A struggling youth finds hope

I’m currently 17. I was born and raised in Guelph, Ontario. I currently live there and I’m the process of moving into my own apartment in Fergus, Ontario, this upcoming September, as well with getting a new job there.

I’ve been blessed greatly throughout my life. It didn’t start coming to my awareness until I was about 15, after four years of going to Crane Lake Discovery Camp. Before my many adventures and lessons learned in the lovely Muskoka forest in which camp resides, I was what most people would call a troubled youth.

I was raised in a home of five kids and a single mother. It was quite the journey growing up as my father was never around and still isn’t to this day. I was taught a lot of wrong things from my older siblings when I was young and was often tormented by them. Which led to me being exposed to an environment I shouldn't have been. Plus we were never really financially well up until recently. My Grandfather helped us out often when I was a child up till when I was 7 when he passed. My grandmother helped us out every now and then but unfortunately was not as giving as my grandfather. Than a year later a close family friend (what both me and my mom consider a second mom to me) was hit by a train. It was hard for me to take. I started getting into more trouble at school and stealing from stores. I skipped half of grade 8 and got arrested in grade 8 as well. I was what most people would call the hardcore rebel. I was addicted to marijuana and cigarettes for a while about from the age of 11-15.

I got involved in Children’s Aid Society at the time (now called Family & Children’s Services) when I was about 8 for about six months. Then we moved to Toronto. My mom had met a man as she was with him for four year. After two years of moving constantly and being evacuated from one place due to a fire caused from a drug lab, we moved backed to Guelph. He become a more rough person after we had moved back. He was drinking more often and acting differently and had even been abusive physically and mentally at times. Which led us getting involved with Family & Children’s Services again. It was the greatest blessing meeting this man who had made unwise choices (and I say unwise because everybody is only doing what they know how to do given their circumstances) because Family & Children’s Services gave me the chance to go to a camp called Crane Lake Discovery Camp.

I was pumped, then I went to meet Ron & Tom at the Crane Lake Discovery Camp office in Elmira right above Leroy’s Auto Shop. I didn’t want to go at all after that. It had the word change written all over that and troubled youth don’t take kindly to the word change. But reluctantly I went with it.

I remember my first trip up in 2011. My aunt Crystal and her fiancé Karl drove me to the McDonalds in Cookstown. Chief Marv drove Ron’s van to pick me up. I was so nervous I threw my fries up in the parking lot. It was an amazing trip, I remember the stars so vibrant I don’t see them often it one of the cons of living in the city. The drive in the long laneway to the camp that's right off Healey Lake Rd.

My first two weeks were so different and hard but man they were amazing. I went home and went back for the full summer of 2012 & 2013 plus the spring and part of summer in 2014. I had my troubles in between the seasons of camp and being at home.

When I went home at the end of every camp season I always wanted to go back and stay and never leave. It was this amazing comfort and acceptance there. It was the place where I came to know myself and meet God. It all started my first year. I gained a strong connection with a Chief at camp named Scott. You’ll understand why I mention him later in this amazing mini-autobiography. Plus it was the first time I’ve ever really had a church experience and prayed in my daily routines. Which turned out to be a life changing experience my second year at camp was when it all started.

The summer of 2012 was an amazing experience; it led my life to a 180 turn. Chief Scott was there again and I remember a Thursday night (the last one in July, to be exact). Chief Scott was reading the Bible at night before bed as usual; I never really paid attention but that night I was just mesmerized by it, captivated. He kept on reading the Psalms and I kept a sharp ear. I was shocked about 5 minutes into him reading; I had seen what seemed to be a large shadow and felt a calm presence in the Sleeping Tent. It was right in front of me–I couldn't believe it–but it was right there in front of me. I knew it was the presence of God the moment I felt that blanket of peace and calmness over the Sleeping Tent. Shortly after that I chose to give my life to Jesus and we prayed for a while. Oh the amazing feeling I felt during the prayer! And not only me, but another camper had chosen to give his life to Jesus as well. It’s about 12:30 now and we are all done our wonderful experience and heading off to sleep and we just blew out the lantern and a few minutes later I feel someone rubbing my feet like a perfect massage. It was so graceful, I was in shock because no one was near my feet. I turned my head to Scott and told him about it. He replied with the story of how Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and it was such an amazing experience overall the entire night.

Two weeks later I was baptized by Chief Tom & Ron & Scott and it was amazing. Right on camp property, on top of a place we call the Narrows, a beautiful spot. Two doves flew over during the baptism of me and the other camper I had mentioned earlier. In December that year Chief Scott introduced me to a church in Elora now in Fergus called Grace Christian Fellowship and I’ve been a weekly attender ever since my first day.

The following years of camp as I got older were so important. Camp is a place where thing happen in good way. The principles they teach like for example: using manners; prayer for your meal and at certain times of the day; how to solve a problem and do thing for yourself; wilderness skills and other skills; but most importantly, it teaches you how to respect yourself and love yourself so you can improve from your mistakes. Every time anyone made a mistake or an accident happened, there was no panic of judgment; we worked together as one and fixed it no matter how long it took.

These are such important skills to comprehend because without having the chance to go to Crane Lake Discovery Camp and learn these skills, I wouldn't be moving into my own place at 17. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I now volunteer at my church and for a ministry called Kingdom Repairs that repairs cars and appliances. I am back on track with school and I’ve formed a much better lifestyle than I would have if I didn’t have the blessing I did. Camp also taught me another thing: Life is not about what you have; it’s about how you present yourself in life in all circumstances. Plus, camp is filled with good Chiefs who you can talk to. I still talk to many to this day and I have grown a outstanding love for Crane Lake Discovery Camp; it’s never a dull moment there. Always stuff on the list to do, plus at the end of every session is a special trip (a canoe trip) and that is packed with so much fun and teamwork that it’s the ultimate experience. I am so blessed to have gone there and am even more blessed to have such a flourishing time in my life right now and so much is going on.

God bless,

Christopher J. St. Denis
August 2016