The Journey to Manhood

When I was a child I was part of a group similar to the boy scouts, but organized through my church called Christian Service Brigade. My dad was a leader and worked with the boys that came through for almost 30 years of his life. In addition to the weekly meetings involving working through a handbook, building various crafts (most of which Mr. Joe Hoover had come up with), and playing dodge ball in the gym, we would periodically go on weekend camp outs to various locations.

One of the regular activities we would take part in as young men was building a fire. There is something very exciting and dare I say "dangerous" about fire and it captures the imagination of many a boy...including myself. Although I was taught to build a fire as a kid, I would also like to light papers and things on fire in my old garage growing up as well. Mom and Dad didn't know and I never burned it down so I guess all is good.

After graduation from high school I got a job as a camp counselor in West Michigan at Camp Kaskitowa for the summer. One or our responsibilities was campfire each night and about my fourth or fifth day, I was put in charge of the fire for the evening. Thinking I remembered everything I needed to know about a fire I got all the little twigs and leaves...also known as kindling...and I put together a fire for the evening. I had these big logs stacked up nicely and the kindling underneath. Well I started the fire and the evening program began. Sadly, I had forgotten one thing...the medium size sticks and branches necessary to bridge the gap between the kindling and the logs...about 5 minutes into the the campfire the fire burnt out.

Well, the lead counselor had one of the guys go run and get the gasoline, they doused the wood, and it quickly was ablaze. After the campfire was over the leader pulled me aside and said, "Zilkie, you don't know how to build a fire?" I was embarrassed and felt as if my manhood was on the line. My punishment for screwing up the fire was the privilege of building the campfire for the next week. (Which was some work gathering all of the wood necessary to burn a big fire for an hour or so.)

Fast forward 17 years and we are vacationing a couple weeks ago at the Lake of the Ozarks. There is a beautiful fire pit and I see an opportunity. I will begin teaching my children how to build a fire...the right way...just in case they ever are in charge of "campfire" later in their life.

First I had them collect three different types of fuel (wood) to burn. Kindling...smaller sticks and branches, and finally the bigger wood where the real fire and heat come from...


After they had collected and put it in piles we began the building process placing the little twigs and paper at the bottom. We then laid the medium size sticks on top of those in a tee pee formation. Finally we gently laid the larger logs on top without knocking the other sticks down. I handed the match to David and let him strike it against the matchbox and...wala...fire. He gently lit the paper on fire and watched the chain reaction. The paper ignited the twigs, the twigs as they heated up ignited the sticks, and the sticks and they got hot ignited the logs...

...just how I should have done it 17 years ago at campfire that night. No lighter fluid, no gasoline, just good old fashioned fire building and they did a great job.