Hello, our names are Rebecca Stoesz and Jack Armstrong, and we are the Summer Day Camp Leaders at A Rocha in Manitoba. 

At the beginning of May the other staff had the opportunity to answer the question of whether we would rather have the ability to breathe underwater, or be able to fly. So we thought it only fair for us to answer as well. Rebecca shared she would love to be able to fly, because this would give her the freedom to travel much faster to new places and have a birds’ eye view of everything! Jack’s answer, not dissimilar, described being able to fly because of the new point of view this would open up, and how peaceful it could be.

At A Rocha this summer, we are giving kids a chance to grow and learn through the programs and activities we organize that consider local environmental issues and ideas, in a kid friendly manner. Through games, crafts, activities, and stories we are learning together about where, what, and how we live in and amongst God’s wonderful creation. 

Throughout the programs we lead kids through at camp, we are trying our best to view every day as an opportunity to experience amazement and wonder. Our goal is to get children excited and engaged with nature and the outdoors using their natural senses of curiosity. We hope that by providing these experiences, and by fostering a sense of wonder, that the children will grow into people who thoughtfully care for this world. 

We have been lucky to witness many examples of wonder and fascination during day camp so far. One that sticks out in Rebecca’s mind was when we went on a nature walk through the Assiniboine Forest. As we walked, we pointed out things in the forest, like the Saskatoon bushes and the Trembling Aspen trees. 

Sophia, one of our leaders, stopped the group to share about the Trembling Aspen trees. She shared that the side of this type of tree that faces south, is more white than the other sides, and this can help you if you get lost. Sophia additionally said that if you rub the tree, a white, chalk-like substance comes off on your hand, which protects the trees from the sun. 

This piqued the interest of the children and from then on the children would intermittently stop at trees and rub the white bark, sometimes applying the substance to their arms as sunscreen. The children were very engaged with this new fact, especially one child near the back. 

As he walked, he would stop every minute or two to rub the Trembling Aspen trees. The Assiniboine Forest is filled with Trembling Aspen, and this young boy was committed to touching as many trees as possible. This was a gentle reminder to stop and smell the roses, or in this case to stop and touch the trees.

One moment of wonder that Jack can recall, was from a pop-up camp at CMU, and it occurred during our chill time, about halfway through the day. “Chill time” is a period of time after lunch where campers are encouraged to engage in a less stimulating activity than they might normally be drawn towards. The activity that sparked the most wonder on this particular day was using the microscopes. We had brought along with us some magnifying glasses, and a total of 4 mini-microscopes for the campers to be able to get a closer look at items they might normally overlook. Blades of grass, bark, leaves, flowers, all of these different objects, were inspected meticulously that afternoon, with comments on the details they had not previously noticed. “Look at all this sap in the bark!” one pointed out, or, “ew, these look like bug legs!” These moments were a reminder of how interesting things can be when you pause to really and truly admire them, even as adults.

These moments have encouraged us, as leaders, to stop and admire the nature around us, and to be in wonder just as our campers are. We are excited for the next weeks of Summer Camp with A Rocha as we continue to be challenged in our sense of awe of God’s creation.