Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), K. Elliott, L. Hubbell, N. Westerbeck
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015032A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:05 Spend my life 00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:27 Let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:39 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:09 My name is C.A Murray 01:10 and allow me to thank you once again 01:12 for sharing just a little of your day with us. 01:15 To thank you also for your love, 01:16 your prayers, your support of 3ABN 01:18 and for assisting us in doing what we feel called to do 01:21 and that's to lift up 01:23 the mighty and matchless name of Jesus. 01:24 Today, we're gonna be talking about 01:26 Christian Record Services for the Blind 01:28 and what they do 01:29 and the long history of services 01:31 that they have to the blind community. 01:34 Got three handsome gentlemen here 01:36 and we'll start at the far with Keith Elliot. 01:38 Keith, how are you doing? 01:40 Oh, great. Good to be here. 01:41 Good to have you here. 01:42 Keith Elliot is the field and camp director for-- 01:45 I guess we can see say CRSB 01:47 and say because 01:48 Christian Record Services for the Blind 01:50 is kind of a mouthful. 01:51 Sure. 01:52 Of course, there is for me. 01:54 And then Larry Hubbell, 01:55 area director for Lake and Columbia Unions. 01:57 Larry, good to have you here. 01:59 Thank you. Yeah. 02:00 Then I think we got the livewire here 02:02 we'll save for last. 02:04 This is Collin McCubbin, is that correct, Collin? 02:07 Yes, sure it is. Yeah. 02:09 Collin is a-- 02:11 I want to say poster child but he is not. 02:13 No, no, 02:14 I'm actually currently going to school, 02:17 Lansing Community College trying to get my degree. 02:19 Good man. All right. 02:21 But you certainly have taken advantage of these services. 02:23 We want to talk about your experience with camp 02:26 and Collin's a fun guy. 02:28 He has been sort of keeping us light and loose 02:31 as we're getting ready for this program. 02:33 But we're gonna talk about the camp programs, 02:35 both summer and winter, gentleman, I'm told. 02:37 And you may know someone 02:40 who can use these services or may yourself be one, 02:45 so we're gonna talk about that today, 02:46 and we'll kind of give you an expose of what CRSB or C. 02:51 Yeah, Christian Rec CRSB, 02:52 I want to say CSRB, CRSB does for this community. 02:57 I want to start with you, 02:58 I think, Keith, to get a little backward on you? 03:01 Where you from? 03:03 I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, our headquarters right now. 03:06 Grew up in Michigan, 03:07 spent about 20 years 03:09 in Tennessee as a representative 03:10 and the area director and then, 03:12 but 11 years ago I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, 03:14 as a field and camp director. 03:16 How did you get connected with Christian Record Services? 03:20 Well, growing up I had very good eyesight. 03:23 I was very thankful that I could see and well 03:26 and wanted to do something for those that didn't. 03:29 And I learned about Christian Record 03:31 when I was a teacher in high school, 03:33 high school teacher 03:34 and started back in 1984 in the summer. 03:39 And I've been with Christian Record 03:40 ever since, 30, almost 31 years now. 03:43 Praise the Lord. 03:44 Did you grow up in Adventist home? 03:46 No. 03:47 No, I became an Adventist 03:50 while I was living in Florida working for 03:51 the Florida Department of Agriculture. 03:54 They put me in an office with an Adventist 03:55 like they said that was something bad, 03:57 you know. 03:59 I decided to work with anybody 04:00 but the Holy Spirit worked on my heart 04:02 and I gave my heart to Christ then, 04:04 and became a Seventh-day Adventist. 04:06 Praise the Lord. Yeah. 04:08 That's a great story. 04:09 So you carved some territory, man, 04:10 we have Michigan, Florida, every time you talk 04:13 I hear another state thrown in that. 04:16 You've been around a little bit, 04:18 but in education I guess for a little while. 04:20 Yes. Praise the Lord. 04:22 Larry, same question, Adventist home growing up? 04:25 Most all my life. 04:26 Uh-huh. 04:28 A lifer, I like that preamble. 04:29 We praise the Lord for that. 04:31 How did you get connected with Christian Record Services? 04:34 Well, I don't know if I should say this or not 04:36 but I had a neighbor 04:38 that was a rep for Christian Record Services 04:41 and he wanted to go into the gospel ministry 04:44 and so he wanted to get out of Christian Record 04:46 for some reason, I couldn't figure it out 04:48 but and so he says Larry, 04:51 he didn't want to-- 04:52 He didn't want to go without replacing himself 04:56 so he says, "Larry, you need to take my place." 04:59 And so I kind of didn't know, 05:03 you know, because 05:05 I was literature evangelist for over 25 years. 05:08 I just thought that probably 05:09 I'd be a literature evangelist the rest of my life. 05:13 But I did apply, and so they accepted me 05:16 and here I am for 20 years now. 05:18 Wow. Praise the Lord. 05:20 I have great respect for literature evangelist. 05:23 When I was working on my theology degree, 05:25 we had to spent some part of our vacation, 05:29 winter break, spring break or all summer 05:31 doing canvassing work they call it back then, 05:34 just you could have the flavor, and I got the flavor 05:37 and I still got that taste in my mouth, I can't-- 05:38 Oh, yeah. 05:40 Dismal failure. 05:42 I just couldn't do any good. 05:45 First of all I'm a sucker for a hard luck story, 05:47 so I would just give the book 05:48 where you got to place that money. 05:50 You know, if we're giving stuff away 05:51 and taken out of your pocket, you can't make any money 05:54 so, and I think I have a rejection phobia, 05:56 when you give your canvas, the person says no, 05:59 just don't want to bothered. 