Previous Adventures

Family Camp

The Five Fischers had a wonderful week at a Forest Home family camp at the end of June. What's a family camp? Well, if you've never been, it's a bit hard to describe exactly, but we'll try to sketch in some of the picture for you.

First, take one family of five, place in a small cabin with bunk beds for seven days and six nights. Mix with about 150 other similarly situated families. Stir in ample portions of food, served family-style in a dining hall. Accent with great Bible teaching from several excellent speakers (for Mom and Dad), and exciting kids programs for the younger ones. Top it off with lots of free time together as a family in some of God's most beautiful creation, and for dessert, add free, in-cabin child care every evening (yes!). Voila! You have the recipe for Family Camp, a la Forest Home.

Situated high in the San Bernardino mountains, though only an hour from home, Forest Home seems to be much farther away. All thoughts of the hustle and bustle of life in the LA 'burbs seem remote when you're sitting next to a stream meandering down from the snowbanks high overhead; and aside from its pleasant rush, the only sound you hear is perhaps the buzzing of a bee, or maybe a Stellar's jay scruffling in the leaves looking for a beetle.

From one perspective, the week seemed to fly by, yet no day was hurried. When all the decisions about what to eat, where to sleep and what to do are made for you, it's amazing how much easier it is to focus on the really important things. Like whether to have that second mocha-chip shake from the Clubhouse. (We were all so proud when in one all-camp gathering toward the end of the week, Mom won the award for most shakes consumed by a camper.)

This was our third go at Family Camp, although the first time in several years. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat! Well, we may have to get the upgraded accomodations next time, though. The kids thought nothing of it, but with more than 80 years of life between the two of them, Mom and Dad were getting a bit sore by the end of a week of sleeping in bunk beds on foam mattresses. But the family time together, plus all the activities and teaching times more than made up for that. They're taking reservations for the summer of 2000 now. Will we see you there?