PhD's in Kayaks

This past week we had some pretty smart people around, the type of smart that makes you feel very much like an inferior human being. This was a group of 23 Phd students from University of Glasgow who had come to Camas for a little getaway.

These people are the kind of people who are literally changing the world. One woman is working on using lasers on spaceships to deflect asteroids away from Earth, (there is one heading in our direction now and could even have the potential to enter our orbit in the next 15-20 years and if it would hit earth we will probably all perish just like the dinosaurs… so her work is kinda important. And also sounds crazy cool.) another is working on a cure for malaria and another on 'sleeping sickness,' and there are a couple using photosynthesis as a model to develop more efficient solar energy devices. So that just gives you a small glimpse into the sort of people I was around.

However brilliant and important these people may be and however inadequate and foolish I felt around them- everything changed the moment we got them in wetsuits and sent them out into the ocean in Kayaks.

They were to fantastically horrible and it made me feel much better about myself. Watching smart people awkwardly fall into the ocean for no reason other than their own lack of balance or try SO hard to paddle in one direction but instead end up heading full speed into the exact opposite direction was one of the most hilarious things I've experienced in awhile. 

My favourite moment of the week though occurred on the group's last evening at Camas. On the last day of a group's stay, we do what we call the "Camas Challenge", which essentially just means that we give the group the opportunity to do the jobs that we as staff organize; cook dinner, set up/decorate the dining room, put together some sort of evening entertainment and do our evening reflection.

Reflections are the Camas version of devotions. We have them twice in the day (morning and evening) and they are a time where we come together and basically reflect on what is going on around us. Reflections can take on many forms from reading out a poem to playing group games to  crafty things. Because our groups and staff come from various backgrounds, to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable these reflections aren’t overtly religious(although in my opinion God is still at the heart of it all despite not being specifically mentioned!)

So, for this Camas Challenge it was the final reflection that just left me in awe. (The whole evening was actually fantastic, but the reflection was by far the best!) It was led primarily by a group of guys from Pakistan, who, naturally, were Muslim.

As we all sat in a large circle in a candlelit room (the room of nets to be exact, but I'll explain more about that room in detail on a later date)one of the guys, Omar, began to explain how in his religion they often use meditation. From the beginning he was sure that everyone no matter their beliefs could be included by stating that one could think of a family member or friend instead of God. And he repeated this a number of times just to make sure everyone understood that!

He then began to lead us into a meditation exercise. First focusing simply on God (or a loved one) sitting beside you and then following that focusing on how much God (or a loved one) loves you and then lastly to "open your heartbook" to Him. (I love that phrase now! So good!)

It was an absolutely beautiful moment.

A room filled with all types of people with a vast difference in backgrounds, interests and beliefs all graciously participating. And that's what Camas is all about. New experiences, welcoming new ideas and perspectives, about sharing a part of yourself with the people around you.

And to me, it was just another confirmation that the God I serve is not limited to one culture or even one religion. I serve a God who is bigger than any human restrictions or constructions. It was a wonderful reminder.