That Family Feeling
For many years when we would schedule with the groundskeeper for future camps he would write us in his planner as “Heidelberg Family Reunion.” It always seemed somewhat odd, but he no doubt had his reasons. As the camp has continued on much has changed and much has stayed the same. But those words have taken on deeper meaning with each passing year.
This year Heidelberg Youth Camp welcomed 146 campers, exceeding our recent record high of 136. Each year we graduate around 10 campers who have completed high school and so each year brings the desire and prayer that the Lord will replace our graduates with new campers. Our Heavenly Father continues not only to replenish our numbers, but brings increase as well! Seeing this growth, we have started giving name tags to everyone on the first day of camp to help our seasoned campers quickly welcome our new attendees. Even with this increase, the reality does not change that we truly are a family reunion. Certainly there are more folks gathered for four short days than one could connect with, but we share the one thing that unites the church across space and time: a love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Growing Together
Like any Christian family, we are working together to be transformed by renewing the mind through our study of God and His Word. This year we explored the theme “Inside Out Living.” This brought each camper through many concepts of our walk of faith through this life. Using primarily the book of Ephesians, the theme developed the ideas of walking worthy of our high calling in Jesus Christ in light of the new man worked in us, and in love for our Savior, His Church, and one another. We continue to be blessed through the faithful service of the many pastors who come to teach our young people. Throughout the week we had fourteen different men teaching, preaching, and exhorting.
The week not only provided ample opportunity to grow spiritually, but in responsibility and in friendships. During the week we expect our young people to take responsibility for themselves and as stewards of the camp. This includes everything from personal hygiene to learning how to properly wash dishes and bathrooms. Each cabin of roughly twelve campers and 2-3 counselors is responsible for a set of chores each day. While our counselors lead, each camper is expected to help according to his or her ability. As usual, our campers quickly learn how to do an excellent job. Campers likewise take responsibility for themselves during the week by being on time and prepared for meals, or classes, or events. It is always a joy to see the youth of the church learning through these opportunities that may seem small to some, but to others are new and exciting.
Of course, camp would not be complete without a healthy dose of fun. HYC has been particularly blessed by the counselors who step up to offer their gifts and talents to make camp a truly wonderful experience. Many of the exciting event at camp have come about because a counselor has asked if we could do…
An art class! For many years, our resident artist Phoebe Dawn has offered an art class for those who would like to paint along with her. For anyone who does now know, Phoebe is incredibly gifted in bringing art to life. She has a keen ability to paint not only magnificent landscapes of God’s creation, but fantastic concepts right out of her vivid imagination. This year, she even provided participants in the class with three options of what to paint. I’ll leave it to you to seek out a picture of her finished artwork on our Facebook page, but suffice it to say it is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that is truly priceless!
A choir! Elder Doug Haak each year brings a piece of music for all those who wish to practice and sing as the conclusion of our Thursday evening hymn sing. The choir is so talented that it is hard to believe they only have opportunity to practice two or maybe three times during the week!
A dance class! This year, Melinda Henderson brought her skills in dance to share with HYC! During free times, Melinda taught all those willing and eager various dance techniques and styles. While many campers enjoyed these classes, our adults also were seen enjoying some swing dancing and the cupid shuffle!
Gold digging! Rev. Jimmy John Hall has rustled up a group of campers to seek out gold in “them thar’ hills!” As the campers sought their fortunes in flecks of gold, Rev. Hall enjoyed teaching campers how to pan for gold beside Bismarck Lake.
All of these are just some of the many things that make HYC great! During the week campers also can spend time fishing, canoeing, swimming, paddle boarding,
target shooting with bow and arrow, and more. This year we found there were far more experiences than anyone could possibly fit in!
