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?

Everybody Perfect

Brett Matthew Figgins is a cool dude, as can be plainly seen in the video above. We were at the Grand Canyon on the same day that Michael Jackson died. I love this video. The juxtaposition of a God made natural wonder man and a God made natural wonder. Grand Brett and the Grand Canyon.

Nick Palermo had arranged to bring the entire camp of 400+ people from Lost Canyon to the Grand Canyon. It was such a great and profound illustration of God's power, and allowed us to point to the Canyon and to the campers as perfect examples of the power and love that God put into his Creation. It was a gift.

Some people say that the people of Capernaum, that is people with disabilities, do not get it. I sometimes wonder what "it" is that they think we should get. We may not get everything, especially some things that require lots of brain power or things that are theological in nature. Translated to mean complicated and difficult.

But God's Creation is not difficult to get and his love for us was never meant to be complicated but simple in the very best sense of the word. Brett expresses the simplicity of God's creation and why he did what he did: for our sake as well as His.

I would put Brett up on the same level as the finest theologian. God said to go out and make disciple of all nations, all people, everywhere. So why not Brett? He helps me believe in a loving God and that God made us all, each and every one of us, part of His creation. For his sake and for ours.

Tiffany

Tiffany is a Rock Star. Truth is that ALL God's people are rock stars, but few of us actually believe it. When I met Tiffany she hoped she could be a rock star but she did not believe it. Yet she knew she had talent. So naturally she signed up for Capernaum Idol.

This video was shot on Day 2, during Field Games. I love this because it shows Tiffany busting out some of her amazing moves, but also because of the Buddy who passes by. Watch her.

Tiffany is dancing completely on her own in front of the program sound cart, looking up at Sugar Shane and Spicey Momma, hoping for some recognition. As she turns to her right, a Buddy appears on the left and dances in perfect rhythm with Tiffany, in tandem, on the same team.

Tiffany is not even aware of her, doesn't even know she's been there. To me this was just a magical moment at Camp. There is something so profound here and I'm not really sure I can accurately voice it. That beautiful Buddy became one with Tiffany, even though she was not invited or even noticed by her. This says that we all can join another at whatever they are doing whenever they are doing it as a way to say, "you matter."

By matching Tiffany in her dance moves this Buddy showed the entire field of people that Tiffany is awesome and is such a great dancer she can't stop herself from dancing with her. I don't know what she was thinking, but I think the Holy Spirit inspired her.

We tend to think that the Holy Spirit will only get involved in our lives in huge and important ways, but I say no. I say the spirit of God is ALWAYS with us, always nudging us, always pushing us to be led by that spirit, the inner part of us that was made by God himself.

This video shows God's Holy Spirit busting out a move. Pretty cool if you ask me.

____________

Tiffany did go on to win Capernaum Idol. But after the first round she was walking away down the sidewalk by herself. I called her a Rock Star and the campers with me agreed. She turned around and said, "Do you really mean it?" We said we really did. She said, "Thanks for telling me that, because I felt so bad I was going to go back to my room and cry."

God takes people like Tiffany who feel they don't deserve an award and crowns them with his love and talents and gifts. Tiffany is a Rock Star. God's Rock Star!

Foo Man Choo

Foo is a cool dude, so I called him Foo Man Choo, after the super cool TV hero who was named after some Asian bloke from a long time ago. Bloke is a cool word that means dude, which means homie which means guy which means hombre which means man. Foo is a man who happens to have Cerebral Palsy.

But no cripple pity please for Mr. Foo Man Choo, oh no. This dude is for real. This video was shot during Water Olympics of Lost Canyon Capernaum Discipleship Camp. Those are a lot of words which basically means Heaven, since Jesus did say the Kingdom of Heaven was "at hand."

Only deal is that Foo can't use his hands, so he gets his friends to help do the things his hands won't do for him. Like get out of a rubber inner tube out and out of the pool. Watch the magic lift. One guy on his feet and legs, the other on his back and a third up top ready to receive the package sent Special Delivery by God himself a few years back when the sky opened and a star named Foo fell to earth to bless us all.

Then a fourth friend steps in to help Foo on the other side, an overabundance of friends. But seriously, is it really possible to have too many friends? Foo Man Choo would say no, heck no.

Watch the look on his face when I close in on him. He knows he's on. He knows I've been filming him. He knows this is his star moment and he does not disappoint. He cannot speak to us in words so he speaks with his face and his expressions. His look is defiant. His look is I am Foo and I am the man. Look what I just did. Look at my muscle. Look at the muscle of Mr. Foo Man Choo, who rode the inner tube beyond all hope.

Foo rode the pool inner tube across Heaven and had a blast, while his friends hung on for dear life and shared in the beauty of his life.

Lost Canyon Beautiful People

This video was taken at the start of the Field Games on Day 2 at Lost Canyon Young Life Camp near Flagstaff, Arizona. Being the normal caring and quiet fellow that I am, I naturally shouted to wake everyone up and get them "ready" for the video. Not that they needed me to do that, mind you. They were plenty ready. They just didn't know quite what was going on.

The games were still being organized and they.... well they were standing around looking swank in their various team outfits. We're talking coolness manifesto or even worse. Or better if you want to go that way. Maximo Swanko Importanto, which translates as, "Most Awesome."

This particular group was from Phoenix, under the spell of Mr. David Thames. Thus their rather outlandish outfits and whacky attitude. The Toucan hats, the leis, grass skirts all were quite nice. But it was their ATTITUDE that heaped on the final helping of excellence and Swank. Soon as I called them out watch the dudes pose and flash, then bust out a few moves right there on the grass in their.... grass skirts.

Now lot of guys would have trouble looking sway in grass skirts but these dudes owned them. Then when the rest realized I was videotaping they came in to do closeup posing. These dudes can pose better than most posers. They know how.

Note the finger hanging over the edge of my iPhone. Accident? Posed of course.

