Miracle Water – Children’s Corner

It was a beautiful morning at Pine Springs Ranch, a picturesque summer camp nestled high in the mountains of southern California. Beams of light were sliding down the towering pines and played chase over the hillsides.

Joan stepped out of her cabin to be alone with God for just a few seconds before she would give her worship talk. Her eyes instantly caught the brilliance of the morning, and she thought, “This is a fabulous day! I can’t believe how good my girls are. I can tell that God is blessing this camp already. This just has to be a wonderful week. Counseling isn’t so bad after all!”

Suddenly her reflection was interrupted by a frantic voice, “Joan! Joan! Carol is in the shower all soaped up, and the water won’t work!”

Joan raced to the rescue and found Carol in the bathhouse lathered up thicker than barber’s foam.

“Oh, Joan,” Carol sobbed, “I was taking a shower, and the water quit, and now I can’t rinse, and I’m never going to be on time for line call, and we’ll lose all our merit points, and…”

“Now, Carol, calm down. There’s a little trickle of water here, and we can rinse you off with a washcloth. The rest of you girls run up to the cabin and get dressed. Carol and I will be up in just a minute for worship.”

With a lot of effort and a little luck, Joan straightened out the problem and rushed her cabin members to line call on time. She was still panting from all the rush when she got to breakfast. Just as she was going in the cafeteria door, she heard a familiar voice behind her and swung around. There was all six feet two inches of Larry, waist-deep in excited campers, wading through them to her.

“Hey, Joan, you sound like you’ve just run around the camp ten times! What’s up?”

“Oh, Larry, you wouldn’t believe the problems we had this morning getting everyone ready for line call! First the water quit, and my girls couldn’t brush their teeth or wash, and one was all soaped up and couldn’t rinse, and that’s not the half of it.”

“Did the water quit completely?”

“No. Good thing there was still a trickle running. The pressure must have just gone off.”

“Well, maybe, but in the boys’ village there is no water either—not even a trickle!”

“That’s strange. Hey, I’ll see you later. My girls are waiting for me at the table.”

Elder Cummings, a young, vivacious man in his twenties who had an uncanny knack for dealing with kids of all ages, walked to the front of the cafeteria. “I know everyone is ready for breakfast,” he said, “but I have one important announcement before we get started. I would like all staff to come up front right after prayer for a short meeting about some urgent items.”

While the campers ate, the staff gathered and waited for their director to speak. “Has anyone had trouble with the water today?” he asked.

“We sure have! Lots of trouble,” was the unanimous response.

Just then Jack came bounding through the door, and Elder Cummings called him over and told the staff, “I sent Jack up to look at the spring and pump and check the water tanks. Tell us what you found, Jack.”

Jack’s tall, lanky frame shook as he spoke fast and excitedly, “The spring is dry. The tanks in the boys’ village are empty, and the tanks in the girls’ village have only about two feet of water in them. There’s no way to get any more water; and if we don’t get water, we’ll have to close camp.”

“I’m afraid Jack’s right,” the director said. “Staff, this is a serious problem. I know you’re all shocked and as disappointed as I am, but we must not upset the campers. For the time being, just let the campers think this is a passing problem, and that there is nothing to worry about. Tonight I want you all to come to a prayer meeting after you get your campers to bed, and we’ll ask the Lord what to do. Until then please try to act as though nothing is wrong, and run your regular program today.”

The rest of the day went fairly well, and Joan’s girls didn’t ask many questions about the meeting or the water. Joan had almost forgotten about the whole problem when Lynn, Elder Cummings’s secretary, came up to her. “Joan, Elder Cummings wants all of you counselors to keep your kids from taking showers tonight. The lack of water would show even more then. Don’t forget the meeting. When you see the other counselors, pass the word around about the showers.”

Campfire time came, and the campers sang their favourite songs at the top of their lungs while Fred and John picked up the banjo and guitar. Joan’s mind wasn’t at the campfire bowl, though. “These kids will be so unhappy if they have to go home early,” she thought. “They’ve really having fun, and camp has gone so well this far. I’d be disappointed to see them go, too.”

She was brought back to reality by two hands slipping into hers as the campers stood and clasped hands to sing their nightly song of dedication.

“We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord… And they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”

As the music drifted out over the night air, everything seemed so perfect. Each person in camp seemed united in Christ and ready to spend a wonderful week together. Why did the spring have to run dry?

The song faded, and prayer was offered. The campers reluctantly started back to their cabins.

Joan’s girls huddled around her as they made their way up the hill. Their cabin was the highest on the hillside, and no one liked to walk up the hill by herself.

