Chaplain’s Blog – Day Nine
July 27, 2026
by John Partridge
Today did not go according to plan.
But doesn’t that hold true for much of our lives?
As a chaplain at the Jamboree, it is common for me to hold my plans loosely. Other than the big stage events and my hospital shifts, plans often change during the course of the day. When the day started, I anticipated that I would meet with the young woman who was struggling with homesickness and take her to the archery range, because that is an activity in which she had expressed an interest. I found her after breakfast, but was called away briefly to talk to a scout leader from the troop that had scouts with disabilities. Some of our subcamp leaders had noticed that after the better part of a week, some of their leaders were starting to fray around the edges and so we offered to find ways that we could give them a break or make some tasks easier. In any case, when I returned, my young friend had disappeared and I didn’t see her again until the end of the day.
A Divine Appointment
However, when I was walking to the far end of our subcamp to talk to the scout leader (noted above), I stopped to pick up some trash, turned around, and was met by a leader from a different troop who had tears streaming down their face. I was immediately identified as a chaplain, and asked to pray for them. They said, “I am nine days sober and struggling.” And so, we prayed, talked, and I offered a hug, which was accepted. I also offered to make a connection to a friend who counsels people in recovery, and we connected on social media in case they choose for me to make a connection to my friend. I really was at the right place at the right time all because I was asked to carry a message.
Not much else happened for the rest of the day…until this evening when a Scoutmaster asked for “someone” to talk to a scout that had a difficult experience with another leader on the other side of the camp and was a bit shaken from the experience. And so, once again, I walked with this leader to his camp and we chatted about his experience, discussed what was likely to happen next (if anything), and what our staff would do to support him.
During the day, I also received a bag full of the Chaplain’s Aide patches to pass out as the scouts serving their troops as chaplain’s aides turn in the completed requirements. I also read the messages on the communication app that is being used by our chaplains and watched as my colleagues dealt with scouts that had broken bones riding (crashing) mountain bikes, a scout whose friend had been killed by a falling tree in a freak accident at scout camp, another whose friend had been killed in an automobile accident, another with a parent in the hospital, and another scout who had been taken from our subcamp to Delta Medical (out MASH hospital) overnight. Out chaplains really do have to be flexible and adapt because every day is different, and like much of life, things rarely go according to plan but it all looks like ministry.
Let’s meet back here tomorrow.
Blessings,
Pastor John
Pastor Partridge 