Saint Damian Camp

The Saint Damian Camp already looks back on decennial traditions. The Saint Damian Circle was established by the pupils of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Nyíregyháza, to pray for children with disabilities during the daily prayer of members. Meanwhile, they started to attend an institute called Magdaléneum, where they have dealt with children with disabilities. In the afternoon, if their free time made it possible, they were playing and singing, and they organised different free time activities together with the children. Besides the spiritual bond, an opportunity was given to create a personal relationship as well. A form of sensibility revived in the seminarians, with which they could turn to people with disabilities. Meanwhile came the demand to help the children and their families as much as possible.

In 1997, 24 years ago already, a fine initiative has been started in the Byzantine Catholic Seminary. Former members of Saint Damian Circle decided to organise a camp.
A camp, and not for anybody, but special people! The motivity of this camp has always been prayer. The initiative grew from prayer and is still developing accordingly. That is why they established the Saint Damian Camp, which has become the crown of Saint Damian Circle’s work throughout the year.

The Camp has three main aims: relieving parents from the burthen of everyday care, giving children an unforgettable holiday experience, and raising awareness on the situation of disabled people, encouraging solidarity and teaching young people that despite disabilities these individuals are useful members of our community.

During the annual one-week long summer camp, campers take part in many different developmental and entertaining programs. Besides these, faith also plays an enormous role in our programs. This camp is free of charge not only for campers, but for volunteers too. The necessary amount of money comes from donations. Despite the contribution of kind-hearted benefactors, the organisers can only cover the expenses of the camp with great effort every year. The last time when the camp was organised, 120 children with disabilities and 150 volunteers took part in the Saint Damian Camp. The Saint Damian Camp was promoted for median-and light people with disabilities every year. Although the responsible organizers are the seminarians of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary there is no religious restriction, neither for the children nor for the volunteers.

The motto of the camp is: „Bear ye one another’s burdens!”. This quote from the Bible reflects on the values and virtues that are frequently on the periphery of our modern society, or they are not there at all.

A kind thought,- that was told by a regular volunteer of the Damian Camp is the following: these children can show us how many things we have and,- the many things we can-not appreciate. They are the presents of God, who bring mercy to their surroundings and,- families, and from which mercy and blessing we would also like to receive some.

Another aim of our action is to emphasize that each of us is responsible for our fellow human beings and it’s every good man’s and woman’s obligation to help those who are in need.

The seminarians recognized that beyond the joy that they can receive from these children, many difficulties and hardships are included in the lives of the families where a child with disabilities is present with his or her colourful personality and world.

This is the reason why seminarians decided to take over these „burdens” from the parents for a week every summer and spend a week being encamped with the children. After the experiences and success of the first camp, parental responses further encouraged the seminarians and civilians as well. One of the most cardinal points of organizing the program is to let children go back home with permanent experiences.

Our initiative is entirely based on voluntary work. All volunteers selflessly offer their free-time of the summer, so children with disabilities can go on a one-week holiday. Our volunteers become an integral part of our campers’ lives for a week, as they are present during eating meals, dressing up, cleaning, and of course friendly, spiritual conversations, singing, and dancing. Nevertheless, all the participants can go back home with something additional. We, volunteers, see more in the work and the tasks in the camp. Year by year, we are able to experience the feeling of unconditional trust and lots of love given to us. Besides these children, nowadays it is rare to meet people with whom this kind of love and trust can be built. We experience the feeling of tiring work merely to give pleasure to others, and with this voluntary activity, we can gift our companions. Most of the volunteers come from the higher classes of secondary schools and the universities, however, the Camp attracts self-sufficient people and married couples as well. The number of participants in Saint Damian Camp rises from year to year.

The Camp is traditionally organised in the first week of August. The first day is only for the volunteers. The programs of the week are pretty diverse,- because we aim to create permanent experiences for the children. We are glad that these efforts are fruitful. At the meetings during the year, we take notice of the fact that the Saint Damian Camp is a significant event in the children’s lives every year. Among the programs, we can find a special sports day, arts and crafts, music therapies, and a talent show. Our recurring guests are jugglers, Greek Catholic motorcyclists, storytellers, dog therapists and a band with disabled singers and musicians.

Over the years we have managed to change the perspective of hundreds of our volunteers and benefactors, as most of them had not met people with disabilities before the camp. We feel that we can also give hope and comfort to parents and fosterers who raise these special children. Through the years many of our volunteers became special education teachers, psychologists, doctors, teachers and priests after participating in our camp.

What is the essence of the camp?

Let me describe a moment that is recurring year by year, an experience that we can feel in the camp. Those who have already participated in a Damian Camp know that at the end of the last evening, the so-called „party evening” we form a big circle, so we can put an arm around each other. This is the moment when even the seemingly tough person has tearful eyes. For us, this circle is the Saint Damian Camp. In which there are no differences,- because all sides of the circle are similar. This is the Saint Damian Camp, where it does not matter, who you are, because you are loved. For us, this is the most beautiful moment throughout the camp.
And do you know what do we experience when we take thought for this moment?,- We feel something warm in our hearts and this is the feeling that all „Damianian” know: love.

People with disabilities are not strangers or any different than us. They want the same as anybody else, to be ACCEPTED, and they want us to accept their love!