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A Worthwhile Investment

by Jim Lines

Antonio was a bitter man. The bitterness in his life was born out of hatred for his own father. When Antonio was a small child, his father immigrated to America, leaving the family to fend for themselves in Italy. Unable to provide for her two children, Antonio’s mother placed them in an orphanage. At the age of 18, Antonio was forced to leave the orphanage to seek work rather than pursue higher studies. Antonio swore he’d never forgive his father for the way he had treated his family.

After many years of hard work and sacrifice, Antonio was now able to provide a comfortable living for his own family of four. Unlike Antonio, his son would have opportunity to study for a college degree, so that he might be more than a common laborer.

But Marco did not enjoy studying. Though intelligent, he did poorly in school, his life revolving instead around friends, drugs and a good time. Because of Antonio’s disappointment, Marco never once heard his father say, “I love you.” Instead, Antonio constantly reminded him, “I curse the day you were born!”

Finally when Marco was 15, Antonio and Marco’s mother, a Christian, asked if they could send Marco to Camp Maranatha as a summer helper. Founded in 1980 by BCM missionaries Jim & Fran Lines, Camp Maranatha (‘the Lord is coming’) is located in the mountains of Italy, about 45 miles inland from the seacoast city of Rimini where BCM Italy has its headquarters. Shortly after the purchase of the camp property, earthquake tremors destroyed the inside of the main camp building, requiring its rebuilding. Today a lovely, modern camp and conference center, Maranatha can accommodate 68 campers at a time with camps for children, teens and families during summer months and church retreats and other Christian events the rest of the year.

Antonio and his wife’s hope in bringing 15-year-old Marco was that we would be able to help their son. Though the camp usually accepts only Christian workers as helpers, we felt led to make an exception. Marco would do the necessary maintenance on windows and doors of the main building. At the same time, we hoped to build into Marco’s life, helping him sort through some of his problems, and present to him the claims of Christ.

That summer Marco’s parents attended a family camp at Maranatha. It was difficult for Antonio to perceive God as a loving heavenly Father or be a loving father to Marco. But as God’s Word penetrated deep into Antonio’s heart, bringing him to the place of salvation and forgiveness, he was eventually able to forgive his father and today is working on his relationship with Marco. Now a grown man, Marco is a European representative for his company, and as Antonio always dreamed, currently earns more than his father. Marco’s sister also found Christ at Maranatha and has come as a helper, as has his mother.

The emphasis of the ministry at Maranatha is ministering to people. Antonio and Marco are only one example of how Camp Maranatha has touched not one life for eternity, but that of a whole family.