Hardin-Simmons physical therapy students volunteer at Joni and Friends Family Retreat

(ABILENE, Texas)—Students from the Hardin-Simmons department of physical therapy traveled to Camp Allen last week to volunteer as short-term missionaries for Joni and Friends Family Retreat. For five days, students attended Bible-studies, worshipped, and bonded with their campers.

Joni and Friends is a non-profit organization focused on helping make Christian ministry more accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities. Every year, Joni and Friends hosts a retreat for families with disabilities. Volunteers, or short-term missionaries, come each year to provide help caring for the campers. Each retreat includes Bible studies, worship, and activities created for the volunteers to bond with their campers.

Fishing was a popular activity at the camp. This was a great time for the students to bond with their campers.

“What was really great about this camp was that no matter what kind of disability someone may have had, there was always a way for someone to get involved in an activity,” said Marissa Gray.

The goal for the retreat is for families to have a positive experience learning about Christ while not having to worry about being judged. Volunteers are paired with a camper who has a disability and spend the majority of the retreat with them as they get to know each other, worship together, and do various activities such as fishing, swimming, and crafts. The camp is designed for the families to separate in the morning for different activities with other families, campers, and volunteers for a chance to make new friendships and then reunite in the afternoon for family time.

Although the volunteers were given a schedule of events and activities to do with their campers, events were fairly flexible. “If the camper didn’t want to do a certain activity, we just didn’t do it,” explained Maddy Gosnell. “It was a week to do what they wanted to do and celebrate who they are. It was encouraged not to force them to do anything they didn’t want to or were not comfortable with doing.”

Physical Therapy students pose for a group picture after a shaving cream war.

The three main events held during the camp included a Disney-themed dance, a shaving cream war, and even a talent show at the end of the week. For the talent show, a princess asked HSU student Jordan Rogers to be her Prince Charming while she sang a song from the hit Disney movie Tangled.

Joni and Friends Family Retreat was part of the “Beyond Suffering” curriculum the physical therapy students are studying. As part of the curriculum, the PT students will continue working with Joni and Friends Wheels for the World by travelling to Thailand near the end of July to help provide wheelchairs for those in need.