My Capernaum Camp Experience

Photo: four newly made life-long friends at North Bay Capernaum camp



by Anonymous


Although at times I was greatly exasperated by my buddy, I still count it as a blessing that I went on this trip. It was unlike anything that I’ve ever done before and an experience I hope to have again in the future. Among other things, this week has showed me wonderful examples of patience, love, joy, and self-satisfaction to a degree that few people can challenge. Although these people are clearly deficient on the outside, it certainly seems that they are better on the inside than most of us.

While I’m tempted greatly to wish that I had been assigned to another buddy, I think that perhaps I had just as much or more to learn from someone like Mike* than I could have ascertained from anyone else. Obsessed with something that I hold in extremely low regard, Mike is nothing like me and our desires clashed quite often. He loved to flirt with girls; I don’t ever flirt with girls or even desire to flirt with girls. He loved to just sit around and talk; I don’t enjoy just sitting around and talking at all. I would have liked to explore the various activities the camp had to offer, but he wanted to spend most of his time at the pool, a place I would very rarely visit if left to myself. So, the main point is, I spent most of the week doing things I really didn’t savor. I know what this was supposed to teach me: to forget my own desires and learn to genuinely love and serve someone who is nothing like me. I have to admit, that unfortunately the amount of bitterness and frustration I felt and still feel can only mean one thing. If I am really being honest with myself, what I really need to do is hang out with Mike and people like him again and again until my annoyance and bitterness is replaced with love, compassion, and tolerance. Only then will I be ready to move on.

Another thing that struck me about my companions with special needs was the happiness and contentment they possess. They love to dance and sing, and they are so carefree and positive. When we did Capernaum Idol some of them had the worst voices I’d ever heard but everyone still cheered and they went away happy. They just wanted to enjoy life and valued that far more than their achievements. I don’t know how they got to that point, and I don’t even think I would want to get there, but if somehow I did, I think I would be a lot happier as a result. Immersed in a culture which is so driven by performance, it was remarkable to see how content they were given their circumstances. In fact, though they have far more problems than I, their self-image is probably better than mine in spite of their inhibitions and physical disabilities. They simply don’t focus on the negative aspects of their existence; they don’t seem to care what they see when they look in the mirror. It’s the heart that counts w/ them and their heart is as big as anyone’s I’ve ever met. If one were to see how Christ sees a person, hanging out with them could certainly give as good a perspective as you can ever hope to find.

On another note, the other buddies were really great people as well. Their joyful servitude was phenomenal and far surpassed mine, not necessarily what they were doing, but how they were doing it. Some of them were very strong Christians and had insight which I really found beneficial. That combined with how fun they were to be around, made our night time outings enjoyable all around. The two biggest things I noticed by spending time with them was what strong Christians act like, and that I’m not a very “fun” person. I don’t know how some people find so much joy in jumping around, dancing and acting silly, but most of them did and I know that is not for me. I admire many of them quite a bit but I would not want emulate how they act. All in all, however, I think this camp was a great experience for me and one that I should definitely look to have again, because as I said previously, I have not even begun to learn all the lessons that that this amazing environment has to offer. And hopefully I will be a different person one day as a result of my time there.

* name changed

North Bay 2010

by John Köehler


How is it possible to encapsulate a week of time, supernaturally amazing people and Holy Spirit experiences into a story? Seriously, it would be so much better if you could simply climb inside my heart and sit still while I show you a kingdom slide show, a holy powerpoint, a blessed movie written and directed by the Big Director in the Sky. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, please give a big Young Life welcome to our Lord and Savior, Jesus!!!

APPLAUSE!!!!

Ha ha, if only it was that easy. Like Spock doing the Vulcan mind meld and instantly you could see the things he was thinking about. Cut right through the clutter and get to the point. The Vulcan point. Pointy-eared Pharisee that he was. But it would have to be a heart meld in order for it to work in the way I'd like, and the way God intended. Can someone please get on that and create a heart melder, a soul melder?

No, wait.....it was already created and it was called North Bay.

The photos below were mostly taken by Gerald Juan, a leader for Asian Young Life (AYL) in New Jersey. So why does an Asian dude have a Hispanic last name? Just another mystery in the melting pot that is Capernaum, a subdivision of Young Life, a continent of the Kingdom of God. Here now, for your viewing and eating pleasure, is a collection of photos by Gerald and his friends, with accompanying captions made up on the spot.

