Joni and Friends Camp Report

We are back! A little tired - in denial that we have to go back to work tomorrow. Loading pictures onto Facebook and looking at other's pics to relive the moments and wishing that they were not in the past already.

I have had about 48 hours to reflect on what I want to communicate about camp this year. I'll start back a few weeks. I wrote my last post (below) a few weeks before camp, knowing that we were short on STMs. I wrote about being nervous but trusting God that He's in control and why that is the best situation that we can be in - out of control. I wrote that primarily thinking of what fears that people have about being an STM and hoping to inspire confidence. Apparently I gave you all the impression that I was more nervous about being an STM than I really was, because I lot of friends commented about it.

The truth is that I was definitely a bit nervous, but my excitement about being an STM this year far outweighed my nervousness. So, on the night before camp, I decided that my new statement would be "I'm one part nervous, three parts excited."

As I thought about who I might be paired with for the week, I figured that I would get either a very small typical sibling, a child who uses a wheelchair, or possibly an adult with a disability who is more reserved. Since I already know many of the campers, I pondered the different folks I might get paired with.

One camper came to mind who made me more nervous. At some point, I definitely thought "I hope I don't get paired with Michelle". Michelle is an adult camper with spina bifida. During some illness, she had a trach and was left with separated vocal chords and she can only speak in a whisper. I had heard that Michelle was a very sweet gal, but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to hear her and we would both end up frustrated if we were paired. You see, since I'm deaf in one ear, I have a hard enough time hearing a regular conversation in a crowded room, let alone a whisper.

So, fast forward. It's Monday morning, day two of training, when we get our camper assignments. Who did I get? You guessed it - Michelle! I read her paper carefully, knowing that God had made this match and figuring He must know what He's doing. I was really happy that I got one of the adults, because that meant that I would get to attend the "Friendship Group" program and get to know all those beloved campers better.

It turns out that I was probably rather uniquely suited to be Michelle's STM. I was able to point my one good ear directly at her. Since I often miss some words in conversation, my mind is pretty skilled at searching the context for the right word to fill in the blank. As time went on, I also discovered that she sometimes will use sign language for a short message - and all her signs were ones that I knew. By Wednesday, I was getting really good at hearing and understanding her - she even said to me "you are so good at listening to me!" which was really reassuring. I became Michelle's voice when we were in group and she was talked over, when we visited with other people. I would wait to see if they understood, but if they didn't I would "interpret".

Besides the language issues, being an STM was ALL that I expected and hoped for it to be. It was so fabulous to be a participant in the programs and activities. To be involved in a family through the whole week. To get to know a particular camper's likes, dislikes, fears, interests and help her have the BEST experience.

Michelle's birthday was Wednesday during camp and she had an epic day! The whole camp sang Happy Birthday to her off key (camp tradition) at breakfast, went on a horse ride in the afternoon and was the closing act in the talent show that night.

Meanwhile, Denis and Cynthia (the nurse that we recruited) were kept quite busy this year. There were more medical issues this year than last year - but thankfully, none too serious. Cynthia had a ball and is hoping to return next year. I made a deal with her - as long as she wants to be the nurse, I will be an STM!

Getting ready

We are only three weeks away from the Oregon Joni and Friends family retreat, and it's kind of push time to get ourselves squared away and ready for camp. Denis and I have dragged the medical supply box into the living room, but have not inventoried it yet. Our friend who has agreed to work with Denis as the nurse this year is coming over today to look at the stuff with us. I've started reviewing the medical information from families and organized it into an easy to carry chart that we'll print out when it's complete.

One of the most exciting things for me is that I get to be a typical STM this year. For those of you new to Joni and Friends lingo, STM means Short Term Missionary, and that is what volunteers are called. Most STM's who go to a family retreat are paired up as a "buddy" for the week to a family member who has registered. That person might be a child with a disability, a typical child who has a parent or sibling with a disability or an adult with a disability. The week is spent hanging out with your "buddy", building a relationship, serving the family, attending activities through each day.

I have never gone to Joni and Friends Family Retreat as an STM, I've only been the nurse. As the nurse, I enjoyed having the freedom to rove and get to know everyone a little bit. But I know from observation that the STM experience is very different. STMs who are paired as a buddy get to know their one family very well and bond closely with them. It can be difficult, trying, challenging, but on the flipside so rewarding. STMs tend to leave camp exhausted, but overwhelmed by the blessing of being so intimately involved in an amazing family and having been a selfless servant for the week.

