The Why Boy: Adult Mission Story for November 30, 2024

By Andrew McChesney

James was a “Why Boy.”

Whenever he was asked to do something at summer camp, he asked, “Why?”

“Why do I have to do this?” he said. “Why do I have to do that?”

James was an orphan. His father and mother had died, and he lived with relatives in a small Native village in Alaska. Those relatives sent him to summer camp. So, James got onto an airplane and flew to the city of Dillingham. Alaska doesn’t have many roads, so people often have to fly in airplanes to travel from one place to another.

After arriving in Dillingham, James rode on a bus for about 30 minutes to a lake. Then he boarded a boat and traveled another 15 minutes to Camp Polaris, a Seventh-day Adventist summer camp for Alaska Native children just like him.

James immediately loved the camp, and he especially enjoyed water sports on the lake. He smiled from ear to ear when he hopped onto an inflatable orange-and-blue raft to be pulled behind a boat for a brisk ride on the lake. He tried not to fall into the water. Even though it was summer, the water was icy cold.

James’ smile turned into a frown at evening worship. When it was time to pray, all the children stood. The seven boys who slept in the same cabin as James stood. Their camp counselor, Adiv, stood. But James remained seated.

Adiv whispered to James, “You need to stand up.” One of the camp rules was that everyone needed to stand during prayer to show respect to God.

James silently rose to his feet. But he
was frowning.

The next day, James remained seated during prayer at morning worship. He sat during prayer at evening worship. Then he turned to the boy beside him and began to talk during the prayer. Adiv spoke to him every time, but he refused to listen.

On the third day, when James remained seated, Adiv invited him to step outside the lodge to talk.

Outside, Adiv reminded James about the camp rules. “If this is what you are going to do, there will be consequences,” he said. “Out of respect to God, you need to stand up when we pray and not talk. Why don’t you stand up?”

“Why should I stand up? Why can’t I talk?” James said. “I have never seen God. I don’t even know if there is a God.”

Adiv saw an opportunity to teach James about God. He spoke about the wind that often blew through the camp.

“Even though you don’t see the wind, you know it exists because you can feel it on your skin and see the rustling of the leaves in the trees,” he said. “In the same way, I can’t see God, but I can sense His presence around me.”

He spoke about the stars at night.

“When there are clouds in the night sky, you can’t see the stars, but you know that they are there,” he said. “In the same way, I can’t see God, but I can sense His presence around me.”

Tears formed in James’ eyes.

“How do I know that?” he blurted out. “If God exists, why do bad things happen? Where was God when my mother died? Where was God when my father died?”

Adiv said death was not part of God’s plan. But the first humans, Adam and Eve, sinned against God, and the result is pain and death. So, God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for everyone’s sins. Those who believe in Jesus will live with Him forever in a world without pain and death. “Even though you cannot see Him, God is still there,” Adiv said.

James listened quietly. “Is God really up there?” he mused.

After that, James stood silently during prayers. He never said what he was thinking, but Adiv hoped that he was thinking about God.

Camp Polaris, located on a lake near Dillingham, Alaska, is the only Seventh-day Adventist summer camp that caters to Alaska Native children. Part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2016 helped to renovate the camp with new cabins and bathrooms. Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus with this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, which will go to Bethel, Alaska.