Meandering Moose

Canada – 150 Years in the Making

Happy Canada Day!!

In 1867 the Dominion of Canada came into being as an act of British Parliament and with royal assent from Her Majesty, Queen Victoria.

Our motto, a mari usque ad mare, as seen on the coat of arms, is the Latin rendering of a line from Psalm 72:8: “from sea to sea.” He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (KJV)

As Canadians we have a LOT to celebrate. Canadians have long been the peacekeepers on the world stage.

Here are 27 excellent Canadian inventions: insulin, basketball, the telephone, ice hockey, Superman, IMAX, the egg carton, standard time zones, walkie talkies, the rotary snow blower, peanut butter, the Canadarm, poutine, Nanaimo bar, butter tarts, Trivial Pursuit, the Robertson screw, snowmobiles, lacrosse, the wonder bra, pablum, plexiglass, the Blackberry, zippers, garbage bags, paint rollers and the foghorn!!

Plus we are pretty famous for Tim Horton’s and maple syrup!

#Canada150 #CanadaDay #MyWonderfulCanada #CanadaDay2017 #HappyCanadaDay #OhCanada

A Path Where No One Knew

The last 5 years have been a journey for me. One that has caused me to doubt my abilities, to find solace in God or people. So far, the medical community can only tell me what it isn’t and barely help to reduce the symptoms to manageable. Debilitating dizziness has kept me from work, from church, away from friends and family all because I can’t function.

Psalm 77:19. I was recently given this verse as I work through some health issues which are creating a number of difficulties in my life. John Friesen said, “there is a reason, though I don’t know it and there is a path, though I don’t see it”. Psalm 77:19 Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters – a pathway no one knew was there! (NLT)

When you’re going through a hard time (at work, with family, with your health or mental health), you want to know there is some reason, a purpose. You want to know there is a way out, a patch to follow, a tunnel and the bright line isn’t a train that’s going to hit you. What of you don’t know the reason or understand the why? For a guy like me who needs to always feel in control, this idea is very scary. Scarier than repelling a 100 foot cliff or climbing a 70 foot pole. I wonder if I have to take each step in faith without knowing the path.

Rodney Atkins has a song chorus that says, “If you’re goin’ through hell keep on going, Don’t slow down if you’re scared don’t show it, You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there”. Winston Churchill and my aunt Isobel used to say something like that too. I think there is some common sense there, but these verses are better.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (NLT)

Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (NLT)

Matthew 7:13-14 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. (NLT)

In the journey over the last few years, I have struggled to understand the why of my situation. I don’t like not being strong. I certainly don’t like feeling sick, dizzy, tired, unfocused, crappy or unmotivated. I feel overwhelmed at times. Some days I don’t feel my prayers go beyond the ceiling.

The journey continues… looking for a pathway no one knew was there.

Where I Belong

Guest Blog by Courtleigh Reimer, SALT Director 2017

Who has a degree in Bio-Resource Management, a year of administrative experience, student loan and car payments to make, and still chooses to work at camp? This girl.

camp was that place your parents shipped you off to when you were younger so they got a break. It was the place that you got to goof off for a week or so, eat all the junk from the tuck shop because your parents weren’t there, and consequently stay up so late you drove your counselor to the brink of insanity. Who would voluntarily spend entire summers being the overtired and overworked staff member supervising these munchkins? This girl.

What delusional person would decide that the never-ending chaos that is summer camp is the only thing that could get you through the year? Definitely this girl.

Why, you ask, would you possibly believe that this girl is psychologically sound? Because camp is the greatest.

I grew up in a camp-loving community. My church camp was the place to be all year round. I absolutely lived for fall and winter retreats there with both church and school, and when it came to that week in the summer for goofing off… I hated it. Every part of it. I hated sleeping in the same room with other people, having to wait in line to shower, and people regulating and scheduling my fun. I also hated not being able to sit around and watch TV like the lazy lump that I could sometimes be. Who knows what the difference was between retreat time and actual camp time? Maybe it was the new people, or the slight difference in free time. Maybe a week was just too long? I did this week of regulation camp once when I was 11, and then again when I was 14. Camp was not for me. Who could live in such conditions for that long?

