A Profound Impact

When I was getting started with Capernaum in Baltimore, Sarah was the first friend that I met.  She, along with her parents, taught me so much about what it meant to do ministry alongside of my new friends with disabilities.  She has since graduated from YL Capernaum and is heavily involved in her local church.  

This is a two-part post, as I have asked her if she would be willing to type out some of her thoughts about Capernaum and what it's like to now be involved in her church.  Her answers are stunning.  I hope you enjoy!

What did you love about being involved in Capernaum?

My name is Sarah Brintnall and I am 26 years old.  I am writing this by two head switches because I can’t use my hands to type.   The first thing that I loved and still love about being involved in Capernaum is /was that I was able to make friends from night one.  You see, I am in a wheelchair because I have cerebral palsy.  Due to the kind of cerebral palsy I have, I am unable to speak, feed myself, and do the daily tasks the average person would probably take for granted.  You know, my first church (which was a Lutheran church ) wasn’t “disability “ friendly at all except for one or two dear friends like  Ms. Kathy (who is an amazing woman in my eyes ) and my own grandmother (which now my family is taking care of because she has really bad dementia ), and my own family, nobody within the Lutheran church made the effort to learn how to communicate with me.  Nobody within the Lutheran church made their Sunday school programs, youth group programs, and confirmation programs totally accessible for me. The physical church building also wasn’t totally wheelchair accessible for me.  The only way I could “participate “ in these programs was if a family member took me and stayed with me to help me to participate in these programs.  

What I immediately fell in love with Capernaum is that they were all in with both feet from night one.  My amazing mother was planning on staying with me that first night at the Goodman’s house where regular middle school Wyld Life club was going on.  Because my middle school speech teacher was actually the one who invited me, when I arrived, my speech teacher and these two amazing girls told my Mom “see you in two hours!"  I also have two wonderful older brothers who do not have disabilities.  Capernaum helped my parents spend time with them because when I was with my new friends, my parents now had the “freedom “ to spend time with them without always taking care of me.   From night one, my new friends made everything at Wyld Life club totally accessible for me.  They made the effort to learn how to communicate with me, they made the effort and the necessary time that summer to learn how to take care of me before going to a regular  5 day middle school Wyld Life camp at Rockbridge down in Virginia.  I  absolutely loved how my 3 new friends  did everything humanly possible down at Rockbridge for me to participate in every single camp activity just like all the regular middle school campers.  Before I started Capernaum, I only had so many activities to do outside of the typical school day because of my cerebral palsy.  Capernaum literally opened a brand new world for me and everybody in my world.  Thank you Capernaum!!! 

How did Capernaum help you grow in your relationship with Jesus?

Like I mentioned earlier, my first church wasn’t “disability" friendly at all.  The only person outside of my family who really intentionally took the time to really sit down with me and talk to me and help me grow in my relationship with Jesus was once again my dear friend Ms. Kathy.  She had 3 kids younger than me.  It was hard for her to get out during week nights to come over to my house to help me grow in my relationship with Jesus besides after church on Sundays. When I got involved with Capernaum, again my leaders  made everything accessible for me and for my other friends who also have physical /mental disabilities to help us get familiar with Jesus Christ and they helped us  get familiar with the bible .  After about a year or so of doing regular Young Life club (which is a weekly fun time where we play games, have a awesome worship experience, and hear a short message from a Young Life leader about the God who created and loves me unconditionally),  I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.  I was at a Young Life weekend when I accepted Jesus Christ.  Before that time, people in Capernaum gave me things to help me to start my personal journey with Jesus Christ.  Things such as: a bible, good worship cd’s for me to listen to regularly, and personal time with my Capernaum leaders to talk about Jesus.  Another way Capernaum helped me grow in my personal journey with Jesus Christ was something called campaigners.  In regular Young Life, campaigners is where you meet before or after club to learn and grow deeper in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  They would share a meal together out. For my disabled friends and me, my Capernaum leaders would make another night possible during the week to have campaigners.  We would have a short time for light supper to share together but most of the two hours of campaigners was teaching time for our Capernaum leaders to teach and proclaim the word of God and they would proclaim the gospel  to us.  We would talk about who Jesus Christ was and we would talk about why Jesus Christ had to die on a cross for our sins. 

Without my  Capernaum leaders which  played a huge role in my life, along with my amazing family and a couple other of my amazing friends, I don’t think I would be the woman I am today without them.  Once again thank you Capernaum! ! !