and I did it best] These jobs sometimes were monotonous, and, well straight up gross at times, but never have I been so content in doing something with my life; which is something that very few people can confidently say about their life.
This month showed me to do all things in love, to find the innate value in people, to pursue intentional relationships and connections with people and to seek joy and fulfillment in even the most simple of things.
To Russ, Kim, The A-Team, The Interns, Work Crew, and most of all my Summer Staff Team, thank you for being some of the most welcoming loving, and encouraging people I’ve ever met in my entire life. Thank you for staying up late to talk and vent about, how the day went, our home life, our goals and aspirations, our identities and our lives. Thank you for intentionally seeking to support each other and provide the best advice and recognition. Thank you for sharing meals with me and for taking hikes to overlook camp. Thank you for making me laugh and cry, and making me laugh until I cry. Thank you for singing ridiculous songs and taking crazy pictures together. Thank you for sharing 16 scoops of ice cream, and playing many rounds of Frisbee Golf. Thank you for showing me how to love people without stipulations. Thank you for listening to my heart, and opening up earnestly, and sharing amazing stories while building memories with me. I love each of you dearly and thank you for being a major part of my life this summer.
Until we meet again…
-Nick
