The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!

Campers:

Andrew B., Angela G., Ashley S., Ben L., Benjamin W., Bonnie O., Brighton G., Brooke A., Daniel E., Dimitri S., Dottie P., Elaine B., Elizabeth G., Ellis S., Erik G., Gal C,. Greyci R., Hadassa M., Hannah Y., Isaac R., Jason R., Joel R., Kaleb F., Kezziah W., Lielle A., Lina N., Maya C., Michael M., Mitch B., Moriah J., Nathan H., Noah P., Olivia W., Pomai B., Psalm R., Renee V., Tamar P., Tirzah W., Victoria V., Zachary S.

Staff:

Directors:

Family and Friends

Amp Interview

1. Do you like sports? Yes, football and track.
2. What are your favorite movies? The Last Star Fighter or War Games.
3. How old are you Amp? Old enough!
4. What is your real name – you need to answer! That is an excellent question.
5. Do you have any brothers and how many? Yes, one brother
6. When is your birthday? February 13
7. Do you like Camp Gilgal? He loves Camp Gilgal
8. Where do you live? LA
9. How long have you been to Camp Gilgal? Nine or ten years Semper fi

Interview Nacho

By Zachary S., Age 13

Q: What inspired you to become a tribe leader?

A: Because I grew up in Camp Gilgal, it looked like fun and I wanted to help change people’s lives.

Q: How has Camp Gilgal helped you in your walk with God?
A: I first accepted Y’shua at Camp Gilgal, and it has given me insights on how to live as a believer.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Camp Gilgal?
A: As a camper I liked jet skiing as a teen camper, and as staff I liked to play Wells Fargo. Q: Why is your name Nacho?
A: I was weaned on nachos.

Q: Rating from 1 to 10, how much has Camp Gilgal affected your life?
A: 10

Q: How many years have you gone to Camp Gilgal as a camper? Do you wish you had gone to Camp Gilgal as a camper for more years than you went?
A: 10 years. No, I think 10 years is pretty good.

Q: What is the main difference between going to Camp Gilgal as a camper and going as staff?
A: You have more responsibility.

Q: Have you made any lifelong friends at Camp Gilgal? If yes, who, and how have they affected your life?
A: Yes, Shoe. He’s been a good friend and we both help each other get through difficult situations.

Q: Were you scared the first time you came to Camp Gilgal? Why?
A: Yes, because it was the first I was away from home.

Q: Did you get over your initial homesickness? If yes, how did you?
A: Yes, I interacted with the staff and fellow campers.

Poppy

After about a dozen suggestions that she thought about and many suggestions from other staff, it came to what was Poppy’s favorite flower. After much deliberation she decided her favorite flower was a poppy. Thus she was dubbed Poppy.

Tied for First!

Camp is such an amazing place! I have to wonder why such a small amount of people attend. Finally, in 2010, we have tied 2004 for the largest amount of campers at 40! Here are random quotes. Noah: You! Greyci: I’m not as random as you think I am. Ben W.: WOW! Gal: If you don’t want paint on your shirt, follow me. Tirzah: Hold on!!! Elaine: I’m really glad I’m here. Joel: Camp is really fun. Ben L.: It’s great to be a part of camp. Hadassa: Jet skiing is fun. Brooke: Bass Lake is awesome! Brighton: I like snow cones. Lielle: Trees are good. Maya: Bass Lake was awesome. Ellis: Dude, where is my car? Dimitri: Purple Drank. Pomai: Paintball is really painful. Victoria: How’s it goin’? Hannah: A large flamingo wearing hot sauce dances the tango. Bonnie: Something. Tamar: I don’t know. Kezziah: Hi. David: Camp is awesome. Almost 40 quotes from the most amazing campers ever! In my first year of teen camp, there were so few campers. I thought it was the last camp ever. This year there is so much more fun because there are more people to connect and have fun with. The games are way more exciting and fun. People are what camp is all about. I am hoping for bigger camps in the future. Go camp!

Interview with Sonic

Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Green

Interview Pixie

1. Do you like junior camp or teen camp better? For teen camp she loves the activities and junior camp she loved theme nights.
2. Why did you pick Pixie as a camp name? She liked pixie fairies and the name fits her.
3. What is your favorite color? Blue, and sometimes purple
4. How is teen camp going so far? Most excellently.
5. Who was your first crush in middle school? No comment at all.
6. Who were your tribe leaders at junior camp when you were a little girl? Rickshaw and Gidge
7. What is your embarrassing moment at teen camp? I can’t really remember one. Hopefully I haven’t had any.
8. What is your favorite memory as a camper? Her favorite memory as a camper was her first year as a camper. The new excitement and the newness of it all was something that she’ll never forget.

