Camp for a week… those words affect everyone differently. My thoughts were, “sure… gross food, but I don’t have to cook, kids get to spend a week with their grandparents, and it may be fun.” Little did I know that it would be one of the VERY best weeks.
This summer Lantern and Compass was given the opportunity to come alongside Ability Camp, a camp dedicated to special needs adults. A camp that believes EVERYONE should be given the chance to do a multitude of activities they may not get to participate in otherwise and most importantly the opportunity to worship, pray, and be in the presence of God.
The week started and we hit the ground running. As recreation staff we planned special games, events, and activities, we were the go-to team for anything needed. A room needed set up, we were there. Walmart runs… we went. Water passed out to campers… we traveled around the camp. Campfire started…we struck a match. To say we were busy would be an understatement, but with everything we did there was much more to what was happening around us.
The campers taught us more than we could have imagined. Fishing was one of the events we took on. Our week was soggy, but we met the campers at the little pond for three early mornings. Our first morning it poured the rain, we were sure no one would show up, but they did. We stood in the rain for 2 hours baiting hooks, teaching campers how to cast, reeling in empty hooks, to do it all over again. We laughed a lot that morning! All together we caught ONE fish, but that didn’t matter. The campers didn’t care they didn’t catch fish, the rain didn’t bother them, they were there to have fun and build relationships with those around them. We had rain everyday, some days more than others, but each day we were fishing. Each day God was working through the campers showing us, it doesn’t matter the conditions, have fun, love the people you are with and be thankful for the time we have to share.
Beyond all of the activities and fun times, the week was filled with God’s presence around the camp and in each service. The campers truly worshiped with everything they had, they didn’t care who was around them, they worshipped 110%. A lesson learned from the campers; it doesn’t matter your circumstances, God has given you His love and you need to be thankful each and every day the best that you can. We saw campers come to know Jesus and dedicate their lives to Him. There was one camper who blessed so many, he was blind, had a hard time walking, did not communicate, and could become aggressive to himself. At the beginning of the week he sat on the floor in the back of each service, it took 2 staff members to work with him, he banged toys, made noises, and could have been very distracted. Not one person felt he didn’t belong. As the week continued, we saw a change happening… he would pull his 2 adult counselors to the front during worship, he would stand a little straighter each night and move to the beat of the music. His last night with us not only did he move to the front for worship, but he sat in the front during the speaking as well. He did not make noise, he sat and listened to what God had to say.
At the end of the week this camper was baptized in water, when he came out of the water he had a smile on his face, he stood straight up, and gave the leader several high fives when asked, all things we didn’t see throughout the week. We know God is working in his life!
A week at Ability Tree camp is NOT just another week of summer camp. It is a week filled with learning from those around you, ministering in ways you never imagined you could, being in God’s presence 24 hours a day, being ministered to by the campers and having a TON of fun. If you have the opportunity to join Lantern and Compass next year, don’t pass it up! You will be blessed more than you could imagine!!
by Beth Wiles – Camp Team Member
