What's In a Name...

This year was the first year I was able to serve during Term 8 out at Camp Barnabas, which is the Blind and Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing week. I have always wanted to be there for that week, but my work schedule never allowed it. This year, it worked out! *grin*

When I found out I was in a deaf cabin, and was excited and nervous all at the same time. During our training, they talked about Sign-Names. (I knew about sign-names from college.) In the deaf culture, names are spelled out letter-by-letter since they simply can't say the word "Shannon." Therefore, they come up with signs for names to make it easier to communicate. It is a special thing, and something that only those in the deaf community can create. In other words, hearing people can't give out a sign-name to hearing people. Sign-names are only given out by those in the deaf community, and it is a VERY special thing. In fact, one of our CIA's is in an Interpreter Training Program, and her teachers in the deaf community wouldn't give her a name. They wanted her to have it from someone else in the deaf community. It's that important.

In our training, all of us "hearing" folks were praying that we would get a sign-name at some point during the week. It was amazing how many of us didn't have a sign-name. Of course, our interpreters had sign-names, so it was cool to see what they can come up with for names!

On Monday Night, Torrey noticed my name tag I was wearing for the first time during the Term, (We were out in our cabin so I had gone all day without one and got mine during dinner!) and turned to her CIA and told her what she wanted my sign-name to be. I was SO EXCITED! I looked from the CIA to Torrey, who was grinning ear-to-ear! I kinda went nuts once we were outside, dancing around and thanking Torrey for the name. She was grinning, I was grinning, it was AWESOME!!!

I shared the news with members of the cabin throughout the night, and everyone was excited! Even Laura was pumped later when I told her. *grin*

Throughout the week, everyone got a sign-name from the campers. Everyone was excited!!!

Of course, for me, it was REALLY special because Torrey gave it to me. It was definitely a moment I will never forget!!!

*grin*
Life.
Is.
Good.