10th Annual Camp for Children with Special Needs

Sunday, 04 October 2009 01:11

Through God's wondrous providence, during the crises that occurred in 2000, the unexpected idea for a camp for children with special need was born. Unexpected because our social services had other plans for such children; but as often happens, we plan but God wills.

During the course of the past ten years, with the support of HEKS, the Aid Organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland, we have been able to make it possible for these children at least to enjoy a little the beauties of God's creation.

Again this year children from all areas of our country were present for the summer camp in Ohrid, held from the 9th to the 17th of July, at the Orce Nikolov hotel. In all there were 90 children, accompanied by their teachers; they interacted among themselves and got to know one another; they swam and challenged themselves with new experiences during the days they were at the camp. A group of young people from our church, students, organized all the activities at the camp and took care for each child to feel as good and comfortable as possible.

A characteristic of this year's summer camp was that in addition to the children with special needs there was also present a small group of orphan children and a small group of children from the Sunday school in our congregation in Strumica. The children passed their time with swimming as well as in learning Bible truths, led by the youth from our church. In showing their creativity, the children had the opportunity to make crafts that helped them to further develop their imagination and intellectual possibilities. Once the day's activities were finished, that did not mean that there was no more; the evening hours were also filled with special activities. Led by the "Methodist Child Band" which every evening sang and played, special brightness and joy were created for the children.

Children's Camp - a real blessing for the children! Children who because of the stoppage of certain psycho-physical progress, disrespected and left out, have the chance among themselves to learn one from another and at the same time adults around them to learn from them. The children need love and attention, but also encouragement through which the desire for expressing their gifts is developed in them.

With this cycle of ten years of help from HEKS, their financing of this project ends, but still with hope that anew we will find good, humane, open hearts that will make possible the financial help with which the project "Summer Camp for Children with Special Needs" will continue hereafter.

Why a camp for children with special needs? Because such camps really help these children to develop their abilities. Real socialization of these children takes place. The children discover their capabilities. Exactly for these reasons our wish is for the camp to continue in the future. Finally I want to express my thanks to the schools for special needs in Novo Selo, Veles and Skopje as well as the center for social services who for all these years have supported us with every kind help and with that they made the camps for children possible. Special thanks also to the youth of our church who tirelessly strive in the organization and success of these camps.