First the guys busting it out front then through the web to the rear where the girls quietly waited for the right time to bust THEIR moves and if not, to watch the boys do their silly things. Oh those crazy boys they say but they love the boys and can't take their eyes off of them. Who can blame them? A big hand wave and we're done. Just a touch of Lost Canyon...

Danny & Ben

(L-R): Danny O'Rourke, Ben Daulton (wearing his Best Camper medal) and Wendy O'Rourke share a moment at the 2009 Capernaum Week at Rockbridge camp.


by John Koehler

Tara Criste knew she had to get Ben and Tommy Daulton to camp, no matter what. Tara is the Associate Area Director of Young Life Capernaum in Hampton Roads. She worked on Ben and Tommy's dad, Dave, and finally it all came together; they both came to camp. This fact in and of itself is no big deal. Plenty of kids come to camp with Capernaum. What was a big deal was that both boys were potential behavioral problems, especially away from their Dad.

When I realized that Dave was not coming I said to Tara, "Well you've done it now. We have two boys who may cause big problems and no way of knowing exactly what will happen." Or something equally corporate and whiny. I think Tara answered me with,"Don't worry, God will provide." I waved that off as just another Christian cliche.

But God did provide, and his name was Danny.

Turns out that Tommy was not really a problem, but on Day One, when the campers and Buddies and Leaders were all getting their camp legs and figuring out what was what and missing home, Ben was melting down. Ornery and upset, not wanting to go along with his cabin mates. Starved for love and attention, he acted out.

Danny was just a 13-year-old middle school kid signed up as a Buddy because his parents and sister were coming. Danny's dad Marty is the pastor at Church of the Messiah, home of our Chesapeake Club. His sister Molly is an old hand with Capernaum and served as a club buddy and had been to camp several times already. Wendy is the mom and also well versed with the people of Capernaum.

But Danny had never really done much with Capernaum, and wasn't really sure what the whole deal was. I remember seeing him on his bunk on Day One while the cabin was in an uproar. His look was pure "deer in the headlights." I let him be.

The next day we had a talk about stepping up and serving the kids and treating them like little brothers. This could be pretty hard to take for a young man half the size of some of our campers, and less than half the size of a big dude like Ben. I'm not sure if Danny got assigned to Ben, if he picked him or Ben picked him. Either way I'm pretty sure God set the whole thing up.

Ben lumbers. He's a big dude and when he walks he lumbers along at a pace befitting a barge or something else equally large. You don't hurry with Ben. You wait for Ben and you ease along with Ben. Danny is speedy and wiry and coordinated. Ben is awkward and uncoordinated. Danny speaks clearly and with intelligence. Ben is hard to understand and his intelligence of the brain is limited. But he's plenty smart where it counts: in his heart.

How good is God to bring these two together? Polar opposites, yet so much in common according to God. I remember seeing them together on Day Two, holding hands, walking along happy as well.... happy as campers! I had trouble with the image because it was so incongruous, so odd, so strange and out of place. This little boy/man with the world as his oyster (pearls included) together with the huge man/boy who could never get past the ugly oyster shell.

But there they were just happier than jaybirds, jabbering away. Danny's fear was gone and so was Ben's need to act out, because here was a friend who loved him from top to bottom, inside out with a cherry on top. Which took away his fear of loss and the pain of losing his dad, even for a day much less a week. Because Ben had Danny, his replacement dad, the man child who loved him like the dad back home who was temporarily forgotten until the bus brought them back together.

There is nothing that God can't do and everything he will do in a pinch or even when you don't believe it is possible. Because God does not do based on our unbelief, but on the depth and width and size of his love for us. And that is almost unbelievable. Which gives me hope and makes me believe that there is a chance for us all.

At a Young Life camp up in the mountains of Virginia near the little town of Goshen, God showed me his mercy and grace and glory and love love love like a river flowing down through the woods while the deer bend their heads to nibble the grass and brook trout explode up to capture the fies. Ahhh, I do thank God for Danny and Ben, for doing the impossible in a way that God makes possible in us all.

If we just try to love another and treat each other like family then God will do the rest. Because when we love one another by way of agape we are loving on the creation and the creator, the living being that made it and us all.

In August of 2009 I saw God walking among us at a place called Rockbridge, and he looked exactly like two men I know named Ben and Danny. They're friends of mine and so is God.

Love,

John

PS- Marty just reminded me of something that happened at Camp, and which may be part of the reason why Ben took to Danny so well. Seems that Ben had a brother named Danny who died when he was very young. When Ben met the living Danny he remembered his dead Danny and knew God had brought his brother back. God brought Danny back for Ben's sake. Maybe a piece of the old Danny is in him, but for sure a piece of God were and are in them both. Either way, Ben and his new brother Danny get a good deal! How good is God?

Ryan The Hurricane Hunter

by Cletus Cowpie


Well siree and mamiree and all you fine folk reading this here letter, we had us a plum fine time at the 2009 Capernaum Discipleship Camp at Rockbridge.

Just take a look at that there photo and you can maybe get a taste of the beautiful people that were there. Over 400 able and disabled God-made folks all together in one place, with enough love to bout fill up the Good Year Blimp and one a them aircraft carriers bigger'n a small city. They was all just finer than Caroliner and better lookin' than movie stars and rock stars as play up in front of folks just to make them happier than pigs in a mud hole.

By the end of the week our speakers, Mr. Chris Buda (he ain't that happy fat Chinese feller you heard about though he is pretty happy and well he might be a big feller too) and Mr. Ty Saltzgiver (he ain't nearly as big as the Buda cept maybe fer his heart and I have no idea why he likes to give away salt), why they had everyone convinced that we was all God's favorite. One at a time. No matter how messed up or caught up or how good lookin or ugly we was or if we could walk or not or talk or not or really when you come right on down to it God don't care what we can or can't do cause he's the one who canned us, if you follow my meaning.

Now how exactly do you suppose God can make each and every one of us his most very favorite child? Sounds pretty complicated but I reckon old God can handle it just fine. Shoot, last I checked he INVENTED complicated, which makes it pretty simple for him, right?