Foxglove Cabin Shoe

Shoe was great, Sonic was great and Talon was also great!

Yoshi

By Dotti P., Age 13

Q: What’s your favorite memory as a teen camper?
A: Oh! I am indecisive about these things. I think one of my most important and memories as a teen camper was the Vernal Fall hike, especially with Bazooka.

Q: What brought you to Camp Gilgal?
A: Three older siblings went to camp and she just couldn’t wait to come!

Q: Why did you pick the name Yoshi?
A: I have two older brothers who play video games and Yoshi was just awesome. Wait! What?! I mean I was born with it.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do at camp?
A: As a tribe leader, interacting with my campers.

Q: What’s your favorite worship song?
A: I can’t pick an overall favorite song but I like “Always Forever.”

Q: Do you have any “hidden” abilities?
A: Well, guitar was one, but not so much now since I played on worship team the other day.

Q: What do you miss about being a camper?
A: Not feeling so exhausted, but the exhaustion is worth it.

Snapple

Q: Do you like junior camp or teen camp better?
A: I love adventures and teen camp has a lot of them.

Adventures and Games!

Food Times

When you think of camp food you are probably thinking of sloppy joes, beans from a can, or even meat that you are not quite sure what it is and you have to drench it with ketchup. This is not the case at Camp Gilgal. Here the campers can’t wait for meal times. The chefs cook really gourmet food. An example of this was when all of the campers arrived on the first day. After traveling for hours on the road, we had a nice meal of brisket and mashed potatoes. The food was awesome like this all week. Not only was there food intake at meals but also in the cabins. There have been accounts of people eating animal crackers at 2am. Other campers made their own things such as Purple Drank. Fellow camper Ellis got hooked on this substance called Purple Drank. Overall, food is very evident in a camper’s day at Camp Gilgal.

Flume

Well, when I first went on the flume the first thing I had to do was take a swim test and then you grab a mat and GO. Daniel thought the speed near the middle was the best part of the flume. Andrew thought he liked the air part. Now when I asked people if they liked going on their backs or their stomachs, most of them said that they liked going on their backs rather than going on their stomachs for safety reasons. When I asked some campers how much they liked the flume they answered that they somewhat liked it, loved it, and Elizabeth even said that she thought it was “awesome.” Not to mention my own opinion – my opinion of the flume was that the swim test was kind of useless but then you grab the mat and GO. Also the 20 ft drop off was a lot of fun.

The Giant Swing

On my third day of teen camp a group of us campers did the giant swing. It was about 45 feet in the air, and to get up to the platform you had to get harnessed and someone belays you. You climb a ladder and then some giant staples. When you reach the top you sit on a platform where an instructor straps you in. At first, I was afraid. But Streetlight, the campers and the staff at Calvin Crest helped me and I eventually made it to the top. Going down it at first was scary because you have to jump off. It’s like free falling but then you just start swinging. It’s very scary but very exciting. At the end you have to climb down a ladder to get to the ground. All in all the swing is very fun. I personally won’t be going again anytime soon. The good thing about this experience was being able to say that I did the giant swing. With this activity I went against my comfort zone. But guess what, I did it!

Yosemite

By Lina N., Age 15

On Tuesday morning, the campers drove to hike a mountain. It was a kind of long hike, but really pretty so it was worth it. It was hard to hike up, you also have to look down where you walk. When all the campers were on the top of the big mountain, it was an unforgettable moment. You could see trees and really beautiful clear water falls. It was amazing. God made the world so beautifully that people from all over the world come to see this place. We also saw the Three Sisters and the Sentinel Dome. The Sentinel Dome had a crack in the middle of it. There were some cute chipmunks there. On the way back it was easier to go down the mountain than going up. It was an amazing experience. Even Angela, my friend, loved it and wants to climb the Half Dome. Interviewing Angela: How did you like Yosemite? Angela: It was very pretty and was really fun to hike. Would you go again? Angela: Yeah, I would definitely go again.

