Local families, campers saddened by news of Camp Barnabas cancellation amid pandemic – Joplin Globe

Joplin families and individuals who attend Camp Barnabas, a Christian summer camp tailored to children and adults with special needs and chronic illnesses, are devastated that lasting memories wont be made there this year.

The Camp Barnabas team recently announced that all of their summer sessions, which take place on a weekly basis in Purdy, are canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Summer sessions usually start at the end of May and go through early July.

We have watched our world and prayed for a swift and quick solution to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, and theres not an easy answer, camp officials said in a statement. Thats why its with a heavy heart that we announce we are canceling camp this summer. Please know that we did not make this decision lightly. We sought the counsel of many, including our board physician and director of health services, to ensure the health and safety of the entire Camp Barnabas family, as well as the long-term mission of Camp Barnabas.

Campers and parents of campers say theyre saddened by the news.

Jayme Harper of Joplin has 8-year-old triplets with a series of medical conditions. Lauren has a heart condition that requires her to wear a pacemaker; Addison has hydrocephalus and mild cerebral palsy; Reagan is autistic.

Harper described the cancellation as heartbreaking for her children, who have attended Camp Barnabas for the past two years and now look forward to camp every summer.

It teaches them to be kind to kids with disabilities that are more severe than theirs, and its a great place for siblings to go because it allows them to be with other kiddos who are like them, she said.

Harper said the camp also gives caretakers a break from taking care of others and allows them to have time for themselves.

Its hard for us to even get a babysitter just for a date night, she said.

All about safety

Dr. Tim Jones, a member of Camp Barnabas board of directors and president of Cox Medical Group, serves as the camps board physician. Jones said hes been in constant communication with the CEO and COO of Camp Barnabas over the past two months, even prior to the virus arriving in the Midwest.

Jones said he and other camp officials decided to err on the side of caution and didnt want to put an already vulnerable population more at risk with potential exposure.

Even regardless of whats happening in the Midwest, we have campers who come from all over, not just campers but also missionaries (one-on-one counselors), Jones said. The concern was really the likelihood in our current state and the way this was evolving is having someone asymptomatically come and bring it and expose a population of very vulnerable people. One person getting sick, regardless if it was a camper or a missionary, wasnt worth keeping it open. At the end of the day, it was about the safety of the people we serve and love.

Cyndy and Paul Teas, founders of Camp Barnabas, created the camp in the early 90s because there werent camp programs for children and adults with disabilities at the time. Paul Teas said this is the first year in the history of the camp that its been canceled, and it was not an easy decision.

We had been talking between ourselves about what they were going to do because its not just about social distancing, he said. Many of the kids at camp have so many health issues that theyre already very compromised. This kind of exposure has a lot of potential to cause a lot of pain, and we certainly dont want that.

Joplin resident Breanna Houston, who has autism and hydrocephalus, has attended Camp Barnabas since 2016. She described how difficult its going to be not going to camp this summer.

I feel accepted there, and thats one of the reasons why I kept going back after that first summer, she said. Ive made a lot of new friends and even connected with people who I didnt know lived around here. Ive learned that its OK to be different, and there are people who will love you no matter what.

Houston, 24, said she understands why camp officials decided to cancel summer sessions this year, but she still finds it hard to accept.

It really hasnt hit yet, but Im sure Im going to have a meltdown when it gets closer. But I understand why, she said. Im still processing it.

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Local families, campers saddened by news of Camp Barnabas cancellation amid pandemic - Joplin Globe