Vacation Bible Day for children with disabilities and their siblings

Ministry and Life Enrichment for Persons with Disabilities of Catholic Charities hosted its 2nd annual Vacation Bible Day for children with disabilities and their siblings on June 15. The camp is a one-day event that is a condensed version of the 3-day Fr. Walsh Summer Camp for adults.

Similar to the adult camp, the theme was "Treasure – Discovering you're Priceless to God." There were five segments presenting Bible stories to portray all the ways God treasures us: God Knows You, God Hears You, God Comforts You, God Forgives You, and God Chooses You. 

Terry Espinoza served as the MC for this event, with David Gaitan serving as an American Sign Language interpreter. Terry Espinoza and Billye Brooks led the skits, and presentations were given by Susan Canales, Anna Munoz, Deacon Mark Cazalas, and Sister Letizia Lo Re with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann.

Halfway through the camp, Isabel Hernandez and Lindsey Floerke from Parents-As-Teachers (PAT) presented their program. PAT assists with motor, cognitive, and social-emotional development with children under 5. They then invited the campers to play with sensory boxes filled with rice and little toys. Hernandez said the sensory box is social-emotional development-related and allows children to be hands-on and help them wind down.

"We've always provided religious education for children and prepared them for the sacrament but never had anything like this [camp]," said Celia Mendez, director of the Ministry & Life Enrichment for Persons with Disabilities. "We saw a need. We had 12-year-olds that wanted to attend Fr. Walsh's camp, but it would be more meaningful if we had a camp specifically catered for children." As a result, Mendez was delighted to say, "With interest and feedback among the parents, this is going to be a yearly thing."

Laura Cable and her daughter Liesl, parishioners of St. Patrick Church, are first-time campers at this event. Laura said that they usually attend the weeklong camp at St. Patrick, but the church has not held it due to COVID-19. Laura saw an advertisement for the adult camp on Facebook and contacted Catholic Charities out of interest in the children's camp. Liesl, who has Down Syndrome, loves to sing and dance, musicals, and the beach. Liesl loves to call her church "Jesus's House" and is excited to get ready for her first Communion.

Mary Lopez, whose son Tim attends the adult camp, served as a volunteer for the event. Lopez has attended with her son since Father Walsh's family gatherings in the 1980s. Lopez said the camp helps Tim be with kids like himself; he learns so much from them."

According to Lopez, Father David Walsh was a pioneer in ministry towards persons with disabilities in South Texas. He initially held family meetings on Williams St., which grew into the summer camps that are well known and appreciated today. While some school programs and camps help support children with disabilities, the Fr. Walsh Summer camp has supplemented the children through faith enrichment.