His Entire Stipend
It’s always unfortunate when children have to pay for mistakes their parents committed. This was one of those situations:
Two campers sat on the porch. Their bags were packed and heads hung low. They were being sent home early. No, not because of a fight. Not because they were sick or ill-behaved. Unfortunately their mom couldn’t afford their stay. She had gone about getting them to camp in a deceitful way; and, so, the summer camp administrative staff (of which I was a part) came to the conclusion that the boys must be sent home. As they waited for their ride home, their eyes took in the place they were about to leave. “This stinks,” they must have thought. I, too, thought the same.
But then, something happened.
Just as a car pulled up Brandt Road, junior counselor, Carson, stepped onto the porch. Ok, maybe it was more of a leap. “Celmali, is there anyway they can stay?” he asked me. I could sense desperation in his eyes. The 16-year-old offered his entire stipend, a meager $75, to have the decision reversed. It was a direct challenge to the course that had been set, but I liked it. The challenge came from the right place. His heart. “Let me talk to Ken,” I said.
His stipend was small indeed, but he had asked the million-dollar question. Was $75 enough to make us see past a deceitful, but desperate, mom’s actions? Yes. It was more than enough for us to offer some grace. After all, isn’t grace offered to us all daily? The smiles on the campers’ faces were priceless as they lugged their bags back indoors. By the end of the night, the rest of the staff members had followed Carson’s lead, and enough money was pulled together to cover the cost for both children. We were floored. It was a modern day example of Christ redeeming us . . . of course, with an urban twist. Carson had seen the value in keeping two kids at summer camp and was willing to sacrifice all for it.
It’s always a fortunate event when we realize we don’t have to pay for sins we’ve committed. That is grace. Undeserved, unmerited grace. And this was one of those situations.
Celmali Jaime Okonji, program director in 2006 and 2007, attended Evangelical Garifuna Church and King of Glory Tabernacle, both in the Bronx.
Related Entries
Share:
How Do You Define Mission?
When somebody says “I’m on a mission”, what do you think of? If the word is said in church, what is the first thing that comes to mind? You may think of someone clutching a Bible in a jeep jostling down jungle roads. Or you cold be thinking of a caring staff at an remote…
A Special Request for Baby Vivian
Serving God, while the greatest of blessings, is no guarantee that everything will go well in life. Tragedy, difficulty, and suffering can find any of us at any moment, and when it does, the people of God are essential in helping us navigate the valleys of shadow with Jesus by our side. Ben Gosnell came…
You Can Always Come Home
In the pursuit of mission, I’ve moved around a lot as an adult. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t found a place since Mom and Dad’s house that I felt was mine — a place I could call home. If you find yourself longing for home, you’re in some pretty good company. It says in…
Map Makers Project
Camp is a big place and we have some big plans. But this raises a big question: Just where is everything? In the past, we asked around and maybe somebody would know. Now, we’d like to get all that information down on a map. We’ll use it to maintain the grounds, plan maintenance projects, and…
Welcoming Wisdom: Cabin 2 Opens in Promise Woods
We’re very pleased to announce that Cabin 2 “Wisdom” is now open in Promise Woods for retreat groups and other guests. Wisdom is our 5th (of 6) bunk cabin to be completed and it sleeps 10 in the spacious bunk room and two more in the cozy bedroom. Like all of our camper-style cabins, it…
Homecoming $20k Match: Investing in Camp is investing in each other!
When someone gives a gift to Camp, they’re not just supporting our organization. Their gift is actually an investment in the life of our community of churches. They are demonstrating their faith in the vision Jesus has of life together: that our fellowship has the power the change us and the world. In this faith,…
Signs and The Summer Camp High
Some people talk about “The Summer Camp High” as if it’s not real. I have to admit, I did too. It’s an easy target: people come back buzzing with energy and excitement and ready to be really spiritual and maybe even change the world. But by the time school starts again, where has all that…
Get Your Hands Dirty: Facilities Position Opening
Camp is an amazing place for fellowship and ministry. But it only stays that way due to tireless and creative work of our dedicated Maintenance Staff. We’re looking for a Team Member who will take on the care of our buildings, equipment, and grounds as a ministry to the youth, families, and churches of New…
Reflection on 33 Years of Service
Ken Bontrager has been away from Camp for a few months now enjoying semi-retirement in Florida. He spent a bit of this time happily mowing a golf course while he reflected on his time in New York. Ken will be back with us at Homecoming on September 7. We’ll have a special time to connect…
- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3