There’s something about being in the midst of nature that brings refreshment to your soul. Here at Gilead, phone service and wifi is minimal for a reason. With the busyness of daily life and constant noise, Mt. Gilead dedicates its quiet campground to Jesus, the giver of peace and stillness. Unplugging at camp invites everyone to capture their surroundings and soak in experiences, as well as communing with others.
Unplugging in the summer is especially important, since we want the campers to go through the full camp experience. Phones and music devices are handed in to their counselors at the beginning of the week and held till the end. Phones wouldn’t even work here since there’s no service, and wifi is not given out. The summer schedule is packed with games, worship, meals, events, and free time, giving the campers much time to make memories. If free time was spent on a phone in a cabin, the Goliath Swing would be missed, the Zipline unheard of, the pool still, and the snack shack, playing 9 square with friends and creating new friendships would be left in the dust.
Even in the off season do our staff appreciate the limited service (at times where work requiring wifi is not needed). We come to serve God, and we come to surrender our lives into His hands, and the surrendering of limited service and wifi has become the true test of our faith. We live in a world that is constantly on the move, where the screen takes up priority in our lives, and to let that go and be still in the presence of our Creator is to let go of distraction and control. We value being unplugged here, and we hope that everyone who stays out here feels and understands that as well.