I come from a very close-knit traditional christian family. Growing up my parents, sister and I did absolutely everything together, from sports to church. If you seen one Roe you were bound to find another one somewhere close. This being said the time I spent with my family has impacted my life significantly. The events that have stuck with me the most are the ones where we went on outdoorsy type escapades. Growing up my family would always go on adventures outside. My parents took me on waterfall hikes when I was only three months old. Almost every vacation that we went on was camping. I was bound to be an outdoorsy type of person.
So once I entered middle school it came time for church camp. Every summer I choose the wilderness camps. The wilderness camps were completely centered around God and the great outdoors. We would have biblical discussions, and would go on hikes, whitewater raft, and go caving. It was everything my family would do together. Eventually the people I grew up with at camp every year started to become like family to me. I grew up always looking to the counselors and our wilderness guide as role models. I just knew that I was going to work at camp and the best Wilderness Guide that camp had ever had.
Once I graduated high school I was asked to be the wilderness guide for all the middle school wilderness camps that summer. I got to lead hiking trips, caving trips, white water rafting trips, horseback riding trips, and lake trips. I worked with children who thought that they would not survive getting a little bit of mud on them from the cave, to the daredevil children who want to jump off every cliff you see. Working at camp was one of the most difficult, and yet rewarding things I have ever done. I grew as a person not just into the adult that I am now, but I grew spiritually as well. I met people who will always be there for me, and I for them. Camp over the last 15 years has became home for me, and the people in it are family.
There is a spiritual essence to being in nature. You are vulnerable, exposed to the elements, and away from society. Appalachian Christian Camp (Acc) is all of those as well. Once you step onto campus you become vulnerable because you are open to change whether you realize it or not. You are exposed to the elements because the entire time you are there you are outside doing crazy activities, or worshiping God. Lastly you are away from society. Camp ACC is in the backwoods of Unicoi County, Tn. There is no cell signal, no wifi, and not cable. ACC creates the perfect environment from growth within every person that come in contact with it. This camp that I have invested years of summers to has been influential to me. I would not be the person I am today if it was not for this camp and the people in it that poured their hearts into investing in me.