The Joy Sounds choir singing at the Christian Berets event in Modesto
Presenting the Gospel
Just had to share this. I flew out to Modesto, Ca this past week with Donna to do a fundraising dinner for Christian Berets which is a camp that serves special needs people of all ages. It’s a special place with a great reputation, and I was honored to be there as their keynote.
The evening started with the “Joy Sounds Choir” which was made up of about 40 members, all special needs adults. They had all kinds of challenges, and a large percentage of them were cognitively challenged. They did a couple of songs and did a terrific job! After they finished, it was time for the banquet, so they sat them all down at tables on the floor closest to the platform.
After dinner, I got up to speak, and I had given the Gospel as part of my presentation and started to sing my song “God Loved the World.” We were using a video, so the lights were dimmed for it and as I was singing, I noticed that two of the women from the choir had come up on stage and were sort of wandering around on the platform. I didn’t think too much of it as I’ve done a lot of special needs events and this is not uncommon (I had a man come up on stage with me at one event and hug me and pet my hair in the middle of a song, so this was nothing), and I just assumed their helpers would come and get them.
Well, they didn’t! And here I was singing, so I couldn’t stop and ask them what they were looking for or help – they were obviously looking for something – so I thought I’d just finish the song and then if someone else didn’t help, I could talk to them. I was also praying the whole time, because I’d just presented the Gospel and didn’t want this to be a distraction!
So just as I was getting to the end of the song, the women came up right behind me, found a couple of chairs that were there which had been set up for the choir earlier, shrugged at each other, and then turned and knelt at the chairs to pray. That’s when I realized what they were looking for – they’d been looking for an altar to pray! I was blown away. I’m not sure if they were giving their lives to the Lord for the first time or just felt the need to respond to the Gospel that way, but whatever it was, it was beautiful. Such a picture of the Lord and His grace. Here I was praying that they wouldn’t distract from the Gospel, and instead, they were a picture of it to the whole event. Praise God!
As soon as I got to the end of the song, they got up and left, and I didn’t have any time to talk to them. I wish I knew what they were thinking, but they touched my heart! Hope that translates in the written word, but what a cool night, and a wonderful picture of the very ministry this organization does!