06:01 It's not my cup of tea 06:02 but I have great respect for those who make a living 06:06 and who do well at selling literature, 06:08 but I can pass out literature and give it away 06:10 but that selling part 06:12 that I seem to have a problem with it. 06:13 So you get along with Christian Record 06:15 very well because that's what we do. 06:18 We give all of the reading material 06:20 and I have every book plus a lot more 06:25 than I had when I was a literature evangelist. 06:29 Praise the Lord. Good deal. 06:31 Brother Collin? 06:33 I may help you. 06:36 Give me a little background? Where are you from? 06:38 I'm from the little town called Grand Ledge, Michigan 06:42 and I grew up in a big family actually, 06:45 loving parents. 06:47 And you said you wanted to know 06:49 how many family members I had, right? 06:50 Yeah. Twenty six. 06:53 Twenty six? Twenty six. 06:55 Twenty six? Twenty six. 06:57 We said it three times now. 06:58 Yeah. Two six. 07:02 Two six. 07:04 My soul. 07:05 And I say in Spanish-- 07:07 Yeah. 07:08 Now where are you in that number, 07:10 do you know? 07:11 No. 07:12 A bunch before and a bunch after. 07:14 Probably in the middle 07:15 so you know when you get knocked around sometimes 07:18 but that's to be expected. 07:20 How did you hear about Christian Record Services? 07:22 Well, my mom actually knew Larry somehow. 07:25 I'm not sure how she knows him 07:30 but I remember Larry used to pick us up, 07:33 take us all over the place for summer camps. 07:36 Those are some awesome activities. 07:40 I like the summer ones the best though, 07:42 as you can swim, hiking. 07:45 Well, I guess being a Michigan guy, 07:47 I don't know how happier your town is, 07:49 if it's Upper Peninsula or of it's lower down. 07:51 Lower, it's in the lower. Okay. 07:52 Right. Right by the capital. Okay. 07:54 Well, Michigan knows how to do winter. 07:55 Being right from Buffalo, New York, 07:58 I know a little bit about winter too. 08:00 Sometimes I even wear shorts in the winters 08:02 so I've been known for doing that. 08:03 Bless your heart. 08:05 Gentlemen, give me just a little history 08:06 on Christian Record Services. 08:08 How old is the institution? 08:10 Christian Record started in 1899, 08:12 a blind man Austin Wilson 08:15 produced a braille magazine called the Christian Record 08:18 and we still produce that today. 08:21 So we started our camping program in 1967 08:26 so we're coming close to 50 years of blind camps. 08:29 Wow. Praise the Lord. 08:31 I know we're going to center around camp. 08:32 We'll go to our music in just a moment. 08:34 We're going to center around camp, 08:35 but give me just a broad overview 08:37 of some of the other services that you provide, 08:39 then we kind of honing on our camp 08:41 because that's what we're here for today. 08:42 Sure. Sure. 08:43 Well, it started out 08:45 with the braille magazine Christian Record then, 08:46 and so we produce books and magazines in braille 08:50 and Bibles and Bible lessons and things like that. 08:54 We have audio books and large print. 08:58 We have a scholarship program for blind college students 09:01 and we have some special things 09:04 I want to show you later for special blind people, 09:08 veterans who are blind 09:10 and for little children that are blind, 09:12 so I'll show you that later. 09:14 So you're consistent, not consistent 09:17 but the people that your target audience 09:19 not just young people 09:20 but cradles to the grave kind of thing, 09:22 I mean you're full service. 09:23 That's correct. Yeah. 09:25 And around the world, we opened I think 77 countries, 09:30 and of course you'd expect 09:31 that the US has the most number of our clients, 09:34 Canada is number two, 09:37 but you'd probably never guess 09:38 who number three is? 09:39 I probably wouldn't. 09:41 No. Malawi. Wow. 09:42 Yes, they get a lot of braille in Malawi. 09:45 My soul. 09:46 So this goes to any English speaking country, 09:50 we also have Spanish material 09:52 that Colombia is another country 09:54 that gets a lot of Spanish material 09:55 from Christian Record. 09:57 There's a lot of blind people there 09:59 and there, they are planning 10:01 that the Union down there 10:02 is planning the blind camp this fall. 10:04 That will be their spring 10:07 but for the very first blind camp 10:09 in Colombia will be in October. 10:12 Oh, Praise the Lord. 10:13 I want to go to our music and then come back 10:15 because when you think of camping, 10:16 you think of a kinds of activities 10:18 that one associates with camp. 10:20 You wouldn't think necessarily 10:22 that blind people could participate in 10:24 and have fun and be free to do those things 10:26 but of course they are, 10:28 and we want to walk through that, 10:29 I know you brought some pictures, 10:31 we got some video, 10:32 and I think it's a very, very exciting thing that 10:34 because you're sight challenged, 10:36 you're not struck in the house, 10:37 you're not struck and you can get out 10:38 and enjoy those kinds of thing. 10:40 So we want to talk about that. 10:41 Before we do, 10:42 Neville Peter is here and he is going to be singing 10:44 "Draw Me Nearer" and it's a medley 10:47 that includes "I Need Thee Every Hour." 11:12 I need You every hour 11:19 Most gracious Lord 11:24 No tender voice like Yours 11:29 Can peace afford 11:34 I need You every hour 11:39 Please stay right here 11:47 Temptations lose their power 11:51 When You are near 11:57 So draw me nearer, 12:04 Nearer to the cross 12:12 Where my Savior died 12:17 Draw me nearer 12:24 Still nearer 12:27 To Your precious 12:33 Bleeding side 12:41 That's where I want to be Lord 12:48 Hallelujah 12:54 I need You every hour 13:00 In joy and pain 13:04 Come quickly and abide 13:09 Or my life is vain 13:14 I need You every hour 13:20 Teach me Your will 13:24 Your precious promises 13:30 In me fulfill 13:36 Draw me nearer 13:43 Nearer to the cross 13:51 Where my Savior died 13:57 Draw me nearer 14:03 Still nearer 14:07 To Your precious 14:11 Bleeding side 14:19 That's where I want to be 14:22 I want to be nearer 14:32 Draw me nearer 14:39 Nearer to the cross 14:46 Where my Savior died 14:52 Draw me nearer 14:58 Still nearer to Your precious 15:07 Bleeding side 15:12 That's where I want to be Lord 15:18 I want to be nearer 15:21 To Your bleeding 15:29 Side 15:42 Neville Peter, well done, 15:44 and we thank him so very much for that medley. 