Sunday, October 16, 2005

I love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition...

It seems that nearly every week I am touched by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition at such a deep level that I am compelled to write about it. This week is no different, except perhaps the depth to which I was touched by the two epidode show tonight (Teas Family) goes beyond what it normally does to me. I'm a big tough man, but this show leaves me in tears almost weekly. I might even be addicted to this show, but I'm at peace with that.

In this epidode, the team works at a place called Camp Barnabas. Camp Barnabas is a non-denominational Christian summer camp where children with special needs experience an awesome, life-changing week of camp. The people who opened this camp quit their jobs, spent their life savings and retirements in pursuit of the dream of reaching special needs children and making them feel both normal and special, if even only for a week or two. An incredibly powerful ministry into the lives of those who attend camp, and those who work at this camp. The result of the dedication by the family that opened the camp was that they neglected their own dwelling. That's where the show enters in, but rather than doing just a single house as they do on most shows, they did 3 buildings. They also fixed some playground equipment areas to make them safer for the children. They built a 300 foot zip line and other things as well.

Rarely will you ever hear me suggest you watch television, but this show is a can't miss. Put it in your Palm Pilot. Get it into outlook. Write it on the back of your hand. It's worth your time. It will challenge you to examine how we can reach and impact the world, one family at a time. While the show is clearly secular, but it has enormous implications for the Church.

3 comments:

loren said...

We're watching it right now (I'm listening for a moment, while my wife watches). It's a great show! This is the Camp Barnabas edition. They're getting near the 'Move that Bus!' part of the show so I gotta go.

Bhedr said...

My wife caught the end of it. I was at choir practice. So sorry I missed it. I found myself breaking down as I read your post. Oh the Love that God has that lay so undiscovered. I think of Elijah being fed by ravens. Truly we cannot limit His heart or fully understand His love.

Chris Meirose said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. The show was so wonderful, a 10 out of 10. The two hours were almost emotionally draining, as the intensity of the joy they were creating was tough to keep up with. This was a show with a lot of overt references and overtones of Christianity. Many thanks given to God, references to blessings etc. The hope the camp provides for such a special population group is a remarkable ministry. Those were the people Christ reached out to, the sick, hurting, those in need of healing.