“You girls will really have to speed things up tonight,” Joan coaxed as she led the way into the cabin and switched on the light. “I have to go to a meeting in thirty minutes, and I want you all tucked safely in bed before I leave. So try to hurry extra fast, okay?”

“Joan,” Jill tugged worriedly at her long red tresses as she talked, “Sammy said he heard Elder Cummings say he was going to close camp and send us all home because he didn’t like the dumb girls. Did he say that, Joan?”

“That stupid Sammy Martin made it all up, Jill, just because he hates girls,” Ann retorted angrily.

“So what did Elder Cummings really say?” persisted Jill.

By this time all the girls were looking at Joan for an answer.

Joan started slowly, “Well, Jill, Sammy Martin was wrong about Elder Cummings not liking you girls, and he doesn’t want to send you home. We do have a little problem, though. Remember when you couldn’t get any water, Carol?” Carol nodded.

Joan continued, “Well, that’s our problem. We’re very low on water; and if we don’t get some more, we can’t keep the camp running. Don’t worry though. We’re having a meeting tonight about it, and we’re going to ask the Lord for help. I know something will work out. Now hurry and get ready for bed, but remember—no showers, and don’t use any more water than you have to.”

Soon the girls were tucked into bed. Joan met Connie, another counselor, at her cabin, and they headed to the meeting together.

The lodge was buzzing with conversation when the girls arrived. Elder Cummings called the meeting to order, and everyone was seated in a circle so that the conversation could proceed easily.

“I checked into our problem a little more carefully today,” Elder Cummings began. “I made a few calls and found out that this whole area is low on water. I called down to Idyllwild and asked if they could truck us up some water. They said they couldn’t spare it, so I called the valley. They said it would cost us quite a bit for the amount we need, and besides that, they can’t deliver for another two days because they’re already bogged down with order. Can you think of anything else we can do?”

Larry spoke up. “Elder Cummings, I think we’ve done everything we can do by ourselves, and we don’t seem to be getting anywhere. The only thing I can see that could solve our problem is for God to work a miracle.”

“I’ve thought and prayed a lot about this too, Larry, and I’ve come to the same conclusion,” Elder Cummings said. “Only God can solve our problem.”

Everyone agreed. Elder Cummings continued, “Let’s talk to the Lord about our situation and ask Him to provide water if He wants us to keep the camp open. Remember, the Lord knows best; and He might not answer us the way we think He should. We have to accept in faith what He knows is good for us. Let’s break up in smaller groups now and earnestly pray, because what is to be done has to be done soon.”

The staff members divided into small groups and began to pray as they had never prayed before. Everyone could feel the Lord’s presence.

After about an hour, Elder Cummings led the staff in the camp song of dedication, “We Are One in the Spirit.” At the close of the song he spoke, “Joan and Larry, it’s getting late, and I hate to leave the campers alone. I wonder if you would each go back to your village to be there in case anything comes up. I know you hate to leave while we stay and pray, but you pray with us from up there.”

Joan and Larry reluctantly left the beautiful prayer service. As they walked back to their villages, the feeling of God’s presence went with them and they parted with a smile and the whispered words of encouragement, “God will meet our needs.”

Joan prayed silently as she went from cabin to cabin checking the girls. She took extra care not to make any noise that would waken her campers. Looking around, she found all nine girls fast asleep. Joan knelt down by her bed and continued praying. When she had finished she stepped just outside to see if the other cabins were quiet. As she went back in and closed the door, a window popped open and two counselors stuck their heads inside.

“Joan, Joan, are you here?” Betty whispered excitedly.

“What’s up?”

“Joan, the water tanks are overflowing—I mean, water is bubbling out the top!” Cheryl’s voice quivered with great excitement as she spoke.

“It’s miracle water!” Betty broke in.

“That’s wonderful! When did you find out?” Joan could hardly hold her voice down to a whisper.

“When Larry finished checking the cabins in his village, he went up to look at the tanks and found them running over!” Betty related with enthusiasm.

“I’ve got to see this!” Joan exclaimed as she pulled on her shoes.

“I’m sorry, Joan, but you have to stay here with the kids. We’re supposed to be at a thanks meeting right now. If you don’t stay, there won’t be anyone here. We’ll tell you every detail when we get back!” Cheryl called as she and Betty started back down the hill.

Joan felt left out for just a moment, but then she remembered that it didn’t matter if she saw or not—the fact was still the same. God had performed a miracle for them, for her! She slipped outside once more and looked up at the stars. Suddenly her heart overflowed with joy. “What a wonderful, powerful God I serve,” she said aloud. “I know He cares for me and will never reject me. This is going to be the greatest camp ever!”

At that moment Joan heard some noise and turned around to see nine faces peeking out at her. She laughed and ran inside to tell her girls the story of the miracle water.