15:47 Keith Elliot, Larry Hubbell, 15:49 and Collin McCubbin, McCubbin or Cubbin. 15:52 McCubbin. 15:53 McCubbin are here 15:55 and we're talking about the work of 15:57 Christian Record Services for the Blind 16:00 and the work that they do. 16:01 We are going to go into gentlemen 16:03 a little bit of discussion of the camp program. 16:07 Been around since the 60s. 16:09 I did not know that it was that old. 16:13 How many camps are there spread out across the country? 16:17 This summer we'll have 12 camps across the US 16:20 and then we have one winter camp, 16:21 so we have 12 summer camps and one winter camp and... 16:25 And those camps are spread out across the United States, 16:28 they're in different places? 16:29 All over from Washington to California, 16:31 Florida, Maine. 16:34 So here in the States you can probably get to one, 16:37 it's not too far away. 16:39 We don't have one in every state, 16:40 we'd like to but we try to get, 16:41 make sure that all blind kids get to go to one of the camps. 16:44 How do you find your constituency 16:47 the people that the-- 16:48 they contact you, you go looking of them, 16:50 you get referrals, how does that happen? 16:52 Many, many ways. 16:53 We have 40 representatives all over the country 16:56 who will spent part of their time 16:58 looking for blind for to be clients, 17:01 both adults and children and we contact schools, 17:05 we contact eye doctors that see people who go blind 17:10 and then referrals from our clients. 17:12 You know, a lot of times Collin will tell me about, 17:15 you know, somebody he knows that could use our services. 17:20 When you, Collin, 17:21 when you first went to the camp or even before you went, 17:24 did you have any expectations 17:26 as to what it was going to be like, 17:27 what you're going to do? 17:28 Did anybody kind of give you little heads up 17:30 or you kind of just taken it as they came? 17:32 Just take it as it goes. 17:34 We do the same activities as everyone else. 17:37 The only difference is we need that extra assistance 17:41 because just for safety reasons. 17:45 Now you say the same activities, 17:46 give me some, an example? 17:48 Well, swimming, boating. 17:54 In some of the camps 17:55 you get to go water-skiing too 17:58 and, well, biking of course, 18:01 so it's pretty much what a normal camper does. 18:03 Yeah. Yeah. 18:05 So the only difference is we get-- 18:09 I mean like the extra assistance 18:12 if we needed. 18:13 Yeah. Yeah. 18:15 Now, water-skiing 18:16 is someone in the, on the skis next to you 18:19 or you just did kind of trusting that boat 18:21 that it's not gonna send you into a wall or something 18:23 out of nowhere. 18:24 Well, I have to put it this way, 18:26 everyone's in the boat. 18:30 And you're only one out there so. 18:32 So you're the only one out there. 18:33 For water-skiing, yeah. 18:34 Wow. Okay. Okay. 18:36 Have you done that? Have you actually done that? 18:37 I have but I didn't do it through Christian Record, 18:40 I did it through a different camp. 18:44 But you have water-skiing? 18:45 I have water-skiing but I'm kind of bad at it. 18:49 You know, I got-- 18:50 I have eyes and I'm bad at it too, 18:51 so don't worry about that. 18:53 See, I was blind, 18:55 I went to blind school till sixth grade. 18:58 I didn't know, pastor. 19:00 And then I had-- Well, I guess 19:01 I have had a dozen eye operations 19:03 and I got enough sight 19:04 to be mainlined into public school, 19:08 and then in the last, 19:09 oh, since I've been at 3ABN maybe another four operations 19:12 so I have-- I know what it is not to have sight 19:16 and then have a little sight and then have little more 19:18 and then not going back the other way, 19:20 losing my sight again. 19:21 Yeah, you have a lot to be thankful for. 19:22 You know, it is. 19:24 It is quite a lot to be thankful 19:25 and I'm also thankful for groups like yours 19:28 that really reach out that community 19:30 because it's a challenge but obviously they have fun. 19:36 How long are the camps sessions 19:39 when, you know, for each camp? 19:42 Yeah, most camps are a week. 19:44 Some our bike camps are little shorter 19:47 depending on the number of days 19:48 they bike in and things like that, 19:50 but, yeah, most of our camps run from Sunday to Sunday. 19:53 Yeah, now you've mentioned this bike camp idea. 19:56 How does that work? 19:58 I'll let Larry talk about that. 19:59 He coordinates our Michigan blind bike ride. 20:02 Uh-huh. 20:03 Well, what it is, we use bicycle built for two. 20:07 We put the sighted person in the front, 20:09 blind person in the back. 20:11 Now, when I first started 20:13 before I started, Heaven Blind Bikers Camp, 20:18 there was another one blind bikers camp in Tennessee 20:21 and what they did was they went to 187 miles 20:25 on the Natchez Trace 20:26 from Nashville, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississippi 20:30 in two and half days. 20:32 Man, that's-- 20:35 That's covering a lot of territory. 20:36 Well, as I participated in that camp, 20:39 I decided that 20:40 I think my blind bikers in Michigan 20:44 wanted to do something different. 20:46 Maybe it's just my own selfish thing. 20:47 Yes. 20:48 I said why don't we bike out to an activity, 20:51 do the activity then bike back to camp. 20:54 Okay. Okay. 20:55 And so this is what we do. 20:56 We might go out to an airport, 20:59 we'll have bush pilot instructor come in 21:02 and he'll take three at a time, 21:04 will take our blind people up there 21:07 and he will go through the same paces that he does 21:09 when he is teaching a person how to fly. 21:14 And the person in the co pilot seat 21:16 actually gets to take control. 21:21 But they are never in danger. Yeah. Yeah. 21:23 Because they are just doing that. 21:25 Yeah. Yeah. 21:27 Now I see the pictures are up here. 21:29 There's a blind biker. 21:30 Yeah, that's what it shows there. 21:32 I always thought this bicycle build 21:33 for two thing. 