Everything I want for Joshua and his friends: inclusion, acceptance, compassion...and everything I want all of us to strive for: creativity, boldness, and a willingness to think outside the box.
And not just THINK outside the box...but to actually look at a problem, determine a solution, and ACT outside the box.
Inclusion is what Joshua's Therapeutic Recreation program is all about. But, ya know, there's the "hey, come sit with me at lunch," kind of inclusion...and there's the "hey, I will strap you on my back and carry you up the climbing wall" kind of inclusion.
Now, to be clear, the person carrying this girl is an employee of the climbing center. But I'm certain this isn't his first rodeo. After all, they have the equipment to do this. We love our friends at our climbing center.
Y'ALL..how would this be if we all thought like this?
If we all saw someone who was left out of a group or activity or experience, and figured out a way they could participate?
I just watched a documentary about 3 guys who carried their best friend on their backs on a trip to Europe. Hiking, walking, riding...each of them taking turns carrying their friend, using a specially made back-pack. For THREE WEEKS. All because they knew that most of the things they wanted to do, and the places they wanted to go, were not accessible by wheelchair.
Look at the picture I posted again. See the wheelchair at the bottom? That's where this girl sits most of the day, every day. Can you even imagine the elation of being able to experience something like the climbing wall? Of being lifted out of that chair, and strapped to the back of someone stronger? How freeing would that be? And when the climber asked her, "how do you want to come down...fast or slow?" She said, "FAST!"
One person, y'all.
One person looked at an obstacle, and figured out a way...and carried a child on their back up a climbing wall.
I'm so thankful for the staff at Joshua's Therapeutic Recreation group, because this type of stuff happens on the daily. They see an obstacle as a challenge...as a problem that just hasn't found its solution yet. And then they work together to figure out a way for everyone to participate...because why wouldn't they? And why can't they?
Because there's the literal "wall climbing..." like in this picture, and there's the figurative walls they climb every day: the misconceptions they shatter, the opinions they change, the barriers they break down.
I'm so thankful for the friends who told us about this awesome program...and for the amazing staff.
The past two years, at Joshua's Powerlifting Competition for Special O, there is an athlete who is unable to move from the waist down. I don't know who decided that Powerlifting would be the event for her, but she does it. She can't do the dead-lift part, but she does the bench-press.
This is how it goes: she wheels herself up to the bench-press. Two men take her out of her chair, and strap her legs to the bench. She follows the commands to lift and rack...and the two men come back, unstrap her legs, pick her up, and strap her back in her wheelchair.
Y'all. I can't even tell you how moving this was to watch. In a room that is usually filled with noise...you could've heard a pin drop as the men took her from her chair, and got her settled. When she made her lift, the crowd erupted in cheers. And as we were all wiping our faces, and trying to regain our composures, one lone voice, heard from one of the other athletes, after everything settled down: "EASY PEASY."
And we all died laughing.
But there's this...one person. Or, in her case, two people...saw an obstacle...a big one...and they figured out a way for this athlete to compete.
I'm so thankful for the staff at Joshua's Therapeutic Recreation group, because this type of stuff happens on the daily. They see an obstacle as a challenge...as a problem that just hasn't found its solution yet. And then they work together to figure out a way for everyone to participate...because why wouldn't they? And why can't they?
Because there's the literal "wall climbing..." like in this picture, and there's the figurative walls they climb every day: the misconceptions they shatter, the opinions they change, the barriers they break down.
I'm so thankful for the friends who told us about this awesome program...and for the amazing staff.
The past two years, at Joshua's Powerlifting Competition for Special O, there is an athlete who is unable to move from the waist down. I don't know who decided that Powerlifting would be the event for her, but she does it. She can't do the dead-lift part, but she does the bench-press.
This is how it goes: she wheels herself up to the bench-press. Two men take her out of her chair, and strap her legs to the bench. She follows the commands to lift and rack...and the two men come back, unstrap her legs, pick her up, and strap her back in her wheelchair.
Y'all. I can't even tell you how moving this was to watch. In a room that is usually filled with noise...you could've heard a pin drop as the men took her from her chair, and got her settled. When she made her lift, the crowd erupted in cheers. And as we were all wiping our faces, and trying to regain our composures, one lone voice, heard from one of the other athletes, after everything settled down: "EASY PEASY."
And we all died laughing.
But there's this...one person. Or, in her case, two people...saw an obstacle...a big one...and they figured out a way for this athlete to compete.
