It's the time of evening I love best at camp...the sun is going down, the shadows lengthen as another day slips by. in the oaks around the tabernacle, the crickets and tree frogs prepare for their nightly duet.

I sat in the pavilion just resting. As darkness approaches I notice several outside lights aren't turned on. Irritation comes over me as I think, "Now who forgot to turn on the lights." But my irritation is quickly replaced by sadness..The realization hits me that Brad won't be here to turn on the lights anymore.

Earlier this afternoon we had buried Brad Robinson at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.

Brad had died two days earlier when struck by a drunken driver. As I say in the pavilion, the events of the last three days came over me again. The shock of losing Brad so suddenly, the pain of sharing the news with his staff friends, the sorrow of seeing his parents, sisters and grandparents in such grief. Even now my head was still pounding from the tears and emotion of the day.

Then I thought about the joys of the last three days. Spanky's simple reply when I called him of Brad's death: "I'm happy for Brad." The strong faith of our staff as they grew closer to each other and Jesus. Ryan's praise and worship with his guitar for his dear friend. Clay's words at the funeral...."The peace that passes all understanding." James story: "Wake up." In spite of my sorrow, a deep peace filled my heart as I recalled how God is faithful in all circumstances...even tragedy.

Only those who had lived this Monday could understand when I call it a "wonderful terrible day"...

I get up from my seat and go to begin turning on the lights. I guess it will be my job this evening. I wonder who will be the new light person at Dry Creek now that Brad is gone.

As I walk I think about the first time I saw Brad at Dry Creek. He came in the Spring of 1998 to try out as a staffer. I remember him getting out of his truck dressed in overalls. His application had been very impressive although he was only 15 at that time. When I saw Brad there by his truck, I thought "This guy is not 15-he looks 20 years old.

Brad just had a maturity about him.

That tryout weekend, Brad won our hearts with his hard work and big smile. When the weekend was over, our adult staff members said, "You better hire him or we'll never talk to you again."... And so began the special love affair between Brad Robinson and Dry Creek Camp.

When last summer ended, all of the other staffers went home. But I'm not sure Brad ever really went home. Very seldom did a week go by that he wasn't at the camp. My wife, DeDe, and I laughed as to how you'd see Brad everywhere- youth rallies, ballgames, the camp, church events. I said instead of "Where's Waldo" it was "Where's Brad." and sure enough there he'd be with that big smile I will always cherish.

When he wasn't there in person, he was ever present in e-mail or on the phone. I'd like to know how many messages I received for "DCstaffer" and "Bloodwashed" Brad just seemed to be everywhere at Dry Creek and we never grew tired of having him around.

I picked at him as to how he ever had time for school with his social life, e-mail, web page, and constant going.

Word kept coming back to me last fall about the tremendous revival that had occurred in Brad's school due to his deep commitment to Jesus.

I think about my favorite day with Brad. It was this Spring. As a school assignment he was to "shadow" a job he was interested in. Of course, he came to Dry Creek to follow me around. He always told me he would take my job from me some day! On this day, he traveled with my mom and I to Glenmora. We were working on chartering a bus for an upcoming senior adult trip. I was so impressed as to how he met adults and visited with my mom. We had lunch at Reggie's in Glenmora. It was a special day I will always cherish.

...All of these memories and emotions come to me as I flip on outside lights. As I walk by the laughing campers, my mind is a thousand miles away.

...Then here comes Kristi. She ambles up to me with her big smile. Now I want you to know i love Kristi as a daughter. I've watched her grow up to become the special young woman she is. Kristi says, "Brother Curt, I'm in charge of the lights now. I need someone to help me make sure I know where they all are. "I start to tell her to get with another staff member but then I catch myself... I'm learning through this to spend time with those you love...And Kristi is so special to me. So I reply, "I'll show you and we'll visit while we walk," So we walk and talk as we relive the events of this deeply emotional day.

....As we walk, I think about the picture of Brad on my dresser at home. Brad is at our home last Spring. He is dressed to kill with a huge smile on his face holding his cool sunglasses. He is on his way to pick Kristi up for the Prom. It's a wonderful picture that fully reveals the personality of Brad Robinson.

Kristi and I laugh and talk- even through tears. As the last light is flicked on and Kristi walks on, I just sit for a while in the coming darkness. The camp lights illuminate various areas of the camp while other areas, away from the buildings, remained shrouded in darkness. Then I think about the light of Brad's life. About how brightly it shined at Dry Creek...and Mt. Moriah Baptist Church...around LaCamp, Louisiana...and at Ray's Grocery and Hicks High School. How Brad's light shined brightly and consistently.

How even in death his life witnessed as a bright light no drunken driver could snuff out.

And I'm confident that no amount of time will extinguish the bright light of Brad Robinson's life. He will live on in the hearts of all of us who love him. His Witness will continue to shine brightly at Dry Creek long after those of us who love him are gone. You see when a young person sells out to Jesus, as Brad did, their witness and light burns for all eternity.

The words of Jesus: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven."

Matthew 5: 14-16

Written by Curt Iles