The Reward of the Year

George working at the Capstone office

Joel and I have experienced a lot of what Capstone does, but we won't get to experience everything.  For example, the Capstone Camp occurs once per year and is described as a pivotal event that rewards rescued children as well as the staff. 
Twenty boys are selected out of those that Capstone has reintegrated back home from the street.  In order to be a candidate, a boy must currently be at home, and be someone who the staffs feels would most benefit from the camp. They also take into account which boys are the most vulnerable of being influenced to run back to the street. It is a week long event that involves spiritual enrichment, scouting activities, and crafts and games.
The camp acts as a support group for the boys.  They are asked questions that prompt them to think about life on the street versus life at home.  On the street the boys have a freedom without restrictions and responsibility. Upon returning home they have to learn once again to follow the rules of their parents or guardians. At the camp, the boys come to find that they are not the only ones struggling with this change.  They see other boys that also have to fetch firewood after school, and tend to livestock. Interaction at the camp helps the boys focus on their future by being with other boys that are going through very similar struggles.

The Capstone Camp supports spiritual well being with Bible teachings and lessons on baptism. Capstone Director, Patty Schmelzer describes baptism as a highlight of the camp: "...children learn what it means to be baptized and they have the opportunity to make that choice.  If they’ve already been baptized we discuss what it was like and why they don’t need to be baptized again.  On Friday, baptisms are done and about half of the camp gets baptized. Eight to ten boys.  It’s amazing to see how serious the boys take the ceremony."

On the last day of camp, the parents are invited. Patty shares that "during the parents day the children give presentations, poems and songs. But, we also ask one or two parents to give testimonies and it seems like often others will feel led to also share.  It is just really encouraging to the kids to hear their parents say how grateful they are to have their child at home....We’ve even had mothers stand up and cry." 

The Capstone Camp acts as a reward for the children on many levels.  Patty shares: "I think that the greatest growth comes from the spiritual lessons in the morning, the greatest fun comes from the scouting and activities and games in the afternoon. And, I think one particular meaningful event is the community service – where the children go into a public market area and clean it in the early morning.  This is the typical area where a street child would hang out and beg and be called names and chased and be considered not much more than the trash on the streets.  Now when they come in and clean, the same people that treated them like trash are thanking them and admiring them.  And, they learn what it is to give something to the community, and contribute to the community without expecting something in return."

George, a Capstone Street and Family Coordinator, describes how the staff is also rewarded through the Capstone Camp in the video below.  My apologies for the poor sound quality.  I have added captions to help.  Please listen to what George has to add.

Video Dialogue:

[Jen] Can you tell me again how you've been inspired by the Capstone Camp?

[George] I think that in my life this was the most difficult work that I've done in my life.
Sometimes when you do it you find that sometimes you rescue a child, you take a child home,
you find that the child is far, which is really discouraging.
And the next time you feel like, "ah, I've wasted my time."
"I've wasted my energy."
And, the next minute you wake up you are tired.
You feel exhausted so you say "let me try."
Another time I mean. So, you go, you get a child. You rescue a child.
And, the child goes home. And, the child stays home.
The child accepts home. The child goes to school.
The next time you do a follow up you find that the child is doing well.
Amidst all this, this [the Capstone Camp] is the climax of everything. This is when you see the whole fruit of what you are doing.
Whereby you can meet children smiling. You can see parents giving testimony.
Then you feel like, "ah"
I've touched.  Maybe I've touched the heart of-
I've done something worthwhile. An undertaking.
And, it makes me so happy, so inspired, so encouraged because of that.
Because now you can see the whole face.
I saw this. I saw this. I saw Moses.  I saw Titus.
I saw so many boys there.
So I feel very very happy and encouraged.
And, I thank God for the [work] that He is doing through that.
It is a whole reflection of the entire work throughout the year. You can really see it.
And, also it gives each and
everybody also an opportunity to see, maybe of seeing each and everybody.
Because they are not able to go and visit each and everyone.
So, through that they see something actually worth his hard work.
This is the Titus that we are talking about. This is the Moses that we are talking about.
Here is Titus, here is Tim. He is standing.
So, it is the climax of everything that we do.
And, we have become so much happy, and so much encouraged.
And, I really thank God for all that God has done.
Because it takes the hand of God.
Without Him we can't.
We are just an instrument.
It is not us. It is Him.
Because through Him.  That is when we succeed. Without Him we can't.

[Jen] Would you say the same is true for theother staff. So how has the camp encouraged
the other staff?
It's probably very similar right? They see the fruit of their work.

[George] Yeah, we work together as a team.
And, that is the climax of all that we do.  We move all around. Every day.
Every day we are in homes. Every day we are in villages.
So, it is a total reflection of everything that we are doing.