I’m grateful to FD for the opportunity to take 4 days to be with and minister to children! Last fall, when I was working the Children’s Grief Connection camp in Minnesota, a discussion ensued about having God as the center of grief ministry to children. Being involved with grief ministry for a number of years, I knew there was a program somewhere that did this….somewhere?? Little did I know, it was 3 hours away from Abilene! CAMP AGAPE was started 16 years ago and the founder’s vision was to offer an experience where children could be exposed to Jesus while in the midst of their grieving situation because as we all know, HE IS the answer in all of our lives!
When I contacted Kim at CAMP AGAPE and told her I really wanted to come and “see how they did camp with God”, she was more than receptive and offered me a volunteer position of “Buddy”. This position involves going everywhere with your camper; whatever they want to do. I was all in for the experience and couldn’t wait!
With that said, we know the enemy is strong in wanting to thwart anything good so I believe getting sick the Wednesday before I had to leave was just that……an attack from the enemy because I rarely get sick. I was literally a phone call away from cancelling but pushed through. I really didn’t want to miss this opportunity (or give-in to the enemy)!
If you ask, I can give you details that will blow your mind of how the hand of God was on the very tiniest of details during the week in orchestrating healing. Here are just a few stories of the experience. In advance, all praise and glory to God for orchestrating HIS perfect plan for the week!
Her name was “Anna”. Her paper on story read like a horrific fiction novel. Mom did a drug overdose at age 28 when Anna was 5. Dad is bi-polar, spending most of his life in prison and/or in rehab. A boyfriend in Anna’s mother’s past abused Anna and her sister and he now sits in prison. Anna has moved around most of her life; until age 8 when she and her sister went to live with her grandparents. They are in their 70’s and their life plans didn’t include raising 2 teenage girls. Lots of anger. Lots of loneliness. Lots of unanswered questions. Anna looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes and said; “do you like being a mommy?” What a loaded question. What Anna was really asking is; “why did my mommy kill herself. Am I not worth living for?”
“Kate” is 9. Her brother died 1 ½ years ago of cancer. On the outside, Kate indicates she’s fine and handling the death well. We know better; something isn’t right. We’ve been at camp 3 days and she still hasn’t really opened up. Then…..the horse activity. Yes, animals are so powerful in the healing process! As Kate is riding the horse, she has to pick up colored balls that represent emotions. When asked if she felt guilty about anything in her story, she said yes and picked up the white ball. Then, when asked what she felt guilty about, she said; “I was playing with my brother and scratched him and gave him cancer. He died because of me”. When Kate’s mom came to pick her up, she wept. You see, since her son died, Kate’s work has suffered at school because she’s developed a need to have to wash her hands all the time. Kate had been carrying around the lie that a scratch causes cancer for 1 ½ years! Talk about a different child after that burden was released!
CAMP AGAPE isn’t just for children ; the adults that attend have their own stories they are working through. The couple that lead worship. He’s a Christian comedian. Super funny and the kids couldn’t get enough of him! His wife shared that they have been involved with CAMP AGAPE for 6 years. Three weeks before last year’s camp, on the day their son celebrated his 17th birthday, he was murdered. As Mrs. B put it; “Of course we fulfilled out commitment to lead worship for the kids but I was numb and still in shock. Then, this year came around. It hasn’t even been one year since our “Tanner” has been gone. I spent months arguing with God that we just couldn’t come this year and participate. I’ve spent so much time arguing, I’m missing the blessing! This is EXACTLY where we need to be! Why do we run when the emotions get hard?
“Cody” came home at age 10 to find his dad had killed himself. He called his mother to come home. He called 911. He stayed with his dad until help arrived. He had nightmares for years. He came to CAMP AGAPE as a camper – 3 months after the incident. He accepted Jesus. He went home and told his mother about Jesus. They went to church. In Cody’s words: “before camp, I was already planning on how I was going to kill myself. The nightmares, the pain from what I saw was too unbearable for me. CAMP AGAPE saved my life. I stand as a 19 year old man before you with gratefulness in my heart that someone cared enough to show me a better way”.
It was a powerful week! Out of the 34 children at camp, 5 accepted Jesus. We praise the Lord for the seeds planted in these children’s and adults’ lives.
For me, it was “mission accomplished”! I saw and experiences first-hand how camp should be run…..with God as the center and foundation. It was beautiful!
Side note: Only because of God’s healing power (Thank you friends and family for praying for me!) was I able to have the stamina at camp.
Nadene Smith
