With our powers combined, we can tweeze a llama!
So, this year was a lot more fun than last year. For anyone who is unaware, the premise of Bethesda is that people with severe mental and physical disabilities go on vacation to Camp Matz for a week and are assigned a volunteer (someone like me) who takes care of them for the week. This pattern continues throughout the summer with new campers and volunteers.
This year we had community campers. This means that although most campers come from Bethesda's main campus (it's a living facility cross between a hospital and an old folks' home...sort of) these people came from group homes, so they were on the whole very responsive and awesome.
My camper's name was Betty. (She thought it was cool that we were both Elizabeths) She was generally very enthusiastic about things and I was really blessed to have her. She was ambulatory, verbal, and could eat by herself (though she was missing quite a few teeth and needed a clothing protector). Sometimes she was really hard to understand, but that wasn't a huge issue.
Her best friend (and roommate in her group home) was there and they always wanted to be together. At times this was kind of hard for me to accept because half of the time getting a seat by Becky meant that there was no seat for me. I mean, sure, I can go and find other stuff to do because it's not like Betty can't handle eating without help, but...yeah.
Betty loved bracelets. She was always asking me to move her bracelets from wrist to wrist or readjust them. Needless to say, we made a lot of bracelets during the week. (Five, to be exact) Betty also liked sitting in the sun. See, I'm a nature walkish person, but Betty wasn't, so we'd either end up sitting inside with Becky (which is usually boring for me) or sitting outside in the sun (we all know how I looooooooooove summer, right? ><) But I found that lying out in the sun was really enjoyable. Though Betty's verbal, she's not talkative. If you ask her questions, she'll give you the shortest answer possible and stop there, so it's hard to carry a conversation. Our most in depth conversation consisted of us sitting out in the sun, talking about Barney (her favourite TV show), trying to figure out if DJ's spots are red or pink.
Betty loves music. Whenever people sing or music is playing, she closes her eyes, lets her jaw drop slightly, puts her hands up, and twists back and forth. It was also funny because whenever I'd sing along in chapel and stuff like that, she'd ask me why I wasn't part of the group leading. (Shut up, I'll take compliments where I can get them! ^^;;;) Betty and I sang Happy Birthday together for the talent show. Surprisingly enough, she can carry a tune.
The talent show was so much fun this year. To be able to see these people get up and do some of the simplest things ever (like Rhia ripping paper) and be all smiles and happiness and...they's just having a fantastic time and everyone can tell. Doug got up and counted to ten, then told us that 1+1=2 and identified how many fingers Tyler was holding up. I couldn't stop smiling. Thomas' camper Lee (who was actually really difficult) got up and put on a puppet show in his falsetto. It was fantastic. And a whole bunch of people (including Betty and me) got up and DANCED. It just filled me with so much joy, even if it did take a loooong time. ^^;;
On the last day Betty said to me, "Home Friday."
Me: But today is Friday, Betty.
Betty:(suddenly very sad) Home today?
Me: Yes, you're going home today
Betty: I wanna stay
Me: You can't stay
Betty: Why?
Me: Because everyone's going home. You're going home, Becky's going home, I'm going home
Betty: But I love you (Betty hugs Elizabeth for the first time)
Me: Oh, Betty, I love you too!
Betty wasn't an overly affectionate camper. Saying I love you and getting a hug was a big deal. I'll always remember her.
This year we had community campers. This means that although most campers come from Bethesda's main campus (it's a living facility cross between a hospital and an old folks' home...sort of) these people came from group homes, so they were on the whole very responsive and awesome.
My camper's name was Betty. (She thought it was cool that we were both Elizabeths) She was generally very enthusiastic about things and I was really blessed to have her. She was ambulatory, verbal, and could eat by herself (though she was missing quite a few teeth and needed a clothing protector). Sometimes she was really hard to understand, but that wasn't a huge issue.
Her best friend (and roommate in her group home) was there and they always wanted to be together. At times this was kind of hard for me to accept because half of the time getting a seat by Becky meant that there was no seat for me. I mean, sure, I can go and find other stuff to do because it's not like Betty can't handle eating without help, but...yeah.
Betty loved bracelets. She was always asking me to move her bracelets from wrist to wrist or readjust them. Needless to say, we made a lot of bracelets during the week. (Five, to be exact) Betty also liked sitting in the sun. See, I'm a nature walkish person, but Betty wasn't, so we'd either end up sitting inside with Becky (which is usually boring for me) or sitting outside in the sun (we all know how I looooooooooove summer, right? ><) But I found that lying out in the sun was really enjoyable. Though Betty's verbal, she's not talkative. If you ask her questions, she'll give you the shortest answer possible and stop there, so it's hard to carry a conversation. Our most in depth conversation consisted of us sitting out in the sun, talking about Barney (her favourite TV show), trying to figure out if DJ's spots are red or pink.
Betty loves music. Whenever people sing or music is playing, she closes her eyes, lets her jaw drop slightly, puts her hands up, and twists back and forth. It was also funny because whenever I'd sing along in chapel and stuff like that, she'd ask me why I wasn't part of the group leading. (Shut up, I'll take compliments where I can get them! ^^;;;) Betty and I sang Happy Birthday together for the talent show. Surprisingly enough, she can carry a tune.
The talent show was so much fun this year. To be able to see these people get up and do some of the simplest things ever (like Rhia ripping paper) and be all smiles and happiness and...they's just having a fantastic time and everyone can tell. Doug got up and counted to ten, then told us that 1+1=2 and identified how many fingers Tyler was holding up. I couldn't stop smiling. Thomas' camper Lee (who was actually really difficult) got up and put on a puppet show in his falsetto. It was fantastic. And a whole bunch of people (including Betty and me) got up and DANCED. It just filled me with so much joy, even if it did take a loooong time. ^^;;
On the last day Betty said to me, "Home Friday."
Me: But today is Friday, Betty.
Betty:(suddenly very sad) Home today?
Me: Yes, you're going home today
Betty: I wanna stay
Me: You can't stay
Betty: Why?
Me: Because everyone's going home. You're going home, Becky's going home, I'm going home
Betty: But I love you (Betty hugs Elizabeth for the first time)
Me: Oh, Betty, I love you too!
Betty wasn't an overly affectionate camper. Saying I love you and getting a hug was a big deal. I'll always remember her.