When our youngest 3 kids were little, they started going to Kanakuk Kamps. It's a Christian sports kamp, located in the Branson, Missouri area. This kamp has constant and scheduled activities, great meals...and a purposeful focus on the spiritual life of every kamper. Holly was our first one to go, the summer before she turned 10. Logan started going the summer before HE turned 10. Clark started going when he was 7.
WHEN HE WAS 7.
Now, in a normal situation, I would not have sent my 7 year old to Kanakuk. I know people do it all the time...but that's not me.
But Clark was very familiar with the Kamp and Kamp life. Every year, when we picked them up, he couldn't wait to hear all the stories. He would sit attentively in the closing ceremonies and listen to the message...taking in all of the kamp surroundings. He would listen excitedly, as the kids would introduce their friends, or point to certain places at kamp..."that's where we eat...that's where we play basketball...we rode that trail through the woods." There are a lot of kamp cheers and kamp songs at Kanakuk...Clark learned them all. He could not WAIT for his turn to go.
When I signed up the other kids, Clark begged to get to go with them. The thing that pushed me to say "yes" this particular year, was the fact that this would be the only year that all 3 would have the opportunity to be there together...because Holly would be graduating. My reasoning for allowing Clark to go at age 7, was that the other two, Holly and Logan, would watch out for Clark during the week. In reality, they barely saw each other. #momfail
My point here is that Kanakuk is a place that would be hard for Joshua. He would not be able to keep up with the physical demands of most of the activities. His gross motor skills were not on the same level as his peers. And because he thinks differently than others, he would require extra eyes on him at all times. We love Kanakuk, but it is not a kamp that is accessible for all kids.
Enter: CAMP BARNABAS.
Some friends told us about this other camp in Missouri called Camp Barnabas. They said it was for kids/adults with special needs. Not gonna lie, I'm pretty protective, and overly cautious, when it comes to Joshua. I was a little skeptical of what this camp would be like...but I checked it out, and it looked legit. Plus, he would have two friends from home, who would be there at the same time, so at least he would know somebody.
Camp Barnabas is a Christian sports camp for kids and adults with various challenges. At this camp, they play and sing and dance and walk and climb and swing and swim and canoe and do archery and shoot bb guns and eat and...did I already say "dance?" Because there is a lot of dancing at Camp Barnabas! For the week they are there, they are loved and VALUED, and they are taught they are WORTHY in the eyes of a loving God. And it is the PERFECT place for Joshua and his friends.
Camp Barnabas came about because of a little girl named Lauren, who attended Kanakuk for several summers. Her last summer there, she spent a lot of time in the nurse's office...complaining of pain in her leg. When her parents came to pick her up at the end of the term, nurse Cindy told them they might want to have Lauren's leg pain checked out by a doctor.
Unfortunately, Lauren, ended up being diagnosed with cancer. She had her leg amputated, lost her hair, and endured months of chemo. Still, she wanted to go back to Kamp that next summer, and she did...but that's where she realized how much things had changed for her. She looked different, she felt different, and, even tho her friends were empathetic to her situation, she couldn't keep up with her group. Mrs. Cindy was the nurse again, and asked Lauren what her ideal kamp experience would be like. Lauren described a place where different was normal; a place where someone missing an arm or a leg or all of their hair...wouldn't get a second glance; a place where everyone was on crutches or in wheelchairs; a place where no one would feel isolated.
And that's how Camp Barnabas came to be...because of a child's wish...and because of a nurse who was determined to make it happen for Lauren, and for others.
One person, y'all.
One person took a dream...an idea...and ran with it. And got others on board. And changed the perception of disability.
One person looked at an obstacle, and figured out a way.
Over and over again.
In my own life, there have been many times when someone has (figuratively) carried me through a tough situation. Times when I was too weak or too spent or too broken, and they stepped in...walked right into the fire...strapped me on their backs, and carried me through.
What about you? Can you think of times like that...when someone walked with you through a trial? Have you ever done that for someone else?
Because there's the "I'll pray for you" type of person...and we all need prayer, no doubt. And there's the person who regularly encourages in small, but much appreciated ways. And then there's the "I'm coming over...tell me how I can help you right now," type of person.
We aren't meant to go through life alone. We can't. We all need someone to give us a hand-up, a pat on the back...or throw us a life-line. Our Special O athletes, who have special needs, want to compete like everyone else...but they need help. They need us to help make a way for them.
We all have special needs, y'all. We want to live and grow and love and serve and learn but we need help. We need someone to make a way for us.
Someone did. Jesus did.
Jesus is the help we need. He made the way.
"Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
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