The Unknown Camper
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
62 Stories For Cycle B
One summer at Lake Lucerne, in the Hillcrest area, there appeared in every week-long elementary camp a small child who came to be called the Unknown Camper. He was first seen on Monday of the first week, near the Chipmunk Cabin, picking raspberries on the edge of the woods. He had on a Lake Lucerne T-shirt, shorts and an official camp cap. When the director first spotted him, she called out to him and asked which cabin group he belonged to. The child didn't answer and immediately disappeared into the woods.
The following week, the lifeguard counted 61 campers during a buddy check. There were only sixty names on his roster. The lifeguard noticed that one of the campers didn't have a buddy. When he approached him to ask about it, the camper ran off into the woods and was seen no more that week.
The next week, one of the counselors reported being wakened by a noise in the night. When he turned on his flashlight to check on his campers, he couldn't believe his eyes. There was an extra camper in the spare bed. The counselor didn't recognize the camper and he was sound asleep. He thought he must be from another cabin and decided to sort it out in the morning. But the next morning the extra camper was gone, and all of the other counselors insisted that their campers had been tucked safely in their beds throughout the night.
It was during the Mission Camp, midway through the summer season, while the staff was watching a video of the annual mission parade, that they found the first concrete proof of the Unknown Camper's presence. One of the counselors said, "Who is that camper bringing up the rear of the procession?" They all looked, but no one recognized the little boy who was dressed like all of the other campers in a Lake Lucerne T-shirt and cap. One counselor said, "He sat at my table during crafts and no one seemed to know who he was. I thought he was from one of the other units and had stayed late to finish his craft project."
The identity of the Unknown Camper remained a mystery until the last week of camp. The director began to watch for the little boy every day. Then she saw him one evening, sitting inconspicuously on the end of a log at the evening campfire service. The director went up to him, sat down beside him on the log and put her hand on his arm so he couldn't run away, as he had done so many times before. She talked quietly with the Unknown Camper for a long time. He told her that he lived on a farm with his parents on the other side of the woods. His parents were good, hardworking people, but they didn't have time to take him to church, and they couldn't afford to send him to church camp. For years he had watched the kids in the camp from the edge of the woods. They appeared to be having so much fun that he longed to join them and share in their games and crafts. He said he especially enjoyed listening to the singing and the stories around the campfire. One day, he came upon a Lake Lucerne T-shirt and a cap left behind by one of the campers. He decided that, if he looked like the rest of the campers, perhaps he could join in some of the fun. He said he usually made his appearances at the beginning of the week, before the counselors had learned the names of all the campers.
The director walked with Jimmy through the woods to his parents' farm. She told him that if his parents were willing, she would arrange a scholarship for him so that he could attend church camp the next summer as a full participant. She also contacted the pastor of the neighboring church, and he found a family that was willing to give Jimmy a ride to Sunday School and worship every week.
The following summer, Jimmy reported to Hillcrest for Mission Camp dressed in his Lake Lucerne T-shirt and cap. That year, he led the procession in the mission parade and he took his turn leading songs and telling stories around the campfire. When the camp was over, Jimmy said it was the most exciting week of his life. He said he couldn't wait to come back the next year.
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Author's note:
This story is dedicated to the campers and counselors of the July 1990 Mission Camp at Lake Lucerne, near Neshkoro, Wisconsin, where the story was created, with special thanks to Camp Manager, Joel Jarvis.
In an alternate version of the story, the mysterious camper turns out to be a chipmunk named Mike who has eaten so much camp food that he begins to look and dress like a camper. He eventually joins the camp staff, goes on to seminary and becomes a pastor in The Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The following week, the lifeguard counted 61 campers during a buddy check. There were only sixty names on his roster. The lifeguard noticed that one of the campers didn't have a buddy. When he approached him to ask about it, the camper ran off into the woods and was seen no more that week.
The next week, one of the counselors reported being wakened by a noise in the night. When he turned on his flashlight to check on his campers, he couldn't believe his eyes. There was an extra camper in the spare bed. The counselor didn't recognize the camper and he was sound asleep. He thought he must be from another cabin and decided to sort it out in the morning. But the next morning the extra camper was gone, and all of the other counselors insisted that their campers had been tucked safely in their beds throughout the night.
It was during the Mission Camp, midway through the summer season, while the staff was watching a video of the annual mission parade, that they found the first concrete proof of the Unknown Camper's presence. One of the counselors said, "Who is that camper bringing up the rear of the procession?" They all looked, but no one recognized the little boy who was dressed like all of the other campers in a Lake Lucerne T-shirt and cap. One counselor said, "He sat at my table during crafts and no one seemed to know who he was. I thought he was from one of the other units and had stayed late to finish his craft project."
The identity of the Unknown Camper remained a mystery until the last week of camp. The director began to watch for the little boy every day. Then she saw him one evening, sitting inconspicuously on the end of a log at the evening campfire service. The director went up to him, sat down beside him on the log and put her hand on his arm so he couldn't run away, as he had done so many times before. She talked quietly with the Unknown Camper for a long time. He told her that he lived on a farm with his parents on the other side of the woods. His parents were good, hardworking people, but they didn't have time to take him to church, and they couldn't afford to send him to church camp. For years he had watched the kids in the camp from the edge of the woods. They appeared to be having so much fun that he longed to join them and share in their games and crafts. He said he especially enjoyed listening to the singing and the stories around the campfire. One day, he came upon a Lake Lucerne T-shirt and a cap left behind by one of the campers. He decided that, if he looked like the rest of the campers, perhaps he could join in some of the fun. He said he usually made his appearances at the beginning of the week, before the counselors had learned the names of all the campers.
The director walked with Jimmy through the woods to his parents' farm. She told him that if his parents were willing, she would arrange a scholarship for him so that he could attend church camp the next summer as a full participant. She also contacted the pastor of the neighboring church, and he found a family that was willing to give Jimmy a ride to Sunday School and worship every week.
The following summer, Jimmy reported to Hillcrest for Mission Camp dressed in his Lake Lucerne T-shirt and cap. That year, he led the procession in the mission parade and he took his turn leading songs and telling stories around the campfire. When the camp was over, Jimmy said it was the most exciting week of his life. He said he couldn't wait to come back the next year.
____________
Author's note:
This story is dedicated to the campers and counselors of the July 1990 Mission Camp at Lake Lucerne, near Neshkoro, Wisconsin, where the story was created, with special thanks to Camp Manager, Joel Jarvis.
In an alternate version of the story, the mysterious camper turns out to be a chipmunk named Mike who has eaten so much camp food that he begins to look and dress like a camper. He eventually joins the camp staff, goes on to seminary and becomes a pastor in The Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church.
