The Conclusion of a Wave.

Would you call Caleb Crazy?

We took 34 high school students and leaders boarded an airplane in Denver around 7 in the evening, bound for Orlando Florida. Arriving after midnight, they struggled to get the rental vehicles squared away but eventually made it to a church about an hour away where they were going to spend the night on the floor before they got to camp. Caleb presently resides in Glenwood Springs with his wife, but both of them are from Florida. Caleb used a variety of contacts to coordinate this trip and make it special, including convincing his parents to bring the truck to the airport to haul all of the luggage. Anyway, once they arrived at Caleb’s friend’s church, Caleb asked the obvious question.

“Would you like to go to the beach? It’s only a couple blocks away.”  While the clock creeped closer to 3 a.m., over 30 people strolled a beach in Florida with the euphoric chatter of those who haven’t seen the ocean.

When we go with our high school friends to camp, we know that it’s important to establish trust between leaders and kids early on. This early morning activity helped the young people embrace the leaders as people who care about them. During the week of camp, many more memories were made.

Following a time of baptizing at the beach, Caleb explained to a young man how waves form at the beach. Being a surfer and a fisherman, he has been watching the ocean for a long time. He explained that a wave really begins many miles away from the shore and begins to travel toward the shoreline. It may take a month for it to arrive. This conversation began because one wave caught Caleb by surprise while they were baptizing at the beach.

That wave baptized the young man who asked to be baptized AND knocked down the three leaders standing with him. That wave arrived just in time!

A precisely timed wave, proclaims the hand of a loving God that orchestrates so many little things at precise moments. So many things have to come together just to get kids to camp. And, while at camp, young people take the time to listen for God. Then a simple act in nature speaks volumes. These pivotal moments are instrumental and may be essential for all of us.

Thank you for partnering with YFC to foster these moments. The camp experience this year was unforgettable! Pray with us about the upcoming school year. As we continue to grow our capacity for outreach, pray with us for the resources needed. You don’t have to be crazy like Caleb to impact young people. Young people need people who will listen, encourage, inspire, discipline, and love them.