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Post by elaine on May 29, 2016 18:18:19 GMT
We just got back from a family retreat that was run by Jill's House (affiliated with the McClean Bible Church), The Elisha Foundation and the Meadowkirk Organization. It was for families with special needs kids and their typical siblings. There were 10 families in total, and we stayed at Meadowkirk Farm from Thursday night until today at noon. They had Jill's House workers (college-aged staff) to be buddies with the kids - special needs and typical. There were a number of sessions where the parents had a speaker or discussion time and the buddies did stuff with the kids. Yesterday, the moms had a tea, the dads took a hike, and the buddies took our kids to the pool. We didn't have to plan, we didn't have to cook, we didn't have to clean up, we just got to share and support each other and our kids were totally loved! I am feeling the least amount of stress that I have in a decade. My husband is the happiest I have seen him in at least that long, and he initially didn't want to go. There were no televisions, no cell service, but there was a fishing hole:  The founder of the Elisha Foundation is an amazing man from Bend, OR who puts on retreats for parents of special needs kids around the world. He worked with a team to raise awareness for special needs kids by trekking with his son with Down Syndrome to the base camp of Mt Everest. Here is their story, if you want to watch something truly inspirational: At the end, in the chapel, the Jill's House Staff formed a circle around us and sang. I cried. These are people who truly try to live their lives through Christ and I am so thankful for them. |
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Peamac
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Post by Peamac on May 29, 2016 18:26:56 GMT
So glad you all could have an enjoyable, restful time!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 18:30:14 GMT
How wonderful to read this wonderful accounting of Christian charity working the way its supposed to. Thank you for sharing and God bless you and yours.
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Mystie
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Post by Mystie on May 29, 2016 18:33:03 GMT
That is fantastic and I am so happy that your whole family got to have a good and restful time! And it is so good for my heart to hear about Christians who are truly living as Christ asked us to.  |
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Post by elaine on May 29, 2016 18:33:31 GMT
It was wonderful! My husband, who is Christian, was just posting on Facebook how he feels so much more connected with his faith than he has since our children were born. In the past decade, with politicians spewing hate and intolerance in the name of Christianity, he had grown more and more disenfranchised, but this weekend really brought him back to the fold.  |
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J u l e e
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Post by J u l e e on May 29, 2016 18:35:17 GMT
This made me cry, Elaine. So glad your family got to experience this. And I just love that you recognize the good in people who believe differently than you do. That is RARE.
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Post by monklady123 on May 29, 2016 18:37:19 GMT
I'm glad you could have that experience. It sounds like a wonderfully relaxing time. I know about Jill's House from several people I've known who have children with autism and who have been able to take advantage of this ministry.  |
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tuesdaysgone
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Post by tuesdaysgone on May 29, 2016 18:55:45 GMT
What a great story. I'm so glad your entire family had a wonderful experience.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 18:58:18 GMT
That's awesome!!
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cougarjo
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Post by cougarjo on May 29, 2016 18:59:42 GMT
That sounds amazing!! How wonderful that there are people and organisations out there whose sole purpose is to enrich the lives of others!!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 29, 2016 19:10:58 GMT
I am very disenchanted with Christianity and "the church," but I think it's wonderful that there are people who use their beliefs to do this kind of good in the world. What a meaningful experience for you all.
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janeinbama
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Post by janeinbama on May 29, 2016 19:17:10 GMT
So glad your family was able to recharge and focus on God. The Holy Spirit was shining down on that camp.
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Post by Patter on May 29, 2016 19:20:51 GMT
That is wonderful!!! So beautiful to read. I think that's why I always loved being in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) leadership. Such Godly people truly living for Christ as we should. The people that have touched my life the most were from that organization.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 19:29:38 GMT
I am very disenchanted with Christianity and "the church," but I think it's wonderful that there are people who use their beliefs to do this kind of good in the world. What a meaningful experience for you all.  |
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Post by cadoodlebug on May 29, 2016 19:35:50 GMT
Thanks, Elaine, for sharing this wonderful experience with us.
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Post by Merge on May 29, 2016 19:51:09 GMT
That is a wonderful story.
One of my high school friends became an ELCA pastor and is just so joyful in her faith. She has a passion for ministering to the marginalized and working for social justice. I admire her a great deal.
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Post by aljack on May 29, 2016 20:20:40 GMT
This church has touched my life and I am not a member. I have friends and students that attend. Last year they added me to their prayer list for my surgery and sent me a note for a speedy recovery. True Christians walking the walk indeed.
