It all began early in August. Today, almost three months later, it seems like a Summer of many lifetimes. The ironic twists; the constant flurry; recurring questions about phases of our destiny; a shockingly sudden encounter with death and the hairpin turn that it thrusts you into: there are moments when we wonder if it’s real; if maybe we’re watching the living of it all from a theatre balcony.
August 10, 2006 began for us at 3:00 AM. The Shuttle taking us to the Airport arrived at 3:45. Arriving at the airport we casually wondered why all the Satellite News Vehicles – antenna extended. Entering the terminal building we quickly learned why. We had walked into the LAX version of a worldwide melee created by a newly uncovered terrorist plot to use cosmetic liquids and gels to make bombs. People were milling around mumbling. Why did they have to give up all their cosmetics? Why weren’t they were informed.? People were told they could put these “forbidden” items in their bags to be checked. But many of them had checked their bags already and couldn’t retrieve them. So lotions, gels, toothpaste, mouthwash, and various other such products – depending on which agent you were talking to – were declared contraband and had to be discarded. Shirley had to throw around $30.00 worth of recently purchased products into the trash. I asked a guy canvassing for donations to a Homeless Shelter if he wanted my bottle of water. He smiled and said, “Yah!’’ When I offered him my mouthwash he smiled even more brightly and nodded affirmatively. A guy behind me in line joked about the extra large smile and the alcohol in the mouthwash. I smiled.
Simply being cleared to our departure Gate that morning was huge!
Our final destination that day was Toronto, Canada. We were flying American Airlines and would connect through Dallas/Fort Worth. We left LA on time landing in Dallas on schedule. The disturbances throughout the system hit us hard here and we ended up sitting in that airport for nearly two hours longer than anticipated. When we finally left for Toronto we were over two hours behind schedule. Due to inclement weather our pilot flew well outside the original flight plan to avoid heavy storms. This delayed us by another hour. We finally arrived in Toronto three hours late. Our Sister-in-law – the poor soul designated to do airport duty that day – had come to the airport early. By the time we left she’d been in the parking structure for 5 hours. Our bill? … $27.00!
You guessed it! Late as we were, we got caught in “after hours” Summer construction. We sat on a highway outside the City of Hamilton for over an hour. Finally we arrived at my Brother’s house – a new Home for them – at about 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight time. We’d been traveling for over 16 hours.
The next morning began early. We’d scheduled a Family Brunch with my Brothers and Sisters. All but one of them was there. It was a great time! I usually only get to visit with them on these Speaking Tours to their part of the world so we had much to talk about. The time passed so quickly and we were back on the road by 2:00 PM. We arrived at Pine Orchard Camp, the site of our first Speaking Engagement, about 4:00 on the afternoon of August 11. Meetings began that night. I spoke the following evening and then morning and evening through the following week until the evening of the 18th.
This was my first opportunity to speak at Pine Orchard Family Camp and I was thrilled with the experience. The Campground is located about 40 miles Northeast of Toronto in colorful countryside checkered with farmland, forests, and wooded estates. The Camp is rustic but comfortable. The people are wonderfully delightful folk bent on spending quality restful time with Friends who attend different Churches but have shared this Summer Camping experience for often dozens of years. They are also there for spiritual renewal and pursue it passionately. The Worship Team was a gifted group of inspiring musicians with an obvious, contagious love for Jesus. Even the Sound Techs saw their work as a calling. They were highly skilled for the work and “bent over backward” to provide for every need we had. I was completely comfortable with this Team and worshipped the Lord freely. I was regularly refreshed in my own spirit during this Week at Pine Orchard. The traditional Early Morning Prayer Meeting was inspiring. Though this may seem to be a statement of the obvious it is not. Quite often these Prayer Meetings – a common component of “Revival Meetings” – are more about what Evelyn Underhill calls a “pious stuffiness,” than they are about a genuine encounter with the Living God. Much of the credit for the difference must go to Mike Gibney, Pastor of one of the Churches represented at the