The Bass Lake Experience

On Thursday, the fourth full day of Camp Gilgal teen camp west, all 40 of us packed our towels, donned our swimsuits, applied sunscreen and hopped into the vans to go to Bass Lake. After a 30 minute drive and a brief delay when Sonic had to turn around get the video camera that we forgot to bring, we arrived at the lake. When we arrived there, we could sunbathe, swim, jet ski, and even ride a banana towed by a ski boat. Now, let’s hear some firsthand experiences. First, we hear from Joel, on the banana boat spill ride. “The banana was really fun and exciting. I fell off a lot!” Now, we hear from Elaine, who rode on a no spill jet ski. Fortunately, she didn’t fall off at all. But it’s an adventure all the same! Their high speed was a whopping 35 miles per hour! Elaine says, “Amp was a really good driver! He went very fast, but didn’t let us fall even once.” She went on to say that it was the most fun she had all day! Finally, we heard from Talon on action photography for the banana rides. He said, “It was fun riding on the ski boat.” He also says that he was greatly amused by all the people that were constantly falling off. I saw a shot he took of a group of people in mid flip. He really is a great photographer! And thus concluded our exciting day at Bass Lake.

Calvin Crest vs. Oakhurst

I personally believe Calvin Crest is a better campground. Things are better like food, drink, area, and much more. If you don’t believe me maybe you’ll believe others.

The Dock Wrestling

Dima, Isaac, Erik, Ellis and I were dock wrestling on our trip to Bass Lake. We all had a corner and the winner previous to that game would call go. Then we would battle it out. We had no set rules, but we all knew not to hit, kick or elbow each other. Dima and I would win a lot. The main strategy was to get Dima and me off the dock. My strategy was to get Dima off the dock. I usually would push in the stomach area, but some people would go for the legs. I interviewed Sonic. He also said me and Dima were the best. Dima said he was the king of the purple drink and the dock but I think I was the king of the dock. Ellis said it was epic and he hopes we play next year. He also said it was fun pushing people off the dock.

Free Time

Psalm R., Age 13

Free time at Camp Gilgal teen camp is awesome! Although they do not have carpetball (best game ever!) they pretty much have everything else. The swimming pool is cool and refreshing (with a waterslide) and it even has a diving board! There is a really cool crafts hut where you can decorate visors and make cool crafty things. There is also a coffee bar. Need I say more? You can get smoothies, milkshakes, ice cream and pretty much everything else related to coffee drinks. The snack bar sells not only snacks but t-shirts and jewelry. It’s a snack shop and a souvenir shop rolled into one. I can’t accurately write about the pond because I haven’t been there yet. Andrew B. went on the enormous water slide (“the flume”) and reports, “I went down the slide at 20 miles an hour and stayed in the air for seven seconds after the jump at the end.” There are also kayaks and paddle boats. Renee says about the boats, “It was the bomb! We went on one and we almost tipped it over because half of it was filled with water!” Other than that you can either play basketball or wander around. The scenery is beautiful and you will have a great time no matter what you want to do.

Yosemite, a Place of Worship

Sentinel Dome at Yosemite is a place of praise and to find God. If you have never been there, you ought to go on up and see exactly what I am talking about. If you can’t and are reading this article then try to picture this. Our camp (Camp Gilgal) took a hike up to Yosemite National Park. Everywhere you look, there is nature: trees, broken branches, grass, distant mountains, etc. Even in the city you barely see anything like it. Hiking up can be difficult unless you help each other or find a strong stick. There is a hill where you get a great view. The problem is getting a muscle cramp. That often happens. I’m going to skip the “how many miles” and get to the main point. Once we got up the mountain we looked all around and what we saw was amazing! There were mountains with green trees, or no trees, the Half Dome that looked like God had karate chopped it (or so Amp imagined for himself). There was a valley at the root of those mountains. The cars below looked like toys. And I forgot: there on the mountains were two different waterfalls. Seeing it all under the clear afternoon sky made me think of the third day of creation, and I knew that none of this could evolve by itself unless someone higher was at work. God, the artist, painted all of this and us. Thinking about it makes me praise Him and acknowledge Him as God. This all is the reason I say Yosemite is a place of worship. You remember your Creator, and love Him for His work. If you ever go up and see everything, remember who is God.

