HIS Children's Camp - A place of Refuge...
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Child abuse is an ever-growing tragedy across America that affects the lives of all of us.
Providing Christian camping experiences
has proven to be a successful avenue in reaching out to these troubled
children, helping them find new hope for their lives.
HIS Children's Camp, in Barry County, Missouri, is solely
dedicated to such children as these. It's nestled in the heart of the
Ozarks, a very beautiful, serene place.
The little boy silently cries bitter, hot tears as he hears the familiar click of the closet lock. He hates the closet, it's dark and scary, but somehow, he knows it's also a place of refuge. He's safe again…for awhile. He wonders what it was that he did this time to make Mom so mad at him. He tries so hard to stay out of her way. But he knew when she started yelling at him again, it wouldn't be long. He knew what it meant when Mom started calling him ugly names and saying those mean, hateful things and he knew it wasn't good. It hurts his heart and hurts his body when she's angry. He wants to sob out loud, he hurts so badly, but he knows it is much wiser to stay as small and quiet as possible.
He tries to reposition himself in the tiny, dark cubicle, knowing full well that there's not enough room to be comfortable. He sadly realizes that even if he was in bed, he wouldn't be comfortable. His face is still stinging from the barrage of vicious slaps. His head is throbbing and feels like it might be bleeding where a small patch of hair is now missing. Every nerve in his back is screaming out in pain from the fiery red welts that were left by the unforgiving swings of the leather belt. His left wrist is starting to swell from the brutal twisting and his ankle hurts from falling on it wrong. There doesn't seem to be an inch of his body that isn't crying out in protest of this most recent "lesson."
He's tired and he's beaten, both physically and emotionally and he wishes there was someplace he could go. Someplace safe. Someplace where he could just be a regular little boy. Not a little boy with a bruised spirit and a bruised body, but a little boy that runs with joy, not fear. He wonders if there is such a place.
A hundred miles away, there's another child hiding in a closet. This time, it is a self-imposed confinement. The little girl can feel her heart pounding in her chest. It is so loud in her own ears, she is sure that it can be heard on the other side of the closet door and she fears the pounding will betray her hiding place. She's so afraid she feels sick to her stomach. She wants to cry out in fear but she knows what will happen if she's found. She quietly pushes herself further back into the corner, curling up into a tight little ball. If she can just make herself small enough, maybe she'll just disappear.
She tries desperately to control her fear. She tries to make her mind take her someplace nice. Someplace where little girls can giggle and jump rope and chase fireflies. Someplace where no one wants to do bad things to her.
She is almost there. She can almost hear the wind in the trees and
she can almost smell the clean, fresh air. She can almost feel the lush
grass under her feet. And then she hears the voice, "Princess,
where are you?" She wonders if there is such a nice place in a
world that seems so big and ugly and hurtful to such a little girl.
HIS Children's Camp
P.O. Box 336
Cassville, MO 65625
Phone: 417-652-3351
Fax: 417-652-3384
contactus@hccamp.org