Leading to Camp: Part 2: Prognosticating, Priming, and Packing Lists
Prognosticating
What does it take to lead people to camp? If you read the previous post, it takes a lot. But there’s more to getting that right than process. Keeping a shepherd’s mindset means being intentional in preparing people. Think in terms of prognosticating, priming, and packing lists. I’ll address each in the next three articles.
First off, my apologies for using “prognosticating”. It’s a terrible word choice, but it does starts with “p”. Pastors use “p’s” a lot when they’re going for alliteration. By “prognosticating”, I simply mean having the wisdom to anticipate what’s going to be needed and by whom; in other words, knowing the sheep. Let me suggest an essential starting place for knowing your people:
Pro-tip #1: Camp is scary for new campers.
Pro-tip #2: Camp is also scary for new parents of new campers.
Pro-tip #3: Camp is also scary for leaders who don’t know their students.
Nervous Newcomers
Veteran campers and veteran parents of campers don’t sweat camp as much. They have some concerns, but for the particular subset of members who are venturing into uncharted territory, their concerns are massive. What may be routine to you is, for the rising sixth grader, the biggest life event since coming home from the hospital. Even the first day of school has the prospect of coming home in the afternoon. Camp is a week gone, in a strange bed, and far away at that! The mysteries and dangers of the wilderness loom much larger than those of the classroom. Likewise, for parents, camp represents a profound sense of separation and loss of control. Something is probably wrong (at least with first-timers) if parents aren’t concerned handing off their child to non-family members for several days. And when you consider the number of homeschool families in typical Reformed and Presbyterian churches, you realize going away to camp may truly be their first going away ever. Ignorance or indifference or callousness are a bad posture for a good shepherd.
Problemed Pasts
Parents have other reasons for concern. Some parents personally endured terrible camp experiences in their own childhood. How could they not feel concerned in remembering what they saw or endured? It’s not the least bit abnormal for those with regrettable experiences to contemplate their child having to endure the same. Wisdom for them means seeking reassurance that what the camp experience you’re providing is going to be different. Having ready answers about what you can and can’t do to make their child’s participation better is a great help to their enthusiasm.
Demanding Disciples
Parents are usually aware of who they’re handing over to you for the week. Listen to them when they suggest their kids may be challenging for one reason or another. I remember more than one dad giving me a heads-up on what was in store for me in the week ahead. Praemonitus, praemunitus…Forewarned is forearmed!
A wise shepherd not only knows sheep generally but also works to learn the particularities of each sheep. ADHD, autism, Type 1 diabetes, life-threatening allergies, bedwetting, separation anxiety, OCD, Tourette’s syndrome, and cerebral palsy are hardly uncommon. Still more common are strong personalities, histories of conflict, or pre-existing romantic conditions (a most terrible affliction).
Purposeful Prognostication
One deliberate action you can take is to get your release forms done early so you have time to review the medical information. Also, when you send those out, ask parents to contact you personally by email with any known concerns. Having good intel opens the door to timely interventions. I’ve told couples, “You may be in love, but not this week. This week, you’re just friends.” I’ve warned warring factions ahead of time of serious consequences should they carry on in any ungodly manner and forced them into reconciling scenarios (Guess who you get to sit next to on the bus!). I’ve strategically assigned bunks to bed-wetters and sleep walkers to minimize embarrassment. You want to prepare beforehand for tactful and tactical approaches to dealing with disabilities, special diets, and related matters. Your prior efforts will be rewarded later.
Growing in your knowledge of the sheep (Jn 10:27) and working to predict potential sources of trouble is a wonderfully humbling exercise. The scope of it directs you toward knowing your own finitude. If you’re blessed to accept how small your are you’ll be simultaneously driven in two directions: first to get on your face in prayer before the the Lord your Shepherd and second to get on your feet in recruiting and equipping a team of wise and responsible adult helpers.