Free Time Basketball

Today at free time one of the options was basketball. Basketball is a fun game to play. I really love it because you can play on a team or by yourself. I would usually play with people because you can make new friends and it teachers you about teamwork and honesty. The rules are you can’t travel with the ball, you have to pass it to your teammates. In addition, you need to dribble the ball until you shoot the ball or pass it. Finally, you can play with one or more people. It’s more fun with lots of people because it can be more fun with lots of friends or family. I think basketball is a good sport to play. I also think basketball is life changing because lots of people become stars from playing it. The refs can be nice, but if you’re not playing right you will get yelled at by the refs. Lots of people go everywhere to play championships. One day I want to become a basketball player. I think basketball is the best sport to play at free time. At free times I love the part when you win the game because it’s the best thing ever.

Paintball

By Lielle A., Age 14

One of the best things about camp – paintball! A time where you can use your aiming skills and just shoot people and have fun. Personally I think paintball is the greatest game ever. We played 8 on 8 split strike. I love how we can just shoot people with a reason and it’s kinda like a battle. Pretty exciting. When we played this year I played in the advanced game with Amp. He’s going to the Marines and has guns so he knows what he’s doing. Unfortunately, I was playing against him and he shot me on my hand. I also got shot on my chest, my arm and my stomach. It was intense. The people on my team were Sonic, Jason, Noah, Tirzah and others. Amp is a really good paintballer. He’s meant to be with the Marines. So that was paintball for this year’s 2010 teen camp.

Building Memories at the Lake

If you have ever spent time in God’s creation, you most likely know how beautiful it is. While going to Camp Gilgal this year, I had the opportunity to experience the same thing at the lake our new facility had. There are many things to do at the lake. You can have a peaceful quiet experience, or you can have an exciting, thrilling experience. The nature in and around the lake can be gigantic and majestic or minute and complicated. Overall, the lake provides an enjoyable experience and great camp memories for any and every kind of person. An example of a very peaceful experience at the lake would be to float in a boat and admire all the little fish that swim in it (if you stick your toes in the water, they will come and swarm around you, and may even try to nip you!), and all the big sequoia and redwood trees that surround it, as well as the small purple flowers that grow near it. You can steer your boat (there are two kinds – paddle boats and kayaks) to the island that rests in one end of the lake and sit in your boat admiring it. There are trees and flowers, as well as grass, and these really are pretty, low growing leaves. Also, if you are lucky, you may see a bright red dragonfly or two flying past you to and from the island’s purple flowers. If admiring nature doesn’t interest you, you can also go the lake with a friend and race them in the lake. Something more thrilling for the more hardcore camper that the lake has to offer is what they call the “flume.” The flume is a very tall, long, and fairly steep waterslide that will send you into the lake at very high speeds. You must first pass a very simple swimming test in order to ensure that you are able to safely go on the flume. Once passing this test (it is very easy, and you are most likely capable of passing it), you can take a mat and climb up to the top of the flume where a person who works at the facility will safely send you down the flume and into the lake. It is thrilling, exciting, and fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. All in all, the lake has a wide variety of activities to offer for all kinds of people that help create camp memories to cherish and remember for a life time.

Teen Camp

A huge wall erupts 30 feet above the earth just waiting for eager campers to put their arms and legs on to attempt to get to the top. There were six levels of climbing ranging from easy to very hard. I want to climb the medium hard. Some campers don’t make it to the top because the challenge of reaching the top is too difficult for them. Mitchell did the wall and said, “It looked easy but it was challenging.” Other campers speed through the wall and reach the top in under four minutes. You may wonder, as climbing 30 feet above the ground sounds a little unsafe, but a harness is attached to the campers for ultimate safety. The wall itself is challenging and makes you nervous only by looking at it. Pushing your legs high above the ground makes it even more difficult. The wall may be tough, but it gives you joy when you make it.

Jet Skiing

Jet skiing is one of my favorite camp activities. My favorite part about it is the speed. Today I went with Jet. We fell off three or fourtimes, and one of the times me, Noah and Jet fell off. Angela says that her “crew” flipped the jet ski on a sharp turn, and that it took ten minutes to flip it back over and get back on. Tirzah says that she and Dimitri went with Bazooka on the ski and Tirzah says, “Let’s spill!” So they went five more minutes and finally spilled. She also says that she saw me fall and make a very weird face. Isaac says, “It was great!” That’s why jet skiing is one of my favorite things to do.

