When people ask me what “camp” is, I often find it difficult to give them a brief description. Yes, it is a “church camp in rural Pennsylvania,” but more importantly, it is a place where I am provided with endless opportunities to explore both the faith and
friendships that will stay with me for a lifetime.
If you asked Grace from eight years ago who had just finished her first year at camp as a chalet 2A baby, she would most likely be skeptical of returning the following year. However, if you ask current Grace who missed out on her hike year, she would tell you there is nothing she wishes more than to go back and relive it all. The Antiochian Village has become a necessity for my development into the Church. Few people are provided with the outlet to grow close to God and get the chance to fully immerse themselves in their faith. Camp teaches the meaning of Orthodoxy with every soccer challenge and dabke line, and each year brings new experiences, whether it be conquering the overnight in pouring rain or completing Quadrophiania on the ropes course. Even waiting in the line at the dining hall excited to receive some French toast sticks (while Jason Catanese is leading morning yoga at the front) is an experience within itself. Time as a camper is so limited and as I have gotten older, I have realized how important it is that I cherish each moment.
The Antiochian Village can be described as a reset button. I return each year with the notion that I must refuel and recharge. Camp gives me the energy to be sent back into reality with more knowledge on Orthodoxy and society around me. So as much as we count down the days until camp, the two weeks we spend here are really just preparation for the remaining 50 weeks of the year.
Looking back, there are too many memorable moments to count. Christian Ed classes, Gimme Shop lines, Serenade night songs, impactful sermons; the list goes on. But what truly makes the Village a “heaven on Earth” is not the actual place, but rather the people you come across. The magic of camp lies in its ability to create lifelong friendships within the short span of 12 days. Complete strangers are brought together by one similarity, and through God, a bond is able to flourish. It is magic before our eyes and I am humbled to be a part of it. My cabin mates are more than just roommates, but sisters who I depend on (and there is no one I would rather shout Mamma Mia songs
with, trust me).
Even though I didn’t get the chance to say a proper goodbye to my days as a camper
this past summer, one bit of wisdom is sticking with me: you can take the girl out of the Village, but you can never take the Village out of the girl.
