[:en]Hello,
„Challenge“- camp for people with disabilities is finished for this year. It took place from June 29th till July 6th at Talsi Christian School. Maybe it wasn’t exactly perfect place for people with special needs, because most of our participants had to sleep with mattresses on the floor and toilet/shower wasn’t close enough, but all of us survived. We had this year 13 participants and 16 staff/personal assistants from all over the Latvia. For some people it took two days to get to Talsi.
During this week all participants were able to take part from many different activities. We had lectures – Bible and Disability, Bible and Depression, How to Study Bible, personality test; we had music and art workshop. Some of them had no idea, that they are artists or that they are able to paint. For example Madara who is not able to use her hands very much, completed her work with elbow. I am not sure that I have heard elbow artist before, but now we have one. We also had sport and games, morning exercises, orienteering in Talsi, movie night and Kaspar did for most of participants physiotherapy or/and massage. We also had some guests: Xenos (famous Latvian Christian music group) did concert, Pastor Sam from India came to preach and we had photo show from person who spent 11 years on YWAM ship “Anastasis”.
Participants really liked Pastor Sam, Xenos and art workshop, but highlight from the camp was rope course in YWAM Valdemarpils Training Centre. We have there many low and high elements where people can learn teamwork and develop personality. Most of these elements needs strong hands and legs, but we where able to offer for every participants two high elements – “Flying squirrel” and “Giant swing”. During first one person is pulled 20m high to “play squirrel”. It is not much asked from person himself, just trust people who are pulling you. It was so cool to see how people were pulled out from wheelchairs and flied up. Second element originally asking to climb up to tree to 9m high platform and make from there step to down what bring you to a giant swing. Some people from us did climb up even that it was really hard for them, but most others where pulled up to platform to sit and then they decided when they are let to fly. Feedback time participant said that first element was nothing comparing to second, but all of them who did both where really happy that they got challenged. This was something they never experienced before. One participants said that she have done and seen many crazy things, but something so crazy she even never thought. From other participant was asked what other activities he would like to see in next camp and he got confused and asked: “You mean something even more extreme?”
After people finished their rope course elements we were offering for everyone Quattro cycle ride. We didn’t have special seat this year, but every participant was able to experience “sandwich” when he was sitting behind Kaspars and secured by Andis. Some people was really scared and said that physically they are not able to do it, but there were way for everyone. Adding for all extreme things people did, they were also able to receive “pet therapy” (we had in training centre one cat, two dogs and 8 puppies) and finished day with bonfire.
Adding for our planned events came out that many participants where able to give interview for Latvian Christian Radio and Talsi TV. One of our staff is working in Christian Radio and this didn’t come like surprise that she asked interviews, but Talsi TV was definitely surprise. During orienteering Talsi TV saw many wheelchairs (in Latvia people with wheelchair are seldom seen outside from
home) struggling on Talsi bad roads and they came to ask what happening. They got so excited that decided to come to film our activities and to take some short interviews. So it came out that we challenged our participants to be also radio and TV stars.
Of course we did some mistakes and maybe some things wasn’t thought still end, but generally people where really happy with camp and some even refused to go back at home. They complained that camp was too short and would need to be once a month not once a year. This camp was challenge for both of participants and staff, but sure it is just beginning.
Thank you for all your prayers. We did have nice weather (especially when we needed to be outside), no serious accidents happened (especially during rope course and Quattro cycle ride), we had (almoust) enough staff, we came out financially. We did LOT of pictures and around 100 of them are out in internet. We also recorded video and need to have this edited. Photos you can look from here.
Blessings,
Evelyn&Kaspars[:et]Tervitused Eestisse!
„Challenge“ (tõlkes „Väljakutse“), laager liikumispuuetega inimestele, mis toimus 29. juunist 5. juulini Talsi Kristlikus koolis, on läbi. Sel aastal oli meil 13 osalejat ning 16 personali ja/või isiklikku abistajat üle kogu Läti ning mõnedel inimestel võttis Talsisse kohale jõudmine aega kaks päeva.