I have no idea who I will be paired with, hopefully someone slow - as I'm not fast myself. Not knowing is part of the situation that makes it stressful or scary to go as an STM. But, the pairing of STM to family is a total God-thing. Being out of control of that is precisely what makes it so wonderful. God pairs buddies very well. And if the pairing is hard or challenging, it's because God has a growing to do in me. Stepping out beyond my control is something that I am excited about, because that is precisely when I get to see God work.

We are still very short of STMs for our Oregon camp that is Aug. 14-19 at Rockaway Beach on the Northern Coast. We really would like 30-40 more STMs so that all of the families can be served. Aug. 14th is a training day, then families arrive for camp from the 15th to the 19th. If you know anyone who might be interested, please pass on the info.

Here is the website to find contact numbers and applications.

General information about family retreats

My report from last year

My report from 2009 at Mission Springs in CA

Mid-month report

OK, I've made it through the busy part of April and survived. It should be a downhill slide from here, but there are more events just around the corner, so I shouldn't get too cozy about relaxing.

The weekend in Portland with my coworkers was very enjoyable. The conference was interesting - great speakers and we came home with some good, useful ideas.

Yesterday was our Southern Oregon Sometimes Miracles Hide luncheon for moms of kids with disabilities. 64 people from my church volunteered to help, either cooking, serving the lunch, or helping in the carnival section. I had agreed to be the "Carnival Coordinator" which sounds more impressive than it was. I didn't actually plan anything - but I was the "check in" person who directed carnival helpers to the right spot and assigned duties. I was kind of nervous about assigning duties since I really didn't know the people I was assigning. I didn't know their personalities - so didn't know who would do well where. But it turned out well. (I actually had TONS of help from another couple in my church who were "leading games" but ended up roving with me for problem solving) I had put some kids working together who didn't know each other at the beginning of the day. As the carnival went on, I saw them working together really well, coordinating breaks for each other and having fun. Denis got to be a buddy for the first time and enjoyed having more to do.

So, next up is Easter, then our church's next respite day in early May.

Joni and Friends 2010

Well, Denis and I have been back from Joni and Friends Family Retreat for a little more than a week now. I've had some time to adjust back to "regular life", quite a let down after such a joyful and impactful experience. So here's a bit of a report from our fabulous week at camp:

There are many ways that this year's experience at Joni and Friends was very different from last year for me. I'm very thankful that I was able to share the "duties" with Denis. It was such a relief for me to have him there, since he has a different set of skills than I do. His skill set is better suited to the sorts of issues that come up at camp, so I really liked being able to have him to defer to. That's a pretty selfish reason to be glad to have him there... It was also wonderful to get to share the experience with him, because the Joni and Friends family retreat experience is so impressive and Denis didn't get to go last year.

Another thing that was different this year was that we were involved in the planning. We had access to the campers' health information, so we had a much better idea of what kind of situations we needed to be prepared for. We planned the first aid kit from the ground up, so we knew what was there. I also had a much better idea what sort of supplies we should carry with us. Now being more prepared was a very good thing, but it wasn't exactly reassuring. We had some campers with some significant health issues, and it was a bit scary being aware of them... But actually not any more scary than NOT knowing, which is how I felt last year. :o)

Praise goes to God, of course, that we did not actually have any significant health issues arise. The worst injury of the whole week was just a minor thing that only require arrangements made for a tetanus shot. We were kept busy though, with little things. Cuts, sprains, bandaids, little things. Those little problems gave us the opportunities to interact with people, which is really one of the greatest blessings of being at Joni and Friends. When we get to soothe a boo-boo for someone, we get to be a small blessing to them. I'm grateful that so many little things came up, because that meant getting to be involved with the campers.

