Mount Carmel Family Bible Camp is where my family and I have gone to for our family vacation every summer since I was born. We congregate with my mom’s side of the family for one week each summer to enjoy each other’s fellowship, grow together spiritually, and have fun.
If you were to drive through the driveway of Mt. Carmel, the first thing you would see is the Miller Chapel, the newly finished Fireside Lodge, and some run-down-looking cabins. If you were to base an opinion on what you have seen so far, you would probably conclude that this is not that great of a place. Drive a little farther down the driveway, however, and you would discover why this is such a fun place.
The most obvious thing you would see is the clear, pristine Lake Carlos with young children swimming and playing on the bright yellow fun bugs, boaters dragging skiers and tubers behind them, and fishermen trying to find the best spot to catch fish at. Along the shoreline, you would see two paddleboats and kayaks, along with numerous canoes, two shoreline trails, and an old stone sauna. A little farther off of the beach, you would see tennis and basketball courts that have seen better days, a volleyball sandpit, and a softball/soccer field where usually an organized or pick-up game going on when there is not chapel.
If you look back towards the lodge, you might see a group of people learning and/or refining their skills in basket weaving, watercolor painting, making necklaces, making dolls, quilting, painting, or even tye-dyeing. These activities bring together the young and old alike. It is here where the young and old get to exchange ideas as they relate to each other through a common interest while trying their hand at something new.
During the morning, pre-school through high school students are involved in the youth program, while the adults have a Bible study. Right next to the lake is the youth chapel where children from first grade through sixth meet. If you peeked inside, you probably would see the children singing, laughing, or making crafts. The junior high and senior high students meet in various places in and around the lodge everyday and do many of the same things as the younger children. During this time, everyone learns more about God, and grow together spiritually.
Chapel is every night shortly after dinner. Here, everyone meets to sing praises, read Scripture, and listen to a speaker. Before the lesson, the younger children are dismissed to go play some group games. The high school students and adults stay to listen to a speaker.
At night, there are still plenty of things to do. Usually you can find a small group of people watching movies, playing cards or board games, or just relaxing in the library. On the beach, there are usually people taking a dip in the water or walking the trails. Before the camp director closed down the trail at night to the neighboring Bible Camp, Luther Crest, you usually could spot young pranksters running through the trail to ring the other camp’s bell.
When I think of Mt. Carmel, many memories come to mind. I remember waking up many times to the smell of freshly cooked pancakes, eggs, and bacon that my grandma would make for the entire family once or twice a week. My cousins and I all stuck together no matter what we did when I was younger. If one wanted to play soccer, we all played soccer, but as we grew older, we began to separate and do our own things. At this time, I started hanging out more with my cousin who was my age. We started doing everything together; we sat by each other during chapel and meals, played sports together, and met new friends together. These experiences have created a picture of happiness whenever I think of Mt. Carmel.
In the eighteen years of my life, my family and I have gone to Mt. Carmel every summer except two–the year they were closed due to remodeling, and this past summer. As my cousins and I reached our teenage years, life became too hectic to schedule a week where everyone was not busy. At first, this made it so that certain families or individuals could not make it every year. This past year, however, only one family out of four was even able to take time out to go spend a week there. As I continue to grow older, my only hope is that I can continue to come to Mount Carmel and create more memories, instead of reminiscing upon old ones.