Camp. Rarely have I prayed with a man who has such a command of the Judaeo-Christian Scriptures and uses them as adeptly, in prayer, as he does. We were, truly, lifted into “heavenly places” as our hearts resonated with the biblical images of our great and gracious God; “Father;” “Supreme Sovereign;” “Shepherd;” “consuming fire.” The tone of the general meetings was clearly elevated by these “seasons of prayer.” The Camp Director was a beautiful young Mother who, along with her Husband, provided Shirley and me with a most hospitable reception and cared for us attentively throughout the Week. Their names are Carol and Frank. The Camp Maintenance Director and his Family live just across the Highway from the Grounds in a spaciously rambling country home set amongst the woods on the edge of pastureland. Horses grazed nearby. Because our accommodation was to be a mobile unit, scheduled to be delivered the next day, this Family - Murray, Anne, and their kids - moved over to a small cabin on the grounds so that we could stay in their Home for the first night. The mobile unit was great. But this Home was superb. I’ve often dreamed of living in a Ranch House, nestled among trees, with horses grazing nearby. For a few hours that Weekend my dream came true. As though this kind of attention weren’t enough we dined sumptuously in the “Dining Hall.” The food was Home Style and generous. The communal seating made for great camaraderie. We felt as though we were making lifelong Friends. And we were.
Some of those Friendships were made on a golf course not far from the Camp.
I celebrated my 60th Birthday that Week. A couple of guys found out about it and treated me to 18 holes of golf complete with a rented set of fine golf clubs. Now golfing with me is a sacrificial thing. Sacrificial for the people I golf with, that is. But these men took it all with lots of humor and typically “guy” joshing. I’ll never forget Rick, Mark, Barry, Terry, Barry, (yeah there were 2 Barrys) and Ed.
There is so much more I can say about the Week at Pine Orchard. I was able to speak extensively morning and night on the subject, “Love is the Greatest.” Working from 1 Corinthians 12 & 13 I was able to emphasize the dramatic ways in which our Lord wants to teach us and empower us to “love” the way He loves. People were receptive. Decisions were made. This Camp uses an “open altar,” – wooden kneeling benches at the front of the Meeting Place where people can come, kneel, and “do business with God.” Nearly every night people came to pray. I knew I was where our Lord had destined I should be.
The most memorable experience at Pine Orchard involved Frank and Carol and their little girl Ashley. Ashley’s 8 years old. A couple of weeks before Camp one of her older Brothers fell and broke his arm. He was wearing the cast at Camp. On the second night of Camp Frank and I were sitting together, worshipping. Someone hurried up to him and emphatically whispered something to him. He ran from the building. Later that night I learned that Ashley had fallen and injured her arm. Sure enough she had broken her arm. More specifically she had shattered her elbow. Frank and Carol had to leave the Camp to be with her. The next day we got word of an even more alarming turn. Due to the stress from her pain and reactions to medication she vomited. A lot of the fluid was aspirated and Ashley’s condition suddenly became critical. Word came to the Camp that the beautiful little girl who’d been dancing around the Grounds just hours before was fighting for her life’s breath. That night I felt strongly compelled to call the entire Congregation to prayer for Ashley. We had her Aunt come to the center of the platform near the altar. We layed our hands on her and prayed for Ashley’s life. Within two days her lungs had cleared and by midweek she was back on the grounds with her Mom and Dad and Brothers and a very itchy arm.
This event melted the hearts of everyone in the encampment into one. I will never forget it!
On the final night at Pine Orchard, Friday, August 18, Shirley and I left for our next assignment 200+ miles away. Our Father had used us to touch and enrich many lives. We too had been enriched.
Thinking back on this Week now it seems as though I lived a lifetime in those seven days. I met many new people and established new Friends. This is the stuff of a life. Shirley and I lived, with these Friends, another chapter in the storied history of Pine Orchard Camp. And we feel as if we’ve lived that story because we’ve experienced it, vicariously, through those who were there year-after-year, and shared their memories with us. We will never be the same again. Our life journey has new roads traveled and new companions for what lies ahead.
The way of our Lord is, most certainly, the way of LIFE!
