Carl had to be one of the liveliest kids we’ve ever had at South Mountain Christian Camp. A conversation with him was like watching a Broadway performance. When I brought him up on stage for an illustration in chapel one night, he had me laughing so hard, I could barely get my point across. He was an entertainer from dawn to dark, and his smile never seemed to fade.That’s why it was such a surprise to see a very different expression on his face when he approached me after chapel one night later that week. I could see that he was distraught, so, after the chapel room cleared, I sat down with Carl and his Cabin Director to find out what was bothering him. He then opened up to us about a very painful relationship with his father. Carl said that his dad was constantly ridiculing and making fun of him. I could see the pain in Carl’s eyes as they welled up with tears. He further explained that he was a believer, but that his dad often told him that he was going to hell because he was obese. Now the tears poured freely. Carl covered his face with his hands, and his shoulders shook with intense sobbing. He was mentally and emotionally beat down, even though he usually covered it up with his bright personality.