When I was 15, I went back to camp as a favour to my aunt. She wanted me to volunteer for a week to help her out with a program, so I reluctantly agreed (mostly because I had a crush on one of the summer staff members, but that’s not important). I have no idea what changed, but I was hooked. Maybe it was the snack cart that campers didn’t have access to? Or the fact that there were only 2 other girls in my room? Maybe it was just that being a staff member helped me feel more important. Either way, something had changed.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized what the difference was. This time I was a part of something, and that’s what has kept me inside one camp community or another for this long. The sense of belonging that I feel when I’m part of a team of summer staff is addicting. The idea that this group of like-minded people are there for the same reasons you are is astonishing to me. These people are goofy, uninhibited, and want to make sure that the kids that they meet this summer are falling in love with camp just like they did. I don’t know why the younger me couldn’t see the magic of camp, but feeling the way I did in the past helped me relate to those kinds of campers in the future. I’ve made it my mission to try my very best to make sure that each child that visits camp is welcomed and finds the same sense of belonging that I finally found after so many years.

Camp is that place where you can be yourself. It’s the place where there’s no pressure to be dressed up, made up, or even cleaned up for that matter. There’s a certain transformative magic in a camp setting that sends your self-esteem and confidence straight through the roof. As soon as you realize that everyone is embracing their quirks, you can too. Where else can you dance around to Disney songs in a tutu and still have people look up to you for your growing leadership skills?

This ideal applies to both staff and camper alike. One of the greatest rewards in my experience is watching a kid grow in one way or another throughout their time with you. Whether it’s trying something they’ve never done, finally mastering something they’ve been working on, or simply making new friends – seeing kids be transformed by this positive atmosphere puts a smile on my face every time.

I’ve recently realized that I want to be surrounded by fun for the rest of my life. Camp is where my heart lives, and I never want to leave it behind. This is where I belong. I’m constantly learning from the people I meet, be that campers or other staff. I will forever be in love with working long days so that a camper can learn something about themselves through the power of fun. I will always be the person to give a fellow staff member the encouraging boost they need to believe that they can step outside their comfort zone or help that kid who just wants to go home. I will never stop telling people about the wonders of camp in the hopes that one person will be changed by this place in the same way I have been.

I truly believe that the craziness is worth it and I hope that someday you’ll feel the same. Even if you have never been a camper, it’s never too late to experience camp life. I encourage you to find a place to be silly and vulnerable, and to surround yourself with endless amounts of creativity and excitement. Even if it’s only to see what all the hype is about, humour me. Send your kids, send yourself – find a way to be a part of one camp or another because we can’t change lives all by ourselves.

In case you don’t have any summer plans yet and you’re feeling compelled to see if I’m right – here’s your opportunity. Click on the link to give us a hand! http://widjiitiwin.ca/work-at-widji

When I Predicted the Future

Every summer for over 35 years I have been privileged to work with teens and young adults. In fact, it is my life’s mission. I get to see SALTers and staff when they are young and help lead them to be the next generation of Christian leaders. Very often I see great potential in them. One of those people is Giggz.

Giggz has been on a journey from camper to SALTer to service staff, cabin leader, SALT cabin leader & now leadership staff (Program Director). She grew up at Widji.

Giggz has energy, drive and direction. She is well organized and motivated to do all that can be done for campers and staff. In her SALT session, she took leadership in a variety of situations, was one of the first to help to others, offer to belay and more. As a cabin leader and SALT leader she continued to demonstrate her leadership abilities. I am excited to see her do well this summer and am glad to have her on our summer leadership team.

Is This is the Moment?

“Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created…” Esther 4:14

Aloha! My name is Kyra, and I am excited to begin my first season at Camp Widjiitiwin as the Camp Admin for the summer and “intern” for the following eight months, whatever that means to Moose! I, like many other people, have often wondered where God is leading me and how He is shaping my future. I find myself constantly thinking about what my next steps will be, something that, as a college graduate, people often question. My Type A personality means that I always want to be in control of the circumstances I find myself in, and I tend to get fairly anxious when things do not go as I hoped.

