The first half of this mission trip was spent in Ecuador. I was placed in the ministry at Camp Hope. Camp Hope is a day camp, Monday- Friday, 9AM-4PM, for people with special needs. They have babies, toddlers, children, teens, young adults, and adults. I was place in the “Joy” room, and let me just say, that room brought me SO MUCH JOY!
The Joy room is the room with campers ages 12-30 who have very minimal mobility and verbal skills. We had two campers who could walk, two that could feed themselves, and one that could communicate. None could go to the bathroom themselves. Most had Cerebral Palsy. We spent our days doing OT, PT, and giving massages. We fed the kids 3 times, 2 snacks and lunch, every day. Some days we got to take the kids outside and play with them in the playground or do their treatments outside so they could get some fresh air and sunshine.
I was able to bond very deeply with a few of the campers. I looked forward to seeing them and spending time with them. I learned what they liked and what the didn’t. I learned how to communicate with them without words. I learned their personalities and interacted accordingly. And I learned how to calm them down when they got agitated. I became very thankful to all those nights I couldn’t fall asleep when I was little so I made my mom and dad sing me my goodnight song, because even thou it was in English, I was able to sing it over and over to the campers to calm them down or make them sleep. One little boy was the most responsive to it. He would freak out at random times and I would sing to him to calm him. The same little boy also had a few convulsions while I was present and I was able to comfort and calm him down with just a simple song. It warmed my heart being able to connect with him on that vulnerable level.
I consider myself very lucky with my placement. Not only was I given such an amazing room of campers, but I was blessed with an amazing nurse who led the room. The hardest part about being at Camp Hope was the language barrier. But Mayu, the nurse of the Joy room was so patient and good at communicating. She never got frustrated and always helped us learn the words we couldn’t quite understand. Not only did she help us, but she wants us to help her! She was so insistent on learning some English from us while we were there. She was so inspired that she signed up to take a class to learn English.
I was also very lucky with my placement because I was placed with my beyond amazing and talented teammate Ben. He has has so much more experience working with special needs and he was just so inspiring to watch. I would find myself just watching as he worked with a camper because I was so amazed how comfortable and passionate he was in that moment. I also found myself learning from him, and quickly. He was so kind to help me and show me how to do things. He never made me think I couldn’t do something, but instead lifted me up and challenged me to take on more responsibility in the room.
God opened me up to so many amazing lessons and possibilities while at Camp Hope. He showed my a passion I never thought I’d have, in fact, it had never crossed my mind until now. Special Needs. We don’t see much of it where I’m from, but we know it’s there, and its’ important that they have someone to connect with, why can’t I be that person. Also, I have been struggling about my career. After graduation I went to school to become a phlebotomist. That went well until I couldn’t find a job. Ive been tossing ideas around about what to do next. This experience of changing diapers, feeding adults, moving them around, and caring for them, all together, has given me the confidence and heart I didn’t have, or didn’t think I had for nursing.
God works in so many ways, both big and small. But this, for me, has been such a big experience. I have fallen in love with serving in a whole new way than I was before. Camp Hope in Quito, Ecuador will always hold a near and dear part of my heart. I will always have a longing to go back and see the ones I have fallen in love with and connected to. I don’t want to leave. And as much as I wish I could stay, I know I can’t. God has a different plan for me. He has other ways for me to serve that I must follow. This is just one more family I have become a part of and will always love.
One adventure down, many more to go!
