Tag Archive for: camp

So many NEW (& amazing) REACH participants

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In the last two years, REACH has welcomed 30 new participants with HIV. Of course this means we have also welcomed their numerous family members. REACH is growing!

The stories behind the referrals are as diverse as the people themselves — brand new diagnoses, long-term survivors who just heard about REACH, immigrants, adoptees, and more. Whether the person is reeling from their recent HIV test, or feeling long-term lonely because no one “gets” their journey with HIV… we are confident that unconditional acceptance and safe community — the essence of REACH — will meet them where they need it most.

What a joyful privilege it is to introduce a new acquaintance to the community of REACH. The relief, friendship, and healing we observe is a constant reminder that what REACH offers is unique and needed.

To our supporters — thank you for keeping REACH going for 28 years and beyond. Safe community never ages, no matter how demographics or specific needs might shift.

To our referral partners — thank you for entrusting us with your precious patients and clients. Your enthusiasm for sending them our way shows how much you care about the whole person.

REACH Campers Speak Up About Camp

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Parents:

“REACH has been transformative and life-giving to each of my kids.”

New parent: “This is definitely a community. No wonder there are campers coming back every year.”

“REACH Camp is my sanctuary. As a single parent, it is hard to be able to put down responsibility and let my nervous system relax and recalibrate. When I’m at Camp, I feel my defenses come down and I can take a deep breath.”

“Next week I am having several conversations with the school and others to put together a wrap-around team for my daughter. I will be sure to keep ‘Works in Progress’ as a central guiding principle and remind myself she (and we) are doing the best we can.”

“[I had] deep one-on-ones with other parents going through the same stuff.”

“One of my favorite parts, and a time I feel I can share, is guy group. It’s a unique place with a group of guys with families and lives similar to mine. I look forward to these conversations.”

“During group I felt safe to show my emotions.”

“I felt support for my family … knowing that my kids are safe, and the worth my kids and I felt.”

“I received understanding and love.”

“People looked out for me – they encouraged me to rest, to keep holding boundaries, to keep hoping.”

“In the adult breakout groups, it felt good to share my truth and also hear the ideas of others, which can be quite different from mine.”

“In parent group several parents nodded in agreement when I described my struggle.”

“I love knowing it is only months away to face-to-face see each other. But we have Zooms to fill in the gap!”

Teens:

“I was accepted all weekend.”

“When I performed my act at the talent show, everybody clapped and celebrated me.”

“I saw many people be inclusive of the Spanish-speaking families by making an effort and offering their own skills for communicating.”

“At night when we discussed the theme, I felt safe from judgment when I offered my own thoughts in the conversation.”

“Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by life’s expectations or unaccepted, I remember that I have a REACH family; someone who loves me and wants the best for me always.”

“If I am ever feeling frustrated or upset about all of life’s problems and expectations – and like I won’t ever be able to get myself together – I know now that there is nothing wrong with admitting that I am slowly coming together. What amazing grace is in the phrase ‘a work in progress.’”

“I felt like I could be myself and people would accept me.”

“In every group I hung out with, I could easily flow into their conversations.”

“Though I may not feel comfortable in my body and with how I look, I know that I am a work in progress. I’m not perfect, and I’ll never be, but Jesus is still making me.”

Single Adults:

“I don’t want to leave.”

“I really needed this weekend.”

“Everyone was very welcoming.”

“I was included into every group activity.”

REACH embraces new Labor Day campers

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Welcoming first-time participants into the REACH community is always a highlight. This year at camp we welcomed a Kenyan-American mother with her adult daughter, a local family of five reeling from a recent move, an Ethiopian-American college student, a young Latin American immigrant, and a young adult who brought her sister and family for support. These are incredible individuals filled with joy and hope and we had so much fun with them – playing games, laughing, singing, dancing, and having deep discussions.

Also, as trust was established, these new participants felt safe enough to voice their pain. Foster care, HIV stigma, finances, separation from family, mental health, and more. It is a profound privilege to welcome each one into a community that cares for them, shows genuine interest in them, and walks alongside them for the long haul. No matter what age or stage of life, Camp (yes, a simple summer camp!) is a powerful experience of unconditional acceptance, safe community, joy, and trust.

Labor Day REACH Camp is coming! Calling volunteers!

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Q: What kind of Camp volunteers is REACH looking for?

A: Ones who…

  • make people feel safe
  • care about making a difference for people marginalized by stigma
  • do more listening than talking with their camper
  • enthusiastically participate in the next activity on the schedule
  • see the whole person in front of them – gifts, personality, strengths and quirks – not just the HIV
  • love campers wholeheartedly
  • are energized by providing 4 days of freedom for their camper in a judgment-free zone
Sign up to volunteer

Volunteers are the heart and soul of REACH

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Can you picture the spring retreat volunteers – leaving children and jobs, hobbies and housework behind in favor of investing their time, energy, and hearts into the REACH families? When there is down time, can you see them inventing games and activities to delight the kids? When joyful messes are piling up, notice them tidy up as they continue to visit and engage. Can you see their heads bowed over colorful award certificates, dreaming up the very best words of affirmation to speak over REACH kids as they receive their awards? As the volunteers leave, do you hear them thank us for the opportunity to participate?

Do they realize that their presence makes REACH the beautiful community that it is?

Spring Retreat breakthrough

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Spring retreat had some complexity – families enduring rush hour traffic to arrive for check-in, last minute illness and cancellations, staff and guests trying out a new-to-us camp facility, bursts of rain, cold temperatures, unexpected meeting room glitches… You might think of these things as a recipe for stress or struggle. But if you were to catch a glimpse of the reality of spring retreat, you would see warmth, peace, authenticity, and togetherness… all helping people rise above HIV stigma.

Picture 11-year-old “Liam.” He’s been coming to Labor Day Camp for 4 years but is introverted enough that as the camp dates approach, he asks if he can stay home. When the answer is no, he acquiesces but requests frequent breaks from the social camp experience to unwind in the cabin with a parent.

But this spring is his first time at smaller, more laid back retreat… and he seems like a different kid as he joyfully plays balloon volleyball, climbs to the top of the climbing wall multiple times, and bursts with pride as he shows all of REACH his “super-sharp” saw he constructed from duct tape and foil. Everyone who knew him before noticed him blossom throughout the weekend beyond all expectation. But he put it into words for us when he walked on stage during the awards ceremony, grabbed the mic and announced, “This is the weekend I got comfortable at REACH.”

Join us in praying for the retreat

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Our spring retreat is coming up March 24-26 and we rely on your prayers to make the time fruitful — replacing isolation with safe community, replacing stigma with unconditional acceptance, filling hearts up with joy and trust. These lofty goals can only be accomplished through the power of the Spirit! Thank you for partnering with us in this.

To adopt a time slot and receive a Spring Retreat prayer guide, follow the link below.

https://reachministries.org/Staging/prayer-vigil/