21:35 Is the person in the back actually carrying weight 21:37 or they, are they-- 21:38 Is there pedaling, is sort helping the most, 21:41 so it's not just the person in front, 21:42 so both are actually carrying the weight. 21:44 Exactly, you can tell 21:45 when the person in the back is not pedaling. 21:47 You know what? It's really funny. 21:49 One time I was at a camp, you know, and I had a fellow 21:53 that was always coming in last, you know. 21:56 And he says 21:58 I just can't get any speed with this camper, you know. 22:00 And I thought, well, he is probably tired 22:02 so I had Collin and Collin, he was my partner 22:08 so I traded Collin for this other camper? 22:11 Guess what? We came in last. 22:15 So you wanted me back. 22:17 That mean we can come in first. 22:20 Collin always comes in first. 22:22 Yeah. Do you like biking Collin? 22:26 I do. 22:27 I can probably pedal for two people. 22:29 Yeah. 22:30 And he does. Does he really? 22:32 Yeah. Yeah. 22:33 That's a nice activity 22:35 and actually taking us somewhere 22:37 is really, a really, really great idea. 22:39 The boating and the swimming and those kinds of things, 22:42 how do you manage that and still maintain 22:44 the kind of safely levels that you want, 22:46 you know, to assist the person 22:48 who is sight challenged? 22:50 We're super careful 22:53 like if we're getting people in and out of the boat, 22:56 we just, we're right there, 22:58 you know, right with them every second, 22:59 you know, to make sure 23:01 they don't step in between and go down the lake. 23:06 Does that answering your question? 23:07 Yeah, no, no, it does because 23:09 I mean there are so many ways 23:10 a person get separated or you misstep 23:12 or you're not thinking ahead, trying to look out. 23:14 When I was in sight saving school, 23:17 those who had little sight 23:19 assisted those who had no sight, 23:21 but and back then they were very, very careful 23:26 not to misstep or not to let go or not to give bad directions 23:29 because, you know, something could happen. 23:31 And I suspect you had the same kind of diligence 23:33 with your campers. 23:35 Yeah, our camps require more supervision 23:37 because of the safety issues. 23:40 Is there a board or some kind of agency 23:42 that overlooks the procedures and the kind of things 23:46 that happens at camp as far as, 23:47 you know, from a safety standpoint? 23:49 Yes. Yeah. 23:50 And we go to a camp for blind 23:53 and we go ahead of time 23:55 and during their orientation time, 23:58 camp the staff weekend and actually teach new staff 24:01 that have never worked with blind 24:02 how to lead a blind 24:04 and we actually blindfold them for part of the day 24:06 so they have the experience 24:07 what it's like to be blind. 24:09 The first year that I was at camp, 24:12 they blindfolded me at breakfast 24:13 and I couldn't hardly get through breakfast. 24:16 I knocked over my orange juice 24:17 and the food didn't even taste as good 24:19 because I couldn't see what I was eating. 24:21 Yeah. Yeah. 24:22 I can neither, 24:25 but I eat breakfast just fine. 24:29 Yeah, they teach us, you know. 24:31 You know this is a spirit, 24:33 our camps are spiritual, you know. 24:35 We're trying to help the blind see Jesus 24:38 but a lot of times the campers help us see Jesus. 24:41 Yeah. Yeah. 24:43 Collin, tell me as a person 24:45 who is sight challenged, who is blind. 24:48 When are we doing too much for you? 24:50 You know what I mean. 24:51 When are we smothering you because there is this tendency 24:54 and I-- when I was growing up by, 24:56 I knew there are some parents 24:57 who really kind of held tight reins on their children. 24:59 But when is-- when is it too much? 25:01 How much freedom do you require? 25:02 Do you like, are you comfortable with. 25:04 Well, I need minimum assistance, 25:07 but every person is different 25:08 and the best way to figure out that issue 25:12 is to ask the person, don't be afraid to. 25:15 We talk too. We can hear too. 25:18 Well, I know you do. 25:22 No, but I mean you dose-- 25:23 there is no way you can figure it out 25:25 unless the person tells you 25:26 because, you know, you do everything 25:27 you can to help the person with disabilities 25:30 but you won't know 25:32 if it's too much unless they say something, 25:34 so it's up to you and the person 25:36 have to work that out. 25:37 Have to work together. 25:39 I mean I always say something but funny. 25:44 How many years have you been going to camp? 25:47 See, how many years has it been any guess? 25:51 I miss couple of years. 25:52 Well, you were about 9 years old 25:54 when you first came. 25:55 Yeah, I was 9. 25:57 That's okay. We can live with that. 25:59 You've been coming a couple of years. 26:00 A long time. 26:02 Plus a few more on to that. 26:06 Yeah. 26:07 Collin has several brothers and a sister 26:10 that's come to camp as well. 26:13 And I remember one year 26:14 when four of them were out with the same camp 26:16 at the same time. 26:17 Wow. Wow. That was exciting. 26:19 Are your brothers and sisters as effervescent as you, Collin? 26:23 Are they as lively as you are? 26:28 They are. Yeah. 26:29 And unfortunately, I mean fortunately, 26:34 I don't know which one to go back, 26:36 but yeah, they're pretty nice people. 26:38 Oh, praise the Lord. 26:40 But you know, family stuff. Yeah. 26:44 Do you have a favorite activity at camp 26:46 something you kind of look forward to doing? 26:48 Yeah, camp fire. 26:49 Camp fire. Camp fire. 26:52 Camp fire. That's interesting. 26:54 Some more. 26:56 Yeah, why is camp fire so special to you? 26:59 Well, we all gather around 27:01 and we get to share our experiences with-- 27:06 It's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. 27:08 It occurs to me 27:09 Collin is a kind of a social kind of a guy. 27:12 He likes to talk, yeah. 27:13 You know, in fact I was very antisocial 27:15 but it's not true. 27:18 That it's not true. I don't feel antisocial at all. 27:22 Let's go to some of the pictures now 27:24 because I want to take a look at, 27:25 then you can kind of walk me through this experience. 27:28 We talked about the tandem biking 27:30 and that the person at the back is carrying their weight. 