More Stories from Camp

Two sets of twins participated in the activities. I was impressed with brothers, Arteom and Andre, identical twins in their late teens. One brother was in a wheelchair and the other pushed him everywhere even though he also has the same physical problems. I was told they had muscular dystrophy and that they also had an older brother who is confined to a wheelchair. They seemed to be quite cheerful and always willing to help. They came on stage with us and followed our instructions on how to brush their teeth when Richard and I talked about oral hygiene. Marion Aag from Abundant Life Christian Fellowship Church in Seattle had given us 220 plus pairs of shoes just before we left the states. Shipped through MEEST, they arrived in June. Two of the pairs we took to the camp were given to Arteom and Andre. They seemed to be quite pleased to receive them.

The other set of twins, Yulia and Yura, also received shoes. Yulia’s sandals fell apart the last evening before camp ended. We were very happy to be able to share new sandals with them. The children of Luda, one of the MTU staff, they served on the camp staff. I think they were 13 years old. Their mom shared her story with the parents group during our last class. She is a lovely woman who attended an MTU camp around four years ago. Apparently she had been crossed off the list several times before but that the year, when Dr. Alexandra had to decide whom to invite she felt God wanted Luda and her children at the camp. Yulia has a cleft palate and her speech is not always clear but she sings and participates in plays and does many other things. Luda became a Christian at that camp even though she had been a staunch atheist. She started working with MTU as a volunteer and just six months ago obtained a paid position in the organization. She shared some of the struggles they had gone through over the years. And she praised God for saving her. She said that she might never have come to know Christ if she had not had a disabled child. In fact, her children made the decisions to become Christians before she did.

A couple of the mothers who attended camp in previous years and became Christians at that time told us that if their children had been healthy this might not have happened. One said that she would have been so busy just living a normal life that she might never have seen her need for what God offers to those who believe.

Oh, there were so many stories. I wish I could tell them in the same way that they were told to us. It seemed like most of the people on the staff had a story. Every child and parent also had stories about heartaches and triumphs. Through them all, I became so much more aware of how blessed we have been. If I had to walk in any of their shoes, would I have had the courage to live up to the challenge?