Wednesday 27 July 2016

A funny anecdote from the week we spent at Silver Birch Bible Camp...
Walter and I jumped into the speed boat at the Bible Camp to help take kids for tube rides during the waterfront time.  The sun was gloriously hot and the lake was smooth and perfect.  Firing up the boat's motor, we pulled away from the dock to just make sure the boat was running well before tying on the tube and preparing for our first batch of eager children.
The three young girls wanted a "medium speed with no donuts" ride, so Walter gently revved the motor and pulled them at their desired speed.  A second boat was also taking kids for tube rides, so we were able to maximize the kids' opportunities to get their turn during the hour and a half activity time before supper.  We took the girls for their turn, pulling back up to the floating dock to switch kids.
The next round started off just fine; we pulled out towards the centre of the lake to allow the other boat to pull up to the dock area.  Then our boat sputtered.  Walter turned off the ignition and pulled and pushed knobs.  He started it once again but it didn't stay running.  He got up to check the motor.  Upon examination, he found a small black plastic piece broken off the fuel line.  The fuel had almost completely emptied from the tank in those few moments and the piece was not reparable. The girls in the tube were splashing and signalling to go but we were able to communicate to them that we were stuck.
I gazed at the shore, then back to the two paddles in the speed boat.  Sigh!  Looks like we'd be paddling!  We tried waving to the driver of the other boat but they were too far away.  So we began to paddle.
As I checked behind to see how the "tubers" were getting along, I was more than amused at what I saw:  they were singing at the top of their lungs, mock-paddling.  And what were they singing?
"I will trust the promise He will carry me...
safe to shore,
safe to shore,
safe to shore,
Safe to shore!"  ~  "My Lighthouse" by Rend Collective
This was an upbeat song we had been singing in the chapel worship times!  The kids had made the best of an unfortunate situation and applied their spiritual knowledge in a practical way.
And by the way, the other speed boat driver eventually saw us in distress and towed us safely back to shore.

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