So there we was on Tuesday night, Day Four and a whole lot more. We was all outside havin' fun on the basketball court whilst them leaders was inside not havin' so much fun doin all that big brain stuff while we got to do the big heart stuff outside. Dear Lord, thankee kindly fer makin' me smart with my heart and a tad slow with my head. Cause that way I gets to be outside with my Capernaum friends.

We had us a regular three ring circus that night, we did. Ben and Kirk and my cousin John was all there standing high in the sky on that pagoda contraption, jabberin' away like jay birds on moonshine. To their left was basketball and slam dunk contests. To their right was wheelchair soccer or really more like Wheelchair Rugby on account them pretty people was usin' their hands and heads and wheelchairs in addition to their legs and feet. Cheatin' is all part of Capernaum games, which really just means everythin' is fair, long as you don't hurt no one.

And then there was Smack Down 2009. Oh howdy doo and Lord save us, please pass the chair!

Smack Down is basically wrestlin' fer boys and girls. They all wear helmets and are shown how to do it proper so they can't hurt themselves...... much. Now you take an average able-bodied kid and let him wrestle and it ain't all that. But you take a kid with disabilities and it sure IS all that and a whole lot more, I'm here to tell you. Many had never been allowed to do it their entire lives, especially the ones with physical disabilities. For them Smack Down was just something for others, never for them. Just a dream that would never come true.

But lucky for them, that ain't the way Young Life Capernaum rolls. Capernaum is all about makin' dreams come true.

After quite a few matches, with bodies flyin' every which a way, one young feller came up and said, "I'd like to wrestle that Hurricane! I'll tear him up!" Now Hurricane was a kinda dried up wrestler that kept threatening to take over Gary's Show during Club, and all the Capernaum fellas did not like that idea and a bunch of 'em wanted to bust that boy upside the head or maybe even worst. And that's why that boy wanted to wrestle Mr. Hurricane outside in front of the entire camp so as he could teach old Hurricane a lesson about why you don't mess with our friends Gary and Kenny.

So Ben and Kirk and John said, "Hmmm, that there is a fine idea, it is." So they called up Hurricane himself on the radio and asked if he would come on down and wrestle and he said, "Oh yes I will," along with some insults and such that I can't rightly share in this here story. That boy got some issues.

So by and by Hurricane came storming on over, makin' insults and such. And some of them boys right near about attacked that boy and here's the thing. That there Hurricane was right scared a some of them boys, and if I'm lyin' I'm dyin.' He looked scared when our boys chest bumped him and shouted insults at HIM. But then he got his composure screwed back on and broke through the crowd and set to hollerin' and carryin' on in the ring and we 'bout had us a riot. It was Panda Modium, or Grizzly Modium or one a them modiums, cause Hurricane bout got himself kilt. And he ain't even Scottish.

Then John announced that Hurricane was gonna have to wrestle Mr. Ryan the Redeemer and the place went kinda crazy. Cause Ryan is the dude in the wheelchair you can see with the circle round him. He ain't all that to look at, kinda got scrawny little legs that don't do him much good and not too much go power in his engine. But here's the thing, that boy can swing his arms and he's got the gumption and get up and go of a man twice Hurricane's size. His heart's got enough go power to out power any Hurricane and he knew it, did young Mr. Ryan. Soon as he was called out to wrestle the 'Cane, Ryan started waving and pumping his bean pole arms and the rest is history for the books.

Course to be fair, Hurricane didn't know his doom right then and just laughed as Ben Hourigan and Ben Mortensen lifted Ryan up out of his chair and over to the ring. Fact is Hurricane kept on slingin' garbage about how he was gonna tear old Ryan down to size and send him back to his Momma, put him back in his wheelchair and stuff like that. Poor old Hurricane did not know what old God had in store for him, to teach him a lesson and bring him down to size.

Pretty soon the bell rang and Hurricane went down in a wrestler's crouch. But not Ryan, oh no. He had his pretty boys, the two Bens, carry him right over and he WHACKED the tar out of Hurricane just as sure as a logger fells a tree. That boy ripped Hurricane's mustache and helmet right off his punkin' head and he fell backwards in a faint. Then Ryan finished him off with a flyin' body slam and before you could say, "Skip to my Lou my darlin'," the Hurricane was pinned and he was the one in pain.

He limped off the court pretty fast as we took the WWE championship belt made of gold and put it on Ryan's skinny little body and his two boys held him up and spun him around like God's favorite whilst the crowd about died and went to heaven and maybe it WAS heaven come right down to earth, cause didn't Jesus say, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand?". If only you'd been there you'd a seen it fer yourself, just as plain as day and honest injun true, cause everybody knows them Native Americans is right honest people, now ain't they?

So Ryan from Baltimore got to wear the golden belt and Hurricane, well sir. We ain't positive what happened to that boy. Last I heard he was gonna take up cat herding up in Wyoming. And we wish him luck too. As for Ryan, good on ya boy! Ya done tamed a Hurricane, and that ain't easy, son.

This is Cletus Cowpie sayin' so long. Snip snap snout, this tale's told out!

Lilly's Birthday Gift

On March 10th of 2009 I got the letter you see displayed from a young girl named Lilly. I met her at Club, where she had come with her family to participate in Capernaum.

Being a completely grown man of 50, I did my best to act my age and then failed miserably. Truth is that Lilly was the mature one, so I set out to prove it. When I found out that her name was Lilly, I told her that was not possible. She assured me that it was and so I took out my phone and showed her the photo of the one and only Lili- my granddaughter.

I told her she would have to change her name and she laughed. She actually laughed at me like that was the funniest thing she had ever heard. And of course it was.

In that funny moment we became friends and would never forget each other. Lilly went home and subsequently celebrated her birthday (March 2) on March 7. But since she was part of the Birthday Club, where they accept gifts for others in lieu of themselves, Lilly decided to ask her friends to bring money for Capernaum. She raised $206 and sent it to me along with the letter.

