After about an hour of mediation and prayer, I threw a pair of black jeans and a plain green shirt on, gobbled down a bowl of imitation frosted-shredded wheat cereal, the Wal-mart brand, with my favorite Vanilla flavored rice milk and headed out to meet other staff members on the trail to our “Green Job.”
It takes us about 15minutes each morning to walk to the camp grounds, it’s quite peaceful. As we cross over the wooden bridge over the Lake, we say good morning to the spiders that have conveniently created their web traps in our paths the night before. “Knock, knock, knock,” sings the woodpeckers high above the trees. It’s completely serene, but I’m not as knowledgeable as my colleagues, who all seem to know much more about the type of animals and plants that we’re passing by.
Glancing over the bridge, I look into the Lake and recall, what I consider, a horror story that a camp advisor shared with me the first day I arrived. So, apparently there’s some type of disease you can catch from getting in still water. I honestly forgot the name of the virus, but somehow, by swimming in certain waters, microscopic parasites can get into your brain and in a matter of a week you can die.
By the time I got to the end of the bridge, there was no doubt that I was NOT getting in that water.
We arrived 2 minutes before our 8 am Forest training class. Before we knew it, three hours passed by as we walked through the forest and learned how to identify trees, poison ivy, ecology patterns, how to know the difference between possum and armadillo footprints, and rehearsed a few corky-kids games that we’ll soon be playing with students. The experience was frighteningly exhilarating!
Yes, frightening.
I’ve never seen so many people excited to pick up a spider. Witnessing one of my colleagues hold what look like a beetle with wings and analyze it face to face, all while explaining its different body parts and the “things” purpose, I got as sense that I may be in a little bit over my head. But, of course, they were all so casual about the creepiest things, by the end of the Native trail tour I was ready and willing to pick up any bug too… well, maybe if it was already dead. Lol.
Our lunch was short and sweet. Although I knew we were scheduled to canoe in the Lake today, I refused to accept getting in it. I didn’t put on any swimwear just so I could reiterate that to myself (and passive aggressively to the others) that I was NOT getting in. I’m actually nervous because I’ve been in a Lake before but I never been in “this” one. You know the one with the creepy bacteria-disease that could possibly kill you in a week.
As we stood around with our bright yellow and red life vest, which we always must wear “just in case” we fall in the water, I watched our instructor show us how to properly hold a canoe paddle. Now, I think I remember going canoeing but I promise I was not the one paddling. Before the class began, they asked if it was anyone’s first time. Too embarrassed to admit that possibility, I again thought to myself, “I’m way over my head.”
So, we all grab a canoe, and before you know it we’re all in the lake canoeing!! How fun! The sun is out, the wind is blowing, I’m watching hawks, geese, Blue herons, and a variety of water bugs habitat their own spaces. It’s like I’m trapped in a National Geographic segment on the Animal Channel. It’s beyond amazing.
“Okay guy’s it’s time to get in. Today we’re going to learn how to rescue students if their canoe flips over,” shouted our instructor.
My mind’s cable channel quickly flashed back to the scene from the film Anaconda, you know the part where this snake the size of a ship shoots out the Amazon River and nearly eats every cast member on set? Well, let’s just say I paddled my way all the way back to shore to use the restroom.
I’d purposely taken my time in hopes that when I return they would somehow forget that I was supposed to do a practice rescue. Nope, didn’t happen. Upon my return, the most adventurous colleague yet, the one who seems to be able to pick up bugs and kiss them without fear, came to greet me.
So, I took a deep breath, jumped back in my canoe and paddled back to the center of the lake.
Now, before it was my turn to perform a “rescue,” the instructor told me that in order to do that I didn’t HAVE to get in the water. Whew… I thought to myself. Thank God.
He replied, “Lucky you.”
So I rescued my pretend students from drowning without getting in the water, and apparently, I did a great job because people were clapping when I finished.
“Okay guys, we’re almost wrapped up for the day. We need one more volunteer to be a student.”
God responded, “Go ahead. Get in.”
What?! Okay, I know you said that fear is not of you and all. But are you sure you want ME to get in this water?!
“Look at them, their having a blast. You’ll be fine”
"Alright, I’ll get it,” I said with a half smile.
And I did. With my jeans and t-shirt, I jumped in. And it was one of the greatest episodes of my life! The moment the water hit my skin, was the moment every fearful thought dispersed into thin air.
God responded, “I knew you could do it.”
Funny thing is, while I was in the water, I decided to ask the head director about the whole bacteria thing. He said it was a myth. Ha.
Moral of the story? Fear can only die after we face it.
“For God did not give us the spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.” 2 Timothy1:7
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