Sentinel Dome

By Angela G., Age 14

This year at teen camp we hiked to Sentinel Dome in Yosemite. The hike was about 45 minutes up and about 30 minutes down. Once at the top, the view was amazing. We saw El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, the Three Sisters, Half Dome, and Nevada Falls. They were very cool to see from higher ground. We read some verses out of the Bible and learned how Yosemite was made. After we read the verses we all had the opportunity to take pictures at Yosemite Valley and all the beautiful sights. Most people got some pretty cool pictures. While everyone was taking pictures and taking in God’s wonderful creation, Amp was chasing a chipmunk that was running around the rocks. The hike up might have been hard but the hike down was easy. Hiking is one of my favorite things to do and the view was amazing. This hike will make this year’s teen camp very memorable for me.

L.A. Vans

I wanted to write about the LA vans because I knew lots of friends who were on the vans. I also met new people. Someone who was not in the vans previously was Bonnie. Most of the time she was reading her Bible. Bonnie said that “the ride was great.” What happened in the vans was at first we had to stop to get someone’s application for camp. When we got going again, Lielle had a couple things that the people in the van could do together like truth or dare. It was fun and funny what people would do when they got on a dare. Then later we stopped for lunch. I went to In and Out with some other people like Greyci. Greyci said, “In and Out was awesome.” After that, we were on the road again, and the drivers of the van took a wrong turn. Of course, we turned around and went the right way. When we got to camp, as usual the tribe leaders would drum onto the van with their hands. Then we got out and we greeted campers and had the most fun time at camp.

Paint Ball

It started out one day at lunch. We all were in suspense of what activity we were going to do that day. Being a veteran, I knew what we were going to do but I was just as excited as ever. When Spike announced what we were playing I leaped for joy. I knew for the first time I was going all out, and I did. We went down to the paintball arena, we got into our teams, went into the arena and got our gear together. Unfortunately, we were faced with the biggest challenge in paintball history, Amp, a ruthless Marine who is a merciless opponent. The whistle was blown, and we proceeded with a plan of attack. We split into our teams and went off in all directions.

Sonic and I went on a man hunt for Amp because if we got him out we would have won the game. We went to find our friend and Sonic spotted him through the brush, fired a couple times and missed. I went around the left side with Noah and fired a couple times, but also missed. He returned fire and I was forced to take cover. Sonic continued firing as Amp crept around the side I was on. I was forced depart from Sonic in full confidence that he would finish Amp. Sadly, it wasn’t as easy as I previously thought it would be. I met up with Brighton and fired at Mitchell and Isaac. They had great cover and worse, Amp was behind me… I was shot at, took cover, he took Brighton out and he fired at me and hit me three times, once in the stomach, once in the arm and once in the neck. I was out. His team proceeded to victory.

Bass Lake

Bass Lake is one of the most fun experiences at teen camp. There are many options to choose from. For example, there’s the banana. The banana is a floaty device that gets pulled by a ski boat. It is extremely fun and very fast. Another activity is the jet ski. The jet skis can go fast. You can fall off very easily. I have yet to go on a jet ski. There is also a snack shop. They have really yummy treats like smoothies, coffee, ice cream or water. Or you could just swim in the lake and enjoy the view. Olivia – Would you go back to Bass Lake? “Of course.” Moriah – What is your favorite part of Bass Lake? “The snack shack” Angela – What are you most excited for? “The jet skis!” You should go to Bass Lake because it’s fun and exciting.

Riding the Banana

By Pomai B., Age 14

Riding the banana at Bass Lake was the most fun thing for me at camp. For the two years that I’ve been going to teen camp, the banana is what I always look forward to. The long drive to Bass Lake always makes me more excited to ride the banana. I love it when Moose drives because he drives the boat really fast. He always makes you flip off the banana and into the cool lake water. It’s a lot of fun trying to hang on when you know the banana boat is going to flip over. Lielle thinks that riding the banana at Bass Lake was intensely fun and she loves it a lot. Olivia feels that riding the banana is really fun and loves going on it over and over again. Streetlight thinks the banana at Bass Lake is awesome. She loves sitting in the boat and watching everybody have fun. Maya thinks riding the banana is awesome! She loves falling in the water. In conclusion, riding the banana is epic.