Selle nädala jooksul oli laagrilistel võimalus osa võtta erinevatest tegevustest. Meil olid loengud teemal Piibel ja puudega inimene, Piibel ja depressioon, kuidas õppida Piiblit ning tegime testi, et teada saada oma isiksuse omadusi. Loengutele lisaks oli meil kahel päeval muusika ja kunsti töötuba. Enamusel ei olnud aimugi, et neil on kunstianne ning võimalus end selle kaudu väljendada. Näiteks oli meie hulgas Madara, kelle käeline motoorika on väga nõrk, kuid temast sai küünarnuki kunstnik. Ma polegi veel sellisest maalimise viisist kuulnud ning ta juhendajale meeldis see nii palju, et lubas ise kodus küünarnuki stiili järgi proovida. Peale istuva tegevuse toimusid meil sport ja mängud, hommikuvõimlemine, orienteerumine Talsi linnas, filmiõhtu ning Kaspar püüdis enamikele osalejatest vähemalt korra füsioteraapiat ja/või massaazi teha. Olime kutsunud ka külalisi ning esimesel õhtul andis laagrilistele kontserdi Xenos (Läti tuntud kristlik bänd), oma reisimuljeid jagas ning pilte näitas 11 aastat Noorte Missiooni laeval „Anastasis“ töötanud Guntars ning Jumala Sõna jagas Indiast pärit, kuid praegu Lätis elav pastor Sam.
Laagrilistele meeldisid väga pastor Sam, Xenos ja kunstitöökoda, kuid laagrikulminatsiooniks oli ekstreempäev Noorte Missiooni Valdemarpilsi Õppekeskuses. Kõigil oli võimalik osa võtta köiekursusest (inglise keeles rope course kõlab küll natuke paremini), kuna meil on keskuses mitmeid köitest tehtud madalaid ja kõrgeid elemente, kus grupid käivad ennast proovile panemas ning meeskonnatööd õppimas. Enamus nendest elementidest eeldab tugevat jalgade ja kättetööd, kuid saime pakkuda meie laagrilistele kahte elementi: „Lendorav“ ning „Hiigelkiik“. Esimene element viib inimese kiiresti 18m kõrgusele puude vahele, kus ta saab siis lennelda ja mängida oravat. Selles osalemiseks ei pea ise palju midagi tegema ning aitab vaid abistajate usaldamisest ning kõrguse kartusest üle saamisest. Tore oli vaadata kuidas ratastoolist ülesse puude latvadesse lennati. Teine element oli keerulisem ning meie hulgas oli mitmeid inimesi, kes seda (veel) läbida ei julgenud. Algselt on mõeldud, et osaleja ronib 9m kõrgusel olevale platvormile ning astub sealt alla tühjusesse ning lõpetab puude vahel kiikumisega. Kuna enamus laagrilistest ei olnud võimelised ise puu otsa ronima (oli ka neid, kelle jaoks oli see väga raske, kuid sellegipoolest ronisid), siis nemad tõmmati köitega platvormile istuma ning igaüks sai ise otsutada, millal ta laseb end alla lennutada. Kõik osalejad ütlesid, et esimene element oli „käkitegu“ võrreldes teisega ning enamus poleks eluilmas uskunud, et on nii „hullud“ tegemaks midagi nii ekstreemset. See oli võimalus ennast proovile panna ning näha, et nad on võimelised palju enamaks kui kunagi võimalikuks pidasid .
Peale köiekursust sõidutas Kaspar kõiki osalejaid ATV-ga. Kuna meil sel aastal kahjuks veel ei olnud spetsiaalset istet, siis sõitja sai teada, kuidas tunneb end vorst võileiva vahel, kuna Kaspar istus ees ning Andis mängis turvavarustust tagant poolt. Alguses ütles enamus osalejaist, et nemad ei julge sõita või ei ole võimelised ATV-le istuma. Meie kartusest ei hoolinud ning leidsime kõigile individuaalse istumise viisi. Kõigele ekstreemsusele lisaks võidi keskuses lasta endale teha ka „looma teraapiat“ (meil oli seal üks kass, kaks koera ning kaheksa kuu-vanust kutsikat) ning lõpetada päev lõkke ääres istudes.
Lisaks meie plaanitud üritustele saadi end proovile panna raadiole ja televisioonile intervjuusid andes. Raadio intervjuu ei tulnud meile tegelikult üllatusena, kuna üks meie personalist töötab Läti kristlikus raadios, kuid televisoon oli küll suureks üllatuseks. Talsi TV nägi meie laagrilisi ratastoolides auklikel teedel end proovile panemas ning tuli küsima, mis siin linnas toimub. Ratastoole näeb Talsis väga harva ning Talsi TV otsustas meie laagrist pooletunnise saate teha. Selleks käidi meid filmimas ning intervjueerimas. Seega tuli välja, et me andsime kõigile lisaks võimaluse olla raadio ja TV staar.
