Back from the boat - year 2

Day one of the recovery from Falcon camp, and I'm feeling fab! I had a really good time this year, felt 'at home' and hugely blessed as soon as I stepped into Alice's house, and then on to the boat a couple of hours later. It's strange to think that before last years camp, I was hugely nervous about sleeping on a boat and this time around, it seemed like I had really come home. It is never going to be the most comfortable week's sleep that I have during the year, but I still manage to sleep soundly. This year, I got woken up twice during the night by sick girls, but I really don't mind, if I can calm a whole dorm down and get then back to sleep, I know I'm doing the job that I'm called to by my creator.

Once again at team debrief, I felt as though the first day was 6 years ago, rather than 6 days, we all struggled to remember what it felt like to be a team without 20 children taking our attention and making us laugh so hard. I spent some of my time this year doubled over in laughter and was really blessed by all of the Jelly Bean Girls and every member of the FACT team. A day spent off the boat was the wettest one we'd had all week, but we were inside all day, we really didn't know it was going to rain that heavily, as we got back to te boat, the weather cleared and stayed away long enough for us to got out again! No need for the code red activities, we got to do everything we wanted to. The day sail (setting out at 10 and getting back at four) was really good, last year I learnt to sail, this year, I didn't have to, if I didn't want to. I got a bit of the bug, but didn't follow through, and after giving it a second try, I think that I like being out on the water, but I'm not actually cut out for it. Tacking back and forth is always a little too scary for me!

I have some more great memories of this week, including the difference in some of the returning children, having conversations with those young teenagers has made me realise what a difference a year can make and how their lives are really affected by the people that they see during term time. I'm going to miss everyone who returned this year, as they are too old to come next year.

So now I can spend some time thinking about the young people in Billericay, Soul Survior and the what I have learnt from Falcon that I can use at home.