27:33 There they're pushing as well as the person in front, 27:36 and that must be exciting for the guys 27:37 and to this idea 27:39 going 187 miles in a couple of days 27:40 so you kind of get out there and this is not little 27:44 go around the block kind of thing, 27:45 this is biking. 27:47 Serious cycling. 27:48 Yeah, there's a serious cycling. 27:49 But in Michigan we don't go 187 miles. 27:52 We may go 20, 25, 30 miles, 27:54 you know, is the most we'll do in a day. 27:57 Now, what's this we're looking at? 27:59 Oh, this is beeper ball 28:03 and right here 28:07 we're at Great Lakes Adventist Academy 28:11 at the ball field. 28:12 Yeah. So the ball beeps. 28:13 And the ball beeps, they hit the ball 28:17 and then it will go out in the field 28:19 and if somebody catches the ball 28:21 before he gets to first base, he is out. 28:25 Okay. 28:26 But if he gets to first base 28:28 before somebody gets the ball he's got homerun. 28:31 Oh, I see, okay. 28:32 So the base beeps as well, 28:34 so he is running towards the base. 28:36 But it's a different beep 28:38 The ball beeps one sound 28:41 and the base beeps another sound. 28:43 Another sound, okay, I see. 28:44 Kind of know you runs into base and not the ball. 28:48 It make a lot of sense. 28:49 Do you play that game, Collin? 28:51 Well, I haven't played it lot 28:53 but yeah, if I play I start running into people, 28:58 sometimes on purpose. 29:01 All right. Let's go back to our pictures. 29:02 Okay. 29:04 This is at the Adventist Historical Village. 29:07 On Sabbath, every Sabbath there were a blind bikers camp. 29:14 I take them to one of three things, 29:17 either the Old Rugged Cross Museum 29:19 in Reed City, Michigan. 29:22 Reed City was the last place that 29:26 George Bernard lived before he died. 29:29 And when he died 29:30 he willed all his things to the city of Reed City. 29:32 I see. 29:34 And so they made a museum there and they've added tour, 29:36 it's quite a nice thing. 29:37 And it's a spiritual, 29:39 I have the man have a spiritual talk 29:42 and so he goes through all of the things there. 29:45 The other thing is that 29:47 we go to the Adventist Historical Village, 29:52 that was the picture there. 29:53 And on Sabbath we actually 29:55 have one of the churches 29:56 and have our own church service 29:58 in one of the historical churches. 30:00 I see. 30:01 That was the old pump organ there, 30:02 that was Abbey, she is-- she is a blind girl, 30:05 I found here in Ohio 30:07 and she plays-- she played the old pump organ 30:10 while we sang and so that's what that was. 30:13 That must be nice. 30:14 So there seems to be a strong spiritual component 30:18 and there's fun obviously, 30:19 but there is strong spiritual component to the camp also. 30:21 That's right. 30:22 I've often said, you know, 30:24 if it wasn't for camp counsel in the morning 30:26 and camp fire at night, 30:27 we might as well send them to any other camp. 30:30 But we're doing something of a spiritual nature 30:33 that nobody else is doing. 30:35 So you build into a program at time 30:37 to sort of connect with God, 30:38 to learn about God, to know God if you do not, 30:40 that's part of the curriculum dare we say. 30:43 Let's go back, I think we have a few more pictures. 30:46 Okay. 30:48 This is a Challenge Mountain. 30:49 This is at Boyne City, Michigan 30:51 and we go to camp-- for our winter camp. 30:55 And then we drive up to Challenge Mountain. 30:58 It's a special ski hill that's for handicap people. 31:03 I mean they have all different 31:04 kinds of handicap that come there. 31:06 Now, one of the things that they have 31:08 is a special ski for people on wheelchairs 31:12 and our blind people even like that one, 31:14 but you'd be surprised in just a very, very short time, 31:18 this is Matthew and Linda is the instructor 31:22 and she is the one that's 31:23 in charge of Challenge Mountain. 31:26 And in just a very short time 31:28 they get them skiing right out there. 31:29 Now I want to go back if we can to that first picture 31:32 because that, that-- 31:33 those cords seem attached to the front of the skis. 31:36 Now, who-- the blind person is behind. 31:39 No, in front. In front. 31:41 So those are loose cords, 31:43 so you just-- you're kind of steering them. 31:45 Steering the skis. 31:46 The skis are attached together 31:49 and so the ski instructors from behind 31:53 and this is one of many techniques 31:54 they use for people with handicaps 31:58 to get them to have experience of skiing. 32:00 Of skiing. Wow, wow. 32:01 Because my head is saying how do they do that? 32:04 You know, how do they get that done 32:05 but you can see it there. 32:07 They're coming up with new things all the time, 32:09 you know, how to-- how to do this you know. 32:12 Yeah. 32:13 So every experience 32:14 pretty much that a sighted person has, 32:16 a blind person can have. 32:18 Yeah. 32:19 Do you have anymore? Yeah. 32:20 That we have-- Norine is coming on later 32:23 and she is gonna talk about her camp, 32:25 so we have some more pictures. 32:26 Okay. Great, great. 32:29 One winter camp and several summer camps? 32:31 Hmm, 12 yeah. Twelve? 32:32 And the winter camp is in Michigan. 32:34 It's in Grayling, Michigan. 32:36 Okay. Okay. 32:37 If you had that camp at Buffalo, 32:38 you can have the winter camp almost through July 32:41 because I talked about this the other day, 32:45 they're still getting snow even late in the year. 32:49 Are they expensive? 32:50 Is it, you know, 32:52 is it expensive to get a young person into camp? 32:55 The camps are free to the clients, to the blind. 32:58 Okay. 33:00 They pay a small registration fees 33:02 that's when they apply, but it's free to them 33:06 but it is expensive. 33:07 Yeah. So we do fund raising. 33:09 Our representatives fund raise all year along 33:11 for our camps and our other services. 33:13 Okay. Okay. 33:15 Yeah, our first winter camp was in Colorado, 33:17 we started in 1980 33:21 and that's probably one of our more expensive camps 33:23 because of the location. 33:25 They have a great program there. 