After 9 months of fund-raising, the week for going to Work Camp arrived.There was an extensive list of supplies that needed to be packed including tools and then it was time to drop Natalie off. She wasn't too sure if it would be any fun!
I was on security duty for one evening and was very impressed by how organized everything was. Work Camp is a program that has been going on for over twenty years in this diocese. 400 teen-agers with Adult Crew Leaders and General Contractors donate their time to repair, restore and renew the homes of the poor and disabled in a 45 mile radius.
Typical projects included building wheelchair ramps, redoing bathrooms, painting, re-roofing trailers, staining decks, putting in new flooring and hauling off all the debris.
Every team from each parish raised 10,000 dollars to pay for all the actual building supplies, the food necessary to feed this many people, and the maintenance costs for renting a public high school for a week.
These folks got up at 6:30 am and attended Daily Mass in the Auditorium. Then they grabbed breakfast and headed out to the job site to work all day. A bagged peanut butter and jelly sandwich was sent along for lunch.
When the teens get back from the site, they get cleaned up, have dinner, and enjoy some free time chatting and hanging out in a strictly chaperoned and secure environment which did nothing to dampen their good, clean fun!
At 7 pm each evening, a faith strengthening program was put on. A couple of nights that included a concert of Christian Rock. A band called Vota was particularly impressive, I was told.
The Men In Black were welcomed and sat at tables talking with the Teens. Some of the Priests and Seminarians present had participated in Work Camp when they were in High School. One night, the Bishop came out to eat dinner with the group and preach. That night, over 20 priests were available for confessions.
The work campers were encouraged to chat with their residents (at the homes where they were working) and to be super pleasant and helpful. The theme for this year's camp was " Built on Christ". The goal was to make these folks' homes "warmer, safer and drier" and thereby exhibit the Love of Christ by helping the poor and less fortunate. It is hard to say who gets more out of this- the residents, adults, contractors or the teens. It is a very Spirit-Filled week.
Natalie had about a thousand times more fun than she expected to, met a lot of new friends and was able to deepen her own relationship with her Lord and Savior. It is my great hope that she is joined next year by all of her cousins who would be such great assets in both the work and the fun involved in Work Camp.