If you had met me two years ago, you might be very surprised at the girl you saw. I was in a serious relationship which I thought was heading towards marriage, I was applying to school for Social Service Work programs with an end goal of working directly with people who have mental health disorders. I found my value and significance in what other people thought of me and what I could accomplish on my own. As Widji is definitely not a “social work position,” my life has clearly gone a very different direction since then.

I ended up getting my diploma in Recreation and Leisure Services, something that most people scoff at and wonder what kinds of jobs that could ever get me. I am no longer dating that guy for many reasons, and I am enjoying being single for the next little while. I heard about Widjiitiwin through working at MBC for the last couple of summers, and when I asked Moose if he’d be interested in having an Intern throughout the winter, he said something along the lines of, “That would be amazing!” (Notice: This is not a direct quote.) I was ecstatic, as this opportunity came along at a time when I was preparing to move to a place I absolutely did not want to go. I was begging God for another option, and He provided Widji at just the right time.

Now that I have been here for a little over two weeks, I am really looking forward to what God has in plan for this camp, the staff, and the campers over the next 4 months, as well as myself for the next year(s) of my life. I have no idea what any of the next 365 days will look like, and while that scares me, I know that God has placed me here for a reason and I can’t wait to find out what that is. In the Bible, Esther finds herself in the king’s favour, even though the rest of the Jews are being persecuted. Her cousin points out that “maybe she was born for a time such as this,” and that she has an opportunity to save her people and show off the power of God. (Esther 4 has more context for this.) I stumbled across this verse by chance just the other day, and while at first it didn’t mean a lot to me, it is now a verse that I am clinging to. I may have no idea where God is taking me or what His purpose is, but I know that He has created me for a reason, and that I can only trust in Him to find out what that is.

Tips for Preparing for Camp

It is important to prepare your child for their camp experience. What should you do/know before coming to camp?

In the month or so leading up to your child’s time at Widjiitiwin.

Offer reassurance, upbeat words of encouragement. Never discuss how much your child will be missed back home. Instead, keep the focus on them and the positive camp experience.
Go over the daily schedule with your child so there are no surprises. Search “traditions” on our camp blog to discover some of our favourite camp activities and traditions.
Let us know if there are special circumstances or considerations regarding your child’s well-being or behaviour.
Have your child spend a weekend at a friend’s house. Talk about it with your child afterwards. How did your child feel the second night?
Ask your child to think about what he or she wants to do and learn at camp. Help them set goals.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram feeds for pictures of what camp is like.
Plan something for yourself while your child is at Widjiitiwin. Maybe a weekend away, a day trip or date night.

The week before camp:

Consider writing a letter in advance that you slip into your child’s luggage, or mail one that will be waiting at camp. You can even specify the day you want it delivered.
Talk about the fun activities they will do at camp and the people they will meet.
Homesickness is fairly common. Missing home, parents, pets and friends is pretty normal. At camp we will work to keep your child busy and distracted. Bed time can be the most difficult time. Talk with them about how they will be staying with eight other campers and two cabin leaders.
Teach your child how to handle clothes and toiletries. Dirty clothes in a laundry bag and wet ones hung up to dry. Clotheslines are outside each cabin.
Check your child’s hair for head lice or ensure your child gets treatment before starting camp.

The day before camp

Work out the time to drive to camp and your best route.
Start packing for camp using the following packing list – download it here. And the packing list for SALT. Make sure you include some personal items (like a stuffed animal or blanket) that may provide comfort to your child. Involve your child in the packing process to give him a feeling of ownership over the experience.
Label everything from your t-shirts to your tennis racket to your toothbrush. And leave really expensive gear at home. Most children lose something at camp, so check the lost-and-found on pick up day. Follow this link for great labels – www.widjiitiwin.mabelslabels.com.
Make sure all medication is in the original container with clearly labeled dosage instructions.

