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Camp Hands of Joy 2013

We are running a week-long summer camp for approximately 80 deaf children in the Dominican Republic.

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Camp Hands of Joy 2013

Camp Hands of Joy 2013

Camp Hands of Joy 2013

Camp Hands of Joy 2013

Camp Hands of Joy 2013

We are running a week-long summer camp for approximately 80 deaf children in the Dominican Republic.

We are running a week-long summer camp for approximately 80 deaf children in the Dominican Republic.

We are running a week-long summer camp for approximately 80 deaf children in the Dominican Republic.

We are running a week-long summer camp for approximately 80 deaf children in the Dominican Republic.

FUMC Alachua
FUMC Alachua
FUMC Alachua
FUMC Alachua
1 Campaign |
Alachua, United States
$250 USD 3 backers
8% of $3,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

Sponsor a Child

$50 USD
2 claimed

Sponsor + Camp Video

$100 USD
0 claimed

Short Summary

Six years ago, a group of youth and adults from the First United Methodist Church of Alachua, Florida traveled to the Harvest Deaf Bible College in Ringgold, Georgia for a mission trip. It was there that our passion for serving the deaf community was born, but we weren’t sure where that passion would lead us. The following summer, we embarked on our first international mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We ran a series of medical clinics in some of the poorest neighborhoods of Santo Domingo. One of the clinics was held at a church that also housed a school for deaf children founded by an American missionary. The youth on our trip immediately bonded with the children from the school and spent the afternoon doing what kids do -- playing chess, checkers, and cards –- just having fun. Even though at that time none of us knew sign language, we soon learned that love and laughter knew no language barriers. Later in the week, we took all the children from the school to an interactive science museum in the city. Watching the children explore the different interactive displays was such an amazing experience: they were so excited! Seeing little things bring them so much joy inspired us to want to do something more for these children, but we still weren’t sure what.

Later that year, the vision started to become clear – we wanted to host a summer camp for all of the children from the school; and in June of 2009 we held our inaugural summer camp, Camp Hands of Joy. Since then we have traveled to the Dominican Republic every summer to host summer camp for the children. Our team has grown from our original 12 volunteers to about 30 American team members, including other volunteers from our local community. A group of students, alumni and affiliates of Rochester Institute of Technology’s ASL-English Interpretation Program in Rochester, New York have also joined the team. Numerous native Dominican volunteers have also partnered with us to help run the camp. Over time, more than half of our team members have become proficient at sign language as a second language. The group of Dominican children attending Camp Hands of Joy has grown from about 40 children in 2009 to over 80 children in 2012.

During the week, the children receive 3 nutritious meals a day and enjoy fun, supervised camp activities including games, sports, crafts, drama and swimming. In addition, morning and evening chapel services and a small group discussion session are held each day. The camp facilities in the Dominican Republic are extremely primitive, but to these children, many of whom have live in appalling conditions, it is like a 5-star hotel. They feel safe and loved, and have an opportunity to just be a child.

As you can imagine, there are costs involved in organizing and running a week-long camp in a different part of the world for over a hundred participants. Without fundraising efforts like this one, it would be impossible for us to continue year after year. Your generous contribution will allow us to continue putting on this camp and bring a special joy to these children’s lives.

What We Need

Each year, the camp costs approximately $25,000 to put on. The costs are broken down as follows*:

  • Travel costs for the team - $700 per member (total cost varies depending on the number of volunteer team members)
  • Room and board at camp (including food) - $50 per person, including volunteer team members, children and teaching staff
  • Bus transportation for the children from their school in Santo Domingo to camp and back to the school again - $1,000
  • Camp Supplies - $1,000

*Amounts are estimates and vary slightly from year to year.

Most of the families of the deaf Dominican children could not afford to provide a week-long camp experience of this nature for their child, so it is generous sponsorships and volunteer staffing that make Camp Hands of Joy possible. Will you please consider joining with us this year as we make June 16th- June 22nd, 2013, a very special week for the children? Without you, Camp Hands of Joy would not exist. No donation is too small.

The Impact

In the Dominican Republic deafness is looked upon as a disease and most children born deaf are not accepted in their families or their communities. The public school system is unable to deal with the specialized language needs of deaf children, so they are often lumped with mentally disabled children and labeled "unable to learn" even though many of them are incredibly intelligent and capable. Many deaf children do not learn any language, even things as basic as their own name, until age 9 or 10. Their families do not make the effort to learn sign language, so the children often lack any form of communication in their homes. For the most part, they are ignored and abused and are often left feeling isolated and alone. While there have been some efforts made by government, a few international agencies, and religious ministries to help educate deaf children, they are still left with little access to the everyday activities and fun which are common to other children their age.

About 10 years ago, an American Missionary, Peggy Blevins, started a small school in the capital city of Santo Domingo to help the deaf children in that area. Today, the school is in operation and currently has a waiting list of several children who are hoping to leave their life of isolation and enter a world where their potential can be realized. The school starts by giving the children a language, American Sign Language, which makes it possible for them to communicate. This basic fundamental skill provides opportunities they have never had before. Once the children learn sign language, their school experience is a typical one, learning reading and writing, Spanish and math. Most importantly, the teachers share with the children God's love that transcends whatever troubles they encounter in their lives.

The school has made an amazing impact on the deaf children of Santo Domingo, but there are limitations to the things that can be taught in a classroom environment. Children need to play and interact in a healthy, outdoor environment rich with teachable moments. Camp Hands of Joy provides that environment and is a wonderful compliment to the school. The children have the opportunity to not only spend a fun week with their friends from the deaf school, but also with deaf adult role models, and hearing people who know and love their language and are actively engaged in communicating with them. Over the past 5 years we have watched what once were shy, awkward, insecure children become loving, confident, self-sufficient individuals. It’s easy to see the impact Camp Hands of Joy makes on the children. We see it in their excited faces as they return to camp each summer, and in their tears as they say “until next year” to their American friends at the end of the week and return to their homes – confident that they are loved.

 

 

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