33:27 Some volunteers have continued that camp 33:29 and they still operate that camp every winter. 33:32 And Collin's went to that camp 33:34 and did some serious downhill skiing 33:36 on that camp. 33:37 And I want to go back there again. 33:40 He loves it. 33:42 Before we go to our video and bring Norine on, 33:45 Collin, obviously camp is something 33:47 that is of important in your life. 33:49 If someone would ask you a blind person 33:52 and you were kind of being the commercial promoter guy, 33:55 what would you say to him 33:56 about the value of 33:58 about the importance of coming to camp? 34:01 About the people in coming together, 34:04 all about making new friends, 34:07 you know, having fun. 34:10 And we can fun too. 34:13 It's not just, you know, coming heck, 34:16 they have a lot of camps for sighted people 34:17 so why can't they have camps for us too. 34:20 Good deal. Good deal. All right. 34:23 I want to go to the video now 34:26 and we'll take a look at this 34:28 and then we're gonna make a quick search here, 34:29 but let's take a look at that video 34:31 just now. 34:40 Our deepest fear is not that we're inadequate. 34:43 Our deepest fear is that we're powerful beyond measure. 34:47 It is our light not our darkness 34:49 that most frightens us. 34:51 You're a child of God. 34:53 Your playing small doest serve the world. 34:56 There is nothing enlightened about shrinking 34:58 so that other people won't feel insecure around you. 35:02 We're all meant to shine as children do. 35:05 You know, Peter is one of the campers 35:07 that I remember first meeting. 35:08 He has a huge smile. 35:10 He is enthusiastic. 35:12 He is excited about camp 35:14 and probably what really sits out to me 35:16 about him is he's excited about God. 35:19 I have a goal 35:20 and my goal is to serve the Lord 35:23 to the very best of my ability 35:25 and to do something in the medical field. 35:28 I should be certified registered nurse 35:30 and anesthetist or respiratory therapist. 35:34 This has been a dream for me, 35:36 pretty much my whole entire life. 35:40 When I see the nurses at camp I get profoundly excited 35:44 and especially when the CRNAs come, 35:47 when they come to camp that is beyond words. 35:50 It became apparent to us 35:52 that not only was he interested in 35:55 just seeing us on a regular basis as needed, 35:59 but he considered us an activity 36:02 and so he'd schedule time that he could sit with us 36:07 and have conversations about nursing as a profession 36:12 and particularly anesthesia care. 36:16 Okay, some stuff about me. 36:18 I'm 22 years old. 36:21 I love life 36:23 because Jesus Christ died on the cross for me 36:26 and so I have reason to live and to be happy. 36:30 He loves to play the piano. 36:33 He likes to be called Johan 36:35 because he knows how to play bak. 36:37 I have actually asked people who called me Johan at camp 36:41 and they heard me play the piano 36:43 and so that's how they started calling me Johan. 36:47 I do remember last year here at the camp 36:50 as we were talking, I shared with him 36:52 that there were some options 36:53 with the Seventh-day Adventist hymn note. 36:55 When I heard about the real hymn note, 36:57 I was so excited. 37:00 We were told all you have to do is ask, 37:02 so we wrote to Christian Record 37:05 and we asked finally around Christmas of last year 2013, 37:11 the hymn note was there for him. 37:12 Oh, what a joy, 37:13 his face glowed as we brought him upfront, 37:17 gave him the hymn note. 37:18 The Lord has done 37:20 so much through Christian Records 37:22 that has blessed so many people. 37:24 I feel that they give me confidence 37:26 to go for bigger goal by teaching me about God 37:31 and about witnessing to others. 37:34 I love being at camps for the blind, 37:36 Christian Records sponsors this camp. 37:39 Behind me you can see campers engage in archery, 37:43 that's just an example of some of the things 37:46 that Christian Record helps inspire confidence 37:50 in the campers that come here, 37:52 but not only at camp 37:54 but also with our braille large print, 37:56 audio, web services 37:58 so many things that we want to do 38:01 and we do them because you care, 38:03 you help us, you make it possible. 38:05 Did you know that 38:06 $15000 could pay for this entire camp, 38:10 I know there is someone out here 38:12 that's gonna write that check, 38:13 it's happened before, it can happen again. 38:16 But regardless of what you can give, 38:18 every little bit helps. 38:20 We appreciate it so much 38:22 that you have the confidence in us 38:24 that we can share that confidence with the blind 38:28 so that all of us can see Jesus when He comes. 38:32 The Lord has done so much through Christian Records 38:36 that has blessed so many people 38:38 and I think that they are giving to God 38:41 to help spread His news, the good news in His word 38:45 further and further. 38:54 So you get a bit of an idea of what happens at camp 38:57 and Keith, Johan 39:03 what a livewire he is for the Lord 39:05 and he seems so very, very excited. 39:06 Is he kind of typical of the young person 39:08 that attends those kinds of camps? 39:10 Pretty much. 39:11 Yeah, looking for excitement, looking for challenges 39:15 and yeah, he is a unique fellow, 39:18 he wants to be a nurse anesthetist. 39:20 Yeah. Bless his heart. 39:22 Yeah, that's-- he is biting of a big elephant 39:24 that's really, really something 39:25 but, you know, if anyone is going to do, 39:27 he's got the energy 39:28 and he certainly is a bright child. 39:30 He has passed all the tests 39:31 he needs to get into this school. 39:33 Yeah. Amen. Amen. All right. 39:35 We've got a rose to add to the thorns. 39:38 Norine Westerbeck, good to have you here. 39:41 And you're representing the Yorktown Bay Arkansas camp 39:46 and you coordinate duties for that camp. 39:49 Give me some idea of 39:50 what your portfolio is as coordinator for camp. 39:53 What do you do during the year 39:55 and then what you do once camp starts? 