Easter Camp ICC
We were at a church camp last weekend – long Easter weekend – and probably because we are older now found the campsite conditions a bit harsh. It was at the Wonga Park Conference Centre in Wonga Park (obviously), just before Lilydale. The venue is sort of a half-way house between truly going away and being near enough to home to make it feel like you really haven’t gone away. I think all that meant we were tired out and were not at all refreshed.
In fact if not for the fact that we were spending an entire long weekend – 3 nights and 4 days – with people we generally enjoyed being with and the fact that the speaker, TT Quah, gave his usual rendition of challenging and thought provoking messages, I would have considered it a wasted weekend.
When we got there on late Friday morning, we walked up the registration table and Van, Joanne and Lynda ticked off our names on the list. We were told which room we were in. I re-parked the car nearer the room and when we walked into the room, our spirits sagged. It was an old, even dilapidated and drab room. The beds and blankets looked like they had not been properly cleaned. The beds were small and shabby and flabby and sagging. The bathroom and toilet were shared facilities. For a while, Tress and I wondered if we should simply drive home each night to sleep in our own bed.  That wasn’t the only disappointment as far as the campsite was concerned.
The catering too, was so very bland with very stingy servings. One of the meals served actually looked like a dog’s breakfast – rice mixed with dry minced meat, chopped up ham, corn and peas, coleslaw and shredded cheese. I should have taken a picture of it. It looked as bad as it tasted. Most meals were to be forgotten in a hurry and there was only 1 meal which was remotely edible. I must add that I am not fussy when it comes to food – really! Yet there I was, saying the food was very poor.
So as far as campsite goes, In general, it just wasn’t a great place. If you’re organizing a camp, avoid Wonga Park Conference Centre if you can. The only thing going for it is its proximity to the eastern suburbs. A few families – including Tress and I – actually drove home midway through the camp to take showers and bring along some foodstuffs. The one hour round trip was worth it if only to get a more decent shower (had to have cold shower in the campsite as there was unreliable hot water supply). A mate drove out to get food for his kids every single meal.
I guess the most painful point was we each paid $230 (that’s close to a thousand bucks for the average family) for the privilege of roughing it out. We simply couldn’t see where the money went. The food was of pathetic quality, the rooms looked like were hardly cleaned (not by the campsite operators anyway as we had to clean it up before we left the place!). I guess we simply paid through our noses for the right to use the place and pay champagne prices for beer catering to subsidize their funding cost or some other cost this organization had to bear.
What was great however was how were thrown together for 4 days and what that did to relationships. We got to know a few more families so much better. We were also challenged to think about various matters concerning the purpose of our being and calling. I know TT Quah doesn’t like to hear this but one of his great strengths as a communicator was that he was so engaging and had great timing for delivery of a punch line. He pauses to great effect and one guy said he had a gaze like a snake and that it paralyzes. I think he communicates well because the matters he speaks on are those close to his heart. He travels all over to do what he preaches. With that kind of involvement, he can only be good.
Another good thing was the youth. I think they enjoyed the camp immensely. The sheer company was enough to offset any downsides – after all food is no big deal with them. How can it be, if they prefer McDonalds to proper food? As for the rooms – many did not sleep at all on the last night. The youth slept in dorm like rooms – to share a tiny room with 2 double bunks means you are so close to each other. Maybe the young people like that. You know the scary bit? Kiddo told us the food was actually the same quality as that of her school camps. Shudder!
Goodbye Summer
Just last week, we had temperatures in the high 30’s. It was a bit of a shock to the system therefore, when we suddenly have a maximum of 18 degree today. In fact last night it was apparently 8.5 degree. Summer is probably well and truly over. I think from hereon in, it will just be cool or even cold. The days have certainly become dark earlier.
I have to get the oil heater out of the shed tonight, I think.
It has been raining quite a bit as well so wintery conditions are certainly here