Daily Living Blog

Camp Barnabas Reaches Across Barriers

What is in a name? Does it describe our personality, our character? When a parent chooses a name, is that baby already that person or do they grow into it? What about a label? Poisonous labels warn us to stay away. Sensitive skin labels affirm that anyone can use the product. Labels have the possibility to warn us, restrict us or release us.

There are names and labels throughout our society that are placed on things, places and individuals. Old, Geriatric, Disabled, Autistic, Handicap, Dementia are each words that label. They can be descriptive terms or defining terms. Each of these terms can be used to characterize part of a person’s identity. However, they do not define the whole person. The range of each label is vast, enormous and truly undefined. For example, “Old” can be someone further along in age than you (teenagers call their parents old) to someone who is the oldest living person.

However, often times we see that these labels are allowed to not just define but limit a person. Stereotypes are fixed on the recipient. These labels can become so defining that they mold everyone’s perspective to the negative and the impossible. This is especially true with children who have been diagnosed with a disability or are suffering from chronic illness. The diagnosis becomes the focus, the label and the limiter.

I had a conversation at the end of last summer with one of the founders of Camp Barnabas. Camp Barnabas is a summer camp that provides life-changing opportunities to people with special needs. Cyndi and Paul Teas, are the founders of Camp Barnabas in Purdy, Missouri. Cyndi explained that often those who attend camp consistently hear what they cannot do and are often labeled by their medical prognosis. She said that “many are hearing what the world is telling them – they don’t fit the norm.” But Cyndi pointed out that there are a lot of variations within the “Norm”.

Cyndi said that one of the most limiting factors for people with disabilities is attitude. “People’s attitude toward the child that then forms their attitude toward themselves.” She shared that it is rare for them to see a child so empowered that their disability does not hinder them, but in those cases the child is so much further along.

Camp Barnabas’ respects the difficulties and joys of parenting the special needs child. Their philosophy states “we strive to bring new experiences into these families. We seek to promote a sense of normalcy in the lives of children living with disease or disability. We recognize that disease and disability impact the whole family and we therefore minister to the sibling of a child with special needs by inviting them too to join in the camp experience.”

The camp experience is tailored for each group attending. Every activity is adapted to meet the needs of the campers. There are 9 terms and each term of camp is for specific groups based upon diagnosis including Developmentally Disabled, Physically Disabled, Autism, Hematology, Oncology, Burn Patients, Chronic Illnesses, Diabetes, Sickle Cell, Hemophilia, Amputees, Craniofacial Syndromes, Blind, Visually Impaired, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing. The age is from 7 years old and up.

There is a buddy counselor assigned to each camper for the entire week. The camp is structured so that each camper can successfully do the activities. They adapt everything, from the ropes course to games. Cyndi says, “We see a different way to do it – so that they are able to participate in every way. We don’t want them to sit on the side lines.” This philosophy is proving itself time again as campers state, “I never knew I could do that” and parents are in awe exclaiming “I didn’t know they could do this.”

For many of these young people, their diagnosis has completely limited their lifestyle and their identity. Cyndi says many of these kids haven’t been allowed to just be kids. But Camp Barnabas is that – a place where they can be celebrated for who they are and be a kid. “They need to know that God has a plan for their life. People keep making plans for their life based upon what they think they can do.”

Camp Barnabas’ success is measurable in many ways, including by the sheer number of campers that come back. 98% of the campers return year after year. Since their beginning in 1995 they have had over 10,000 campers. Children, youth, adults who have come through the gates of the camp to the tune of 150 volunteers cheering, calling their name and celebrating their life. These campers leave with an understanding that they can do anything, they just might not do it like someone else.

Camp Barnabas, the founders, the staff, the 1800 volunteers and the 10,000 campers and their families truly reflect Living Unlimited!

To find out more about their camp please visit their website at http://www.campbarnabas.org/. Or to make a donation or volunteer you can contact them at 417.476.2565.