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caro
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Post by caro on May 29, 2016 20:54:25 GMT
That is fantastic and I am so happy that your whole family got to have a good and restful time! And it is so good for my heart to hear about Christians who are truly living as Christ asked us to. Yes! There are so many of us who do "walk the talk", not perfect by any means, but forgiven. I work with a special needs organization and we have "family camps" often. It's great respite. I'm so glad you feel rested Elaine. |
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Post by shescrafty on May 29, 2016 20:59:41 GMT
That sounds like a wonderful weekend for everyone involved.
How often do they hold the camps/retreats?
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Post by boatymcboatface on May 29, 2016 21:01:09 GMT
More communities need something like this, sounds wonderful.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2016 21:11:05 GMT
Wow! That sounds amazing. So glad you had such a restful time.
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Post by mikklynn on May 29, 2016 21:16:59 GMT
How wonderful for your family. Thank you for sharing something so uplifting.
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Post by lucyg on May 30, 2016 0:08:24 GMT
That is lovely. So glad you had a great experience and shared it with us. |
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Post by jenjie on May 30, 2016 0:27:24 GMT
This makes my heart happy. I am so glad your family was able to take advantage of this respite weekend. So glad you were able to come away rested and refreshed. It sounds like you felt understood too, which I think is so important.
I'm still listening to the video and yes it is so powerful. This really spoke me regarding how parents with special needs feel - "Every day I have to climb Mount Everest again."
Listening to Eli's family allow and encourage him to do this hard scary thing, celebrating every day however far they would get, Eli gaining confidence and taking charge. Beautiful.
Elaine thank you for sharing your experience, Eli's video and for sharing the good you saw in those who do live their faith as it is meant to be lived.
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Post by elaine on May 30, 2016 0:30:30 GMT
That sounds like a wonderful weekend for everyone involved. How often do they hold the camps/retreats? They only do the family retreats twice a year, but they do weekend camps for the kids at least twice per month during the warmer months. Jill's House also has "in-house" weekends for kids who have more medical challenges every weekend. Families get one weekend per month once they get in. Needless to say, there is quite a waiting list. We started with them when they first opened their doors 6 years ago. They now run satellite camps in some other states - I know that they run one at Lake Arrowhead in So Cal. There is established leadership and then they have teen Christian Youth Groups come and help as weekend "buddies"/counsellors. They also have a weeknight program in partnership with a number of schools in the area. So, my younger son who is more severe and has to go to a special school goes with his classmates on Wednesday nights. Jill's House sends a van to get them Wednesday after school, they spend the night at Jill's House and get to go swimming in their pool, and then the van takes them back to school on Thursday morning. There is a nurse on duty to administer their medicine, etc., in addition to staff. Jill's House itself looks like a smaller version of Disney's Wilderness Lodge - it is beautiful and somewhat amazing. McClean Bible Church's main pastor has a special needs daughter - Jill - and the congregation was amazing in raising funds to build the facility. They certainly have blessed our family. My husband has continued on again and again today about how much closer to Christianity and G-d he is feeling now. |
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Post by my2apps2 on May 30, 2016 0:35:15 GMT
That is just beautiful to read, I am so glad you were so richly blessed and refreshed!
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Post by elaine on May 30, 2016 0:37:14 GMT
This makes my heart happy. I am so glad your family was able to take advantage of this respite weekend. So glad you were able to come away rested and refreshed. It sounds like you felt understood too, which I think is so important. I'm still listening to the video and yes it is so powerful. This really spoke me regarding how parents with special needs feel - "Every day I have to climb Mount Everest again." Listening to Eli's family allow and encourage him to do this hard scary thing, celebrating every day however far they would get, Eli gaining confidence and taking charge. Beautiful. Elaine thank you for sharing your experience, Eli's video and for sharing the good you saw in those who do live their faith as it is meant to be lived. I know that Christians sometimes feel bashed here, and I wanted to make sure that I shared how awesome we have been treated in the name of Christ. We watched that video as part of one of our sessions and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Eli and his father are such an inspiration. Eli is actually working at a Subway right now in OR. The family is about to relocate to the Ukraine where his father is hoping to help individuals with disabilities and families with kids with disabilities. Talk about having a mission in life! |
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Post by jenjie on May 30, 2016 1:10:33 GMT
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psiluvu
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Post by psiluvu on May 30, 2016 1:27:29 GMT
I am very disenchanted with Christianity and "the church," but I think it's wonderful that there are people who use their beliefs to do this kind of good in the world. What a meaningful experience for you all. That sums it up for me. So glad you all had such a great weekend with such wonderful people |
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jayfab
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Post by jayfab on May 30, 2016 2:42:55 GMT
What a great experience. They sure sound like a wonderful organization.
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