This year, I felt more a part of the action - less on the fringes. Some of the highlights of my week:

1. interacting with some of the adult campers with disabilities

2. getting thumbs ups, smiles and waves from some campers affected by autism spectrum issues

3. helping a visually impaired camper figure out a better way to use her blood sugar meter

4. being invited by some teens to do the macarena dance with them at the talent show

5. seeing my friend who has Down syndrome blossom with all the attention and encouragement

This family retreat was the first one to take place in Oregon, or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest in about 20 years. The majority of the campers and STMs (volunteers) were new to Joni and Friends family retreats and did not know what to expect. One family feared on the first day that they would get kicked out because their son was pouring water out on the stage during the first worship session. What they didn't know is that at Joni and Friends family retreat, that's OK - it's normal even. God moved in powerful ways this week as families were blessed by the acceptance, rest, love and celebration of their kids offered by everyone at retreat. I also heard reports of how God worked in wonderful ways in the young adults with disabilities group.

My overall statement about Joni and Friends retreat this year is - what an honor! What a privilege to be just a small piece of what God did there. what we did was very little - but what a joy to be a part!

Morgan's Wonderland - The World's First Ultra Accessible Family Fun Park

A friend of mine from the local Joni and Friends chapter showed me this exciting new fun center. Unfortunately, it's in San Antonio, TX! What a fantastic idea and blessing for families with a member who has a disability.

I'm actually going to be in San Antonio in early August for the National Diabetes Educator's conference, so I think I will look into whether I might be able to volunteer for a day. It would be a neat experience. A bit of a long shot that it would work out, though...

Morgan's Wonderland - The World's First Ultra Accessible Family Fun Park

Joni and Friends Camp report

Sorry, folks, but pictures on my blog will be very limited due to privacy reasons for the families that attend JAF camp. Here are two - above are myself and Esther, the other nurse who attended camp. I was so grateful to have her there. We ended up taking turns staying the in the "First Aid Station" during the times of day that people were all over camp and most likely to just drop in there looking for help. During "all-camp" activities, though, we went to the location where everyone was gathered and got to watch and participate.

Praise God, we had no serious injuries. A couple of minor incidents were a bit stressful, but mostly we had bandaids and ice packs as our tools of the trade for the week. With all the things that could go wrong, it's truly evident that God has His hand of protection on the JAF camps each year.

I had a wonderful time and am SO glad that I went. Here are some of my thoughts as I reflect on my camp experience:

• Overall, I felt a bit like an outsider/observer. A lot of folks attend this camp year after year and a majority of people already knew each other. It's a happy reunion of old friends for them. I, on the other hand, did not know anyone but the people from my church. Esther and I were technically part of the leadership team, but didn't really know what was going on a lot of the time. I had the wonderful opportunity to wander and meet lots of campers, kids, young adults, parents, siblings, but I didn't get to know anyone very well. A lot of the campers with disabilities are a bit reserved around new people, so I didn't end up on a huggy basis with very many campers. I would love to go some time as a hands-on STM (volunteer assigned to be with a single camper for the week).
• On the other hand, I was priveledged to get to meet lots and lots of campers. I saw a more vulnerable side of them when they came to me with an owie or bump on the head. At first, I was kind of stymied by the communication challenges of treating these kids. But after a day I was really enjoying the challenge of trying different approaches until I was able to address the problem at hand. Keep in mind that the STM who works with the camper about 12 hours out of a day gets to know how to communicate best with them. But I'm just meeting them in a small crisis moment and don't know the best approach.
• The people who go to JAF camp every year call it "Heaven on Earth". People also say, "I can't explain it, you just have to go". Well, I'm going to give it an attempt at explanation. JAF camp is a place where people with and without disabilities are all accepted just the way they are. Not just accepted, but celebrated. People are not made fun of for enthusiasm that may not seem "appropriate". Activities are geared to meet everyone where they are and let all participate with as little barriers as humanly possible. A highlight of the week is the talent show night. It's a performance night in which it matters more that you got up and did something than that you sounded "great". The growth and change in campers from year to year is a real highlight for those who go each year.

I came back from camp feeling much less intimidated by our own plans for disability ministry in my church and much more excited to see who may walk in our church doors. Bring it on!

Here is our group on "camper day", the day campers arrive.

I'm going to camp!

It's been a while since I asked for prayer about Denis and I attending the upcoming Joni and Friends Family Camp as medical personnel. Unfortunately, Denis is not going to be able to go because he's working the entire week. I was not real excited about going without him, but decided to take the step of faith and send in my application. I was in contact with the camp director, making it clear that I hoped to have a second person there with whom to share the responsibility.

