The third week of the Franklin County camp was another good week. Amazingly, we have not had to face any major problems. On the other hand, we did find it necessary to drop one child from the program. The decision to drop a child is always difficult and we worked diligently with this child for over two weeks before realizing that we simply were not equipped to deal with his needs. The team (interns, camp director, and program coordinator) came to agreement that his behaviors were having a negative effect on the program for the other children.
The enrichment theme this week was “World Week” or “Global Education.” The Week 3 report from the Bedford County camp also highlighted the objectives for this week. Monday was about Haiti, led by Marion Wagner and Patsy Smart; Tuesday was about Tanzania, led by Pidge Morgan. On Wednesday David Fox took us to Guatemala and on Thursday Hannah Sizemore organized a program about Japan. Our interns also facilitated programs on arts and crafts, food, games, stories and other interactive activities connected with each of these countries as part of the afternoon enrichment.
Observations and Highlights
· During the Guatemala program I joined a circle of children sitting on the floor in the fellowship hall while Alice Ann (intern from Virginia Tech) led the kids in an exercise using Spanish and English words. