Camp Christian

Ever since I was a young child, Christianity has played a large role in my life. I was brought up in a very religious home, where I was taught many of my family’s values and morals. I have been attending the Scottdale Church of Christ regularly since I was very young. This was the church where my father had grown up in, which makes it very special to our family. Most churches have a particular church camp where they send their young children during the summer, typically for a week at a time. My church, in particular, is involved with Camp Christian in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. The owners of the camp are members of my church, which makes it that much more important to attend camp each year. Camp Christian is a very loving community that opens its doors to anyone who desires a better understanding of God and the Bible. Not only does it allow for a wonderful learning experience, but it also provides a location where children are able to attain life-long friendships with other young Christians, which is something quite difficult to find in today’s society. I firmly believe that Camp Christian has strongly aided in my understanding of whom I am and who I want to become. Not only has attending Camp Christian built on my personal character, but it has also given me the opportunity to grasp the natural beauty of my surroundings. Whether it is manmade or native to the land, Camp Christian allows for one to fully comprehend the splendor and excitement that surrounding environments provide. When entering Camp Christian, whether from the north or the south, all must travel down the winding, mile long entrance to reach the premises. Although it seems as though the bumpy, gravel road is never going to end, there is one distinct structure that keeps the drive pleasurable. After the clouds of dust begin to settle, one is able to perceive small parts of the owners’ home, which rests upon the hillside to the left of the pathway. It is a considerably large cottage style-home, with a red-brick chimney wide enough to fit two Santa Clauses. The décor of the outside of their home, which consists of a beautiful natural landscape, a cozy porch setting, and various bible related figures, allows one to only imagine the beauty that may be held inside. When one comes near the end of the road, a tiny, one lane bridge appears. My heart begins to race at this point because church camp is what I have anticipated for all summer. After passing over the bridge, all of the fears and worries of being away from home for a week seem to disappear. The first sight one is able to see is the pool, which has a lot of sentimental value to me. A few years ago, I decided it was my time to get baptized. I did not want to make this imperative decision in my hometown church though. Over the several years I had been attending Camp Christian, I had made many strong, life-long friendships. I wanted to share my special moment with them, along with my family. On a beautiful summer evening, with my family members and close friends surrounding the pool, my preacher baptized me in Camp Christian’s pool. The wind blew strongly as he lifted me from the water; it was surely a magical moment that I will never forget. I am blessed that I was able to take part in this opportunity, and I am now proud to say that I am able to take a piece of Camp Christian with me wherever I go.

Not only was the pool used for baptisms, but it was also the center of much of the activity during our summer camp weeks. Every year, we held water Olympics in the pool and the surrounding area. I was a very competitive young child; therefore, the water Olympics was my opportunity to prove my athletic talent. Each year, I competed with the same girl in order to win the metal for the holding one’s breath the longest competition. We tied during most of the matches, which we both enjoyed because we were actually very good friends. One very special thing about church camp is that it is a time for only laughter, happiness, and tears of joy. Even during competitions, the outcomes were always applauded from the rival teams. Whether one was the winner or the loser, they were all praised for their actions. The biggest competition was the vegetable-oiled watermelon contest. The screams and cheers during this nearly ten minute competition could be heard for miles. Each teammate had to swim in the deep end and attempt to pull out an oiled watermelon that had sunk to the bottom. This challenge was quite a struggle, and many times it was not fully completed. The few extraordinary completions of this particular contest provided for a night full of commendation for the successful campers. Although it never seemed to be in question, our pool was nothing near a state of the arch facility. It was a decent size, enough to fit all of the campers, but it was very typical to find snakes slithering along the bottom of the pool. Also, the texture of the bottom of the pool felt like prickly, ice sickles that had smooth, rounded tops. Although it sounds like it would be a bother, it actually made swimming in the pool a lot more amusing. We created swimming games where one was not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool or he/she was considered disqualified. Our time in the pool was filled with creativity, excitement, and new adventures that allowed for us to explore the many little things that we were given.

Once one passes by the pool, there is another small bridge that covers a creek which runs through the entire length of the camp. Although the creek is only about ankle-depth, many campers enjoy searching under the rocks and weeds to see what they can find. Again, there is often many snakes found in the creek, but surprisingly, many campers are not afraid of them. I, on the other hand, am terrified of the snakes, even though they are usually very small in comparison to snakes seen on TV. It may not be apparent at first, but if one ventures away from the road and down the side of the creek, they will find a very interesting creation. There are two extremely large oak trees that are directly across the creek from one another. Someone created a rope bridge, consisting of thick, yellow rope that is held across the creek by being tied around each of the trees. The rope bridge has two sides but only one piece of rope along the bottom, which is the difficult part of this creation. Campers often spend hours attempting to cross the wobbly bridge without falling into the creek. On the right side of the crick, there is a large, grassy hill that is used for several activities. One day during each summer week, the faculty members create a slip ’n slide for the campers. They use a significantly large plastic tarp that covers the entire length and width of the hill. It is fixed to the ground with a few stakes and hammers, and they pour enough dish soap on it to cover the entire tarp. Typically, they have three water hoses running from the top that create the slippery atmosphere that is needed to glide down the hill. We also have water balloon wars that are held in this same area. The campers from each team must find whatever they can in order to construct several slingshots. We use everything from old socks and rubbers bands to pillow cases and headbands to create our so-called “weapons.” These activities may seem as though they would only be entertaining for a few minutes, but we usually spend several hours on this small piece of land. These activities, which are constructed with minimal supplies, create so many memories that are meant to last a life-time.

The natural beauty of the camp can be seen when one passes over the creek bridge. There is a very special area in the woods along the right side of the camp, where many of the sermons are given. It is a long hike up the bumpy hillside to reach the uncomfortable logs that we must sit on during the entire lesson. It is completely surrounded by large oak trees and beautiful plants that seem to remain still during the entire message, which creates a somewhat eerie environment. This atmosphere allows for the campers to truly realize what it was like to praise God several centuries ago when churches had not been created and when one would be killed if they believed in a higher-being. During the construction of the new mill house, which is absolutely beautiful, there were several large rocks found beneath the ground. Instead of demolishing these beautiful pieces, they scattered them throughout the camp for places to sit, read, or teach. The new mill house, which is where the cafeteria is held, was built by several years of monetary donations to the camp. Not only is the new mill house spectacular, but the new food they prepare is quite exquisite for camp cuisine. It allows the homesick campers to forget about missing their homes, being that it tastes like home-cooked meals. Next to the mill house rests a small building that is entirely open in the front. In this building, there is another creation that keeps the campers quite entertained. This building is used for class time, but its main purpose is the carpet ball table. One may ask what this is, but it is a game that was created by some of the instructors at camp. It was a long, skinny table, which was covered entirely in carpet, with one player at each end of the table. There were open, rectangular-sized pockets at each end of the table and each player had a set of six pool balls. The object of the game was to set up one’s six balls any way they desired, while the other player used to white cue ball to knock the other players’ balls into the open pocket. This was another activity that kept the camper’s attention for several hours, typically during the evening. If one is waiting for their turn on the carpet ball table, they are able to sit and look out of the open wall to the picturesque view of the woods that surround the camp. These are the simple pleasures that are able to be found in this type of environment, even when involving one’s self in manmade activities. Although a lot of these activities are manmade, they still require a lot of creativity and the use of objects that one would not normally think to use.

When one nears the rear end of the camp, they find the chapel and the campers’ dorms. The chapel is where we spend the majority of our time during each day. Yes, the sermons that we were given taught us a lot about how we should act and react to certain situations, but I also clearly remember the worship songs that we were taught. These songs allowed us to have fun and be energetic while still praising God. Even today, when our church group gets together we tend to recall many of our camp songs. At times, Chapel was very grave and revealing but being able to share our emotions with songs provided a very uplifting and enlightening atmosphere. Prior to my first experience at church camp, my biggest fear of being away for a week was staying in the dorms. Contrary to what one may think, we did not spend a large amount of our time in the dorms though. The dorms consist of long hallways that were full of bunk beds and one bathroom on each side. Each of the bathrooms had three toilets and three showers, which did not work well with nearly twenty girls in each room. I did not believe that this was the biggest issue though. I, in particular, found that the smell of the water was absolutely horrid. Most of the time, I had to hold my nose in order to get a shower or simply just to be in the bathroom. The beds were quite uncomfortable as well, but it was always fun to pick out which bed one wanted. Each night, when I would write in my journal or a letter to a family member, was when I realized that there was only one thing missing at church camp: my family. My only wish was to be able to share my magnificent experiences with the ones that I love most.

Camp Christian is full of simple pleasures, which I believe one must truly learn to appreciate. It may not be apparent at first, but Camp Christian is full of opportunities for those with creative minds. The surrounding environment of the camp also provides for many recreational activities that one may not normally think. Not only has my appreciation for my surroundings grown stronger by attending Camp Christian, but my faith has also solidified. I am able to perceive things in a way I never thought possible because I know who their creator is. I do not question things in the same way that I used to, which is a great feeling to achieve. I am proud to say that I am a Christian, and I strongly believe that Camp Christian has helped me to realize that. All of the manmade and natural beauty that Camp Christian has to provide will aid in anyone’s questioning in a higher being.




^Above photo taken by Camp Christian
and found at: Camp Christian

A Shocking Journey to Crick Hills

There are several bodies of water throughout the world that are held in high regard. The Red Sea, the Panama Canal, the Persian Gulf, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, just to name a few, have been homes to quite a few historical events. Although these are familiar to most inhabitants of the world, there are several smaller bodies of water that are important to specific regions surrounding them. I reside in the small town of Scottdale, Pennsylvania, which contains many rivers and creeks that are vital to the town’s history. One site, in particular, is known to the community as Crick Hills. To those unfamiliar to the area, it is referred to as the “Blue Hole.” This name was established because of the immense depth of the water, which gave it a dark blue appearance. This significant landmark is near the outskirts of town and is located in the only true woods of our small town. During the summer months, Crick Hills is always full of excitement and large groups of people. This body of water contains much more than what is visible to the naked eye, though. The legends of what is beneath the water may be shocking to those who hear them for the first time, as I was. After I was told about these “so-called” rumors, I was naturally curious to explore the scene on my own. Prior to my journey into Crick Hills, I was ignorant to the true beauty and value that this important historical site has to offer.

I was quite intimidated by Crick Hills at first because of the horror stories I had heard concerning the area. It is said that there are numerous bodies and relics to be found beneath the water. There are several possibilities though, as to how they were lost there. There is a set of railroad tracks that sit on the hill above the creek. A locomotive, that was carrying goods into Scottdale, had been lost along its route. There was evidence that there had been a disaster along the hillside, and many believe that the locomotive had fallen off its chain in that exact spot. There was also a local mine shaft very close to the area several years ago, which had haphazardly collapsed. Along with the workers trapped inside, the shaft was enclosed with vast amounts of water and sunk to the base of the creek, never to be seen again. The Civil War played an enormous role in our country’s history, and there was a Civil War armory located in the woods surrounding the creek. There are no remnants left from the armory in the woods, but several of the artifacts can be found in our local historical house. Among all of these important factors, there are also cars, animals, and garbage floating around in the dark water. Whether it be remainders from the Civil War or parts from a lost train, they are all important to a true understanding of the importance of Crick Hills.

My first journey into Crick Hills was quite thrilling, yet scary at the same time. The weather was absolutely beautiful when we began our mile long excursion into the woods. We traveled through everything from high brush to man-made mud holes, while carrying our overly-packed bags. The mud holes were everywhere, almost as though someone created a track for quads and trucks to pass over them. We also had to cross over railroad tracks on a bridge, which was one of the most terrifying things that I have ever done. It seemed as though the bridge was never going to end, and we had to be careful not to look down at long drop beneath us while walking. We were also unsure whether a train was going to pass while we were crossing, which was exceptionally daunting. After passing over the bridge, we did not have much longer until we reached the hill in which the locomotive was thought to have crashed. It was such an extensive drop, but we decided to venture down the hill in hopes of perceiving something interesting. We were unsuccessful in our search, but we reached the heart of the creek. It was absolutely stunning, nothing like that of what I had pictured it to be. I had prepared myself for seeing car parts and dirty water, but my visions were entirely false. There were only a few other people there, which made me feel a little safer about diving into the water. There were two different rocks to jump off, one a bit higher than the other. There was only one side of the creek that was safe to jump into because there was an abandoned car very close to the surface on the other side. We became friends with the people who were already jumping, and they told us stories of people that had been hurt while at the creek, which may not have been the best choice. They told us of the person who had discovered the abandoned car while jumping into the creek. His foot went straight through the windshield, which left him with a hefty scar on his right leg. There was another story of a boy, who decided to do a back flip off the highest rock, but his trick was unsuccessful and it left him with a concussion. After hearing these stories, I was hesitant as to whether or not I wanted to get into the water. My friends convinced me that it was safe to jump into the area where the others were: therefore, I decided to jump off the low rock into the freezing cold water. It was an experience unlike any other, and the only thought in my mind was the absurd things that were beneath me. My imagination was soaring as I thought of the possible bodies that I was swimming on top of. We continued jumping for hours, but we had to leave an hour before the sun was going to set in order to be able to make it out of the woods. The journey out of the woods didn’t seem nearly as long as the trip into the woods, especially crossing back over the bridge. I imagined the union soldiers marching over the same land that I was and getting water from the creek that I was swimming in. It is an indescribable feeling to know that I am able to be a part of something so imperative to my nation’s well-being. My first journey into Crick Hills is one that will never be able to be replaced.

Crick Hills may seem as though it is just another body of water to those unfamiliar to the area, but it has been a place of learning for me. Prior to my journey, I was ignorant to its true importance because I had not been educated in its historical past. Because I reside in such a small town, I had never known the pure beauty of the nature that was so close to me. I have made several trips back to Crick Hills, teaching others of what I had learned, but nothing compares to my initial visit. I have learned that in order to obtain the true meaning of something, one must forget what others have told her/him, and create his/her own assumptions