A rainy day three brought new challenges to Volunteer Work Camp 2011. Delivering paving bricks to build outdoor firepits and delivering and setting up dvd players to cabins kept the group busy and damp for most of the morning, and then in the early afternoon we all tried to work together on a stairwell and hallway painting project. Close quarters helped show some of the weariness of a group that has been working hard all week and it almost seemed, for a moment, that the peace and harmony of work camp might become a clanging, dissonant chord.And just as we were finishing work for the day and the skies began to clear up, these simple words started bringing a sense of relief and joy.
Slip n Slide.
Tower Hill has a great . . . hill for setting up a giant slip n slide. Folks released a whole bunch of tension as they ran, jumped, and slide down plastic streaming with water and dish soap - enjoying every last bump, bruise, and soapy, dirty water splash.
The tension release helped the group get into a discussion about what it means to push against the current. One expression involves staying away from the things that are harmful even though "everybody's doing it." And another significant expression is about standing firm on issues of justice and equality even when it may not be the popular or easy thing to do. It is heartwarming to see a group committed to justice and kindness. I also know that we don't always act the way we're committed to. Thank God for grace. Thank God for second chances to push against the current.
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