His faith kept his family together

About the time Paul Todak started attending church, the 16-year-old’s family started to fall apart.

By February last year, his parents had separated and it looked like they were headed for a divorce.

The teen said that his new interest was unrelated to what was going on at home, but his stepfather, Albert Naki, said it was the only thing that kept the family together.

Paul had been asking his mother and stepfather to join him at Sunday services, but they always gave excuses.

After two weeks away from the family, Naki came home and decided to attend a service with his homemaker wife, Katherine.

“I thought God was talking through the pastor right to us,” he said. “The message, it was about marriage, and loving your wife and husband, and being good examples to your kids.”

The couple, who had been together for 12 years, decided to attend a second service at a different church that evening. When the pastor gave a similar message, Naki took it as a sign and decided to give up booze, “chew” and cigarettes. He also found a new job working during the day so he could be at home with his family nights and weekends.

“It started because of Paul’s faith,” Naki said. “He was my guidance and strength in religion. I look up to him, even though he’s my son.”

Naki looked to Paul; the son looked to camp.

Though it was religion that helped piece the family back together, the teen said he hadn’t fully committed himself to his faith until he visited Camp Thousand Pines with his church youth group last year.

Paul initially went to the Crestline facility to scale its 32-foot climbing wall and dart around its 5-acre paintball field. But the high school senior, who is captain of both the swim and water polo teams at his school, returned this year because of the nighttime chapel. That was where he had decided a year ago, with the guidance of his youth leader Michael White, to sign a commitment card that he carries in his wallet to this day.

“When I met Paul, he was your typical 14- or 15-year-old boy chasing young ladies and the party scene, with a family that was falling apart,” White said.

Now Paul sings worship songs with the church band. And he leads mornings services at camp.

“When you’re at camp, you are away from the world and what the world has to offer,” Paul said. “It’s 100% full on with God, with everything ... it’s a spiritually awesome experience.”

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