Camp Story
I would like to tell you a story about compassion for others: a story of
true unconditional love and mercy. It all started when our speaker, Henry Unrau,
challenged the staff of Steeprock Bay Bible Camp to strive to have true compassion
for the native children that came to our camp. He spoke about Jesus weeping with
compassion for the people around him. We bowed for prayer and I, like most counsellours around me, quietly asked for compassion from God. I was also short
on sleep and said a quick, “ keep me awake God”, as well.
The day started normally with breakfast, activities, and lunch. One boy in my cabin was named Michael. He had been difficult to deal
with throughout the week, being loud in chapel and not really listening on the playground either. After lunch the kids and counsellors
were doing gratis which included washing dishes and cleaning the dining hall. Michael did not like gratis and tried to skip out regularly.
Our group began washing dishes and Michael was not around. My patience had grown thin having chased
him all week and I was not going to run after him today. I would talk to him later, I thought. Then
I saw him standing outside the window where we were doing dishes and thought this was the perfect time
to straighten him out. I was going to lay down the law. I ran outside and followed him up the kiddie
slides, up onto the platform and began to talk sternly to him. I did not care if others were watching
or hearing what I was saying, I just wanted to get my point across. Telling him he had to listen when
I spoke to him, and if he didn’t follow the rules we would discipline him and so on and so on.
Michael began to cry and tears streamed down his face. He headed for the cabin
so no one would see his tears. Everyone was watching and I kept after him. He
wasn’t going to get out of doing dishes just because he was crying. “We have
rules at this camp,” I said. “You have to follow them. What if there were no rules?
Then everyone would do whatever they wanted!The cooks could say,‘I don’t want to cook
today‘, and you wouldn’t have to wash dishes then. Of course you wouldn’t eat either would you?”
We arrived at the cabin with Michael in full tears. He lay on his bunk not talking. I felt
sorry for him and told him I was sorry for being upset at him but he needed to follow the rules.
I wanted to make a deal with him that I would not reprimand him again if he followed the rules
better. Michael sort of nodded his head in agreement but his mind was elsewhere.
I sat down on my bunk across from him feeling somewhat defeated and somewhat
happy that I had at least gotten some sort of agreement out of him.
Then it happened. A still small voice spoke to me and said, "Lowell, why don’t
you ask him if he wants to know Jesus as his personal saviour”.
I broke down in tears as I realized how uncalled for my outburst had been, yet
the Holy Spirit was still going to use me. Through sobs of shame I asked Michael,
"do you want to know Jesus as your saviour?” How could Michael want to know this
Jesus when I, a Christian, had been so mean to him just seconds ago? His body
relaxed for a second. It was the question he had been waiting for. Dishes were
meaningless; following rules wasn’t what he needed to hear. Michael nodded his
head and said, “yes, I want to know Jesus.”
All this time I had spent making a fool of myself, raising my voice to command a
listening ear, and all he wanted was to know Jesus. I cried uncontrollably as I
tried to lead him to Jesus. “Michael”, I sputtered in a high, choppy voice,
“pray after me”. He nodded in agreement.
“Dear Jesus”, I said, and again broke into tears. Why didn’t I ask for help from you sooner Jesus?
my mind cried. “Dear Jesus”, Michael said and the tears began to flow down his cheeks. I
kneeling beside his bed and he lying on his back, his hands over his face. “I know you died
on the cross for my sins.”
Once more my tears turned to sobs of shame. Michael repeated after me, “I know you died on the cross
for my sins.” This is what he wanted more then anything. He continued to repeat after me, "and you
rose again so that I can follow you. I love you Jesus. Please come into my heart. I’m sorry for my
sins and need your forgiveness.” Through sobs I realized that I had said it all mixed up but it didn’t
matter. Jesus could translate better then I’d ever be able to and the Holy Spirit knew exactly what Michael
and I were thinking. The peace that came upon us when we were finished was overwhelming. In my mind I praised
God for his love and forgiveness not just for Michael, but also for me. I looked at Michael and he looked at
me and we broke into smiles.I gave him a bear hug and said, “welcome to the family of God, Michael.” I could
see in his eyes that he understood everything that had gone on. My junior counsellor and another Christian
camper came into the cabin and they also welcomed Michael into God’s family.
As I left the cabin, another counsellor, who had seen me making a scene correcting Michael earlier, commented on
how difficult Michael was this week. I felt horribly ashamed as I told her that Michael had just become a Christian.
Her mouth dropped. “You’re serious?" she asked.“Yes”, I said as I burst into tears one more time, remembering what a fool
I had made of myself not fifteen minutes earlier. How could God have used my poor sense of judgement to save a child like
Michael? How could I have been so bull-headed when that same morning I had prayed
for compassion on the campers that they might be saved?
God can work miracles even when we are at our worst. His love is so great it
shines right through our mistakes and shows us what an awesome God we serve.
The Holy Spirit knew exactly when to tell me that I had gone far enough on my
own and now he was taking over the situation no matter what I thought. I am
ashamed to think of all the other times that I should have said something to
someone and have not. Our lives are to be images of Christ’s compassion. He
often wept when overcome with compassion. Tears flowed freely from our Jesus
when he had compassion for the people.
Scriptures of Jesus’ compassion:
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them....
Mark 8:2 I have compassion on these people....
Luke 19:41 As he approached the city, he wept over it...
John 11:33,35 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was
deeply moved in spirit and troubled....Jesus wept.
Let us make it our daily prayer that we would have compassion for others just as
Jesus did. That we would weep when we know we should have told someone about
Jesus and failed to do so. That we would love others so much they would crave this Jesus we worship. I
thank my Heavenly Father for His unconditional compassion for me that even when
I have failed him miserably he still loves me so much he calls me his own.
Pray For Michael that he will grow to be a leader among his people. There
is a strength in his heart that leads me to believe he will impact many for
Jesus so please pray for him. Thank you.
Lowell is a farmer and a Church Youth group worker in the Swan River area of Manitoba. He related this story after working at a Christian Summer camp for natives (Summer of 2001)...