Oh Lord, Kumbayah

It sounds like the lead up to a pretty good punch line: “What do you get when you send a Warren Wilson student to Maine to work at an all-girls Bible camp for the summer?” But this year, and for the past two years, I have left the Swannanoa valley to come up to New England Camp Cedarbrook. It may seem like a strange combination to you, but to me, it makes perfect sense. One of my favorite things about going to WWC is being exposed to so many new kinds of people and so many different ways of life (see also: reiki, firespinning, biodynamic agriculture, slam poetry, and raw-foodism), and learning how to be open to that. When I come to camp, I'm doing the same thing: being around people who seem very dissimilar, and learning how to look for what we have in common.

This summer, I am working joyfully alongside people who question evolution, who march in pro-life rallies, who have bumper stickers for the Marines on their cars and who proudly voted for McCain/Palin. And we all get along great. That's what being in community is about, right?

When I'm here at camp, I get to do things like teach Bible studies about compost (just like the worms decompose table scraps and turn them into rich soil, Jesus takes our icky bits and turns them into opportunities for growth) and explain how turning off the lights and buying local food is taking care of God's creation. And, what's more, I get to challenge myself, my campers, and the other staff to look beyond our stereotypes and knee-jerk reactions and learn how to live in vibrant community with one another.

See? Not so different from Wilson after all (well, except for the strict ban on skinnydipping up here. The lazy Swannanoa River will be waiting for me in August).

Can I get an “Amen”?

Lindsay