The morning of camp

Have breakfast as a family and prepare for the drive to camp.
Make sure you leave lots of time to get to camp. Plan to arrive at camp between 2:00 and 4:00 pm. Leave time for bathroom stops and lunch depending on the distance to camp.
Talk about the fun your child is expected to have, the friends they will make and the new activities they can learn.

NOTE: If you have any questions please call us at 1-705-789-0123 or email registrar@mycamp.ca.

MBC Compass Spring 2017: Widji News

Transformed youth! This is the desired result of our mission to be ambassadors for Christ to children and youth. What does that look like? Christian youth (summer staff, campers & SALTers) who have their own faith, godly character, actively participating in these disciplines: reading God’s Word, worshiping, prayer, a small group study and discussion, serving in ministry, reaching out to their friends, and developing a Biblical worldview. To accomplish this, we use community experiences; staff who demonstrate the gospel message, teaching of God’s Word, positive relationships with staff and creative programming.

SALT for teens (14-17). This year we are offering two different streams. We’ve got 3 special weeks of creativity and adventure planned for you. You will learn about leadership and teamwork principles.

Session 1: Adventure-based: This session will focus on an outdoor adventure setting and application, instruction in ORCKA flat-water and Bronze Medallion, practical in-cabin leadership experiences, spend a day rock climbing, 4 day, 3 night out trip, special day trips, service projects and more…
Session 2: Arts-Based: Still the same backbone that SALT has built on year after year, this session will focus on experiencing God’s creative character in the outdoors, while cultivating creative opportunities to perform and produce art in different mediums. Trips are made off-site to arts events in Muskoka plus run Widji Radio and other special activities.

Partnership Outlook

Our five partnership camps are growing strong and are more than half our summer campers. This year we anticipate up to 340 campers to attend. Pray for us as we work with kids and youth from at risk and marginalized communities.

Fresh Air Camp, in partnership with Toronto Police, 42 Division with PC Mark Gray in its ninth summer, expecting 90-100 campers. Dwayne (Joose) Francois is our camp pastor for the week.
Escape Camp, our partnership week with Hughson Street Baptist Church in Hamilton, in its sixth summer, expecting 75 campers. The team from Hughson Street (Diana, Derek and more) will provide ministry.
Royal City Camp now in its fifth year expecting 55 campers from Church of the City in Guelph. Matt (Newb) Naismith is the leader and camp pastor this week.
Venture Camp in its third year expecting 70 campers through Capstone Community Bible Church. Rob (Sad Sac) Cripps and Andrew (Nemo) Ironside teach the Word and lead the campers with us.
Ephraim’s Place Camp, our partnership with Ephraim’s Place in North York, in its second year, expecting 40 campers. Alex (Optimus Prime) Street is our camp pastor for this week.

Our other camp pastors this summer are Tim (Chipstack) Tysoe, Nathan (Ice) Pifer from Faith Muskoka, Michael (Boyardee) Bowyer from Philpott Church and Myles (Sherlock) Holmes from Harvest Durham.

We still have summer staff positions to fill including male cabin leaders (must be 17 or finished grade 11); 2 male SALT cabin leader (age 18+). Leadership positions needed (age 19+): male Co-Program Director and Head Cook. If you know some great Christian youth/young adults please send them to www.widjiitiwin.ca/work-at-widji for more information.

Our themes for 2017 are Destination: Greece, Nintendo and The Round Table! There are some interesting leadership lessons from King Arthur as he led from beside his knights.

Serving Him together,

Mike (Moose) Greenfield
Director
Camp Widjiitiwin

www.widjiitiwin.ca
Ambassadors for Christ to children and youth

Ignite – The Widji Partnership Program

We also have a name now for the partnership ministry – IGNITE. We needed something to build a brand around so we can clearly express the objectives of the program to potential partners and donors. The campers will typically just know Camp Widjiitiwin.

Ignite a desire to change their status quo, to break the cycle of poverty, or poor education or abuse or drugs or alcohol, or whatever their situation is, to be a better version of themselves, to…
Ignite a spark for the love of God
Ignite a passion for helping others, serving,

A strike anywhere match has two chemical components that come together to produce the flame. It brings two things together to produce change.

