DMD

I have just spent the last week on a DMD camp. DMD stands for Develop-mentally Disabled. I had no idea what to expect going into the camp and so i was quite anxious about the whole thing. We had training for a day where i got to know the other leaders on the camp. There were only 12 of us uncluding the main directors. It was a small camp. Anyway, Sunday came and it was time for the campers to arrive. Over the following 24 hours i realised how beautiful these people were. To try and explain their disabilities i'll say that even though most of them were in their 20's, it was as if they were preps. They could not comprehend so many things and that got frustrating at times, but i learned to cope. There were quite a few campers with down syndrom and also people who had been in accidents resulting in brain injury. We spent the week doing little activities and studied some bible, talking about 'heroes' focusing on both male and female heroes in the bible, eg. Esther, David and Peter. This was good, especially when a lot of them were able to recite bible passages. so cool. We played games with them and took them swimming. These guys required constant attention. That was so draining. They needed help with most things. Some things i refused to help them with if they asked me because it was just wrong. Ahh, good times. good memories....which will be forever burned into my brain. yay. But with all the activities we did we were pretty loose because when you're dealing with this kind of camp things always seem to be changing.

So what were some of the things that happened to me over the week. Well, i'll say that i have grown immencly in patience and tollerance and had a little more insight into what 'love' is. You could never just tell these guys once to do something, you had to tell them over and over again. Which was hard at first because i wasn't used to it, of course. Then there were the trouble makers. These were the people who could not comprehend certain things. This too was frustrating at the beginning but i began to tollerate it. There was more in that though. In seeing how some of the campers just had no idea what they were doing and really didn't understand what you were trying to say to them, i started to feel really sad and almost sick. They couldn't comprehend what i was saying to them and i couldn't comprehend what it was like for them to live in a world of such restrictions. I know i wouldn't know it if i was in their situation but i cant express how fortunate i really am. I get to have an education, i always get enough food, so much in fact that my struggle is not getting food but keeping it away from me, that i have a family and a group of friends who are absolutly beautiful and do care for me (i hope) and that i have a mind that is not bound by restrictions. I am so fortunate. Does this mean i have no reason to be unhappy?

I think i have a choice in whether i'm content in my life. I want to say yes, but at the same time i know i'm cursed. Should i be content because i have so much? Well its an option i guess. But i am also cursed because of all i have. I must strive to give what i have to those who need it. We've all heard this before, but this week i realised that so many people only need love. for you to be kind to them. They probably wont realise how much of yourself you are giving and that is a good thing, because i helps change you into a truely selfless giver. I think too many times i do good things for people and expect that they ay leased recognise that i have done it. Do i do it for God? Loving people IS loving God.

So thats my little thought for this week.

By the way, i'm really tired. I only got back from this camp today. I need sleep. So if there are things that need more explaining tell me and i will give more detail in comments.

OK, love you all, even if i don't know you, and i pray that you are enjoying your life at the moment.

P.S. One of the other leaders was like and American version of Kirsty. She looked the same and talked that same....with an accent though. Thak kept me amused for the week. Might get a photo up some time and let you decide. ok bubbye.