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Third session has officially started, with a full day of camp ahead of the campers, they climbed out of bed with the sun shining through the many cabins, and the counselors whispering a soft good morning to them, and a couple minutes later the campers would hear, “seriously, it’s time to get up.”

The new morning started out with a nice cool air, and a slight breeze. The girls ran down to breakfast to set the tables, and soon all the campers would be bowing their heads in prayer together, and awaiting the scrambled eggs and potato squares that were for breakfast. The dining hall, as usual, was filled with many conversations, and a lot of laughter as the morning started. The girls received their schedules for their days at camp while at breakfast, and many cheered as they found out that they were placed into the classes that they had requested.

As the girls grabbed their things, and headed to chapel, they were greeted with the newly built chapel shining under the sunlight, and they all gathered around to sing a couple of songs. Chapel was then brought, and it was a story about how when Ally was younger, she was left home alone, and during that time, there was an earthquake. It was small, but it had scared her. Yet, her house remained in tact. She talked about Psalm 118, and how it refers to Christ as our cornerstone, our solid foundation. The final thing that she ended with was that when Christ is our solid foundation, and the earth shakes, we are still safe and secure in his arms because he does not shake.

After chapel, the girls separated to their separate tribes, for a tribe meeting. The day continued, and as it did, the sun rose further into the sky and the day slowly became hotter and hotter. Rooms that were usually cool were surprisingly hot. Throughout the day different activities were introduced, the safety talks were given, and introductions were made as girls learned new counselors names, and counselors got to know the girls in their classes even better. It was a great first day! Gymnastics went over some goals that the classes had as a whole. Competitive swimming started out the day by doing their warm ups, and trying to keep up with their routine of swimming while being at camp.

The pottery classes learned how to make pinch pots, and some of the current four-week campers that were at Merri-Mac during second session continued to work on their pieces from the previous weeks. In diving, Janie C. did her back-tuck from the springboard to the water for the first time. After being scared for a couple of minutes, and a little bit of encouragement from Elizabeth O. and her cabin counselors, she finally went for it, and was successful! She peaked her head up out of the water and the first thing she said was, “that scared me so much,” to which a counselor replied, “but you did it anyway!” We were all very proud of her!

Throughout classes, campers learned the different terms for a kayak, some of the swimming classes relaxed a little for the first day by playing a couple of rounds of Marco-polo, and the cooking classes made chocolate chip cookies, and oatmeal cranberry cookies as well. They were really good! They had ended up altering the recipe and adding a half a cup of flour, “so that they will taste better,” Becca V. said as the girls dumped their ingredients into a mixing bowl.

After lunch, the search for the great hatchet began; this would mark the opening of the tribal games! After an extensive search, the Iroquois came out yelling with the hatchet held up in the air. According to legend this means that the Iroquois will win the banner.

(But between you and me, they have dug up the hatchet every session and Seminoles won first session, and Choctaw won second session.) So we will see who wins the banner! It is currently up for grabs by any of the three tribes. During lunch, the evening activity was also announced. We “broke it down” and sock war was announced as evening’s activity.

Girls continued to rest, and go through their classes, and the sun, still shining and beaming it’s hot rays down on us continued to make all the campers and counselors sweat. Right as the dinner bell was ringing, the clouds made their way through the sky, getting darker and darker, and the girls rushed to the dining hall as the rain started to come down. For dinner, we had pasta with tomato sauce, some cheese and meatballs. There were mixed veggies and some garlic bread to go along with it. The girls sang proudly when it was time for their cabin to sing, and then went off to sock war.

Tonight, as the rain continues to trickle down every now and then, the cabins will separate and do their own things to bond even more, and get to know each other better. My cabin, will hang out, settle down and do devotionals, and as the lights are turned out, I will have the pleasure of reading to them out of the book of Matthew as they close their eyes and go to sleep.

It has been another successful first day at Merri-Mac! May God bless this camp, and keep looking out for the girls as the weeks continue!

 

Becca Garber

 

Proud Choctaw

Eastern Michigan University Student

Gymnastics Instructor

Blue Heaven Counselor