Here is what she wrote in case you cannot read the letter:

Mr. Koehler,

Hello, its Lilly! March 2nd was my birthday but, we had the party on the 7th. I participated in the birthday club which is when instead of gifts you ask for donations. The donations will go to the charities or organizations of your choice. I have chosen Young Life Capernaum. I'm so joyful to have collected $206.00 for Young Life Capernaum because I think it is important to teach everyone about God! I hope this contribution helps you continue to do the work you do best!

Your Friend,

(not your granddaughter)

Lilly

I loved this letter so much that I posted it here for all the world to see. Lilly's heart is JOYFUL to give and she is happy to help Capernaum, even if it means giving up on her own presents. Hobbits give gifts to their friends on their birthdays, so I think Miss Lilly must be a Hobbit. So I name her a Friend of Hobbits and Humans alike, plus Elves and Leprechauns and all the Little People of the world, make believe and believed.

Though she is not my granddaughter, we are fast friends and there is nothing you can do about it. So snip snap snout, this tail's told out!

Going West with Angela

photo by Glen McClure

In 2006, when I came to visit Capernaum club, I did not know what God had in store for me. It is funny to say that I did not really want to come to Capernaum in the first place. I was just trying to graduate from college, but I thought Capernaum was going to be another way for me to gain experience. Little did I know that God was painting a beautiful picture for my future with Capernaum. I became a Jr. leader, Sr. leader, a part-time staff, and now an intern. Each of the roles helped me to understand that God was calling me to minister to people with disabilities. When I entered the YoungLife Internship Program, I knew it required some training away from the area. I did not know what exactly it was going to be like. Can I tell you that I was in for a time of my life? My wheelchair and I were about to experience two wonderful weeks in the beautiful snowy mountains of Colorado at Frontier Ranch.

_______


New Staff Training 2009

by Angela West
Young Life Capernaum Intern
Hampton Roads, VA

Preparing the Way

The first person to start to think about all the preparation needed for me to go to Frontier was one of my best friends, Tara. She brought it up even when I was just considering joining the internship program. After all, she knew what it was going to be like since she was just finishing her internship.

Frontier is one of the most beautiful places you can go to in the country, but Tara knew it was not the ideal place for a person in a wheelchair. There are hills to climb, ice to avoid, and staircases in most of the buildings. Boy, what a vivid mental picture did I have. She and John talked to Nick and Pam, senior staff of Capernaum, and together we started to prepare the way.

We knew it was not going to be a clear-cut path because there has never been anyone in a wheelchair at New Staff. Nevertheless, we took it as an opportunity to illustrate that God uses Capernaum to show people His power.

As the time drew nearer, God had formed a perfect plan for me. Every detail that the Frontier staff knew of was going to be planned out. Kristi, who was just a person on the other side of the computer to me at the time, seemed like she cared so much for me. I remember jokingly writing that if she did not understand me the first time, all she needed to say was, “girl, I have not a clue what you are saying, repeat yourself.” She wrote that she would try but it might be a little hard for her at first. I was very excited to meet her and all of the people at NST.


Flying with One of God’s Angels

The day before I was leaving, I found out that Ashley, my assistant, was not going to be on the same flight. My friend, Leigh, said I had the look of terror on my face. I had only flown a few times, but never without a close friend. My fellow intern, Alison, was on the same flight; however, I had not asked her to be my aide for the flight.

I humbly picked up the phone and called Alison. For anyone that knows Alison is aware that she is full of God. She is beautiful on the outside and on the inside. On the other end of the line I heard her say, “Angela, we are going to get to have girl time.” I just smiled and knew everything was going to be okay. When I picked Alison up for the airport, we were both nervous about flying. I had only flown once before as an adult, and that was not a good experience. One airport had left my wheelchair at my layover city and the other had messed up the battery. I was not looking forward to seeing what would happen this time.

We were able to board the flight without any problems. Flying was fun! We talked, laughed, and looked at the crazy inventions in the magazine on the airplane. She laughed when she saw my playlist on the iPod. I have some High School Musical and Hannah Montana on there. I was jokingly saying, “It is for clubs!” “Sure…” she said. We just laughed more.

When we arrived at our lay over connection, my wheelchair was waiting for me outside of the airplane. The airport staff transferred me into my wheelchair and I was in a hurry to rush over to my next flight. I tried to turn on my wheelchair and my power did not work. I looked at Alison and began to panic!

I could not begin to imagine these next two weeks without the ability to push myself wherever I needed to go. Alison smiled at me and said not to worry. She began pushing my heavy wheelchair with two book bags on her shoulders. If it had been anyone else, I don’t know if they would have handled it with the grace that she did. Together, we raced through the Atlanta airport. We ended up fixing the wheelchair while we were waiting to board the plane to Colorado. Everything was going to be great now!


Ranch Welcome

After a long day of flying from Virginia to Colorado, we had a two hour bus ride to Frontier Ranch. The bus ride was quite scary for me because Ashley and I were sitting in the front row of the bus. When I looked out the front window, all I could see was snow falling heavily. It was awesome! I had never seen so much snow.

After battling the traffic from the snow, we finally arrived at the gates of Frontier. It was just as beautiful as I saw in a picture. The only scary part was the road up to camp. It was very curvy and narrow. It looked as if the bus would fall off the edge of the mountain. Ashley and some other interns laughed at me as I sat there with my hands over my eyes in terror.

When we finally reached the dinning hall of the camp, everyone else had arrived and was already eating dinner. We quickly learned that we were the last ones to arrive at camp. Kristi was waiting for us to check in and I was so excited to meet her. She greeted with a hug and I knew right then that we would be friends.

Rolling into a dinning hall full of 200 strangers was very intimidating. When I went in it looked like all the tables were full. My friends, Hannah and Brooke, who I did not know very well, rushed over and gave me a big hug. It was so relieving to see some familiar faces. Brooke offered to feed me right away, and I knew that she was going to become a special person to me.



Say What?

