The disabled and pilgrimage
Disability Camp “Let’s turn disability into power!” – is a special summer camp where participants with disabilities learn to move more freely, to achieve the same goals as able-bodied people: to communicate, to discover hobbies, to realise their abilities, to live an active social life. The camp is special because the instructors are also people with disabilities, friends of the same fate, who live full lives after injuries and disabilities. The main goal of the camp is to awaken the self-confidence of people with disabilities.
Another annual summer camp for young people with disabilities is Malta Camp. This is an international integration camp organised by the Order of Malta abroad, taking place in a different country each time. Lithuania is usually represented by a delegation of 10–12 participants: 5–6 people with disabilities and the same number of assistants. A camp in a foreign country leaves a lasting impression on the young people, helping them to make friends, develop their language and communication skills.
Pilgrimages are organised for people with disabilities, and Maltesers accompany their charges as helpers. One of these trips is to Lourdes, France (April–May), and the other is to Šiluva in Lithuania (during the Great Šiluva Feast). The aim is to give a disabled person the opportunity to visit holy places and pray for their health. Without the help of Maltesers, many disabled people would not be able to go on such trips on their own, not only because of their health, but also because of the lack of funds.
Galery