39:57 Well, during the year the very first past of the year 40:00 I start visiting the area where the camp takes place 40:05 and I start visiting Lions Clubs 40:07 and different organizations 40:10 that can help us do some of the outside activities 40:13 like going to the fun trackers 40:17 which is go karts and water bumpers, 40:24 arcades and mini golf, 40:28 that's one of the activities, 40:30 another activity is the lawn bowling, 40:34 it's a new activity 40:35 that the Breakfast Lions Clubs helped us sponsor. 40:40 Then we do another place called Jurassic Park 40:43 and it's another go kart place because they love go karts. 40:47 I think we'll have some pictures 40:48 that will show them. 40:49 What it's amazing to me, 40:51 I remember Lions Club growing up 40:52 because they'd do our Christmas party 40:54 and they're doing a spring break kind of party. 40:57 And it's nice 40:59 that you sort of interface with them 41:01 and work with them 41:02 but a lot of these things that you're mentioning 41:04 it would never occur to me 41:06 that I guess I was sort of in the dark ages. 41:10 They showed on the video archery, 41:12 you know, go karts, these kinds of things 41:15 that you would think are limited to those with sight, 41:18 but blind people can really enjoy those 41:21 and be a part of those also. 41:24 On Friday this year we'll be doing 41:26 the Gangster Museum. 41:28 Hot Springs has a real history 41:30 of little Chicago coming to Hot Springs and Al Capone 41:36 and even the machine gun 41:38 that they used during that time, 41:41 I'm not sure exactly what they did with it 41:44 but I guess they shot it, 41:46 but they love it, they absolutely love it 41:50 and we have sponsors that help with that program. 41:54 Bowling is another activity 41:57 that The Knights of Columbus, they help sponsor it. 42:04 Fishing they have morning up fishing, 42:07 the Angler's Club helps with that. 42:10 They take our campers out for a morning fishing. 42:13 So you've reached out to any number of other agencies 42:16 to sort of help you with your program. 42:17 Yes. Yes. Yeah. 42:19 That is really wonderful. 42:20 And Fountain Lake School District 42:22 is our bus service during that week 42:24 and they've been doing that for a number of years. 42:26 Wow. 42:27 Now, Keith, is that, is what Norine talking about 42:30 is that just the Yorktown Bay camp 42:32 or do all the camps sort of reach out 42:34 to bring in services from other agencies 42:36 that want to help blind, blind students also. 42:40 To some extent, 42:41 I think Norine's camp has more volunteers, 42:43 more outside activities. 42:45 Many of our camps, we just stay at camp 42:47 and do the activities that are there 42:50 and do them, maybe more than once, 42:52 you know, water-skiing and horseback riding, 42:55 archery and things like that. 42:56 Yeah. Yeah. 42:57 And I'm sure they don't mind doing that more than once. 42:59 What was that again to it. 43:01 I got to ask these questions, this is not just 43:03 for Adventist kids, is that not so? 43:05 No. 43:06 It's for all denominations or no denomination. 43:09 Yeah. Yeah. 43:10 And it's good 43:12 that the spiritual componentis there, 43:14 so that they do get a chance 43:16 to meet the Lord and learn about the Lord 43:17 and understand that he loves them. 43:18 Yeah, that's a very, very important part. 43:20 We have a number of baptisms-- 43:22 Is that so? Yes. 43:23 Wow. Praise the Lord. 43:25 Praise the Lord. 43:26 In fact our morning for the last couple of years, 43:28 our morning devotion person 43:30 actually is a camper 43:33 that works for another organization 43:37 that is not Adventist 43:39 but that is from another denomination 43:42 and I don't know if I'm able to mention it or not 43:45 but it's Family Life Today and he's worked there 17 years 43:51 and he is a blind gentlemen that is just loves the Lord 43:55 and he has something in common with me 44:01 and that has some-- 44:03 his wife passed 44:04 in March of 2013 44:11 and my husband passed in 2012. 44:13 And so we had that in common and I knew him before that 44:17 and asked him 44:18 if he would be interested in doing 44:19 and he okay did with the pastor 44:23 that usually does our blind camp pastor, 44:27 and ask him if it would be okay 44:29 if he did the morning part 44:31 and he said, sure, I'm able to share 44:33 and so we kind of interviewed him 44:35 and so he's done that the last couple of years for us 44:38 and plans to do that again this year. 44:39 Excellent. Let me ask you, Norine, 44:41 because I asked Larry, I asked Keith, 44:43 how did you get started with Christian Record Services? 44:47 In 1997, I went to a fund raiser 44:54 that was done in the Poplar Bluff, Missouri Church, 44:57 a young man had started working for Christian Record 44:59 and he sang 45:01 and so that it was kind of like a fund raiser 45:05 and I don't know there was this piece of paper 45:09 that had, you know, 45:11 something about being interested in ministry 45:15 or something like that. 45:17 And I actually taught to... 45:22 it was Dan Miller at that time, 45:24 he was the-- 45:26 You call Dan a young man. 45:29 Well, he'd probably love that. 45:31 But he was there and I said something, 45:36 I'm about being interested 45:38 and he said, I can get you in touch with the man 45:40 that would, you know, 45:42 he probably love for you come visit camp 45:45 and so Kevin Hoggart was the director at that time 45:49 and he called me and he said, 45:52 well, the biggest part of the ministry is 45:54 what you need to come see. 45:57 And I worked for another company for 22 years 46:03 and I don't know 46:05 if it was Midlife thing or whatever 46:07 but, okay, I need to come visit and so they were having camp 46:14 and so I came down and what impressed me 46:17 was a young man that only heard my name once 46:22 and during the day and half that I was there, 46:24 no matter where I was at, 46:26 if you heard my voice, he would say my name 46:30 and then just all the activities of, 46:34 you know, what they were doing at that time. 46:37 Keith, I've got to ask you because I've heard you say 46:40 that the camps are provided free of charge 46:43 or nominal charge to your campers, 46:46 so fund raising is an important part 46:48 of what you have to do I suspect. 