Over the next few days, I'm gonna try to post the updates from Joshua's week at Camp Barnabas. Just know that they may be interrupted at any time by BABY NEWS.
Each camper at Camp Barnabas has a helper...a "counselor." This year, they are called, "missionaries." The missionaries spend 23/24 hours per day with their camper.
Joshua's helper's name was Jared. When we first got there and were visiting, I asked him where he was from and all of that. I asked, "have you ever been to Camp Barnabas before?" He said, "no, ma'am...this is my first time!"
I could almost hear the eye-roll from Joshua, but he (thankfully) didn't say anything.
Jared asked Joshua, "so...have you been to Camp Barnabas before?" Joshua said, "uhhh...YES." And then, "FOR TWELVE YEARS, YOU DUMMY."
No, he didn't really add that last part, but he was thinking it...I'm just sure of it! Because, in his mind, he thinks he could probably run the place.
Camp Updates from 2014: here, here, here, here, here.
Camp Updates from 2015: here.
But Joshua and Jared got along great! Joshua thought Jared looked like Obi-Wan Kenobi, from Star Wars, so he decided to call him Obi Wan all week.
Some campers, like Joshua, are relatively low-maintenance. Other campers are more involved. If there are health issues, they have to watch for those. They have to remember medications (they don't give them, tho)...and then watch for reactions to it. They might have to help with feeding. They might have to help with bathroom issues, or change adult diapers. They might have to help them walk. They might have to push a wheelchair. They might have to help with bathing, dressing, or even holding a paintbrush. They might have to help with emotional issues, like if their camper was paranoid or homesick or afraid. They might have to clean up barf.
God bless our volunteers.
This year, the first thing the helpers tried to do was put a medication wristband on all the campers.
Silly, silly, Camp Barnabas people.
They obviously haven't heard about Joshua and the "wristband debacle" of 2014 (and 2015 and 2016).
Reminiscent of Joey Tribbiani's (from FRIENDS) "JOEY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD," there's "JOSHUA DOESN'T WEAR WRISTBANDS."
But they wanted all of the campers to wear these wristbands, so they would know who needed what meds...who had diabetes, seizures...stuff like that.
WELL. Joshua doesn't take any meds, at this point, but he is still required to wear the wristband.
But Joshua figured out the times when they checked them were at meal-time...and at bed-time...so the little stinker kept his wristband in his pocket until those times.
This year's theme for Camp was "Just One," with the Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. I asked Joshua what "Just One" meant, and he got out his Bible and read:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
Which, he pronounces "Israel," as "is-a-real" and it makes me smile every.single.time.
He told me that God is the only One we should worship...the only One we should love. "Just One."
"For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5
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