ipad mini disabled

I bought an iPad mini and took it on a mission trip . I only had it a week. I had not yet backed it up I had just come back from my trip. the children were trying to play with it, and I did not know. It is now disabled. It is possibly disabled many many times. I do not want to lose this data.
Can anyone PLEASE help me.
I have called apple, etc all say nothing I can do.
Praying that Iwill find someone who will please give me hope.
thank you.

Disabled? You're going to have to be more descriptive than that...

Does it turn on? And if it does, what happens? What do you see on the screen? Have you tried to attach it to your Mac or PC and reset it through iTunes?

I apologize.
It is disabled meaning the screen shows

iPad disabled.

Usually when a password is entered incorrectly, you get more chances before it locks..

What I was trying to say is , it is PASSED the more chances part I believe because I have tried connecting to ITunes (Remember I stated I had not been able to back up yet , I hadn't gotten home yet.)

So when I connect to iTunes it says " detected a disabled iPad enter passcode to continue"
only I can't enter the pass code, the screen does offer that option.

The iPad will turn on and off, completely allow me to shut down and restart etc.
but goes to the screen and says iPad is Disabled.

it only gives me the option in iTunes to Restore.

not set up as new iPad, or any other option.

IT must think it is stolen, but it is not.

Apple customer service has said nothing they can do.
I do not live near a store.

Authorized dealer says they are told by apple to just restore.

I was thinking MAYBE there is someone out there who has had a different outcome that could help.

These are photos of a mission trip to Rwanda and are Really Very special and important to me.
I was hoping I could find someone to help who may have done this.

I don't believe there is anything you can do by yourself. Once that passcode has been entered a number of times incorrectly, the iPad will lock. And yes, that's to prevent theft.

The only suggestion I have other than resetting via iTunes is to take it to an Apple store and see if they can assist. I'm sure someone at Apple knows how to bypass the lock since they are able to do it on a Mac.

Sorry I can't be of more help.