My first experience where I encountered a wide variety of disabled individuals was in the summer of 2017, when I got the opportunity to serve as a missionary counselor at Camp Barnabas in Teas Trails, Missouri. Camp Barnabas is a Christian camp that serves Christ and children that have special needs. Now, at this point in my life I have never found myself interacting with children or even people in general that were disabled, or with special needs, but I knew this was something I needed to fill a gap inside my heart where I could fill whole by giving my time and experience to others who needed it.

I guess you could say, I wanted to know that I could help change someone's life by devoting my time and effort.

Just by arriving at the camp, I didn't know what to expect because everything was new to me, and I was afraid I wouldn't have been much help, but the counselors that have been there previously assured me everything was going to be a blast. When the campers arrived the next day, I was paired up with Daniel who is thirteen years old with down syndrome. It was my responsibility to care for Daniel at camp and to make sure he was having the greatest time. My subconscious didn't sink in till later that night where I realized that I had to put someone else's needs before my own. Throughout the week when camp was in session I did everything Daniel wanted to do. He loved talking about sports, going down the waterslide, playing games, and talking about God. Sometimes, keeping up with Daniel was very challenging, but with prayers and guidance, I could overcome anything that thrown in my path.

By the end, of the week when camp was over I met with Daniel's parents and gave them an oversight of went on during the camp session, and they were overfilled with joy and happiness that Daniel had a great time. It wasn't until I was on my flight home when I realized I had saw a dramatic change within myself. I started to reflect on how I saw myself before I came into the camp, and how I saw myself after I left. I wanted to take everything I learned from my experience at Camp Barnabas, and incorporate that into my daily life. The most valuable lesson I learned from my experience at Camp Barnabas, and spending time with Daniel was that it doesn't hurt to give your time to something or someone who may need it. I did not ask to go to Camp Barnabas, but felt as if God was gravitating me towards it. I wanted to do something meaningful with my summer and he granted me the opportunity to serve at camp and make an impact on the lives of others.

What I want society to know about people that are disabled and with special needs is that they're part of our community as well. They are most likely the sweetest, care-free people in the world. They just have so much love to offer, and can give you a different perspective on things. We as a society should be supporting and loving to those that are disabled because they're people just like you and me. The next time you see a disabled person or child with special needs or anyone in need of help, don't be afraid to lend a helping hand. Be humble, be kind, and help the next one in line.

Camp Barnabas

This is a personal photo I took with a camper while at Camp Barnabas in the summer of 2017.