Ministry to special needs adults is rare in the evangelical church. Admittedly, we don’t always know how to handle these complex ministries though we would usually agree that those among us with special life situations deserve specialized attention. Often they have the ability to share the love of Christ in ways that we can never imagine. Who will minister to these?
10 1/2 years ago, I sat across the dinner table during August practice with a guy named Paul Freeman. Paul had committed his life to ministry and I was struggling (resisting) the call of God on my life for ministry. At first I was just angry that God would ask me to serve him because I had lost a close friend in a fatal car accident. Eventually, my anger subsided, and I was just scared and obstinate. I had finally settled on “I’m not good enough” as my excuse of choice.
As a college Freshman being beat down by August two-a-days, I was not looking for a conversation about my future in ministry, but God put Paul in my life to break down my excuses. Paul told me, using Isaiah 43, that I wasn’t good enough to serve God, but that God was big enough and good enough to use me in spite of myself. I surrendered to God’s call for vocational ministry in Paul’s dorm room that afternoon, kneeling in front of his filthy, dorm couch.
That story is always part of my testimony, but Paul and I have not really kept up over the years. However, I was recently made aware of Paul’s ministry to special needs individuals through camping experiences. Paul is working to raise funds and awareness for this incredible ministry, and because I believe in what Paul is doing and owe a debt of gratitude to him that I can never repay, it is my honor to direct you to Camp Caglewood’s website and fundraising site so that you can see what they are all about. I would encourage you to investigate Cagelwood and to share this information with your friends and associates.
Our God is the God of all peoples. As a pro-lifer, I support the work of God in the lives of all individuals, and the special needs among us are often the most overlooked. I’m thankful for Paul’s ministry to me and to those who are often considered “the least of these.” I have camped with special needs adults and few things are as challenging and rewarding. I don’t usually do commercials, but you should check out Camp Caglewood.