Camp Widjiitiwin and our partners
The camper community and camp
Heaven & earth
Communities and churches/ministries

Verses

See how a small spark can ignite a great forest fire. James 3:5b
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 ESV

Our Partners

Toronto Police 42 Division in Toronto
Hughson Street Baptist Church in Hamilton
Church of the City in Guelph
Capstone Community Bible Church in Etobicoke
Ephraim’s Place in North York

Relationships have always been at the heart of the success of Christian camping ministry and that is what most campers talk about when they get home – the friends they made. That, plus the FUN, games, food, campfires, activities and of course the Tuck Shop.

Everyone Needs a Treasure Chest!

Treasure chest aren’t just for pirates! We all need one!!

On my 50th birthday (2013) I received a treasure chest of cherished memories (pictured right, organized by Carolyn). It is filled with letters and notes from family, friends (newer and older), camp staff and colleagues. Everyone reminded me of the best version of myself, of special times we shared together, of how I had impacted or been there for them. I recently got to write a similar letter for a friend on his 60th birthday. It was my privilege to do so.

For me the box holds memories from a milestone where I can look back and see the amazing accomplishments and impact I have had and the faithfulness of our God.

I have a favourite saying, that you can count the number of seeds in an apple, but cannot count the number of apples in a seed. In this box I have evidence of some of the seeds I have sown that have blossomed into trees that now bear their own fruit.

I wrote another letter recently to a past camp director, mentor and friend. To someone who has influenced the way I do ministry to this day. You don’t need to wait for a special occasion to let someone know that they are loved and appreciated. Write a letter, make a call to someone you need to thank. It will be such an encouragement to them. And for you.

Consider the Next Seven Generations

“We should consider in all our deliberations, the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Iroquois saying.

The message of “seventh generation” living is to think seventh generations ahead and act in ways that benefit, not sacrifice, the future generations, specifically the seventh generation after us.

We should apply the Seventh Generation Principle to relationships – so that every decision we make results in sustainable relationships that last at least seven generations into the future.

Seventh generation. My dad can remember his great grandparents, his grandparents, his parents, his generation, his kids, my kids and my kids kids. 7 generations!! In that way we can remember our history, our oral tradition and teach it to that 7th generation. I remember my grandpa Greenfield telling us stories. Sometimes over and over again.

I have four generations of my family alive now and I remember my grandpas Greenfield and Copeland well. I can understand wanting to care for the people the land the relationships for those around me and those who come after me. To make sure that my kids hear stories of my grandpas and Elaine’s mom who started the books of the Bible song. It’s their heritage!

Hebrews 11, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us push on towards the goal.

I’m only looking a few generations past who I can see currently. How do I want the world to be better for them? What don’t I want them to forgot? The fundamentals of course!! For me those include:

The Bible as the word of God
There is one God, eternally existent in 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Virgin birth
Jesus’ death and resurrection
Salvation by faith in Christ alone

As one commentator has observed, “Seven generations is about the longest period of time that we can grasp subjectively. Some of us had great grandparents when we were born. We have known our grandparents, our parents, and ourselves. We may also know our children, our grandchildren, and possibly our great grandchildren. These seven generations are a yard stick of human experience.”

Nehemiah 9:16-18, 26-31, 37 as part of a sermon series by Darrell Baker, Faith Baptist Church, Muskoka, ON

First, this prayer was a reminder for the Israelite that they are the product of those who had come before them.

It wasn’t their generation who had turned their back on God; in fact it was probably their great, great, great grandparents.
They were paying for someone else’s mistakes and sin.
I think they were wise enough to know that if they had been alive at that time they would have joined the party.
We like to think that we would have done things differently but we are only fooling ourselves when we think that way. It may have been their forefathers’ mistakes/sin but they knew they were no different.

Secondly, by reminding themselves of what had preceded them they were also admitting that they would shape the lives of those who would follow them.

The decisions and plans we make today will have a direct bearing on those who follow.
The church fifty years from now will be built, to some degree on what we do today.
Therefore we should be working, not simply for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren.

One final aspect of this prayer that I want you to notice is that they knew that our God is the God of the second chance.