Essay On Capernaum Camp Experience

My understanding of intellectual disabilities has expanded because now I am able to relate the specifics from our textbook to experiences I have had while helping at Younglife’s Capernaum camp, for special needs individuals. I was surprised to read in our textbook that limited intellectual ability is defined as a score of 70 or less on intelligence testing. The Capernaum camp experience is for anyone with a disability, whether physical or intellectual, and the range of issues spans greatly when we are at camp, because so many regional groups come during the same period of time.
A couple of times a year I am the camp nurse for the group, and the camp is about an hour away. I say that because transporting everyone can be an adventure in and of itself, between anxieties, excitement, wheelchairs, walkers, and more excitement! It is always great to see not only our first time campers being excited, most away from home for their first overnight trip, but our returning campers get very excited too. Regardless of their level of intelligence, physical challenges that they have to compensate for, or what their home situation is, we do our best to get everyone there that wants …show more content…
To me, each person that comes to camp is special in their own way, whether it’s a Capernaum camp, or a middle school or high school Younglife camp. Also, I do not know what score our Capernaum campers would have on an intelligence test but they each have strengths that are amazing to me. One is able to ask what your birthday is and can tell you what day of the week you were born, and what day your birthday will be, on any year you ask about. That’s amazing to me. A Capernaum camper from another area knows everything there is to know about heating and air conditioning systems. It’s his area of interest and his strength. It keeps him engaged with others and it is a unique way to connect