Retreat!

It’s a trap!

No Admiral Ackbar, not that kind of retreat… the SPC (Swarthmore Protestant Community) kind. We went up to camp Innabah, which is somewhere about an hour northwest of Philadelphia, just for the night and today.

The whole trip was a very nice break from Swat. I’ve now been off-campus for the last 3 weekends, and before that, it was Spring Break. It’s nice to have such healthy breaks :o). I think all Swatties need them, to help them stay sane.

We had ice cream when we arrived at the camp, and got a brief orientation. Then we went to our cabin and watched The Last Temptation of Christ. Everybody else was really tired after the movie so we saved discussion until today. I can never get to sleep before 1 now, if not 2, so I stayed up until 1:30 and read the entire Gospel of Matthew. I don’t think I’ve ever read the entire book in one sitting, although I’m pretty sure I’ve heard almost every verse before.

I finally got to bed, although I didn’t sleep that well, due to the exceedingly firm mattress and the generally cold air temperature. I never sleep very well in foreign beds. I need at least a week to get used to a new bed and sleep in it comfortably.

In the morning, we got up bright and early for breakfast, and then went back to our cabin to do worship and discussion. I think we touched upon some really neat stuff. I don’t think I’ll get into any detail here, largely because I’m tired, but maybe if the theology discussion list gets set up…

After discussion, we went canoeing. Casey and I made it the farthest up the creek, but we could get past this one rock shelf (and associated Class 0.1 rapids…) without wading, for which we didn’t have the proper footwear. We they cruised back downstream to the dock, enjoying the quiet. Good times.

I played a round on the very run-down mini-golf course at the camp, and then we had lunch. For the rest of the afternoon, we spent our time on the challenge course, doing a set of low-ropes activities. I had a hard time with the horizontal traverse wall; my feet are too big for most of the footholds. Otherwise, it was a lot of fun. Good bonding experience for SPC.

Before we packed up the van to head back to Swat, we had a brief communion service. The only problem was that Joyce, our advisor (and a priest at the Swarthmore Episcopalian church), had forgotten to bring communion wafers. We definitely ate consecrated graham crackers as the body of Christ :oD. Definitely the first and probably the last time I will see the body and the blood represented by crackers and wine…

The only sad thing about the trip was that I noticed that my Oshkosh B’Gosh jeans have a 2 inch tear right down the crotch seam. I don’t think I’ll order any more clothing online, at least not at prices that suspiciously low… The good part is, my mommy is visiting for Parents’ Weekend, so I’m sure she’ll take me pants shopping. ::hint, hint::

It’s All Too Much” from Yellow Submarine by The Beatles


Comments

2 responses to “Retreat!”

  1. We went up to camp Innabah, which is somewhere about an hour northwest of Philadelphia, just for the night and today.

    Whoa! I spent a week there in elementary school as part of our idiotic “send 4th-graders into the woods” program. It was by far the worst place in the world then. Good to know you actually enjoyed your stay.

  2. The cabin we were in was really nice – recently built, I think. Was it just nasty and run down then?

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