Going to Camp Part 2: The Boys

Let me start by saying, I wasn’t surprised. 

I knew it was going to be risky sending my neighborhood homework club boys to camp.  I knew 3 of the 5 would be amazing and 2 of the 5 boys, well, it would be miraculous if we didn’t have to send them home early.  One of these boys isn’t even allowed to be in a regular classroom at school.  Why did I ever think he could make it 2 nights at camp? 

I warned the camp leadership team and asked their approval to bring my neighborhood kids, who would be mixing with mostly church kids.  The leadership said they wanted them especially since I would be around to help deal with issues.

A couple of weeks before camp, wildcard #1, Benjamin asked, “Miss Annie, can Shane not be in the same cabin as me? I want to make good choices at camp.  I’m maturing.  Can we be separated?”  I was proud of him for even thinking it, but I knew they would have to be together and would actually need each other to feel comfortable in this setting.  But his comments gave me the idea to write up a contract laying out my expectations.  Each parent could review it with their child.  I didn’t want kids or parents to be caught off guard if we needed to send someone home early. 

The contract read in part, “I will show my maturity at camp by striving to follow the 4 R’s:  Respect Others, Respect God, Respect Property, Respect Myself… Not following the 4 R’s will result in consequences; this could mean coming home early.  Following the 4 R’s will result in new friends, a lot of fun and a great experience for you and others!  (I KNOW YOU CAN DO GREAT!)”

I really struggled with that last sentence.  I wanted so much to give them a positive encouragement that I believed they could. I wanted so much for them to be successful and make it from the beginning to the end of camp!  But inside, I knew this would be a stretch, for everyone!

Three of the most experienced male leaders, who really had a heart for the unreached neighborhood kids, said they were up for the challenge.  But I knew, these weren’t the kind of kids this volunteer staff normally hung out with; it would be a 48 hour test of their manhood, even with an awesome high-school leader added.

The first test came like a lightning storm.  We weren’t at camp two hours when I got the first complaint, “We really don’t want to send them home but… we’ve already had serious issues with the boys… called the children’s director a horrible name… running off… pushing…”  The list went on.

Nothing surprised me.  Their overwhelmed parents let them run freely in the neighborhood.  They hang out with older tough boys and hear and participate in things they shouldn’t.  Trouble is what they see in the mirror. 

I had a heart to heart, “Miss Annie, I am telling the truth.  I wouldn’t lie to you. Maybe everyone else, but not you...  You mean that is a bad word?  I didn’t know that. Yes, I will apologize…  Don’t send me home, Miss Annie!”

I would have sent them home the first day, but this group of men continually fought for these boys.  Just as one leader would reach his breaking point, the other 2 would talk him out of it: “These boys need to be here more than anyone else.”  “Where are they ever going to hear this if they can’t stay here?” “This could change their lives.” “Camp changed my life when I was a kid.”

It’s not surprising that the camp theme was on God’s armor and spiritual warfare.  I expected to get a call during the night, but we made it to the second day.  Restless during the night, I determined, “It’s really not fair to these leaders or kids. I need to intervene and just take them home.”

I went to talk to their leader about my plan, “How are you doing?”

“Standing firm! This morning as I was praying for these boys, our Ephesians verse jumped off the page at me.  ‘Stand Firm!’  That’s what I’m going to do!”

How could I argue with that?

As the three-day-weekend went on, we were able to take a few steps to make the weekend more successful.  Neither of the boys read nor wrote at expected grade-level.  Once we gave them permission not to keep up with “fill-in-the-blank” during teaching time, they seemed to settle in and listen more. 

The music leaders encouraged kids to come to the front and help lead motions or dance during worship time.  My kids loved that!  Even during the slow contemplative songs they appeared worshipful.  In fact one of them was singing a worship song when he walked into the girls’ bathroom. 

Yes, the girls’ bathroom!  I knew they were going home then.  I had the youth leader who reported it show me exactly what she saw so I would know what to tell their parents.  When we went in to reenact the crime, we found 5 more little church boys in the bathroom.  Whew! Saved by group incrimination.

Neither of these boys has their biological dad living with them. What a gift they received seeing real men who love God, who played with them, who held them accountable to boundaries, who worshipped with them, taught them about Jesus, fought for them, and played with them some more.  Things God’s men do!

The following week one of their leaders recounted, “I really think there is a lot of hope for those boys.  Thank you for bringing them.  I think they really got a lot out of camp.  I saw their tender side. The last day I looked over and saw Shane writing, ‘I love God!  I love Jesus!’ in huge letters across his booklet! God was at work.”

The boys made it through camp!  Well, maybe I am a little surprised… and grateful!

Until Every Boy and Girl Knows Jesus,

-Annie Crain

*Names of kids always changed.

Going to Camp Part 1: The Girls

Have you ever witnessed kids in the middle of a growth spurt? It seems they eat and eat and eat and just can’t get enough!  And then almost overnight they are 6” taller.

“That was the first time I ever prayed out loud, Miss Annie.”

“But I thought you said you girls prayed for the football team to win earlier today?”

“Yeah, and that was the first time I prayed with my friends. We just prayed to ourselves though. But tonight was the first time I prayed out loud!”

Teresa was beaming here at overnight camp.  She had worked hard to get to this camp by helping with a fundraising pancake breakfast.  Teresa and a couple other neighborhood girls from our homework club were in my group, along with a couple of church regulars.  They were loving everything about camp: the food, the playground with swings, the worship time, the speakers, the “Minute-to-Win-It” competitions, the game time, bonfire and the other kids and leaders.  They were soaking it all in!

In the morning Teresa asked, “Last night, would you have gotten mad at me if I turned my flashlight on under my covers after ‘lights out’?”

Last year when we went to this camp, it was Teresa’s first time spending the night ANYWHERE!  So I thought she was asking because she had been a little scared at night, “Probably not if it was just for a few minutes and you weren’t talking to anyone.”

“Ok.  I wanted to read my Bible under my covers, but I thought you might get mad.”

“Well you can do that for a few minutes tonight if you want!”  Delighted, I almost sang the words.

Joslinn, new to the neighborhood, met me one day as she got off the bus.  I was walking my dogs past her home.  After I found out she was Teresa’s friend, we got her to join us for the pancake breakfast to raise money for camp.  She hadn’t even been to our homework club yet but she loved working at the breakfast.  Since she had a school friend going to camp, she wanted to go and her mother felt safe sending her. “Miss Annie, this is the first time I’ve been to camp or church or anything…  I’ve never heard of anyone coming back to life after they were dead.  I don’t get it!”

What great dialogue we had!  In this environment, feeling safe with her friend there, she was so open to hear and discuss and think.  I didn’t push Joslinn.  She wasn’t ready to commit her life to Jesus but wow, her understanding of Jesus and his people grew exponentially. 

After just two days and two nights of concentrated time FEASTING on God and His goodness and love, fellowshipping in kid ways with His people, I could almost see these girls grow 6”… Spiritually!

Do you know a kid who could benefit from a growth spurt?  For these girls, going to Christian camp with a friend was a great growth catalyst! 
 
Until Every Girl and Boy Knows Him,

Annie

*Names of kids always changed.
**For a smile, check out the “Car Seat Dancer” link on the blog sidebar, under “Fun Videos”