Serving Together as a Family: What Hope Heals Camp Taught Us

 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

- Philippians 2:3-4

Some weeks become more than just a week on the calendar.

They become the kind of weeks you find yourself talking about long after you've come home. The kind of weeks that give you memories you'll carry for years. And sometimes, they're the kind of weeks God uses to teach your family something you didn't even know you needed to learn.

That was our week at Hope Heals Camp.

Hope Heals is a Christian camp for families who have someone experiencing disability. Our family had the privilege of volunteering there this summer, and from the moment we arrived, we knew this was going to be a special experience.

But I don't think any of us realized just how much this week would impact us.

Everyone Had a Place to Serve

We arrived Sunday afternoon and that evening found out what our assignments would be for the week.

It was fun to see where God had placed each person in our family.

Derek and Cole were compassionate companions. Each of them was paired with a camper experiencing a disability, giving them the opportunity to spend the week walking alongside, encouraging, and serving that person.

Leah and Lexi were flexers. They helped wherever they were needed, especially with some of the younger children. Leah spent much of her time in the nursery, where she gave those babies and toddlers all the love and attention she could possibly give them.

Lily was a friend maker. She made friends with people of all ages throughout the week. Watching her have conversations with people, laugh with them, and make them feel like they belonged was such a gift.

And I had the privilege of serving on the hospitality team. Much of my work happened behind the scenes - preparing spaces, setting up events, and helping create an environment where families and volunteers could feel welcomed and cared for.

Our roles looked very different.

But that was one of the first things God reminded me of that week:

We don't all have to serve in the same way for our service to matter.

There is a place for each of us.

There is a place for our kids.

And there is a place for the gifts God has given each member of our family.

Welcome to Hope Heals!

The next day, after some volunteer orientation meetings, we got to be part of one of my favorite traditions - the welcome parade.

As the campers began arriving in their vehicles, all of the volunteers lined the driveway. We held signs, waved, cheered, and welcomed each family as they arrived.

It was loud (or quiet if they preferred).

It was joyful.

And it was beautiful.

There were people cheering for families they had never even met before simply because they were happy they had arrived.

And I remember thinking, What if we welcomed everyone into our everyday lives like this?

What if people walked into our churches, our neighborhoods, our schools, and even our homes and immediately knew: You belong here. We're glad you're here.

That's part of what made Hope Heals so special. People weren't simply accommodated. They were welcomed.

They were celebrated.

They were seen.

Serving Isn't Always Comfortable

One of my most meaningful experiences of the week happened during the spa day for the camper ladies.

I had the opportunity to help with the event and spent some time washing the feet of some of the women.

It was such a simple act.

And yet, it felt incredibly significant.

There's something about slowing down enough to care for someone in a very practical way that reminds you what serving really looks like.

Sometimes serving means organizing an event.

Sometimes it means holding a baby.

Sometimes it means spending an entire day alongside a camper.

Sometimes it means making a new friend.

And sometimes it means getting down on your knees and washing someone's feet.

Jesus modeled this kind of humble service for us.

And I was reminded that serving others isn't always about doing something impressive.

Often, it's simply being willing to do what needs to be done.

Everyone Gets Cheered On

Another highlight of the week was the talent show.

And honestly, I don't think the best part was the talent.

It was the audience.

The room was filled with people cheering for every person who stepped onto the stage. It didn't matter what their talent was. It didn't matter whether they were an amazing singer, had a funny act, or simply wanted to get up there and participate.

Everyone was celebrated.

Everyone was encouraged.

Everyone mattered.

I couldn't help but think about how different our world could feel if we were more intentional about doing this for one another.

What if we looked for opportunities to celebrate the people around us instead of comparing ourselves to them?

What if our kids grew up knowing that they don't have to be the best at something to be valuable?

What if we taught them to cheer for someone else's success?

Hope Heals reminded me that encouragement is a gift we can all give.

And sometimes, it doesn't cost us anything except our willingness to cheer a little louder for someone else.

A Little Glimpse of Heaven

The Luke 14 Service and Luke 14 Banquet were also highlights of the week.

The service was one of those experiences that is hard to fully describe. The chapel was filled with the voices of all different families singing praises to God. 

