In Jesse's Shoes

For the entire summer, I am serving the Lord as I work at a Lutheran camp in Ilinois. One of the things I LOVE about this camp is that it is community oriented, meaning they accept everyone whether they have a disability or not. This past week I recieved the opportunity to work as a counselor for special needs camp. Over my college years I learned that one big thing to have in the special education area is patience with others and yourself. Through these past few weeks of training to be a counselor of special needs camp I have not only received the opportunity to put my patience into practice but I have learned new things including how to introduce special needs to others without special needs.  

Before camp started, the Counselors and I went trough 2 weeks of training. Jana, a deaconess who has been gifted with the ability to work with special needs, instructed us in sensitivity training for special needs camp. I absolutely considered this training a blessing because it prepare me with more knowledge to not only use as a counselor but also as a teacher. One of the things she shared in conversation is how to introduce special needs to other campers without special needs by reading the book In Jesse's shoes". 

I encourage all teachers to use this book at the beginning of the school year as it teaches kids how to appreciate those with special needs. 

We are all God's children no matter if we have a disability or not.