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| Because At Camp Barnabas You Know It's Alright... |
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| Camp Barnabas. This place could possibly be the best and most wonderful place I've ever been to on this earth. I can't imagine my life without that one week. Camp Barnabas is a Christian Camp for kids and adults with disabilities (Such as Autism, Downs Syndrome, blindness, deaf or hearing impairments, physically disabled, terminal illnesses, emotionally disturbed, etc.) Once I got back from Purdy, I went on Facebook, and noticed everything that the "Status Updates" said from my "friends" at school. - "My life was perfect until he showed up." - "I'm so *(cuss word)* mad right now!" - "Still getting over him... =[" - What I saw and was reading was so sad. These people don't realize what they have, and what they're missing. The campers at Barnabas never let anything get in the way of all the joy they had built up inside of them. It was like they didn't have a worry in the world. One of the campers was telling me that her brother was in jail, and her sister died as a baby, but she NEVER ceased to show her love for what she DID have. It amazes me how these kids with Downs Syndrome and Autism live a much better life than what we've been seeing. Your friends who have been cussing and doing drugs and making bad decisions in their "love" live, don't realize the beautifulness in these campers. They see them as "messed up", "screwed up". But they don't realize that all these campers realize and need to live a good life is God. That's what most people aren't seeing. - What they think they need to live the "perfect life"? Good looks, a love relationship, drama and attention, millions of friends (True or not.), popularity... - When I saw those things on TV, I used to think, "That's not true. School is not like that. Disney Channel and ABC Family; they're all exaggerating." Then, once I arrived back at home from Camp Barnabas, I never realized how wrong I was. All the kids from the juniors highs and schools I have known, have all been begging and striving for these worthless things every day. And it saddened me so much to see this, without even being on Facebook for five minutes. In all those people at school who I thought I was close to, because they said they went to church and attended their weekly youth group. And I had never realized how distant I really was from these people. - I was talking to a kid from my school through Facebook. It was on the Facebook version of AIM. This kid was not a great kid. This past year in school, he had gotten multiple ISS and OSS sentences each semester. Got detention every week after and before school. He did not behave himself very well. At all. We didn't have much of a friendship, but he'd talked to me before. So I was sort of confused and weirded out when he started talking to me - "Hey." - I knew in my head, this kid was trouble, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to him. But, even though I didn't really want to, I did anyway. - "Hey! How's your summer been goin'?" - He had responded with basketball and video games. I knew he'd done more reckless stuff than that, but I didn't question him or anything. - "What have you been doin' with your summer?' he asked. - I told him that I had just gotten back from this place called Camp Barnabas. I went on about how much fun I had, how amazing it was, and how I hadn't stop talking to my friends since I left. To my surprise, he kept the conversation going, even though he tried to change the subject once or twice. Then I mentioned that it was a camp for disabled children and adults. I could tell I perked his interest a little more. As our conversation lingered on, I had discovered that he has a 23 year old cousin with Downs Syndrome. I explained more of what they did at Barnabas; some of the activities and games they could participate in. I exclaimed that his cousin should go. - "He'd love it! I've never met someone who didn't fall absolutely in love with the place!" - He kept on getting more and more interested, and like I said before, I was surprised, because this kid doesn't typically talk to me. He started asking questions like, "Did you volunteer?" and "How long is the camp?" From then, the questions got even more detailed. Questions like, "How much does it cost?" and "What can a kid my age do at that camp?" I told him about barnstorming, and how the week I served it was Autism and Downs Syndrome for 16 years and older. It was surprised to hear that it was for adults, too. - By the end of the conversation, he was sounding very excited. He was asking me where he could get a form to sign up, and more information on sending a camper. I gave him the website, and I gave him Tyler's (Our youth directors) e-mail and Facebook name. He told me that he was really wanting to talk to him about it, and how he can get more involved. - After he logged off Facebook, I started reflecting on my conversation with him. I was so amazed on how God worked through me to get to him. He uses ordinary people like us to spread his love and generosity to other people. I was later telling this 'God Story' to my Barnabas friends. I just felt so happy and joyful to be used as a tool of God. I felt the most special I had in a long time, knowing that I was special and hand-picked for that conversation. It's an indescribable emotion that I felt that night. - Camp Barnabas was such an amazing experience for me, in that I was feeling this joy through out the whole week. I never felt sad or unloved, and I NEVER felt excluded. Knowing that your always loved by the people here on earth, makes it nearly impossible for me to imagine God's love for me! I don't know that I've ever felt closer in my life to God as I have this past week. Camp Barnabas was definitely a life changing experience, and a memory that will never leave me. - I want to sit at your feet - Drink from the cup in your hands - Lay back against you and breath - Feel your heartbeat - This love is so real - It's more than I can stand - I melt in your peace - It's overwhelming |
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| To add a comment to "Because At Camp Barnabas You Know It's Alright..." |
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| July 15, 2008 |
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| Wow Hannah! That was written wonderfully and what an amazing story that you now have to tell others! God truly did work through you in this and that is so great! I agree with everything you did say about Camp Barnabas because it truly did change my life as well! I just love this blog so much and wow.... that is just an awesome story! |
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| July 16, 2008 |
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| I sent this to my aunt Dina... Cameron and Skylar's mom and she said it made her cry like a baby and that it amazes her that a 14 year old could write something so well and so heartfilled! She thought it was unbelievable that God worked through us at camp like that and wanted me to tell you this! |
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| July 16, 2008 |
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| Awww... thank you so much! I just really felt like I needed to write about it! I told Enoch and Ryan; Enoch's response to it was really funny! Ha ha! I love him! But, once again, thank you very much! And yeah, your aunt can go ahead and do whatever she wants with it! |
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| July 16, 2008 |
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| No problem! and this is kinda off subject but Joseph got a mychurch! I am friends with him! YEAH!!!! |
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| July 16, 2008 |
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| Yeah, I know! I told him to get one! Ha ha! |
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