“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

Name: Ashley
Years as camper: Too many to count.
Years as staff: Summer 2010, Volunteer 2012
Positions: Media Staff , Co Counselor & Camp Bethesda (2010) Volunteer Summer 2012
Date written: December 8, 2012

I applied to work at camp Sequanota the Spring semester of my Freshman year of college. My journey started when I was too young to remember. I was a camper for many years. Sequanota was always something that I looked forward to , A place that became my childhood and where my faith grew more and more each summer. I always aspired to be a camp counselor when I was older. That spring semester I got in contact with Ang & met with her during " Spring break in the woods" where students from colleges all over spend their spring break, well.. in the woods, doing service projects and such. As I drove up in the snow, walking to the dining hall in feet of snow , not prepared at all to do so I wondered what the heck I was getting my self into. Could I even spend a summer in the woods?  I finally made it to the dining hall filled with students painting church pews for the summer. Each one was different, each one had a story but each one had something common. They were all here doing the same thing for the same reason. God brought them all here. Thats where everything began.
I spoke with Ang and told her how I thought this is what I really needed to fulfill this void I had always had of being a part of  camp, something more.

The end of the spring semester I got a call that would forever change my life.
 Summer 2009 was the hardest because I felt like I didn't have a purpose and found myself at the exact place I grew up. Sequanota.

Summer 2010 is one that I will never forget. I learned so many things such as FOB time is a cherished thing. Laughing is contagious with campers , especially 5 mins AFTER bedtime. Trying to build a campfire in the rain IS possible. But the biggest one is that the Lord has a plan for all of us. During this summer I saw so many children grow. Week after week , because of one place, they became something only one can see for themselves.
That summer I grew with every camper, as one left a little piece of me left too. I worked as Media staff and took pictures each week of a camper completing the rock wall, facing their fear of the zip line, or dancing the night away during campfire. I captured children light up and concur their fears everyday.
I also meet incredible new friends which by my side created an amazing staff, amazing children and adult campers , incredible pastors and even amazing parents. Leaving for college in August was the hardest thing I had to do.
 The next summer went by and I got a "Big Girl" job and wasn't able to make it back as staff, I missed the smiling faces , morning assembly , all the hiking and of course campfire. The summer of 2012 came and I had the same summer job but just couldn't see myself with out Sequanota, I needed it back in my life. At least one day a week. I got to volunteer every Sunday in which I  found a huge smile on my face as I drove to take part in camper registration. There has always been something about Sequanota that I can never really put into words. It has always found a sense of peace for me. It truly has become a home, a save heaven , a place to worship, sing, dance laugh and of course to love. Every Sunday just telling a camper which cabin they were in was sure to spark a huge smile on their faces,  its unreal how such a small thing can make someone so excited. I am blessed to know that there is a place in the world that can bring so much joy to people of any age. I was never sure if it was the place , the atmosphere or the people. But than I realized its all those things. Every camper ,every story ,every smore eaten was what made up such a wonderful place.  
I cant say how thankful I could ever be for such a place. Because of Sequanota I have a second family, a second home. My heart is there.

Two days ago I got a call from one of my close friends that was a counselor with me . Little did they know I was having a bad day, They were in the area by my apartment at school. He didn't ask any questions or hesitate to ask how I was doing. An hour later I found myself across a table at a restaurant reminiscing about the place that brought us together. Once again when I least expected it , on a bad day, Sequanota was there for me.

Sequanota is the place that no matter how long I've been away, I can always pick up right where I left off.

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

At the time I didn't know what Sequanota was, but now I could never imagine my life with out it.