See oli meie esimene pikem laager ning loomulikult tegime selle ajal mitmeid vigu ning mitte kõik tegevused ei olnud lõpuni valmis mõeldud. Sellegipoolest jäid osalejad väga rahule ning kolm neist isegi keeldusid koju minemast, kuna peeti koos oldud aega liiga lühikeseks ning soovitati sellist laagrit korraldada mitte kord aastas vaid kord kuus. Igatahes oli laager väljakutseks nii osalejatele kui ka personalile ning seega sai laagri nimi õieti pandud ;). Tunneme, et see oli vaid väike algus palju suuremale tegevusele.
Suur aitäh kõigile, kes te palvetasite! Meil oli väga ilus ilm (eriti siis kui pidime õues olema), meil ei juhtunud ühtegi suuremat õnnetust (eriti lasime palvetada ekstreempäeva pärast), meil oli (peaaegu) parasjagu personali ning me tulime välja ka finantsiliselt. Me tegime väga palju pilte ning umbes 200 neist on internetis üleval. Samuti on meil video, mis küll vajab veel natuke tööd. Pilte saab näha siit.
Õnnistusi,
Evelyn&Kaspars[:LV]Hello,
„Challenge“- camp for people with disabilities is finished for this year. It took place from June 29th till July 6th at Talsi Christian School. Maybe it wasn’t exactly perfect place for people with special needs, because most of our participants had to sleep with mattresses on the floor and toilet/shower wasn’t close enough, but all of us survived. We had this year 13 participants and 16 staff/personal assistants from all over the Latvia. For some people it took two days to get to Talsi.
During this week all participants were able to take part from many different activities. We had lectures – Bible and Disability, Bible and Depression, How to Study Bible, personality test; we had music and art workshop. Some of them had no idea, that they are artists or that they are able to paint. For example Madara who is not able to use her hands very much, completed her work with elbow. I am not sure that I have heard elbow artist before, but now we have one. We also had sport and games, morning exercises, orienteering in Talsi, movie night and Kaspar did for most of participants physiotherapy or/and massage. We also had some guests: Xenos (famous Latvian Christian music group) did concert, Pastor Sam from India came to preach and we had photo show from person who spent 11 years on YWAM ship “Anastasis”.
Participants really liked Pastor Sam, Xenos and art workshop, but highlight from the camp was rope course in YWAM Valdemarpils Training Centre. We have there many low and high elements where people can learn teamwork and develop personality. Most of these elements needs strong hands and legs, but we where able to offer for every participants two high elements – “Flying squirrel” and “Giant swing”. During first one person is pulled 20m high to “play squirrel”. It is not much asked from person himself, just trust people who are pulling you. It was so cool to see how people were pulled out from wheelchairs and flied up. Second element originally asking to climb up to tree to 9m high platform and make from there step to down what bring you to a giant swing. Some people from us did climb up even that it was really hard for them, but most others where pulled up to platform to sit and then they decided when they are let to fly. Feedback time participant said that first element was nothing comparing to second, but all of them who did both where really happy that they got challenged. This was something they never experienced before. One participants said that she have done and seen many crazy things, but something so crazy she even never thought. From other participant was asked what other activities he would like to see in next camp and he got confused and asked: “You mean something even more extreme?”
After people finished their rope course elements we were offering for everyone Quattro cycle ride. We didn’t have special seat this year, but every participant was able to experience “sandwich” when he was sitting behind Kaspars and secured by Andis. Some people was really scared and said that physically they are not able to do it, but there were way for everyone. Adding for all extreme things people did, they were also able to receive “pet therapy” (we had in training centre one cat, two dogs and 8 puppies) and finished day with bonfire.
Adding for our planned events came out that many participants where able to give interview for Latvian Christian Radio and Talsi TV. One of our staff is working in Christian Radio and this didn’t come like surprise that she asked interviews, but Talsi TV was definitely surprise. During orienteering Talsi TV saw many wheelchairs (in Latvia people with wheelchair are seldom seen outside from home) struggling on Talsi bad roads and they came to ask what happening. They got so excited that decided to come to film our activities and to take some short interviews. So it came out that we challenged our participants to be also radio and TV stars.
Of course we did some mistakes and maybe some things wasn’t thought still end, but generally people where really happy with camp and some even refused to go back at home. They complained that camp was too short and would need to be once a month not once a year. This camp was challenge for both of participants and staff, but sure it is just beginning.
Thank you for all your prayers. We did have nice weather (especially when we needed to be outside), no serious accidents happened (especially during rope course and Quattro cycle ride), we had (almoust) enough staff, we came out financially. We did LOT of pictures and around 100 of them are out in internet. We also recorded video and need to have this edited. Photos you can look from here.
Blessings,
Evelyn&Kaspars[:]