Our Capernaum Story- Thoughts from a Mom and a YL Leader

A guest post by Brittany Mazuchowski and Kerry Nall

My friend Hannah has been coming to Young Life Capernaum for the past few years. She started out making the long trek from Franklin to Nashville to attend club, despite her anxiety and sensory issues- both of which were heightened at club. The club that Hannah currently attends was birthed out of the growth Nashville was experiencing and meets closer to Hannah’s home. Her mom, Kerry, said that she is so thankful to have heard about Capernaum from other parents who were raving about the experience.  Thanks to parents who shared Capernaum with her, she now tells other families about Capernaum every chance she gets. She says its one of the first things she asks when she meets a new family with a child with a disability because it has been such a blessing for her daughter and her family.

How did Hannah’s family go from not even considering camp as an option to signing Hannah up for weekend camp?

Kerry would be the first to tell you that she never would have thought a fall camp experience was for their family, but now Hannah has one great weekend under her belt and wants to go again, this time without her parents being nearby.

The conversation and preparation involved with getting Hannah (and her family) on board for fall camp really started from the beginning of Hannah’s experience with Capernaum.  At the start, she was highly overwhelmed, dealing with sensory overload and experiencing increased anxiety. Kerry used to have to tell Hannah that she was just going to be in the parking lot in order for Hannah to feel mildly comfortable (when in reality she was sneaking off to dinner with other moms).

Kerry says, “What was most important and most stunning was how Capernaum meets our kids where they are, instead of expecting our kids to meet a minimum requirement. It didn’t matter that Hannah was fearful or that noise was an issue or that she had anxiety. The leaders made sure they knew as much as they could about her, assigned her a buddy, and adapted to what Hannah needed - whether it was partaking in club alongside her buddy or having quiet time in the hall. Over time friendships developed- and her comfort level increased. She adapted, she went from not being able to stay in the room because of the noise and crazy activity to staying in and enjoying every second and then to participating!”  

Hannah’s parents credit Capernaum for how she has come out of her shell. The love and acceptance from the leaders and other friends have given Hannah the confidence that she needed.

3 years ago we started to have more serious conversations about Fall Camp with Hannah and her family. The first year, it wasn’t an option, but we at least talked about it. The next year, it was something Hannah really wanted to try, but they had to travel for a family wedding, which gave us one more year to prepare Hannah for camp! Hannah’s family had experienced enough of club to have an increased comfort level with leaving her in the care of Young Life leaders, they knew without a doubt that she was being cared for and that any needs she had would be met. Kerry said, “From the very beginning, everyone has reached out to say- ‘Tell us about Hannah, what kind of support does she need, what makes her tick, how can we get her involved?’”

With a history of consistent love, support and care that allowed Hannah to come out of her shell and become so comfortable at club (imagine: she used to sit in the hallway during dinner and barely eat, sit towards the back during club and just watch; but now she sits at a table with her friends, eats dinner, sings AND dances during club and is usually the last to leave!), we were able to have conversations about what Fall Camp could look like for Hannah. Where we landed was that her parents would come to camp as adult guests, so that they would be near enough if we needed them, but able to stay out of the way. Hannah ended up not even wanting to see them while we were at camp, so they spent the weekend sneaking around camp, hiding behind trees and on porches watching everything, and even getting to rest at the Adult Guest Lodge. Kerry said that it was a blessing for them to be able to be so close, it provided a comfort for her and her husband knowing that they could check in on Hannah as they felt necessary, instead of just sitting at home worrying and wondering what could be happening.

What does this look like for your Capernaum friends?

Honestly, it will look different for each kid. It is no secret that our friends are individuals. It will take patience, and time, but you’ll know (along with their parents) when they’re ready- even if they’re just ready to start talking about the possibility. Talk to the parents, ask what Young Life could do to make the experience easier (both for their child and for them), ask what their child would need on a weekend away (a 1:1 buddy, the ability to call home, a noise machine, dietary needs, etc), explain in detail what a weekend of camp entails- walk them through the schedule. If you can, connect them with a family who has had a positive camping experience so that they can ask them questions. Brainstorm with them- could they come as adult guests? Is there a hotel or cabin nearby they could stay at so that they’re close but not distracting? 

In Young Life, we value relationships, and talking to parents about letting their child with a disability attend club, camp or any new activity or event starts with relationships – with their child and with them.