To my anonymous friend...

...from the previous post's comment.

I think it is my position that gives me the freedom to express my opinion. It is more than a position it is that which puts me in this position that, I pray, has given me the opinion. It is working with college students for 15 summers, many church leaders and committees, left wing mennonite relief organizations that change my paradigm because they use both sides of their hearts and minds as well as both hands to make a better world, right wing hispanic leaders who create conversations which provoke conservatives and liberals to reach into the neighborhood to show the love of Jesus and do the work of the Kingdom. It is conversations with rural and downtown pastors, farmers, saleswomen, clerks, unemployed, single moms, and many others over my 53 years of life and some 40 years of christian cognitive development. I have had to have my own opinion in some development of program, which a lot of people have told me they appreciate and a few disagree but tell me why and I have tried to include their perspective into the conversation. I value opinions and I value yours. Your criticism and harsh questions make me think and improve. I have asked myself those same questions a few times in the past few years and some others who hold me accountable have as well. Hopefully this is the answer to those questions.

I keep asking myself, "What can I do here for ten weeks with families, elementary school, junior high, high school age students who pay money to come up to Calvin Crest in the beautiful Sierras to spend a week trusting me and the staff I pick through great college students for their spiritual and recreational time. I don't take that lightly and neither do the people I get to work with. It is the conversations that we have up here which will hopefully cause an effect down there. Are we having meaningful conversations? I think so. We are not curing cancer but we are loving and praying for those who's hope needs to be in a Savior who may heal them through the laying on of obedient hands or through the skilled hands of a surgeon. Our position is still the same. We pray and love. And it is not a question of camp versus the "real world," the question is are we obedient in the place that God has planted us to speak the words, to till the soil, to paint the house, etc. that He is telling us to. And yes, I think I am being faithful.

I don't think I have caused enough trouble. If you are who I think you are, I hope to continue conversation with these fine folks. But I do want to say to you, I did not cause people to get fired, moved, get a hair cut, or change their socks, I do not have that kind of power or authority. I have said things that I have had to apologize for - and I did, take some medicine for some thoughts that I have thought - and I do, walk off some pounds because I ate too much of too good food - which I should, and other things, but to the objective view they would say that these people needed to move on. I quit taking credit for the good things people have done and I no longer accept responsibilities for the things that others do wrong. Maybe my hair will start growing back.

One last thing: I am no longer attacking the institution, but the culture of the institution...