Manitoba Pioneer Camp @ MindSay

I didn't want to announce to the entire WWW that I would be away from home for 5 weeks. (I did have friends stopping by to use my house).

So, now I'll tell you that I spent the 2nd through 4th weeks of July at Camp Gitchigomee. A few pictures can be viewed at http://thunderbaycamp.mindsay.com.

The first two weeks of Aug. I was at Manitoba Pioneer Camp (http://my.tbaytel.net/rpepper/aug05.html) as Senior Section Director.

Then I helped with St. George's Anglican Narnia Day Camp. This past weekend I was at our church Family Camp at Camp Duncan (Loon Lake). One advantage Duncan has (besides being economical) is that we could use their canoes, PFDs etc. as part of the deal.

There I had an interesting conversation with a DBC parent re. her anger over what she described to me as disorganization (specifically re. staffing, on the subject of returning phone calls). Perhaps I will blog some thoughts about that subject some other time.

At both Camp G & MPC I felt very accepted & valued for who I am. As much as I still sting with pain from my being voted off the Dorion Bible Camp island (not-for-cause), I do appreciate the Dorion volunteer who emailed me to say she is glad that I am still able to carry on with camp work and other related ministries. In no way do I want to be at all ungrateful to those who have made a place for me (or to God for this).

But a thought did hit me powerfully this Spring:

During my Health Leave from Dorion (03-04) someone who ought to have known better told me (confidently) a distorted version of my story, i.e. that the E.D. had imposed only a *6 month* leave, but it was the Board (then CSSM) who made it a year. I immediately showed him a doc he'd not seen before that proved that the opposite was true (the E.D. insisted on a whole year from the start; the Board/CSSM allowed for return afer 6 months if I met certain conditions [which I did]).

The E.D.'s initial preference was that my leave start AFTER Summer '03 in the Fall. It was the Board/CSSM who made it effective immediately.

Now I don't know whether this person was confused or misled. It was entirely possible for him to get the story right, unless it was kept from him. At the very least, it disturbed me that he was so indignant that people "out there" didn't have the story right, when neither did he. If (and I say "if") he was misled, I hope that has troubled his sleep.

But what hit me powerfully was the thought that, IF in fact that version HAD BEEN TRUE, likely I would not be where I am, that is, I probably would have simply taken that short leave in the Fall and returned to work the next Spring.

But what caused me to be so unhappy with the Leave as it truly existed (which "unhappiness" may have been misperceived as "insubordination" -- consulting a lawyer is not insubordination) was my having to miss a summer of Camp (either '03 or '04). I had shed the Registrar duties and was really looking forward to refocussing on my PD role.

As well, there were times when I was already feeling kept out of the loop and had a fear that this might be a way of phasing me out. The end result suggests to me that this was not merely paranoia.

The reaction (a year-long exile) to my time of distress struck me as disproportionate. An immediate short period of time-off in which to unstress and discuss face-to-face the issues that led to the stress appears to me reasonable & the most helpful response.

And/or what the person believed (mistakenly) was the case: i.e. a short restorative leave, following what would have been a relatively stress-free summer (due to the agreed removal of the Registrar duties).

I hope now that *preventitive* measures re. stress are now in place. Sudden-unwanted-imposed "sabbaticals" are more likely to be counter-productive. I hope that now they are insisting on predictable sabbaticals on a regular cycle (possibly of c. 7 years). This communicates a concern for the well-being of the workers, rather than simply a desire for their labour in accomplishing the goals.

As for my situation, as long as they didn't insist that I go away to school (which would have been hard to plan at that point and financially problematic), I don't think such a plan would have been objectionable. But that is NOT what happened.

(I suggest a "however" in the comments section.)

Well, despite the re-aggravation due to a tackle by Mark EikelBOOM! of my 2004 Leaders Camp Mucketball injury (bruised ribs), I am glad I went with the Frontline and LUCF students and their staff (Annika & Paul) to Leaders Camp at Manitoba Pioneer Camp.

An inspiring story: While I was driving the Frontline girls home, Kayla asked if we could go past Westgate and pray for that school. Another girl (sorry, I forget which) said, "Hey! I was just about to say that!" So the 4 girls and I did stop in the parking lot and pray for a school which for a long time (and that's a "long time" even in my terms) has not had a very active ISCF or Frontline. I am impressed that these girls think this way -- despite their probably being tired and eager to get home.

I will probably blog some other reflections about the weekend at other times, including my decision, despite the pain of rejection I still feel, to return to wearing my Dorion Bible Camp garb, including my Program Director jacket. After all, no matter what bad feelings the current leaders may have about me, I *was* there for 31 years, including 16 as PD as my fulltime job. They can't take that from me. Not everyone with a highschool football jacket, still plays for that team!!