PART FOUR:  Where will they stay?

Walking along the path to the Tabernacle, waiting in line at the dining hall or sitting by your bed at camp, have you ever wondered what it was like to start a camp meeting?

What were the conversations which took place around campfires and after church services? Who were these people and why would they make such sacrifices?

Would you and I stumble into a holler in Ohio, along a farm road in North Carolina or down a long sugar sand path in New Jersey and say, “Hey, this looks like a great place to build a camp meeting?”

I have been thinking a lot about the boldness and faith of those who began the work that we have been blessed to join.  I wonder if someone were to start a camp meeting today, 2008, what would it look like?

Rather than pull punches, here it is.  The lodging facilities at most camp meetings are substandard.  I wish it were different but that does not change the reality.

Some lodging facilities on our camps are excellent.  In fact people want to stay in them throughout the summer.  These are usually owned and lived in by people who have been part of the camp for a long time, even having these cabins or rooms handed down from parents or grandparents.  But what about the new family who wants to get in on the experience?

We tend to look at our facilities through 50 year-old lenses.  If it were good enough for us when we were younger… If it were good enough in years gone by…

Well its not good enough for a young mother who works hard to keep her mobile home or small apartment clean to come and cram her family into a small room or cottage for a week.  The bugs, the leaks, the dirt and dingy curtains, she works hard to make sure the house is nice 51 weeks a year and when she goes on “vacation” it will take a lot to overcome that initial deflating reality that where they are staying is what she works so hard to protect her family from.

We need to have fresh, unbiased eyes evaluate the lodging we offer people.  I have been to camps that remind me of colonial England.  Some live like Lords in well appointed air-conditioned rooms and cottages while the youth live like peasants, cleaning bathrooms, serving in the cafeteria and sleep each night packed in double bunked Spartan shacks.  The colonists were smart enough to flee this type of system and yet we scratch our heads when our youth drop out of the program.  (Trust me, this is descriptive of numerous camps so I am not picking on you if this rings a bell)

Of course youth are going to wreck their dorms so they need not be cover material for a decorating magazine but a walk through with a parent who is not affiliated with your camp might open your eyes.  Listen to the youth program directors as well.

I realize that upgrading the facilities, especially lodging is hard to do and expensive for a camp that runs 2 weeks per year.  One might consider renting out or running additional programs to increase revenue which could be used for renovations or to pay a professonal cleaning crew to come in right before camp.

Another wise investment is for the camp to create a place for Recreational Vehicles to park.  I have seen this work in numerous camps and retreat facilities.  You might not be able to bring the existing lodging facilities up to the level where young families are comfortable but many have their own RV’s and are more than comfortable in their “own space”.  Though the cost of  fuel has curtailed some of the long cross-country excursions, people are looking for opportunities to drive a couple hours and camp a week somewhere where they and their children will be safe.

Several camps are currently in the planning and execution phases of adding new or additional RV space and hook ups for families.  While a cottage might be out of reach financially for these people or the waiting list years long at some camps, they can pull up and try the campmeeting experience right away.

If you are interested in adding RV space or any lodging issues, lets talk about this at the Summit.  There are some really good ideas out there and people who come are committed to seeing your ministry succeed and learning from you so they might be the best stewards of their God-appointed ministry.