By Carrie Brown McWhorter
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist
On Aug. 27, 2014, Kaley Stephens, program and activities director at WorldSong Missions Place, posted to the organization’s blog, The WorldSong Globe, about a conversation she shared with a young camper.
Stephens asked the boy what he thought was the best part of camp. When he said “the cabin,” Stephens was “completely confused.”
“Was it the bunk beds, the AC or the new carpet in Azelea? Out of all the things at camp, how could the cabin be the best part? He took a moment to collect himself, ‘We just have SO. MUCH. FUN. … ALL. THE. TIME.’”
Dedicated work
Ask most campers what they remember about summer camp and they also will tell you how much fun they had. All that fun is the result of months of planning and hard work by summer camp staff, who are a vital part of the ministry of summer camps around the state.
Camp staffers, usually college students or high school juniors and seniors, are dedicated to helping young campers grow closer to Christ. Stephens calls their work an “investment” in the lives of young people.
“My favorite part about working at WorldSong is all the relationships we build here,” Stephens said. “At the end of the day when you have campers come up to you and say, ‘On the zip line today I learned how to trust God,’ or ‘At culture camp today I decided I want to be a missionary when I grow up’ — that’s what makes our job so incredible.”
Summer staffers at Alabama Baptist camps and retreat centers take on different responsibilities during the weeks of summer camps and each experience is unique to the needs of the location.
At Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega, for example, summer staffers work in many different areas. Some are assigned to recreation supervision duties while others work in the kitchen or at the front desk. The 10-week positions are minimum wage jobs that come with free room and board, according to Elizabeth Cook, recreation manager and summer staff supervisor at Shocco.
“Our summer staff makes things happen that campers don’t even know is happening,” Cook said. “While they work they are praying for the people who spend time here, so it’s a ministry that people don’t see but that is important nonetheless.”
Summer fun
Outside of their work hours there are opportunities for staff members to have fun as well.
Cook said summer staffers have one night of recreation each week where groups go bowling, watch movies or participate in activities like the ropes course. Staffers also have small group Bible studies and worship one night each week.
“The planned activities are what makes our program more of a camp experience,” Cook said.
Shocco summer staff members also have the opportunity to participate in local missions trips throughout the summer, often going to other camps to help staffers there.
In 2014 for example Shocco staffers went to Mobile Baptist Association’s Camp Whispering Pines in Citronelle and took over housekeeping, food service and recreation duties there for a day so the summer staffers there could have a break.
The local missions trips are offered at no cost to summer staffers and are a fun way to get away from work for a few days and focus on missions, Cook said. For the college students who work at Shocco an international missions trip to Haiti also is offered, though students have to raise support for the trip. Providing opportunities for service is what distinguishes a summer camp job from other summer jobs, Cook said.
“Summer staff work is a great opportunity for students who want to get away and do something different for the summer,” she said.
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