So, I'm please to report now that I am definitely going to camp next week. I'll be the "camp nurse" along with another gal who is from the Bay area in CA (where camp is located). I spoke with Esther on the phone and we were both pleased to realize that we have a lot in common. We've both got a lot of experience in hospital nursing. Esther currently works the night shift on a Med/Surg unit, which is where I spent most of my nursing career as well. We are both really happy to have another person to collaborate with. We will be roommates for the week, so I'm expecting to have a new great friend at the end of this. I think we'll be getting to know each other really well. :o)

The medical responsibilities are actually not that extensive. Though there are a lot of medical issues with the folks who come to Joni and Friends camp, they are chronic needs and the families continue to provide any personal care, or they bring a care provider with them. Our responsibilities are to assess any emergencies that arise, treat minor injuries and determine if a hospital trip is needed. All our decisions will be made in collaboration with the camp staff as well as the family. So, we will also get to participate in the camp activities and are not expected to just stay put in a "sick room".

I have no idea what to expect except being challenged to grow as I trust in God to meet any need that arises, give me wisdom and give me a servant heart towards the families that I will meet. I am also looking forward to spending travel time with my fellow church folks who I'm carpooling with and getting to see God work in all our lives. And then to see how our church is blessed as the 19 members who have participated in camp this year infect our church with passion for disability ministry. If you think of me in the week from July 18-24, please pray for camp - for all involved to be blessed and be a blessing to each other. Thanks!

What I learned at Joni and Friends Summit

Denis and I had the privilege of attending a Joni and Friends training summit in Pasadena, CA along with 6 other folks from our church this past weekend. We went to learn from people in other churches who already have more mature disability ministry programs up and running. The days were full of different workshops with a variety of topics, so we took a "divide and conquer" strategy. These are some of the take home points for me:

• People with disabilities need the church - they need to be told that God loves them, Jesus understands their pain and that hope is only found in Him.
• The church needs people with disabilities - people who have been to the end of themselves, looked suffering and self-pity in the face and learned the long-suffering patience of putting their faith in God have a powerful testimony that we all need to be exposed to. Not only that, but we need the opportunity to give without being repaid. I don't think I really had a vision of this until one of the workshops about ministering to adults with disabilities. Sometimes, it may not be as much about the people we serve getting so much out of it from our perspective, but that we can put ourselves aside without earthly reward.
• We are VERY blessed that our pastor is the one who initiated our disability ministry. Most of the attendees were struggling to get their church's attention on the need for a disability focus. They were very envious of our position. Our church is already leaps and bounds ahead of some because our pastor is enthusiastically promoting it from the pulpit.
• It's not necessary to have all the answers or programs in place to get started - most of the mature programs started with just meeting a couple of needs as they arose, then growing from there.
• "Disability Ministry" doesn't have to be hard and intimidating. It's good to provide low-commitment opportunities for people to get involved. It's contagious and the desire to be involved will spread.

The icing on the cake was getting to hear Joni Eareckson-Tada speak in the closing session. I've admired her for many years. What a blessing!

Disability Ministry

Now that I'm done with my commitment to the ADA walk planning committee, I'm excited to be diving head-long into our church's new Disability Ministry. Denis and I are both on the leadership team and we're just starting the process of getting it off the ground.

This is how it started - our pastor's wife and daughter have attended the Northern California Joni and Friends family camp as helpers for the last few years. Their participation has been a particular passion of the daughter. This summer, our pastor attended for the first time and he came back home fired up. What he learned at Joni and Friends camp is about the sad statistics of families who have a member with a disability. The divorce rate is high, church attendance is low - it is a very isolating situation for families. It is difficult to even get out the door to church, and when families do make it, they might not feel welcomed by the church once they get there.

Our goal with a Joni and Friends affiliated ministry is to be "Fully Accessible" not just in our building having wide enough doors, but also in our congregation to have wide enough hearts. The goal is not just to welcome people with disabilities to attend, but to participate in ministry. This is NO SMALL TASK and we are just getting started.

I'm so excited to be a part of a purposeful ministry that will take me out of my comfort zone and allow me to see God at work. In the past, I've participated in short term missions, but I have come to the realization that I'm not likely to be able to do that any more. If you happen to think of praying for our ministry, current requests would be a solution to a sticky problem of not having a wheelchair accessible bathroom, an upcoming training day for ushers, greeters and volunteers and planning our kick-off event in February.