The great fun of HYC can’t even be contained within the week. In catching up with our dear sisters from the Casper congregation, we learned that camp was even the theme of a birthday party! The party was complete with camp theme events and everyone wearing their favorite HYC shirt. There was no word on whether CHORES were a part of the fun…
Getting back to HYC 2024, one of our great traditions each year is the Heidelberg Cup. This annual challenge sets teams of four against one another in four challenges to find our yearly champions. One game each year is a game from the prior year receiving the most votes from our campers. This year our returning game was Retention Detention, in which our teams had one minute to remember as much as they could about what they saw on stage and then answer questions related to what they saw. Our knowledge challenge, this time on the Gospel of John, was well received by campers. Rev. Schwichtenberg (and his lovely assistants Angie and Ezra), grilled the campers on this gospel account. Campers had the opportunity to get a little messy as three blindfolded team members followed the instructions of their seeing teammate as they worked to cover a canvas with paint as quickly as they could. And finally, teams faced off in a manic game of Hungry, Hungry Camper (think kids on skateboards gobbling up beach balls with a laundry basket). If the level of noise and laughter during the game is any gauge, this one was a roaring success!
Another of our abiding traditions is the Talent Show. Held on Wednesday evening, the event is a showcase of the great talents given to our youth by our gracious God. The camp was blessed with beautiful singing, comedy sketches (no mimes were harmed in the making of these sketches), original music compilations ranging from guitar to beat boxing, piano solos, and popular music played and sung in expert manner (one of which quickly became a sing-along). The show even had the world’s only known Reformed Cheerleaders, bringing their highly orthodox cheers to keep all of us energetic.
The Grand Finale
Each year, as the sun goes down on Thursday evening there is a certain bittersweet feeling that begins to creep in. Knowing the morning brings departing, leaving those we have grown closer to during the week, along with a later bedtime brings with it a unique feeling. But this year, we experienced a final night that will not be soon forgotten. Around midnight I was visiting senior hall, where our junior campers were enjoying a movie after a marshmallow fight, orchestrated by our counselors. After a few minutes it was apparent that all was well and I began heading down the hill on the first of what I expected to be many rounds around the camp that evening. As I set off, a counselor was coming up the hill and said “Look, that looks like a fire!” as he pointed out a glow in the distance. At nearly the same moment my phone began to ring and I heard the groundskeeper on the other end shouting “THERE’S A FIRE! WE GOTTA GET EVERYONE OUT NOW!” In that moment, the camp became electric with activity.
In God’s providence, the counselors overseeing the juniors had allowed those who so desired to stay up until 12:30 to watch a bit more of the movie. This great blessing caused most of the junior campers to be together in Senior Hall. As I ran in shouting that there was a fire and everyone needed to go to the Mess Hall immediately, our counselors quickly sprang into action. As I and other counselors worked to ensure all cabins atop the hill were cleared, others were working to do the same down the hill. Counselors gathered their cabins together in the Mess Hall while counts and recounts were performed. Only one junior camper was unaccounted and found to be fast asleep in her cabin (she was shaken awake and brought out). Even as we completed these counts, firefighters were rolling into Camp Bob to put out the blaze. Vehicles were quickly organized and after the third count, we were ready to move to the Custer High School. Before departing, the briefest of prayers was offered up that our faithful God would grant us safety as we depart and that He might spare any serious damage from the fire bearing down on Camp Bob. The adrenaline and tiredness from the week and late hour seemed to fight against each other. As we drove away and into Custer, only then did it begin to sink in what had just occurred.
Upon arriving at the high school, two final counts were performed to be sure we had everyone transported safely. In those moments every emotion imaginable was occurring. Many were scared, weeping, or exhausted. Others were shooting hoops and sipping Anheuser-Busch canned water brought in by the fire department (it took a few minutes to get used to seeing kids drinking from cans with THAT logo on it). After about an hour, the announcement went out to HYC 2024 that we were about to settle into our lodging for the night and again prayer was offered and the doxology sung. The large auditorium had many campers spread throughout on the floor, in chairs, wherever some comfort could be found. Some counselors played calming music to encourage rest. Many slept. Many did not.
During such crisis events it is difficult to process the adrenaline and emotional impact of what transpired and what COULD have transpired. In those moments you cannot help but praise God for His goodness to us. After the fire was contained and we were able to return and collect our belongings, we learned the fire was within 150 yards of the camp. The wind had changed direction at the right time, moving the fire away from buildings. During the evening one counselor could be heard calming others saying, “It’s all right. My family is here, my family is safe. We are all safe.” And that is what that old groundskeeper got right. We call ourselves Heidelberg Youth Camp, but we are really Heidelberg Family Reunion. Many members separated by distance, but united – and held securely – by our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.
Elder Matthew Fickbohm
HYC 2024 Director