in the woods...

... over the weekend, up in Harris county. Volunteering at the semi-annual Emmaus Walk at a retreat center near Hamilton, GA. The weather was excellent, cooler than it has been. A few rain drops on Saturday, when it was predicted at 80%, but little more than a smattering there in the peaceful little valley where the Pine Eden campground is located. 'Camp ground' is probably a misnomer, as it is a little too ritzy to be considered 'roughing it'. It is often rented out over the summer months by different churches who send youngsters to be immersed in Bible camp for a week. Fully furnished kitchen and dining hall that would probably seat one hundred. A conference room that will hold that many chairs if you don't need tables, and lodging in dorms that might sleep a crowd that size with full amenities.

I asked for the weekend off, to go and volunteer my time, as I generally do each spring in March and during a long weekend in October as well. Lots of jobs for people who have been on the retreat over the years, and enjoyed their time away from the busy-ness of the world so much, they want to make an effort to pass it on. My experience was so gratifying I have been going back each spring and fall for years, being one of those invisible people who devote their time to making the event seem as if it just mysteriously, magically, spontaneously appears: three meals a day, clean bathrooms, all the snacks you could possibly consume. And a series of people who show up to give talks, pre-planned topics in a specific order, with the leeway to add personal experiences to enhance the meaning of the information they provide.

Volunteers can be difficult to find - especially when the event begins on a Thursday afternoon. Folk who would like to support the event, but employed often find it difficult to take the time away from work - at least a day and a half if you can get organized well enough on Wed. night to leave your job and go directly to the camp ground. I just request the time off, and hope it will be approved. Far enough in advance, requests are rarely denied.

One of the advantages of being a part time worker is I can often choose when I don't work. The disadvantage, opposite side of that same coin: the schedule maker can also decide when I don't work. There is an occasional clash of minds, wills, opinions, as when I recently commented I thought 'we live in a democracy'. Mild mannered griping over another part time person getting more work (meaning more pay) that I had been scheduled for. Just making noise, as I know it all evens out...