Dinner the second night we were suppose to eat dinner with our small group that the team had picked out for us. Each of us in the small groups did not know each other and were eager to get to know one another. The new staff team had a brilliant idea that the proper way to introduce new people to one another would be over a meal. Conversations are easy to make up and there is no pressure if there are moments of silence between conversations.

Well, when a person, like myself, tries to communicate with people that are not familiar with disabilities, it is hard to talk in a loud environment, such as a big dinner. I tried to talk across the table but I knew that people were just nodding their heads to be polite. I even noticed that one of the girls would not even look at me directly.

I attempted to use Ashley to translate, but it still felt very awkward. I was somewhat dreading the next two weeks, if this was what it was going to be like for me all the time.


Kristi

The NST Staff that I emailed from the beginning was Kristi. Like I said before, when I first met her, I knew that there was something special about her. I could tell as the days passed that she was getting use to understanding me. Even when she didn’t, we made a joke about it. There were times that I just needed someone to talk to about some personal issues, and she was constantly ready to listen. Everyone loved Kristi because she was always ready to help.

There was one day that I was just tired and ready to go home… and it was only the third day. After breakfast I asked Kristi if she could take some time to talk to me. She had to take care of some other things, and said she would come to my cabin when she was finished. I had just had a bad experience with the shower, when Kristi got back to me. I told her what had happened and she prayed with me and said she would take care of it.

She also asked me if she could braid my hair. It was awesome that she took time to spend time with me and we became like sisters. I laughed when she had to answer the radio several times when people were looking for her. What could she have said? Was hair braiding in her job description? Maybe not for YoungLife, but God certainly worked through her that day and the days after. This was just the beginning of an awesome friendship…



Chaps’ Class

It has been a few years since I have been in school, and I kind of forgot what it is like to be in class for hours at a time. At first, I had to make myself concentrate on the lectures. A lot of the information about adolescent development was a review of what I studied in college. I was a little bummed, because I wanted to learn something new to help me reach out to my Capernaum friends more.

The second day of class, while I was listening to Chap, I realized that I was sitting in a class that was covered by the love of Christ. I never had been in a class where Christ was the center of the discussions. By the third day, everyone felt like we were drinking out of a fire hose. I remember one day after class, my small group and I did not know if we could handle anymore information. It was funny because we sat in our group and did not say anything for the first few minutes.

Another day, when I was trying to leave the dinning hall, I had a chance to talk to Chap. I was nervous because I did not know how he was going to react to me. He was so awesome; I knew he was trying to understand me as much as he could without help.

The last day of class, my region and I wanted to take a picture with him. I could not get to the stage, so I did not think I was going to get to be in the picture. When Chap realized what was going on, he came up the stairs, and he and all of us took a picture together. I was sad that he was going to be leaving, and I partially didn’t want a new professor.


Mat Carrying Women

Sometimes I imagine what the friends in the Mark 2 Capernaum account were like. I believe during these two weeks I met two of the friends. Hannah and Brooke are two Capernaum interns in different parts of the United States. I had only met Hannah once at the All Staff Conference the year before. We ran into each other the day before it was over. I had only met Brooke once at Rockbridge. Although these two women did not know me very well; they certainly were the ones that carried me through the two weeks.

Hannah does Capernaum in Seattle and reminds me so much of a friend from high school. She is always laughing and so fun to be in a room with. Every morning before class began, she would come over to where I was sitting to put lotion on my hands because she knew hers were dry, and that meant mine were too. I know that does not sound like a big deal, but it was to me. Sometimes actions are just as powerful as words.

Brooke turned out to be my closest friend at NST. I can truly say that I don’t know what I would have done without her there. She is hilarious and always knew how to make me laugh, including times when we were supposed to be quiet. One morning at breakfast, the team was telling us what verse we needed to read for our devotion time then we were going to pray and leave quietly. Well, our table did not hear the directions. Just as the room fell to silence, Brooke screamed, “PSLAMS 24 WHAT?” I literally had to stuff a napkin in my mouth so I wouldn’t laugh. With tears running down my face, I tried not to make a sound. That was just one of the many laughs we had. She was also the person that I could cry with. I always went to her when I was overwhelmed, and she knew what I needed to hear. We were like two peas in a pod.

Hannah and Brooke are like the friends in the Capernaum account. They carried me to the feet of Jesus at NST. I left different a person, because I saw Jesus in their eyes and actions. Friends like them are sweet gifts from the Lord, and even if I do not get to see them as much as I would like, I consider them to be two of my closest friends and sisters.


God Paiged Bill

Have you ever met someone that you knew was a great person, but something about them intimidated you? Bill Paige was that person to me. I knew he had to be a great guy because he was the one that was going to lead chapel, but he looks like he could be a quarterback in the NFL. He always joked that a person did not want to mess with him. I laughed, but on the inside, I knew it was somewhat true. Eventually, after hearing him talk a few times, I saw that he had a heart that loved Christ and us.

The line that he used in his talks was “look at your neighbor, and say, ‘neighbor,…’”. It was so funny, and yet very powerful. Brooke was sitting next to me most of the time, and it was funny to say some of the things he told us to say to her. Once we had to say, “Neighbor, I don’t know what type of shoes you are wearing, but I am wearing issues.” I was laughing so hard, and my friends thought I forgot how to breathe.

One day, I was having a little war with myself on the inside. I smiled but I was not happy at all and wanted to be alone. As I found my table for lunch, Bill came over to me and in my ear he whispered, “You are doing God’s work just by being here.” I did not have a chance to say anything before he returned to his table. A few minutes later, he came back and said, “Can I have a picture of you to put on my computer and under it I will write ‘Get over yourself’”. He was trying to say that I was doing a great job by overcoming the obstacles, but he also spoke truth into me to keep going.

Bill Paige answered God’s page to rescue me from checking out too early. I grew to love to listen to him and hear his cries out to the Lord. He became like a dad to me while at NST.



