Members of the Summer Camp Staff are responsible for carrying out the Mission of the Antiochian Village, which is to present to young people a living experience of the Holy Orthodox Faith in their relationship with God and other campers in an uncluttered, natural environment. They must help strengthen the Camper's grasp of the basics of the Christian life: participation in the liturgical, sacramental, and ascetical life of the Church and living in community with fellow members of the Body of Christ with peace towards all of God's creation. But being a counselor isn't just another job where you are required to do certain tasks and never end up seeing your efforts come to fruition, it can and most likely will be, one of the most spiritually fulfilling experiences of your life.
Here's what counselor Sarah Mashburn had to say about her experience: "Being a counselor was the hardest thing I've ever done, and yet, also my favorite. It was about learning to live every moment for God, my campers, and my fellow staff. It was about getting to teach and impact kids' lives, having them teach and impact me, spreading the Faith, and learning it too. It was living in a world centered on God, serving and loving the way I always should, and laughing till my stomach hurt every day; both growing as an individual and learning to live in the tightest of communities. It was being more tired than I've ever been, yet knowing that I had never spent my time in a more worthwhile way. I could not be happier to have had this experience that literally changed my life."
Are your parents pressuring you to get a REAL job and make some money? Have you ever considered the marketable skills that you would gain from being a camp counselor? Businesses highly value such skills as teamwork, problem solving, leadership, which are just a few of the skills you will gain while working at camp.