Camp Blessing- Special Needs Camp (formerly Camp Barnabas Texas)

Volunteers Info/Application

2010 Volunteer Application

Mail Application To:

Glen and Laura Elder

26922 Holly Lord

Magnolia, TX 77355

hm 281-259-5789

About Camp Blessing-- CBTX

Camp Blessing is a nondenominational Christian summer camp for children with special medical, physical and developmental disabilities and their siblings. Approximately 30-35 campers will be involved each term:

Term 1: June 6-10th ; volunteers arrive the 5th
Term 2: June 12-16th ; volunteers arrive the 11th
Term 3: June 18-22nd ; volunteers arrive the 17th
Term 4: June 24-28th ; volunteers arrive the 23rd

Volunteers may serve for more than one term if they are up to the challenge. Please commit to the term(s) you are volunteering; those who don't show up hurt the campers!

The first 24hrs of each term is for training. Campers arrive the second day.

CBTX is held at Circle Lake Retreat Center located between Tomball and Magnolia. (www.diogh.org/CircleLake/index.htm) CBTX is like any summer camp with the usual fun filled activities all day long. Each evening we celebrate with a theme party and close the night with praise and worship. All activities are based on a Christian lifestyle and the foundation of our program is to teach the love of Christ to ALL!

Volunteers

An integral part of our ministry is our volunteers. Our volunteers are missionaries serving God by helping our campers hear the message of Jesus Christ. This summer we expect nearly 200 missionaries. During their week of camp, volunteers put aside their own needs to focus on our campers 100%! Our missionaries feel they grow and are stretched by God in ways they never expected. We prefer you be at least 14 years of age to be a volunteer.

The Cost: $75

The opportunity to participate on the volunteer team is one of the most life changing endeavors you will ever experience. As a missionary we ask you to raise $75 support for your time of service at CBTX. Raising additional support to help cover the $180 food and lodging cost for each volunteer can be a meaningful part of the mission experience. Ideas and materials are available to assist you in raising support. Whatever amount you can raise, no matter how small, will be greatly valued!

The Camper Scholarship Challenge

One way that our volunteer team members make the most of the experience is to raise funds for a camper. By raising $450, you will provide the cost for a camper to attend! While fundraising may be an uncomfortable area for many, you will find the experience of being a missionary on our volunteer team will be greatly enhanced by your involvement financially. Your experience begins when you start praying for the campers and the work you will do while at camp. As you raise funds, you get to share the story of Camp Blessing with others and you realize that this mission opportunity is much more than a one week experience. You actually give others the opportunity to be involved in the ministry by giving to the program. This is a great opportunity to participate in a mission trip that will change your life and grow your faith in Christ. You’ll realize how to put your own needs aside and minister to another person. For fundraising ideas, materials and assistance, please contact us.

The Volunteer Team

The volunteer team is comprised of many people who are all called by God to be a part of the program at Camp Blessing. Below you will find information about the different positions where you may be used to bring the message of Jesus Christ to our campers. You are chosen to participate in our program based on this application. Please do your best to show us who you are and allow us to know where you would best fit into our program. The positions for participants are:

Counselors are 17-25 year olds and their primary duties at camp are to love and accept their camper unconditionally. To be an effective counselor, you must be willing to put aside your own personal desires and needs for the whole week. You must be willing to share God’s word in any circumstance. A counselor lives in a cabin with their camper(s). Some counselors work one-on-one with a special needs camper while others work in a cabin of siblings. The camper and counselor experience all of the activities at camp together. This means counselors must be willing and able to participate fully in all activities. This is a huge responsibility-a 22 hour commitment daily with every effort given to allow for two hours of personal time for each counselor. Counselors should be mature and willing to work with the siblings. You will not know your assignment until you arrive so you must have a willing heart to minister wherever God needs you!

Barn Counselors are 14-16 year olds and they assist the older counselors with caring for campers. They patiently lend a helping help where ever and whenever needed. This position requires much maturity and heart. These positions are not for the faint hearted! Duties include cleaning bathrooms & waiting tables in the dining hall.

Cook’s Helpers are 18 and over. Your job usually consists of chopping, stirring, cleaning the kitchen and whatever helps the Cook. No real gourmet skills are necessary, just a hard work ethic and a heart to serve others.

POSITIONS FOR ADULTS 26 & OVER: Being over 26 years of age at camp, you get to serve your camper group during the day only. At night you retire to a cabin shared by other adults. In addition to Cook's Helper (above) other positions include...

Medical Professionals: We need Nurses (RN or LVN) and Licensed Physicians.

Cabin Mom/Dads are adults that work with a cabin group, providing relief to the counselors. The position requires you to be dedicated 100% to serving in whatever capacity you may be needed. Laundry for soiled bed linens, assisting with bathing, diapering and dressing is all part of the job for the cabin mom or dad.