Today I'm wearing a tee-shirt with the words, "Celebrating 30 Years of Camp Joy" emblazoned on the left shoulder. In 1981, Joan Van De Wall and I wrote a grant for a week of Faith-based Camp for people with special needs like Jeff who had aged out of other summer camps. How he loved Camp Joy!! At the Banquet Celebration of these 30 years of growth, and struggles, and blessings, Joan asked the 2011 Camp Joy Staff to share some of their stories of healing and blessings they'd experienced this year. The staff shared story after story of how they'd gained more from the campers than they'd given. Joan ended her thank-yous to all those who had served on the Camp Joy staff over the years by asking me to speak about Jeff's last days with Leukemia at the hospital. Since she had been there, too, she recalled that Jeff had been adamant about going back to his group house, even with a possibility of hospice care. Finally, "Yes, Mom!! Go back to Group Home!!" melded into, "Yes, Mom, I'm ready to go and see Jesus now." ~~~ Jeff has been gone 23 years in Ocotober. I haven't cried in a long time, but I cried at that Banquet. Thank You, Lord, for the people who cared so much for Jeff, and helped him be ready to go to see You!!
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