Special Needs Camps
Thie Indian Census 2001 reports that 21.9 million persons in the
Indian total population (2.13%) are disabled, and that 1.67% of the
total population within the age-group 0-19 (7 million) are living with
disability. This data includes persons with visual, hearing, speech,
physical and mental impairments.
- Of all persons
with disability, 35.9% are in the 0-19 age-group.
- One in every 10
children is born with, or acquires, a physical, mental or sensory
disability.
- 75% of the
disabilities are preventable.
- Only 1% of
children with disability have access to education.
- Hardly 50% of
disabled children reach adulthood, and no more than 20% survive to
cross the fourth decade of life.
Source:
http://www.childlineindia.org.in/cr-disability.htm
Spiritual Implication:
What is discouraging is that the insignificance shown by the
government is also seen in the church. The church in India for the
most part is absent in reaching the children with Special Needs. In
fact in our research and study we hardly found an organized
ministry/program solely focused on these children among the main line
churches. However it is encouraging to note that there are few para-church
organizations and some families who have special needs children in
their homes have began orphanages and homes to care for these
children. When we conducted the first Special Needs Camp in February
2009 this was seen by the parents and our mobilizing churches as
oasis. Many have shared how impactful the week of camp was. Two most
important items that stood out for the parents and mobilizers is, one,
reaching children with Special Needs with the gospel and second, the
education/awareness of disabilities and training them how to face.
Vision for
Special Needs Children:
As a ministry the Lord has burned LCMI to;
- Prayerfully
conduct two camps in a year (February: Mentally challenged,
September: Physically challenged).
- Lord willing,
establish a Group home where we would welcome children with mental
and physical disabilities and give them an opportunity to grow in a
Christian environment. A core aspect of being a house member would
be to help them experience;
- Inclusion in spite of disability,
- Give opportunity to attain education,
- Give them opportunities to learn and develop life skills where
possible,
- Improve their life as they live,
- prepare them for adulthood and more importantly prepare them for
eternity.
- Prayerfully seek
sponsorship of children/teens with Special Needs: The idea here is
to promote our campers and group home children for monthly
sponsorship. This will help in education/food/and other…
- The Lord also
envisioned us to welcome Short Term Trips to help us with: proposed
to start right away and as the Lord supply.
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