Free Time at the Espresso Shop

For free time, one activity everyone goes to is the Espresso Shop. At the shop, you can order anything from milkshakes to cold or warm coffee drinks. After choosing your drink, waiting in line and paying you wait in suspense for your drink. While waiting in line, it’s nice to converse with fellow campers and tribe leaders. After waiting for a couple minutes you get your drink and take your first amazing sip. Here’s what Ashley thinks about the Espresso Shop: Q. Have you been to the Espresso Shop? A. Yes, I have. Q. What are your favorite and least favorite parts? A. My favorite part is the coffee drinks and the least favorite is the long line. Q. Last question: would you go back? A. Yes! In conclusion, the Espresso Shop is an excellent activity to do in free time.

Only at Gilgal…

First Time Camp Gilgal Campers

Joel R., Age 13

On the first day I was at camp, we went to Yosemite. We did a long, tiring hike. Just about everyone looked exhausted, but it was fun.

Junior Camp and Teen Camp

Brooke A., Age 13

Moving on from junior camp to teen camp can be a giant step. Even though teen is less than half the time junior camp is, teen camp is jam-packed with a continual flow of exciting activities. Teen camp is located in a completely different place than junior camp, which makes it an adventure. The activities for teen camp surpass all activities in junior camp. Some of the best activities are the adventure activities. The adventure activities include the rope course, rock wall, and giant swing. These exciting activities are not available at junior camp. Tirzah said, “We did scream tests on the giant swing.” Renee likes “teen camp because you have more activities and you go to Bass Lake.” Also, in teen camp you get to go to Yosemite. Yosemite is a beautiful place where you can see Half Dome, the Three Sisters, and other landmarks. You go on a nice hike, too. Hadassa says, “Yosemite was awesome.” Unlike junior camp, teen camp has no “camper of the year” or “tribe of the year.” In fact, there are no tribes in teen camp, only cabins, which means no flag making. Dotti says, “I am fine without tribes but I kinda miss having them.” Even though teen camp is very different from junior camp, it is very fun. People who are at junior camp have a lot to look forward to at teen camp.

Traditions

By Hannah Y., Age 14

Aaaahh…. traditions, the very fiber of Gilgal. Cuppage, mail call and C.I.C. are very familiar terms to us. There are the ones we hate and the ones we love. Upon “graduating” to the chaotic world of teen camp many beloved and hated traditions were shed. So the nagging question remains, which is which? What do we mourn the loss of, and what do we rejoice the death of? Are there some traditions we still wish we didn’t have to go through? To answer this we must delve into a conclusive process of questioning. What will our esteemed campers say? Here are the answers:

What traditions do you miss most from junior camp? If you could bring one back what would it be?

1. Gal: Wells Fargo would be the one I would bring back.
2. Zach: Cuppage
3. Dimitri: Wells Fargo
4. Tirzah: I miss theme nights and FOB I would bring back FOB
5. Greyci: Probably Wells Fargo?

Are there any traditions from junior camp that do not exist here at teen camp, that you are glad are gone?

1. Gal: Utensil Night!
2. Zach: Nothing
3. Dimiti: Skit Night
4. Tirzah: Big Night
5. Greyci: (Laughs) Utensil Night

Are there any traditions at camp in general that you once hated that you have grown to love?

1. Gal: At junior camp, Stop and Go Night
2. Zach: No!
3. Dimitri: Gilgal Gazette
4. Tirzah: This year I really did not want to play paintball!
5. Greyci: Nothing

Overall what is your favorite tradition?

1. Gal: Paintball
2. Zach: Cuppage
3. Dimitri: FOB
4. Tirzah: Worship!
5. Greyci: Giant swing

Term Index:

• Cuppage – A loud slamming of cups against meal time tables. This tradition usually causes sensitive ears to be covered with trembling hands.
• Wells Fargo – A game where the tribe leaders, a.k.a. the loyal and faithful Wells Fargo agents (boo), dutifully protect their gold from the campers, a.k.a. the outlaws.
• Big Night – A theme night where we enlarge our bodies to drastic sizes.
• Utensil Night – At random we select different unknown eating utensil to consume our food with. Try eating pasta with a spatula!
• F.O.B – Flat on bunk. Usually ends in candy-induced dancing fits.