CommonWealth Women

I was a little sad when I was not in the same cabin as the women from the Commonwealth Region. I had asked Kristi to put me in a cabin with some of the Capernaum women so they could help me if I needed help. That was before I knew the women from my region very well. When they found out that I was not in the same cabin, they were so upset. I knew that they loved me, and I loved them.

Every one of them took turns helping me during meals. When it was free time, if I was not with them, they made sure I was alright. There were days when they walked up the road and invited me to come with them. It was some of the best times there as we had an amazing view of the mountains around us and great conversations. I loved being around them.

Even at night, when everyone went back to their cabins. I went to the Commonwealth women’s cabin. There were times when we would all be in a circle on our laptops checking e-mails from home and the room would be totally silent. We laughed about it, but truthfully, just being in the same room made me feel like I was at home.

I don’t know if my girls know it, but they all have a common amount of wealth that is more precious than silver or gold. Love and acceptance are two of the most precious gifts that a person can be given, and that is what I received from them. I hold all of them and their love close to my heart.



Small Group #20

Remember the small group that I did not want to be a part of because they wouldn’t talk to me? Well, that same group became my family. It is amazing to see how God can change a group of strangers into a body that grew to love each other unconditionally.

All six of them were awesome, and I think each of them had a purpose for being in my life. Two of them, Donnel and Bethany, really stand out in my mind. Bethany is the woman that I had a hard time talking with the first few nights. It seemed like she did not want to talk to me. Over time, the walls fell down and she became like a sister to me.

One night towards the end of the two weeks, she and I went to go get our papers. While we were going over to the building, I thanked her for getting to know me. She asked if she could be honest with me, and I of course said yes. She confessed that she was very much intimidated by my disability, but she was so glad that I always tried to be in the middle of everything.

Donnel was the other special person to me in my small group. He is a guy that does Urban YoungLife, and he looks like he could be on Bill’s football team. He always would have something to say to me and I would just smile. He called me baby girl, and I knew if I needed anything, he would be one of the first ones there for me.

I am so glad that God brought these people into my life. It shows me that sometimes I have to put in a little more effort when meeting people for the first time in a group. But it sure was worth all of the effort. I looked forward to our daily small group time. When it was towards the end of the two weeks, we were a family.



Snowy Adventure

The second Saturday, we had a day of free time. We could pick from different activities, for example, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, going to a spa, or going into towns. My region wanted to go to an activity together, and I was excited. Of course, they would pick snowshoeing! I highly doubted they were going to have something to fit the wheels of my chair. So what was I going to do?

Skiing was not something that I wanted to do. Going to the spa sounded relaxing, but I admit I am a bit of a tomboy. Going to town to shop, ehh, I can do that anywhere. Snowmobiling was all that was left. Kristi called the company to ask if they could accommodate me, and they said definitely.

So Kristi, four guys from Washington, and I were on our way. I said to myself “Why didn’t I just go to town?” I had forgotten that I have a hard time breathing when I am on something that goes really fast. I was getting scared. As we were getting the equipment on and learning about the snowmobile, I knew there was no turning back for me.

I was on a snowmobile with the lead guide, and we went slowly. As we figured out the best way for me to be on the snowmobile was sideways, I started having the time of my life. He started to pick up speed and jumped a few hills. I had a blast and did not feel any fear. The scenery of the woods covered with snow was breathtakingly beautiful. I enjoyed every minute of it.

When we got to an open field, my guide said it would be funny if we staged a picture of me crashing. So he turned a snowmobile on its side and I laid beside it. Kristi took a picture. It was freezing but hilarious. The lesson of the day: Dream Big, go all out, and choose to make memories!



Flying Book

That night after dinner, I knew I needed to study for the book quiz. The team had put together a study guide and I wanted to do it. I could not find my girls from my region so I went to my cabin. I started to do my study guide, and it was hard. Twenty minutes passed and I only had two answers. I was getting frustrated, when my friend, Erin, walked in. She invited me to a study group, and I felt some of the pressure fall off of me.

I did not know anyone very well. I was just relieved that I was not alone. Everyone was very nice, and we laughed a lot. All of us were answering the questions. However, there was one guy that annoyed the heck out of me. Ben took every answer and tried to turn it into a deep theological discussion. Now, I am a pretty responsible student, but that night I was tired and my head was hurting. So after he gave another one of his discussion, I flung my book and hit his leg with it. I knew he knew I was kidding, but I didn’t care if he disliked me.

Ironically, the day after, he and I started to hangout. I have to say he was one of the few guys that really got to know me. We had so much fun talking and playing cards. I truly felt like I was with my best friend. The second week, I felt like we were inseparable.

I wouldn’t recommend throwing books to make friends. But I was very blessed to meet Ben. I am not going to forget the times we shared. They were definitely special. By the way, I got a B+ on my quiz.



Dale’s Love

Our second week of class, I did not know if my brain could handle anymore information. I was kind of nervous about the second class, but I was excited we were going to talk about the Book of John. Dr. Dale Bruner appeared on the stage, and something about him immediately grabbed my attention. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I was in for a treat.

At the beginning of each class, he started out with a passage from John. Instead of reading it out of the Bible, he recited everything from memory. The first time that I heard him do this, I forgot that I was suppose to read along because I was so amazed that he knew the book by heart. After sitting in his class a couple of times, I knew that he taught from his heart and that he loved us so much.

After each class, everyone would race down to the stage to talk to him and he was always willing to stay until he talked to the last student. One of the nights I really wanted to go down and talk to him but I was not able to walk down the stairs. I mentioned to Ben that I was kind of bummed that I could not go down there.

I left the classroom and started to hang out with some friends in front of the game room. I noticed that Dr. Bruner was walking towards me and when he approached me he asked me if I was Angela. He told me that Ben had told him that he needed to meet me. When we talked, it was awesome because I could tell he really wanted to understand me and I think for the most part, he did.

The next day of class, Dr. Bruner said to the entire class that he was able to meet me because of my friend Ben. He also thanked me for being so strong and hanging right with the crowd. It was such a pleasure to be in a class with a professor that loves the Lord and teaches right from his heart.



