| Camping reveals Gods love BY ERIK ALSGAARDUMCONNECTION STAFF For the Rev. Bill Herche, one of Camp Manidokans greatest assets is Mandy. Ive seen peoples eyes light up when they see Mandy, he said. Ive seen lives transformed through her. Mandy  is Herches 2-year-old golden retriever. Last summer, campers rubbed Mandys belly so much her skin turned raw. According to Herche, who has been director of Camp Manidokan for the past two years, one camper was in the midst of overcoming substance abuse and addiction. The young man smiled and laughed for the first time in anyones collective memory after encountering Mandy. You never know what you might find at camp. In the Baltimore-Washington Conference, three conference-sponsored camps offer opportunities for young and young-at-heart people to step away from the bustle of everyday life and spend time with each other and with God. Our g oal is to make sure everyone knows they have an invitation to accept Jesus Christ into their life, said Andy Thornton, director of West River Camp and Retreat Center for the past 17 years. Thats why we do what we do. All the other stuff gets the kids involved and excited about camp. All the other stuff, depending on the camp, can vary from ropes courses, a climbing wall, rafting down Sawmill Creek, swimming in the pool, Bible study or learning to sail. The three camps Manidokan Outdoor Ministry Center near Harpers Ferry, W.Va., West River United Methodist Center south of Annapolis, and Camp Harmison near Berkeley Springs, W. Va. ministered to more than 19,400 people in 2002, including 2,286 children, youth and adults through the summer camping program. The 2003 summer camping program begins this month. A record number of campers is expected. Each camp is an opportunity for young people to come to a safe place and experience Gods creation, said Herche (pronounced, Hershey). With the love of Christ, the love of staff and the love of volunteers, campers can find Gods love that will hold onto them. Charlie, age 9, said he enjoys many things about Manidokan. His mother is a volunteer nurse at Manidokan during the summer. I dont really know the best thing, he said. The funnest thing for me is learning about God. Everything you do here, you learn something about God. Thats the greatest and most fun thing that ever happens here. The camping program of the Baltimore-Washington Conference relies on a cadre of volunteers to make the programs happen, from retreat leaders during the fall and winter to college students-turned-counselors in the summer. By and large, we have good people here, said Thornton. They put their heart and soul into it. Perhaps the most telling thing is the number of people I have who keep coming back year after year to be counselors. If it doesnt work out in their schedule, they are the ones who are disappointed. At Manidokan, two new lodges are now present on campus. Standing in front of the new Serenity Lodge, Herche said that the building was just the beginning. Weve started the process and the process is going to continue, he said, referring to a master plan of camping redevelopment going on in the conference. This first building was like saying, Yes, its becoming a reality; its happening. Its not just a dream anymore. Manidokans new lodges each sleep 32 people. They come complete with eight separate bedrooms two handicapped accessible a complete kitchen and dining and meeting space. A new pool, recreation center, office and infirmary, and equestrian center are in the planning stages. When its our turn in the process, well see whats best for us to do then, said Herche. At West  River, Thornton beams as he describes the new dining hall on the drawing board. If we get the go-ahead in June, Im saying well have the new dining hall ready sometime in 2004. Itll take six or seven months to get the permit through, and then another six to nine months to build it, he said. The old dining hall has just undergone extensive renovations. New windows and a new heating and air-conditioning system were installed, along with new ceiling tiles and drywall. At Camp Harmison, a new road and septic system are being finished. Volunteers in Mission teams and staff continue to improve the trailer that was donated to the camp so it will be available for summer staff housing, according to the Committee on Retreat and Camping Ministries report in the pre-conference report. Theres a lot of things here to get the kids interest and enthusiasm, said Thornton, standing near a giant teeter-totter used to build group cohesion. But why we do what we do is to provide opportunity for spiritual growth for kids. When it works well and we have those individual discussions with the kids, thats when those decisions are made. Its not something that just happens. | 
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