A little too close to home

As Texas, the nation and the world watched the events of July 4th in the Texas Hill Country unfold, our hearts just broke, not only was it a massive disaster, but it involved children. When I first heard the news, I just got sick to my stomach. You see, the area of the flood is a place that was life changing for myself and my son and it was only a few exits down the road from Camp Mystic.

The year was 2001 and it had been a really rough year for both Evan (my son) and I, as his father and I divorced in 2000 when Evan was only 9 years old. I had a longstanding love of the hill country and also loved going to camp as a young girl. As a single mother, with an ex-husband who was not making his son a priority in his life, I knew that a boy’s camp would be of great benefit to Evan. I had a friend who had twins the same age as Evan. We met while we were both pregnant and went through parenting boys together. Her husband’s family had a long history with the Kerrville area camps, her mother in law and sister in laws had all gone to Camp Mystic, so she knew her daughters would go there, but there had not been a boy go to camp in many years. We spent a year trying to decide on where to go, we had put down some deposits as most camps had a waiting list. From the very start Camp La Junta (a Boys camp) was at the top of the list. We made a visit and took the boys another time, we got a spot and we began to get ready. The first time, we just sent the boys for 2 weeks, but after that they went for a month at a time. I sent them a scared little boy whose life had been turned upside down and in 2 weeks that camp changed so much for both of us. They taught him things that I just could not or had no clue I needed to know. He had really lost hope in many ways and the camp counselors formed male bonds that he needed so much… Not to mention he had a ton of fun!

It was hard on us both to be apart, but we both wrote letters, he made friends and I cried. When I went to pick him up the first time, I knew he had changed and had found a belief in himself that he had lost. Right off, he told me to go get his spot for the next summer! The camp was opened in 1928 and so was deep in traditions of every sort. You had a tribe and Evan was a “Running W” whose camp color was red and thus Evan wanted red clothes from then on. A tradition that I had to fake how I felt about was that the winning tribe got to jump into the river at closing ceremony. I wanted Evan’s tribe to win, but did not want to make the four-hour drive home with a wet river smelling kid! We had years I brought home a wet smelly boy, and years that I brought home a dry but disappointed boy. Our first stop after leaving camp was always to a burger joint as he was ready for some “good food”.

After several years Evan was going to Church camp and band camp and he decided that his Camp La Junta days were over, might have had something to do with the fact that church camp and band camp had girls! He and I have talked many times about Camp La Junta and how much it meant to both of us. I get him a camp t-shirt every couple of years and one of the first places in Texas that he took his wife was to see good ole Camp La Junta.

So, as I watched and read about the flood and the girls from Mystic who were missing, I just could not even bear to think about how those parents and grandparents felt. I called my friend as I knew the 4th generation was going to Camp Mystic and her grand nieces had just finished up the June session. They were all devastated and so worried about friends and staffers who they knew.

The camp culture is rich with history and traditions most based on faith and patriotic beliefs, they have shaped many a young person into fine adults and taught them skills that they use every day. There are 18 camps up and down the river and at any given time, there are thousands of kids there and have been for almost 100 years. I knew that the camp industry was dying, due to high cost of insurance and not being something that families valued as they did before, but I fear that this event may be the end to many of these camps.

I was so glad that someone posted the names of the missing girls, so I could pray for each one by name, I want to wrap my arms around each girl and each family. I know there is little that any of us can do to take away the pain of losing a child at a place that brought so much joy and happiness to them. I could not sleep thinking that there were girls lost and cold and wet and hoping they could be found. So, I will keep praying as I hope we all do, not just while it is in the news but for weeks and months as each person will need all the prayers that are being said for them. Crystal Beach is a place that knows about loss and grief and thus things like this hit home to many. We know all too well that this will be a long and costly recovery. It will take all of us to help, so if you can donate money or the needed requested goods to a reputable agency such as the Kerrville Community Foundation or Cajun Navy. The dear Robert Earl Keen will be doing a benefit soon and has pledged all of his sales of merchandise to the Foundation. So, if you go see him at Margaretville on August 2, buy a t-shirt!

I was able to confirm that Camp La Junta got all of the campers and staff out, but it was flooded and has massive damage. KHOU, had an interview with two brothers who were at Camp La Junta and it sounded awful! So, as we hug our children, no matter how big or small they are be grateful for each day you have them as it can change so fast.

Shannon

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