Commissioning

I knew that the last service was going to be very emotional because it would be the last time we would be together as a class. We were able to sit with our small groups. My small group wanted to sit towards the middle f the room and I needed to get out of my wheelchair. The boys in my small group sat around me so they could hold me up. When it was time to sing, they took turns holding me. It was such an awesome feeling and I cried most of the night.

The team allowed us to have 20 minutes to take turns speaking about what these two weeks meant to us. I knew that I was not going to be able to talk because I just knew that I would burst into tears. So I just sat there and listened to everyone else. Donnel was holding me up and he asked Chris if he could take over while he said something. Donnel stood up and said that he had a new hero and he looked down at me and said “Angela”. That was the end of my dry eyes.

The last ceremonial thing that we did was the commissioning vows. We had to pick a partner and promise to one another that we would continue what we learned there and take it home. I grabbed Hannah because I wanted her to be my partner. However, Ben had a different plan for me. We laughed about it later but it was awesome to have him as my partner. What better way to end this time other than with someone that truly saw me as “Angela” and loved me for me. I cried a lot that night, and we stayed up as late as possible to have the last night of fun.

_____

I am so thankful that God allowed me to be there at NST! I learned about the love that God has for us and experienced it like I never have. I hope that one day; another intern with a disability will have the same opportunity. Sometimes the road ahead of you looks scary, but don’t worry, God has a way. You just have to trust Him, and GO!

I AM GOING!

Angela West

Switch Hitter

Photos: Babe Ruth shown making one of his home run swings in 1922.

Bettman/Corbis




by Nick Palermo


I’m at the baseball field watching my beautiful son, Joel, play baseball. It’s his senior year. He is the starting second baseman and lead off hitter for his team. He is also captain of the team. He is a 3rd year all league varsity player.

He has had tremendous success along with great respect from his teammates and manager…oh, by the way, he just caught a pop up to end the inning against Carlmont…anyways, as I was saying with success and respect like that, and the possibility of the best year ahead, you would think he would keep doing what he has been doing, and yet, he did the completely unexpected.

He decided to become a switch hitter, and because he is right handed he would bat left handed against an opposing right handed pitcher. Which meant he probably would be batting mostly left handed.

If you have not played baseball it would be hard to express just how difficult what Joel is doing. He is subjecting himself to second guessing and criticism from his manager, team and other parents. In the face of all that he has taken the risk. The result so far has been astounding. In six at bats he has 2 singles, a double and a walk.

I stand amazed, proud and convicted. Why? My son has set an example for me of not playing it safe when that would be the easy thing to do, and because of it he is growing to new levels and victories in his baseball career while inspiring others.

It makes me think, am I playing it safe? Am I willing to take the risk? For those of us on staff for awhile our risk is to settle in and go through the motions. That is what Abraham could have done. He had it all in Ur. He was established, successful, a beautiful wife, life was good, and then out of the blue God calls him to an unknown land with an unknown plan. How is that for strategy?

Amazingly Abram says “yes”. I would love to sit in on his conversation with Sarai that night. I imagine it would be something like this:

Sarai – Hi honey, how was your day?
Abram – I heard a voice today.
Sarai – Sit down honey, I know it’s been a long day you are doing way too….
Abram – No Sarai, I heard a voice and it was the Creator, you know Elohim. He told me to pack up everything with you and leave
Sarai – silence
Abram – No really, we have to do this
Sarai – So you said….
Abram – Yes, I said yes, when can you be ready?

Can you imagine doing this? Friend, what is God saying to you? Where is He calling you? Are you willing to do the absurd if God asks? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone, even if no one believes in you, second guesses you and you have an extreme possibility of failure?

The people that change the world do not play it safe. For every successful invention Thomas Edison had, he estimated 100 failures. Babe Ruth struck out more than most and hit more homes runs than everyone, except two players. Let’s launch, let’s risk, let’s step out in faith, let’s listen to one voice only – His voice.

And if His voice directs us/you to a crazy venture, let that Voice drown out all the negative, second guessing voices of reason. I want to follow in the footsteps of Abram whose daring faith changed his name to Abraham. I want to follow my son Joel. I want to follow the Son!

Switch hitting for Jesus,

Nick




Nick Palermo is the Mission Director and Founder of Young Life Capernaum. After serving typical kids with Young Life, Nick started working with disabled kids in 1986 and Capernaum was born.

Funny Tree

by John Köehler




God said, "Blow wind, blow through the trees and make a storm." So the wind blew and a storm came to the pine forest. The trees danced back and forth and bowed before the wind. Pine cones flew from the branches and exploded onto the ground like grenades.

The ground was soft and muddy from the rain, and some of the pine cones were welcomed by the sticky soil in a warm embrace, as if to say, "we have been waiting for you." The storm passed, the blue sky returned and the birds and animals of the forest came out to celebrate life once again. Snow came. Winter came. Ground slept.

Spring came and green sprouts rose from the ground, up and out of the cones that had fallen during the autumn storm. They grew up towards their parents, the giants who had given them birth. One sprout grew straight and proud, faster than the others.

"Look at my son," said tree father. "He grows straight and true. God must have great plans for him."

Another sprout was stepped on by a passing bear, and so it grew crooked before growing up again. It was ugly compared to the other straight sprouts reaching for heaven.

"And that one," said tree father. "He will never amount to anything. Better he should die now before he embarrasses the entire forest. Why didn't bear just eat him?"

"Shhhhh," soothed tree mother. "Look at the life in him. Bear foot would have killed most of our babies, but this child of ours is special. Wait and see, father. Wait and see."

And so they did wait and they did see, as the years passed and the sprouts became saplings. Straight tree brother continued to grow straight and true, looking ever upward towards his father towering above him. Crooked tree brother was still much shorter than his brother, his thin trunk growing horizontal to the ground then up and out.

"Ahhhh," said tree father. "Our crooked son looks like a snake. What good will come of him, mother?"

Tree mother swayed in the wind and watched her special son far below. She watched the animals of the forest playing among the trees.