Capture the Degel and then *Scream!*

By Tirzah W., Age 14

After the new campers learn the rules and the veteran campers hear them again laughing at the reenactments of line dancing and flag dropping, and the teams are divided, the real fun begins! After a storm of *screams* and a small walk the degel (flag) is up and the battle starts. Pomai, Hadassa, Psalm and I begin walking to the boy’s side (after Streetlight blew the whistle). One of the girls ran into the barbed wire fence which was almost invisible (until too late). Shortly after the game began we decided that we should send someone to the boys’ jail so the flag could be found. I instantly volunteered. So I ran to the boys’ side and suddenly saw three guys crouched (possibly attempting to look like rocks). I did not want to let them think I was up to something and pretended I didn’t see them. One of them, Erik, nearly knocked me to the ground. I gave a little *scream* and was walked to the jail. Once inside I began screaming like a maniac! (Much to the annoyance of Moose.) After *screaming* non-stop for nearly a half an hour (and trying to get the other girls to *scream* louder), Amp, who was on our team, came crashing through the woods and called a “jailbreak.” After running to the degel circle, attempting to escape and then getting lost in the woods, Amp finally brought their degel back to our base. Singing Joshua 1:9 and getting back to the Mishkan I found that our team had won!

Cabin Devotions

By Erik G., Age 14

Every night our cabin has devotions. Our cabin consists of Mitch, Jason, Dimitri, Isaac, Ben, Ben, Brighton, Michael and me Erik. We talk about subjects like peer pressure and what’s right and what’s wrong with issues like alcohol and drugs. Our talks can run for 30 minutes to one and a half hours. The devotions at teen camp are way better than junior camp because it is more of a discussion than just the tribe leaders talking. It’s very open and we say what’s on our minds. Mitch loves it because he can’t talk like that at home. Every day we put topics in a coffee can and we talk about them. The open discussion really helped me about that topic because everybody gave their own opinions. Everyone pretty much loves devotions and doesn’t care how long it lasts, except Michael, who is always very tired at night. He just falls asleep. Devotions really helped me clarify some issues because of Sonic’s, Talon’s, and Shoe’s wisdom. In all, devotions are awesome!!!!!!!

Teen vs. Junior Camp

By Gal C., Age 12

Junior camp and teen camp are two totally different places! Hi, I’m Gal and I’m going to be interviewing people who have experienced both. Lielle:

Q: What are you glad is gone from junior camp?
A: FOB daily

Q: What would you bring back from junior camp?
A: Theme night

Q: What’s your favorite thing at teen camp?
A: Paint ball Shoe:

Q: What are you glad is gone from junior camp?
A: The general unwillingness of campers to wash

Q: What would you bring back to teen camp if you could?
A: FOB

Q: What is your favorite thing at teen camp?
A: My favorite activities at teen camp are paintball and Bass Lake, and my favorite thing overall would be meeting new people and hanging out with campers. Kezziah:

Q: What are you glad is gone from junior camp?
A: Nothing

Q: What would you bring back to teen camp if you could?
A: Theme nights

Q: What is your favorite thing at teen camp?
A: Wells Fargo is my favorite thing at teen camp because people make funny accents. This year I went to both camps so in my fresh memory I will interview myself! Personally, I’m glad that I no longer have to do theme nights and I would love to have back FOB daily. Finally, I love paintball and Bass Lake and I wouldn’t give them for any junior camp activity. The End

Wells Fargo

By Isaac R., Age 15

Wells Fargo is one of the many highlights of camp. The object of the game for the Outlaws is to steal the bags of gold from the faithful and loyal Wells Fargo agents. If they tag you, you have to go back to the outlaws’ hideout and count to 100. As soon as you count you are free to move back into the game. The agents saved the gold ingeniously, popping out of bushes, from behind cabins and trees, or they just stand in the open, waiting for someone to rush them. It is a very rewarding feeling when you get all the way back to your hideout with a bag of gold. Kezzie’s opinion is that it is “fun and intense.” All in all, Wells Fargo is one of the best parts of camp.

FOB

By Moriah J., Age 15

Does anyone know that teenagers need more sleep than little kids? So then why do junior campers get FOB and not us? What is FOB? FOB stands for Flat On Bunk, which is basically like naptime (which we really needed). Last year we were allowed some naptime but everyone besides the tribe leaders and one camper stayed up and ate junk food. This year we were all begging for FOB, but we knew it wasn’t likely. We were all sitting around pretty sure nothing like that would ever happen again when Moose announced that our next activity was FOB! There was plenty of cheering which was understandable, especially when you consider the fact that we didn’t get much sleep the night before. My cabin had a little trouble sleeping at first, with all the snacking and giggling going on. I messed with my personal digital assistant for a while, but the craziness dissipated, and we finally got some rest. When it was time to get up, I didn’t really want to, and I’m pretty sure no one else did either.

