PULL OUT & SAVE Christian Education & Camps Northwest Edition Pages 7-18 Vol. 22, No. 3 March 2012 www.christianexaminer.com Community Community Cal Thomas Military kids treated to Faith sustains Losing liberty: Slippery slope FREE special week at camp quadriplegic after 49 becoming an avalanche years in wheelchair page 2 page 3 page 5 Zest for life Bout with leukemia fails to slow star basketball recruit By Gail Wood SEATTLE — It’s here, while ly- ing in a hospital hooked up to a chemo drip, that Katie Collier’s testimony as a Christian speaks the loudest. Seth—or “Gizmo”—entered SAMBICA illegally, but this experience ultimately led him It’s not when the 6-3 forward on a path to Jesus Christ. Later he served on staff working with young campers. is swishing another basket, giving her Seattle Christian School bas- ketball team the lead. And it’s not Camp’s ropes course leads when she’ll play in the McDon- ald’s high school All-American teen on journey to faith game on March 28 in Chicago. “People came into her hos- By Scott Noble our, a discipline of running, jump- pital room expecting to see an ing and climbing in urban environ- ashen-faced girl that was beaten BELLEVUE — Many campers ments. and fearful,” said Mark Collier, enjoy the ropes course at the Sam- After the guys got down from the Katie’s dad. “When they opened mamish Bible Camp Association trees and were warned about the the door, they saw someone who (SAMBICA) in Bellevue, Wash.; consequences of doing that again, was beaming and full of life and however, not everyone uses the the staffers and their families in- full of hope and someone who ropes course to get introduced to vited them to play baseball with the trusted God.” the camp—and ultimately to Jesus group. In September, while Katie was Christ. Little did Seth—or “Gizmo”— making a recruiting visit to the One day as a group of staffers and know, this baseball game would for- University of Washington, her their families were playing baseball ever change his life. gums began bleeding and she last year, one of the youngest family SAMBICA was founded in 1919 felt worn down. At fi rst, her fam- members, who was six years old at by the Swedish Tabernacle Church ily thought it was mononucleosis. the time, said, “Dad, there is some- as a family camp. In its early years, But a blood test showed she had body up in the trees!” campers had to take a ferry to get to acute promyelocytic leukemia, a “We look over, and there are the camp, its location being some- rare form of the dreaded cancer. two guys who are probably just what remote and not as developed “Our fi rst response was disbe- out of high school up in our ropes as it is now. lief,” her father said. “Our daugh- course,” said Liz Pearce, staffi ng su- “Camp continued that way, as ter who was so healthy, running pervisor at the camp. “So I just kind family camp, until about the 1940s up and down the basketball of walk over and say, ‘Hey guys, we when camp as it exists today—as court. It was total shock and dis- can’t be up there. You guys need to far as youth camp—kind of started belief this could happen to her.” come down.’ My heart is going, ‘Oh up,” said Christine Szekeres, mar- Since September, she has un- no, they are up there without the keting and development manager dergone weekly chemotherapy. equipment.’” at the camp. “Over the years, we’ve For Kate Collier, her senior year playing basketball for Seattle Christian School was The staff needn’t worry, however, See COLLIER, page 20 interwoven with chemotherapy treatments for acute promyelocytic leukemia. as both guys were involved in Park- See CAMP, page 6 4,000 young people challenged at the Justice Conference By Somer Breeze-Hanson speakers addressed issues such as human traffi cking, slavery, poverty, PORTLAND, Ore. — More than HIV/AIDS and human rights. 4,000 people gathered at the Or- Those who attended the two-day egon Convention Center on Feb. event didn’t return to their 42 states 24-25 to learn, dialogue and rally and eight countries only more edu- for change at the second annual cated and aware; they returned in- Justice Conference. spired and challenged to be part of “You are among 4,000 people the change. who believe it’s better to give than “You’re going to hear about a to receive,” addressed Ken Wytsma, million injustices, and when God conference founder and lead pas- breaks your heart for one, open tor of Antioch Church in Bend, that door and follow that path,” Ore. “I hope you get crushed this said Mike Hogan, Northwest Direc- weekend,” he added as he wound tor of Church Mobilization for In- down the conference introduction. ternational Justice Mission. Hearts were broken and tears Sponsored by World Relief and In just two years The Justice Conference has grown into a well-known event. 