As I drove Zeke to camp I was thinking of all the other times I had traveled this road over the years. I, myself had gone to church camp twice in my own childhood. In my college years I had even had spent an entire summer at Camp Galilee doing an internship. How many times had I taken my kids to church camp over the years? I can’t even remember… lots!

So this trip felt familiar in many ways but this time I was taking Zeke to Wilderness Camp to be a counselor. He counseled a week last year with a group of Jr. High kids at some camp in Kansas but he went with a whole crew from our church, including the director of the camp who had invited him, and three other college kids he knew. I wasn’t worried about him but it suddenly occurred to me that he was nervous! When I asked him about it and he confirmed, “A little bit.”

He should have had a summer job by now but the broken wrist and subsequent surgery has kept him from most of his activities. His left hand is cast in such a way that there can be little movement, just tiny finger wiggles. No bend. No grip. Useless! And this camp is to be a sports camp!

Now that he is in a cast and out of a sling he takes part in soccer when someone is putting together a pick up game but mostly that’s about it. He will miss the guitar-playing part of camp, too… his specialty. And he doesn’t know a soul except a friend who is on the kitchen staff for the summer. (She is the one who gave his name as someone who might be able to fill this counselor position on short notice.)

No wonder he is apprehensive. Yet, it is such an opportunity for growth. He is not outgoing so this will be a stretch for him. People are drawn to him because of him countenance but he doesn’t realize this. His guitar has been his crutch, or perhaps tool is a better word. I’m hoping this newest challenge will build his confidence and send him one step closer to being ready for the adult world that he will enter in the not so distant future.

The cast comes off on his 21st birthday!