Here’s what some other teen campers had to say about their FOB experience:

Q: Did you get any sleep, and what else did you do?

Ashley: “Yeah, I did. I slept for about 40 minutes, woke up, tried to go back to sleep but couldn’t. I ate cheetos and almond pecan caramel things.”

Kezzie: “Yes. And I ate candy.”

Lina: “I didn’t sleep. I read a book.”

Zachary: “I read and rested and laughed at some of Kaleb’s jokes.”

Tamar: “Slept and ate hot cheetos.”

Conclusion: Personally I think. FOB was great because I was really tired but I spent the first 15 minutes or so just giggling at everything with Tamar. Still, I’m glad we had it. It was a chance to catch up on sleep and have lunch afterwards. FOB is a great time to just chill.

Worship

By Hadassa M., Age 14

I have had a really fun time at camp so far, but one of my favorite things was worship, mostly because it was when I felt closest to God but also because I really like music.

I have decided to ask some of the girls in my cabin what song was the most meaningful to them and why it was. Elaine said that her favorite one was “Blessed Be Your Name” because “it is a great reminder that God is with you no matter what.”

Maya said she liked “Here I Am to Worship” because “it’s really beautiful and I can really relate to the lyrics.”

Bonnie likes all the songs that describe God as holy and majestic, because “it really makes me really want to worship Him.” One of my many favorite worship songs is “Prince of Peace” because the words are so true.

Praising God is really important and worship is an awesome way to praise Him. Camp is really amazing because every day we get to worship together. One really fun thing I got to do at junior camp was be part of camper worship. Overall, worship at camp was really amazingly, awesomely, totally fantastically spectacular.

Capture the Degel

Elaine B., Age 14

Capture the Degel is a game where two teams are each given a flag (called the degel) to hide in an open space. To win the game, you capture the other team’s degel without getting caught and without letting your own flag be caught. Strategy, speed, and sleuthing around are all important factors in Capture the Degel. But why are strategy, speed and sleuthing around so important? Is it because they all start with the letter “s” and sound really cool? Is it because these skills are actually important? It is actually both of these reasons. Strategy is important because it will decide what a player does. Most players either do offense, where you go into enemy territory to try and capture their flag, or defense, where you try to guard your team’s degel and prison. (While on defense, two girls named Angela and Lina saw a boy named Isaac. Only he did not look like a boy. Isaac was wearing all black so only his head could be seen. Angela and Lina thought he was a floating head.) Speed is also important because when you have speed, you can either run away from someone who is trying to chase you because you are in their territory, or you can catch someone that you are chasing because they are from the other team and trying to get your degel. Another important thing in Capture the Degel is sleuthing around. Sleuthing around is important because when you do it you cannot be detected. When asked, Brighton says, “Sleuthing is very important because if the opponent hears you coming, you are a goner.” As you can see, strategy, speed and sleuthing around are very important. I suggest that you use these skills next time you play Capture the Degel.

Oylimpics

By Mitchell B., Age 14

On our first complete day of Camp Gilgal the entire camp dressed up in their swim gear and headed to the pool. Much to our surprise we were told we were going to play a game called Oylimpics. We were divided into teams and according to cabin and were instructed to come up with a team name. Our team name was Sonic and the Hedgehogs. We were named this because one of our tribe leaders was named Sonic.

The first game of the Oylimpics was called Uncle Marty. It involved picking up a camper and carrying him or her across the pool. When you reached the other side the rest of your team would switch spots and carry him back across.

The second event was called Go Gefilte Fishing. For this two campers from each event would jump off the diving board and try to get a fish from a pole dangling in the middle of the pool. We won this event also.

The third event was dive jump or bagel flop. For this you would do commands that Streetlight gives. The trick was that you were told what to do just before you jump off the diving board. We won this event as well.

The fourth event was named Hanukah Spoon Schlep. For this event each team picked one person to play this game. Bells and spoons were dropped into the pool and spread out. The spoons were worth ten points and the bells five. You had a time limit to gather as many of these objects as you can. At the end of the time limit the points were counted and the team who had the most points won. This event was also won by my team.

The last event was synchronized swimming. We had two song lengths to figure out our routine. On the third time it was time to perform. This event sadly we did not win.

The Oylimpics was a fun game that used teamwork and brought out individual skills in all of us.