"Look how bird and squirrel play on his crooked body!" she said. "Isn't that useful, father?"

"Perhaps," said tree father. "But more useful to be straight and true like straight tree son. Watch that one, mother. He will amount to something great. Watch him."

And they did watch him and his brother for many years, until people came to the forest. They cut down the straight trees to build houses and walls. But they didn't cut crooked tree brother, for they saw no use in him. Nor did they cut down straight tree brother, but marked him with rope.

"We will save this one for a war canoe," said the chief to his men. "It is proud and true and God has blessed it with power. Let no one harm it until it is time."

Some children raced by and jumped onto crooked tree. They crawled out onto its crooked body and bounced up and down together, laughing like blue jays, as crooked tree gave them a ride like a horse that will never run.

"That tree has no use," said the chief. "Let us cut it down and burn it, for God must have made a mistake with this one."

"Do not cut down this tree," said the chief's wife. "Look at the children play on it. Perhaps that was what our father God - he who does not make mistakes - intended all along. It is no good for your war canoe, but it is good for them. Do not cut it down, father. I think God likes this tree."

So crooked tree was not cut down, and was left to grow sideways and then up. The children played on him and hung clothes from him to make their pretend houses. He became the center of their life and when they were near it their imagination never failed to amuse them. They called him Funny Tree and loved him and put their marks upon him.

They fought their play skirmishes near him and began romances in his shadow. They felt safe near him, felt larger than the small lives they lived in their village. Funny Tree was their tree and soon the village knew the tree had special powers and that power must come from God father that made them all.

The day came when straight tree brother was cut down and burned and carved until a war canoe was born. They launched him into the river and tree father proudly watched as the warriors paddled off in the remains of his son.

"Did I not tell you that our straight son would be useful?" asked tree father that day.

"He is most useful and has given up his life for this honor," said tree mother. "But there below us is crooked son, still alive and useful. They call him Funny Tree. They love him because he is special and protects them. Didn't I tell you he would be useful one day?"

Tree father did not answer, but looked down and watched his sons as the wind continued to blow.

A Letter from Ren

Top photo: Ren cutting hard in the Pacific.

Bottom photo: Ren, Angela West and her black and white knucklehead friend at the Noblemen Golf Tournament 2008




February 27, 2009

Dear John, Angela, and Tara,

It is with great joy that I share with you that I have survived my 2008 year with Capernaum. My therapist has told me I have made marked improvement in my recovery of crazy kids!

Finally, with great coaching, I was able to share the moments of truth about your group of knuckleheads and break dancers. Was it the risk taker chick in a wheelchair that shot the Noblemen Golf Tourney Luge? Or was it the group of rag-tagged surfer crazies that insisted on getting out there and riding the big ones, oh yeah, it did not stop them with that trivial fact called NO WAVES!! (Thanks for the swim Angie!).

Or was it when my HOT wheelchair date blew me off when she got hit on by the lead guitar player? No, I think the moment that sent me deep was when at the Summer party where some pony-tailed motorcycle lover was fiddling to get the stereo going and at the moment of electronic connection, 75 knuckleheads busted into SPONTENEOUS break dancing and scared the crap out of passing motorists (Regina tell your Dad to check the plug!). Whew, I am a little better now!

While I cannot make the breakfast as the cost of recovery is not missing a couch moment, I would pass on to those there to give, give generously, give now, and then flee this group of too much fun, chocolate pudding fighters that get into your head and as always, touch your heart. Give now so they don’t track you down and force you to learn dance moves that synchronize with wheelchair spins. Give now before you learn the Angela claw dance! Give!

I simply will prepare for 2009 with my own Butterscotch pudding arsenal, learn 3 cool rock star moves on a guitar, quietly take some break dancing classes, bring a working stereo for the group, and count the blessings I have received by so many Capernaum kids. Maybe this is the year they get me to do the zip line at Goshen.

Enclosed is my contribution for those countless smiles, extraordinary leadership, and that special love that comes from being with God’s blessed candidates and an aging, over the hill, boomerang kind of guy!

Lose my phone number for a month!


Renny

A Pizza Story

by AJ Mitton


Last week, my friend from Younglife Capernaum, Chucky, and I was spending time with each other at his huge, three stories house by the lake on a rainy, pitch black night. I was cooking a pepperoni pizza for our dinner.

When I pulled the pizza out of the oven a few minutes after the timer buzzed, the kitchen was assumed with the stench of rotten eggs, and big cloud of dark black smoke filled the room. When I tested the pizza from the oven before I served it to him, it had black, hard tar on it. It was hard to cut, like cutting a card board with a plastic fork.

When I tried to bite it, it was like biting a chicken bone. When it was going down my throat, it was like a sharp piece of ice going down. But the piece of pizza was not cold like ice, it steamy hot like lava from a volcano. Then, I followed it up with a cup of ice cold water. I felt the ice, cold water cools off my mouth.

I did not want to serve him this nasty pizza. So, I decided to make a quick call to Chucky’s favorite pizza place, Pizza Hut, and told them to deliver it to the back door. I went out in the spacey living room to Chucky and played some video games with him on his Playstation 3 on his huge, sixty inches high definition television with silver thin boarders.

When I heard a soft, three knocks on the back door, I quickly got up and ran to pay the pizza man. When I took the steamy pizza, I put it on the pizza pan that I was using to bake the last pizza and brought it out to him. I gave him a big slice of pizza and a tall cup of Coke with ice.

He loved it and said, “This is the best pizza that I ever had, thank you A.J.!”

I answered, “You are welcome!
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AJ Mitton is a Sr. Leader with Capernaum in Virginia Beach, VA. AJ has cerebral palsy and spends a lot of time in a wheelchair, but he does not let that get in the way of living life large. He is attending college at TCC and has a 4.0 average. He is married to Regina Howley. Photos are of AJ and John Koeler and AJ with Regina, his wife. Regina is the one without the beard.

Contact AJ at ylajy3k@hotmail.com