As part of OUTLOOK’s recent photo/essay contest, Mid-America youth (ages 10-16) were asked to describe how a past camp experience impacted their lives. Participants were also asked to submit up to three photos to accompany their essays. The grand prize: a free week at any Mid-America Union-sponsored camp. The first, second and third place winners were also published in the May 2014 issue of OUTLOOK.
The winners, honorable mentions and other entries are featured below. Click the “next” or “previous” buttons to navigate between entries.
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Kelby Eickmann
Jerking open the car door, I feel the cool mountain breeze reach across the lake as a greeting. Grasping the handle of my suitcase and multiple other bags I begin the bumpy trek to my cabin. This is my fourth year at Glacier View Ranch, and I have loved it every single time.
Reuniting with old friends wipes away my anxieties for the next week of activities. The next few days were stuffed full of pudding fights (a story for another time), cookie making, go-carting, mountain biking, canoeing, swimming, archery, and dodge ball.
But the one part of camp I hadn’t anticipated or given much thought to would be the part to spin my world around and turn it upside down: worship—the one thing that has the power to give a person peace or fear, joy or sadness, love or hate. Tori, Tyler, and Ricky were our speakers. Every song, worship talk and sermon they gave seemed to physically push me closer and closer to God! Amazingly, it didn’t seem like I was the only one that felt this way either. Being around other teenagers that felt just as convicted completed my experience.