46:50 Yes, it is. Yeah. 46:51 We have 40 representatives all over the country 46:54 and it's because of the kind hearts of donors 46:56 that we're able to operate, not only the camps 46:59 but our library program 47:00 and our Bible program for the blind. 47:03 Now, short of just getting donations 47:05 which you're going to ask for in just a little bit 47:07 and you want to get your pen out 47:09 because we're gonna give some contact information 47:11 just shortly. 47:12 What are the kinds of things you do to raise money? 47:14 What are the kind of events that you have to raise funds? 47:17 And, Norine, you can weigh on this, 47:19 on this also. 47:20 Well, sometimes we do a Walmart event 47:23 and raise money that way, visit churches. 47:27 Now, you have come with this Walmart event, 47:29 when I think Walmart, I think spent money. 47:33 Well, we'll have maybe a sign out there 47:37 that Christian Record Service 47:39 and you know, we're raising money for blind camps mostly. 47:43 And my-- 47:48 my greatest fund raising is through our Lions Clubs 47:51 and some even corners 47:55 and then some several businesses 47:59 in my state. 48:00 So there are lot of groups 48:02 that feed into what you're trying to do 48:03 and buying this, and that's wonderful. 48:05 We got some more pictures I wanted to go to just now, 48:07 that you can sort of help us with, Norine... 48:08 Okay. 48:10 This is a young man that... 48:15 I met when he was six, I mean he had tumors 48:19 when he was six and lost his eyesight. 48:22 When he was 10 I met him and he had lost his hearing 48:26 because of these tumors. 48:28 And I met him at the school for the blind 48:31 because I visit at the school for the blind often, 48:34 and so then he graduated 48:38 and he remembered camp 48:44 and here he is 21 years old. 48:46 And then his mom calls me 48:48 because of the young man had mentioned camp 48:54 and she says how can we make this happen 48:56 because he never asked for anything 48:59 and he asked to go to camp. 49:00 At 21? At 21. 49:02 Bless his heart. 49:03 And so the greatest thing for him, 49:05 when he got to come to camp 49:07 that year was being able to see 49:09 other campers that he had gone to school with. 49:11 Wow. Incredible. Incredible. 49:13 That's great. That's great. 49:15 We got some more. 49:17 All right. We're looking at, Norine? 49:19 This is a couple of girls that-- 49:22 they went to school together 49:23 but they live in opposite sides of the State 49:27 and so the one actually came 49:30 to visit the other one during camp. 49:33 The one in the gray, 49:34 she was about half way through the week, 49:38 she lost her mother. 49:40 And so she had to go home. 49:42 But she is rearing to come back this year. 49:45 What is that they're petting? 49:47 I think it's goat. 49:48 Yeah, I was thinking, I said that looks like a goat. 49:50 Yeah. 49:51 This is at the-- This is some of the-- 49:56 It's a Nature Center. 49:57 Yeah, it's a Nature Center 50:00 and they have several animals that they can pet. 50:01 I'm just so impressed with the variety of experiences 50:03 that you have for them. 50:05 It's just really, it's incredible, 50:07 it's really quite something. 50:09 Oh, but zipline and the wall-climbing 50:11 and the-- they love-- 50:15 they learned how to water ski there 50:16 because they have the-- 50:18 Boom. 50:20 Boom out to the side and they get on that, 50:24 that we don't have those church with us. 50:27 Okay, we got couple more. 50:29 This is at one of the outside activities 50:31 and that is a volunteer 50:32 that's actually driving that young man 50:34 and that young man is just having a wonderful time. 50:38 As you can see. Yeah. 50:40 And this is the-- 50:43 the two on the-- in the green... 50:48 Tube. Tube there. 50:50 They are from Oklahoma group that come to camp 50:54 and the other two are, one's from Texas 50:57 and the other one's from Little Rock. 51:02 Here's what impresses me, 51:03 the fact that not having sight 51:05 does not seem to hinder these young people at all, 51:07 they are very interpret. 51:09 And some things that I would not do 51:11 at this age in my life 51:12 and that's have some sight, 51:14 you know, you really got a--young people. 51:17 They really get in there and enjoy life 51:19 and enjoy these camps. 51:20 So I see it's of great value to them 51:22 because their experience is so great, so rich. 51:24 Well, we have all ages. 51:26 Our oldest camper, last years was probably 67, 51:29 the year before that was 72. 51:32 The last year we had 84 campers 51:37 and year before that we had 72. 51:41 The 72 year old, 51:42 the first time she came to camp, 51:44 she just came a couple of years 51:46 but she-- her goal was to climb the wall. 51:51 And when she got through climbing the wall, 51:54 I asked her how she enjoyed doing that 51:58 and she said, it's something you just do once. 52:00 Yeah. 52:02 You put it on your lips, 52:03 you check in and then you press on. 52:04 I like the idea that there's no upper age limit. 52:07 You think camp, you think young people camp. 52:09 But you-- cradles of the grave 52:11 you can take them. Yes. 52:12 Praise the Lord. 52:14 We've seen a little bit of what happens at camp 52:17 and as has been said 52:20 they are not charged for this in any real sense. 52:23 This is a ministry that really deserves 52:25 your support. 52:27 Should you like to make contact 52:28 with Christian Record Services for the Blind 52:31 to support a particular camp 52:32 or the camp program across North America, 52:35 here is the contact information that you'll need: 52:41 If you'd like to learn how you can help the blinds 52:43 see the light of Christ 52:45 or if you know someone 52:46 who could benefit from the help of this ministry, 52:48 then you can write 52:50 to Christian Record Services for the Blind, 52:52 PO Box 6097, 52:55 Lincoln, Nebraska 68506. 52:58 That's Christian Record Services 52:59 for the Blind, 53:01 PO Box 6097, 53:03 Lincoln, Nebraska 68506. 53:06 You can call 402-488-0981 53:10 That's 402-488-0981. 53:14 You can also visit their website 53:16 at chritianrecord.org. 53:18 That's chritianrecord.org. |
Revised 2015-08-27