Rachel Jason

I was recently sent a descriptive essay with Camp Li-Lo-Li as its focus! The author is a young lady named Rachel Jason who has been both a camper and a counselor here at camp. Please take some time to enjoy her essay below!

When you feel the tires below you shift from paved to gravel
road, your excitement will build up even more because you’re almost there! The
gravel will give its applause as it crunches underneath your car’s weight.
You’ll cross the little bridge and then- there it is! Your eyes will finally
see what they’ve been waiting for: the rustic-looking Camp Li Lo Li sign that
might as well say “Welcome Home!” on it. As the road continues, the rest of the
camp will unfold before you.

Driving past the corral, your
attention will be pulled towards the stomping and whinnying horses on the side,
then will jump back to the road where your long journey will come to a
long-awaited end. You’ll start to hear shouts and laughter from some happy
campers up ahead that will make you smile. After parking up by the Lodge,
you’ll finally be able to unlock your prison and open the car doors, and
stretch a little too.

On the Lodge porch, the colourful flowers in their
hanging pots and the hummingbirds that hover nearby will catch your eye very
quickly. These little hummingbirds at first glance almost look like magical
fairies from the land of Narnia- after all, this camp is like a whole other world! You’ll see people all around
you- familiar faces or completely new ones and they’ll greet you warmly, maybe
even with some great big hugs! And if you peek inside the Lodge, you’ll see the
huge space where you’ll be sharing some delicious meals with the rest of the
campers. You’ll probably imagine the taste of that yummy pizza and the red Kool
Aid-like drink that we all love.

Looking over the valley spread
out in front of you from on the porch, you’ll notice the big hill that goes
down to the main road as well as the store building and pool. When your eyes
follow back down the main road, you’ll see the archery range and, beside that,
a random bright red caboose that is set on railroad ties that campers love to
have sleepouts in. If you choose to go to the store to buy a snack after the
long trip there, you’ll walk, run, or roll down the big hill, smiling at the
sun’s warm rays that make your skin glow and the refreshing summer breeze that
ruffles through your hair.

Your first step into the store
will leave you speechless as a wave of delicious smells hits you- the most
prominent smell being the hot buttery popcorn being popped and also the scents
of slushies and- is that chocolate? The assortment of candy and food that is
there will amaze you and you probably won’t be able to decide what you want
until after a couple of minutes! Maybe you’ll decide to get the newly popular
gelato- a flavour slushie of your choice with sweet vanilla ice cream on top.
The chilly treat will cool you down from the heat outside for sure! You’ll hear
some splashing from the man-made lake and probably will want to investigate as
you head to the cabin area.

When you pass by the
waterfront to unload your belongings into your assigned cabin, you’ll
definitely notice the variety of boats that decorate the shore- canoes, kayaks,
paddle boats and even large rafts. All of the occupants of these vessels love
going under the quaint wooden bridge and around the small island that the
bridge leads to. On the island is a gazebo, which is a nice and peaceful place
to sit with a group of friends in the shade and relax. To add to the fun,
there’s a little trolley that you can run and fly over the water to the other
side on that you’ll probably want to try.

Now the gravel road once more
will take you on a journey- this time, heading back to the cabin areas.
Although these cabins are in the woods, there are clearings all around that let
the sunshine beam in. When you start unloading the vehicle and enter the
cabins, the cleanliness will impress you- no mice droppings or spider webs in
sight. With bunk beds on every wall, there are many places to choose from to
make your little nook there for your stay. The smell of white pine will flood
your senses and you’ll end up enjoying the fresh rustic feeling of all the camp
buildings.

You’ll love going to chapel,
hearing God’s Word spoken and sweet music filling the whole room (and your
heart) with praise. If you’re as enthusiastic about skits as I am, you’ll enjoy
the hilariously improvised plays that are all based on what the Bible says. And
no one can forget: Choose the Right Door! This is a classic Camp Li Lo Li “game
show” type of activity and if you’re the first one to stand up and answer the
question correctly, you will get to choose a door! The prizes seem to be
limitless, but beware of the surprises! After a pie in the face or a water balloon
at camp, you’ll never be the same!

You will also see God’s
wonders at night that are amazing to experience. At one point during the week,
you’ll have to get out your bug spray and your flashlight and then you’ll join
the others for a great time at the bonfire. As the fire crackles and sparks
fly, the campers who are led to share will give their testimonies and you’ll be
blessed by hearing their stories of salvation through the blood of Jesus. The
smoky air will smell so nice and crisp and you probably won’t be able to get it
out of your clothes until you get home! After the bonfire is over, you’ll walk
back with your cabin to have your own campfire and reflection on what was said
during the message and testimony time. Along with that, you can look forward to
a gooey warm s’more- and if you have the delight of having Reese’s peanut
butter chocolate included in it, you will never want to go back to eating that
regular s’more. If you look up, the bright stars and constellations will take
your breath away as you’ll realize how much the electric lights around you at
home have you missing out on this radiant and marvelous view.

There are so many other
activities that you will grow to love at Li Lo Li such as the ropes course,
rifle range, Fort Seneca, climbing tower, sports, zip lines and so on. But so
much more so, the relationships that you’ve just made and the ones that you’ve
enjoyed for a long time with friends and family alike and the eternal
relationship that we are so privileged to have with God will make you very
thankful. I’ve described camp to you, but no one’s words could ever accurately
begin to describe the love of God for us all that knits our hearts together at
camp and bonds us through the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and his
sacrifice for us.