It was a pretty busy week last week. I was asked to do program for the youth camp the church was going to. This is typically not an issue except for the fact that we only had a week to prepare 4 skits that would all tie together and would carry a story line. Needless to say I was writing scripts late into the night quite often. After they were written and we had a few practice sessions, we went to shoot some of the videos for the production. I was excited about what the weekend had in store.
Myself and Jon Hatton, our youth intern, were doing program together this past weekend. We were Steady Eddie and Fast Freddie and we were salesmen representing the LSGA or the Local Safety Association. (The G is silent). After work on friday afternoon, I booked it to Ocoee, TN to arrive about an hour and a half before camp arrived. In that time we had a whole lot of set-up to do that we did not get to run through our lines even once before the skit. Well...we bombed. At least I thought we did. None of the lines were in order and video/sound ect. just didnt work on cue, but the kids seemed to love it and they thought we were funny nonetheless. Clay (music guy) did such an awesome job at music this weekend and Jon Teague (former middle school pastor) did such a great job speaking about the worries we bring with us everywhere. I went to bed half frustrated and half excited about where this weekend was heading.
We woke up on saturday morning intent to run through our skit lines multiple times and to give it to the Lord before even walking in front of anyone. Well, it went off without a hitch. They loved it, I thought we did a great job and it was funny! the skit was back on track ready to take over the weekend. Music was awesome as well as message Sat. morning. I had just had some great alone time with the Lord and we were about to begin prep for Sat. night when the weekend took a 90 degree turn.
As Jon and I were preparing in the club room, a leader ran in with a terrified look on her face. She told us that one of the kids was hurt and we needed to come right away and dial 911. Jon grabbed his phone any I took off sprinting to the zip line course. I arrived at the scene to see one of our students unconcious in his zip line harness. I found all the male leaders that were there trying to pull a large platform from an embankment where it had fallen. We finally got it to the top and after noticing it was splintered and broken in places, we had no choice but to set it up and try to hold it together while others un-clipped him and brought him to the ground. It was a grotesque scene. I unclipped the stretcher while others tried to lay the child as still as possible. his breathing was harsh and choppy. I could tell there were broken bones and a severe head injury. Before we knew it, he was air lifted away, but there was much more broken at the camp than the child.
I saw the staff operator shaking and crying. I saw the young boys sister broken and scared. I saw his friends look as if they lost their best friend. Camp leaders burdened by the pressure of knowing what to do in a situation like this. I saw students battling the images of the scene. A light hearted fun camp had been brought to its knees.
After a moment of confusion, we were all gathered in the club room where we all broke up into groups and begin to pray for our friend. It was powerful. Kids that would never pray aloud were freed to pray. I saw the heartfelt cries to the Lord. I participated in them. There was a time when the students were given the opportunity to come to the front and read a passage of scripture that they either remember or looked for. That was neat to see. There was no more skits, it just wasnt appropriate. Our characters were safety fanatics trying to save camp from their exaggerated unsafe ways. Ironic huh? We nixed that real quick.
This weekend was exhausing. I dont know if I have ever prayed as hard, for as long as I have this past weekend. I am expecting the Lord to do some pretty extraordinary things. Pray for Zach Wimer, his family, and everyone involved. Now, if you'll excuse me I think I am going to try and take a breath.
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