No wait.... I was there, so every word is true. For the most part. All of it. God's people, photos and captions. Enjoy.


















In the beginning was a tunnel of love, and we all went through it when we were born and will out again when we die. On either side the angels stand, hands outstretched, applauding, calling out to us in love and kindness. How can they all possibly know me. They know my name. They love me yet we just met. How can this be?

The photo shows Austen getting off the bus, wearing an awesome Hello Kitty shirt. She is attracted to the amazing camp shirts all in tie dye, entrancing and compelling. Since she has autism Austen did not want to high five at her first camp experience some years back. She didn't trust people and was shy. But now she knows what love hides in the middle of the high fives and she gives back more than she gets. She knows that God loves her and her shirt while everyone yells "HELLO AUSTEN!"


















The angels gather around us and introduce themselves. They act so familiar yet we've never seen them before. Why should we open up our hearts to them as if they are our family. Dang it all! Who opened my heart? It feels creepy and good at the same time. You want to run yet you can't stop hugging them.

The photo shows Jenny the Jewel and Danny the... Explorer surrounded by their new family; the campaigner kids from AYL. Supposedly shy and close knit, they came completely unglued and reached out to surround their new friends with agape, a love only God can give through His people. Mmmmm, tastes good. Can I super-size that?
























We roll and walk in feeling the weight of our disabilities and wishing they would run away and leave us in peace, leave us alone. But then a green man comes and dances around happily even though he can't speak. He is so happy and his happiness causes us to forget our unhappiness and even the way that our legs don't work quite right.

Green Man was a random program guy who had no purpose other than to be there, to be happy, to dance and to cause others to feel the same way, or even BETTER than him. Because when we put ourselves down below others, the net effect is that they are lifted, and not the lowest carving on the totem pole. Green Man the servant leader happily dancing his way to the bottom of the pole. Just keeping it green folks....


















He walks, she rolls. He talks, she mumbles. He is old and she is young. He is smart and she is..... smarter! All that glitters is not gold but sometimes oysters hide a pearl. The pearls can be seen from the outside but you have to look and listen and get down on your knees to experience the beauty.

This is me with the amazing and beautiful and oh so intelligent Angela West. Just another moment at camp. Angela was the trip leader and here she is telling me what she wants to do. She was the brain and I the mouth and hands and feet and voice to cause her thoughts to become action and our people to obey. Or not obey!















The angels lead us into a large circle of others like us, like them. We pray together, hand in hand, eyes closed, heads bowed. We give thanks to our God for our new friends, this new place and for His love and for being there with us.

AYL joined us in a very large circle of perhaps 70 people, all coming together in a circle of love. Ha ha ha, what can be better than a circle of love?
























An angel takes us to a special place to do something we've never done before. We are afraid even thought we know we cannot really ever die again. Our fear is upon us and we will not go. But the angel sings to us and our fear fades away and so we go, our fear forgotten like an old friend we never really liked.

Nicholas was not a particularly happy camper when this photo was taken at the bottom of the zip line. But his buddy walked with him up to the top of the tower and helped him overcome his fear, whispering to him the whole time, "You can do this Nick, you can do it." Eventually Nicholas believe him and he did it. He become a man that day, and the next. And all the days of his life.



















Let me show you what peace really is, he said. He taught me to hold my hand in a certain way to say peace to others. Then he held my heart and I could feel his peace inside me. I learned how to give others this same peace, and the true meaning of "peace out!"

David is a man of great peace in spite of his childlike mind and fear. For him it is simple: either you love him or you don't. Either you would play with him, or you would act like an adult and keep your distance. Either you're in or you're out. Either you're my brother or an outsider. What's it gonna be?



















Four friends came, bringing their crippled friend down to where they knew the rabbi was talking. But they could not get to where he was, so great was the crowd. So they lifted him up to the top and lowered him quickly down to where he could be healed.

Michael came as a leader but instead was treated like the campers with the finest of care. And in the humility of others he learned what being a servant leader meant and so..... he became a leader.


















The angels mixed among us and we grew more and more like them. After a while, we could not tell the difference and realized we are all God's angels, all of us sent by God to serve His people and love them all for the sake of the Father. We are all the same.

Four brothers fighting to see who could love the most. Each of us lucky and blessed equally by God. How lucky am I to have such friends?