1,000 people attended the fi rst conference were shed as social injustices very Kilns College, The Justice Conference in Bend, Ore., followed by the 4,000 this year in Portland. It was announced during the conference that the third annual much alive today were revealed conference will take place in Philadelphia on Feb. 22-23, 2013. to the audience. Well-renowned See JUSTICE, page 20 Display advertising (206) 650-9032 ◆ News leads, subscriptions, bulk delivery 1-800-326-0795 2 • CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • March 2012 NW www.christianexaminer.com Military kids treated to special week at camp funded by community By Jennifer Ferrero The federal funding of the camp for military families was Active duty military families a blessing, said Carmen Morris, face unique challenges from McKenney’s mother. “The kids deployment to foreign coun- [at the camps] are coming from tries to routine drill weekends. a similar background, and they Often military parents leave learn they aren’t alone.” their children behind for an as- Morris said it’s hard to com- signment. Carelton McKenney, municate why you are going to 15, of Bremerton has faced pa- be gone to your children. She rental deployment several times shares that her kids and other in his young life. His mom has military kids understand that been deployed twice, to Kosovo “Some mommies and daddies and Iraq, as a Navy reservist. can get shot at and die” during “The fi rst time was when I was deployment, but that through young; I was confused as to why Operation Xtreme, they “meet she wasn’t there. Most of my friends that are going through memories from that time period the same things.” are dark and not too bright and Shannon Olsen, communica- happy,” McKenney refl ected. tions coordinator with Crista His dad has been gone on long Ministries, said that the ministry term assignments in the states, has a real passion for the military and both parents are gone one week with Operation Xtreme be- weekend a month in the Navy cause of everything that elemen- reserve. In recent years, McK- tary, middle school and even Crista Camps’ Island Lake in Poulsbo and Miracle Ranch near Port Orchard each host an Operation Xtreme camp during enney has relied on friendships high school students go through the summer. Funds are raised for children of military families to attend. and camaraderie, in a summer when parents are in the military. camp through Crista Ministries “They are facing a lot. There before; but they are also dealing with school.” Olsen noted that friends, McKenney relates that called Operation Xtreme, to get are normal peer pressures, drugs with extreme loneliness,” Olsen statistics show reading levels are the Christian focus of the camps through the challenges. and alcohol, earlier sex than ever shared. “They struggle more lower for students of active duty has been invaluable to him. military families. “They feel it’s “Before the camp I believed, their fault that their parents are but I didn’t truly believe. The leaving, and they know their par- camp opened my eyes to what FACT: Drug and alcohol abuse continues to destroy lives, homes, families and ents might not come back.” was really there. I went in as businesses… young and old alike… bringing death and destruction to But two years ago, it was touch- a Christian and came out as a and-go when federal funding to true believer. I think it’s a made nearly every block of every neighborhood and community. run the military-only Operation a humongous difference if they Xtreme, then called Operation are gone again. I am not alone, FACT: Faith in Jesus Christ continues to set these same captives free… Purple, dried up. That’s when I have family, friends, God… leadership at Crista Camps, a it won’t be as bad,” McKenney through His Word, His Blood and Grace. northwestern Washington Chris- said. tian camp resource, determined The challenges of moving, o… a major question to lack of funds (which is a world partner with Freedom House they would reach out to the com- deployment and fear for local Sconsider… Have you been of difference from the secular, for Ministries. Help us to help munity to run the camps. military families have made the set free? Does your life refl ect profi t recovery business…). FHM others break the chains of Doug Chase, vice president community step up to help out His miraculous power to deliver provides help to those who are addictions grip.