At the banquet, the room was filled with families, volunteers, laughter, conversation, and celebration. Everyone had a place at the table.

Earlier, as I had helped set up the tables and prepared the space for the meal, I found myself thinking about how much these little details mattered.

A table.

A chair.

A place setting.

A welcoming room.

These may seem like small things, but they communicate something important:

You were expected.
You were wanted.
There is a place for you here.

The whole evening felt like a small glimpse of heaven.

People from all different backgrounds and with all different abilities gathered together, celebrating and sharing a meal.

And then came the dance party.

Watching everyone dance, laugh, and celebrate together was one of those moments when you just wanted to stop and take it all in.

This is what community is supposed to look like.

This is what belonging is supposed to feel like.

And it gave me a small glimpse of the kind of Kingdom Jesus is inviting us into.

Our Kids Were Learning More Than We Could Teach Them

One of my favorite parts of the entire week happened after all the activities were over.

Every night, our family would gather together and talk about our day.

We would share what we had done, who we had met, and what had happened.

And Lily always had plenty to say.

Some nights, she didn't want to stop talking because she had so many stories to share.

She had made another friend.

She had helped someone.

And as I listened to her, I realized that these conversations were part of the real gift of the week.

Our kids weren't just hearing us talk about serving others.

They were experiencing it.

They were seeing what it looks like to use their gifts to love people.

They were learning that everyone has value.

They were learning that kindness doesn't have to be complicated.

They were learning that serving others can be fun.

And perhaps most importantly, they were learning that they have something to offer.

What Our Family Learned

Looking back, I think there were several lessons God was gently reminding our family of throughout the week.

Everyone has something to give.

Our kids didn't all serve in the same way. Neither did the adults.

But every person had something to offer.

That's true in our families too.

Sometimes we can overlook the gifts our kids have because they're different from our own. But what if instead of trying to make our kids more like us, we spent more time helping them discover the ways God has uniquely gifted them?

Serving together creates meaningful memories.

We didn't take this trip because we wanted another family vacation.

We went to serve.

And yet, we came home with some of our favorite family memories.

The laughter. The friendships. The conversations. The worship. The talent show. The dance party. The welcome parade.

Serving didn't take away from our family time.

It became our family time.

Some of our greatest memories aren't made when everything revolves around us. They're made when we're working together for something bigger than ourselves.

Our kids are capable of more than we sometimes realize.

It's easy to think our kids are too young to make a difference.

But Hope Heals reminded me that kids don't have to wait until they're adults to serve.

They can love.

They can encourage.

They can help.

They can notice someone who needs a friend.

They can use the gifts God has already given them.

Sometimes they just need us to give them the opportunity.

We need more places where everyone belongs.

Perhaps one of the biggest things I took away from Hope Heals was the beautiful picture of belonging.

People weren't simply invited to participate.

They were welcomed.

They were included.

They were celebrated.

They were given a place.

And that challenged me to think about the spaces we create in our own lives.

Do people feel welcomed when they walk through our doors?

Do our kids know how to notice someone who might feel left out?

Do we teach them to look for ways to include others?

Are we creating homes and communities where people know they have a place?

These are questions I want to keep asking.

We Came to Serve, But We Left Encouraged

We went to Hope Heals Camp hoping to be a blessing to others.

And we were.

But somewhere along the way, we realized that we were the ones being blessed too.

We came home with stories.

We came home with new friendships.

We came home with memories.

But more than that, we came home with a fresh reminder of what it looks like to love people well.

From the welcome parade to the porch parties, worship, spa day, Christmas in July, talent show, dance party, and Luke 14 banquet, we experienced so many special moments individually and together as a family.

And those nightly conversations may be some of the memories I treasure most.

Because this is one of the beautiful things about serving as a family:

You don't just serve together. You grow together.

I'm so thankful God gave our family the opportunity to spend a week at Hope Heals Camp.

It was a week of serving.

A week of learning.

A week of laughing.

A week of seeing people differently.

A week of watching our kids use their gifts.

And a week of getting a little glimpse of heaven.

Hope Heals Camp is truly a special place.

And I hope we never forget what God taught us there. 

If you want to see a short recap of our week at Hope Heals Camp, watch a brief video on YouTube here.