On Saturday the Oak Brook Terrace Corps held a community Easter party. It was a great event that really impacted their community and allowed them to keep in contact with Day Camp kids and families who received assistance throughout the year. There was singing, games, snacks, crafts, an Easter egg hunt and a very clear Gospel message. It was a lot of fun.
There was a kid named Tyler who must have been 5 years old. He was my favorite kid. He had a stutter. I helped him work on a foam cross craft and attached different words and symbols to his cross. When I glued a new word he would ask: “Wha-wha-wha…wha-wha-wha-what that says?” I would say, “It says, ‘I love God.’” He repeated “I love God” without stuttering. Then when I flipped the cross over and glued another word he would ask: “Wha-wha-wha…wha-wha-wha-what that says?” Then I would say, “It says, ‘Faith.’” When I flipped the cross over again and pointed at the first thing I glued he would ask again: “Wha-wha-wha…wha-wha-wha-what that says?” I replied, “It says, ‘I love God.’” He looked at me and said, “Oh, right. I love God.”
The coolest thing was that Tyler was at the service on Sunday, along with many of the other kids that were at the Easter party. He waived his palm as he entered the chapel with all of the other kids. It was as natural a thing as I have ever seen.
(Photos courtesy of C. Himes)
Youth Department