The all too common question that is all too often accompanied by an all too complicated answer. The work at Glorieta is oftentimes pretty demanding or complex so answering the “what” isn’t very easy. That being said, pretty much anybody can work at camp, though not everyone will. Most of the work at camp is easily seen in other corporate or ministerial work with higher pay, more benefits, and a more distinct work life balance.
This does beg, nay implore, scratch that, REQUIRE the question, “So why work at camp? If the hours are long, the work is complex, and the roles are ever evolving and shifting, why not go somewhere else?”
Today we’re going to talk about why the people who make camp run decided to keep camp running!
The Interviews
I interviewed my two friends, JB Rutherford and Erin Gabriel!
Erin Gabriel serves as our Retreats booking assistant! She helps to put every retreat group into our booking payment and scheduling process!
JB serves as one of our Maintenance Technicians! He makes sure allll the literal nuts and bolts of camp are running and functional!
Our first question for them was very simple, “Why did you start camp work in general?” They had both gone to camp as kids to start out it turns out!
Erin: “They were so impactful…. I rededicated my life to Christ [at camp]. All of the things were at camp for me. I just think it’s such a powerful place, obviously not because of the place but because of the Lord… it shows what stepping away can do for your faith and what being in temporary community can do for people.”
JB: “From the ages of infant to probably 16-ish we’d go there [a camp in Missouri] as a family. So always growing up, my goal was to work summers there. So I went there, I did that for a summer and just fell in love with the ministry…But I did that and just fell in love with maintenance. It was cool to be working in ministry and working with my hands.”
Question 2! What’s your favorite part about working for camp?
Erin: “Well I really do like my job! It’s been fun to specialize because that’s just not something that happens at camps very often. I think it’s special at most camps, but being able to live where you work out in nature and have a community is very cool. It’s fun to work in the same place with the same people! It also helps that I’m not trying to sell guests something. I just want them to find a place that fits their needs and their goals.”
Finally, we talked about why we stay at camp despite any of the challenges that may come.
JB: “Reality and trusting in leadership. There is plenty of leadership at camps that don’t have processes and levels. I’ve [seen camps that suffer from lack of due process]. I don’t have to beg for change here.”
Erin: “I think something that’s really important is acknowledging that this can go on without me. I think sometimes we put too much value on the work that we are doing. And then we get in the mindset of ‘it can’t happen without me and I need to do this’. The Lord can do this without any of us. You can refresh the whole staff and they could still be doing what is happening right now.”
I personally can’t agree more. At the end of the day we are just people who live in a world created by God. Sometimes I believe that makes people in the camp industry worry that either everything they do matters or subsequently nothing matters.
But everything we do in life matters. Whether we give everything to camp in pursuit of excelling in a trade or just to put a smile on someone’s face, giving everything matters.
Why I Work at Camp
For me, when I was a camp counselor at Glorieta, I had good people who went out of their way and showed me love I hadn’t seen before. That changed me. Knowing there was someone who took time to fix my bed, counsel me in life, and give me a chance to love God through work mattered to me.
That’s my clearest answer of why to work at camp; someone has to be here to show love and grace to others like I was shown. This isn’t novel writing folks. 1 John 4:19-21 says:
We love each other because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Sure the days are long, the people are humanly flawed, the pipes burst systematically with anarchic intent, and the food begins to taste the same after a while. But the love you gain from seeing life-change, smiling faces, and joyous laughter is beyond free — it’s one of the best things in life.
