Have Lord - Will Travel: Camp Aldersgate, RI

View of Camp Aldersgate from cabins

Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, proved to me just how small it really is. After spending six weeks in that beautiful state, it seemed I could drive in any direction and in minutes, I would be in either Connecticut or Massachusetts. This was my first visit to New England, for any duration, that is. I was surprised to see several differences from the rest of the country.

I arrived around the third week of April 2012 after spending the previous three months in Florida. Since the nation had little winter this past season, Florida was too warm with high temperatures in the upper 80’s and 90’s. I was anxious to head north and cooler weather.

Cooler weather, I found. I also found the winter I missed in Florida. For my first three weeks, it rained every week, not every day, and was downright cold. It was a damp cold; one that chills you to the bone. I appreciate winter, though. I can always add more layers and become more active to ward off the cold. Where it is warm, you can only take off so much before folks think you are strange.

The setting was wonderful. I anticipated a crowded area, heavily populated as most of the east coast is. I found wooded landscape that went for miles. Lakes were everywhere, perhaps man-made, maybe not. Stone walls were plentiful in the area too. Some were obvious boundaries between properties and others ran their length deep into the woods. There were a few farms, but mostly heavily wooded home sites hidden from the road. Even schools seemed tucked away from public view with trees hiding the football fields and playgrounds. As I arrived, winter was giving way to spring and all plant life turned a beautiful green.

The architecture of most homes and buildings is interesting. I am certainly not an expert when it comes to describing architecture so I will not attempt that. I can say, however, that whatever architecture is used, it is unique and, well, interesting.

I did not expect what I found in the people. First, the local folks are very different from the Midwest and South. My initial reaction was what an arrogant, self-centered, unfriendly people! In time, I realized they are not necessarily that way. They are just different.

I like to watch people. During my free time, I found a viewing point where I could relax and casually watch the people go about their lives. My observations included many aspects of life. The people did not seem to care for their own safety. They seemed negative, almost unhappy, rarely smiling, rarely greeting others who passed their way. The few that I interacted with talked without pronouncing their r’s, which I guess is called a ‘Boston’ accent. Even the newscasters spoke that way. In all, the people of that area seem to be self-centered, inconsiderate, void of social grace, and arrogant.

One interesting point about the local news out of Boston is that they displayed what I would call a snobbish coverage of local weather. Though the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island are closely wrapped by Massachusetts, the Boston weather reports would not include temperatures in Providence and other cities in close graphical proximity. Odd, I thought.

I learned that some of the local residents rarely travel, some having never left the state of Rhode Island. Though some of the locals were interested in visitors, most did not want to converse. Again, odd.

The site where I worked for six weeks was a nice summer camp tucked away from a country road. Camp Aldersgate had been there for quite a while. It had a nice lake with nice amenities of a summer camp. My job for the entire time was to help install bathrooms in three cabins. This included removing built-in bunk beds, installing doors in the rear of the cabins, framing walls and doors, cutting through concrete for plumbing and later finishing the floor, and assorted tasks related to finishing the bathrooms. I resolved that due to irregular progress by the contracted plumber, our group did not accomplish more than we did.

I stayed for two three-week periods starting in mid-April, through the end of May. As the Lord progresses with my exposure to working with tools in ways that I have only dreamed, He blessed me with two great leaders. Both leaders allowed me to help build bathrooms by cutting through six inches of concrete floor, dig trenches for water and sewer pipes, frame walls and doors, and install doors and ceiling vents. I grew in confidence and ability, thanks to these two men and the other wonderful team members. I was especially appreciative of my team members, women and men. With every NOMADS project, I am amazed with the quality of faithful Christians, the friendship and helpfulness, and companionship. There is no wonder why I love working with NOMADS.

One fascinating aspect of my visit was the geese that appeared to have taken up residence around the lake. In particular, two geese had five chicks. They were probably days old when I arrived but seemed to grow quickly. I noticed that one of the five was smaller and slower. I noticed that the parents were very attentive to the four larger ones, but ignored the little one. Letting nature take its course, the small one disappeared. Over the six weeks of my visit, the four small chicks were soon half the size of their parents. The parents were very protective, keeping the babies between them as they crossed the dirt road, swam across the lake to an isolated island, or grazed in the yard. It was very fascinating to watch one of the parents (I could not tell the mother from the father) fly around the lake and land in front of the babies. I suspect he (or she) was teaching them to fly. Very cool to watch!

I enjoyed my stay at Camp Aldersgate. I will consider returning in the future, perhaps for only the usual three-week period. Six weeks got a little long, or perhaps I got an itch to travel when the first period was up and most of my team members moved on to their next destination. Still, it was good. I thank the Lord for having me learn more about people, this world, and how I serve Him.