On Tuesday of this week, I spoke to the Navigators Campus Ministry at the University of Southern Maine in hopes of recruiting new staff for Baptist Park, a camp I direct in northern Maine each summer. I arrived at USM early in order to set up my computer and projector so I could present a video and power point of camp. Already, there were several students hanging around, along with Rus, the faculty advisor, and a four or five piece worship team already practicing. The students were very friendly and welcoming, although I can't remember being called "sir" so frequently. While the respect was admirable, it made me feel old.
After a few minutes, a tall, handsome student came in and saw the top slide of my power point, a picture of Baptist Park. He immediately tells a friend, "Hey, I know that place!" I sprang to my feet and asked, "Did I hear you say you're familiar with Baptist Park?"
"Yes," he replied, "And you're Adrian (my middle name which I use at camp)".
It turns out, this young man was David, a former camper back when we went up there as speakers, and a staff person during my first summer as director in 2005. Since he was maintenance staff that summer, I didn't get to know him as well as the counseling staff whom I supervise directly, but I definitely remembered him.
In fact, he's kind of hard to forget. He was a loud, nonstop busy prankster extraordinaire. He's now 27, and a senior in the mechanical engineering program, and his life is on track with the Lord more than ever before. He lives in the southern part of the state now. He's still loud and doesn't sit still much.
David got to introduce me to the group, and he started with, "This boy can juggle!" He proceeded to describe my glow in the dark routine to the Newsboys song "Shine". It had been at least 10 years since he last saw that routine, and he described it ver batim. I was flattered that it had impacted him so much. I proceeded to do my pitch to recruit counselors, and I am confident David will keep it the forefront of their minds. I wouldn't be surprised if he convinces the group to have us back to juggle someday, too.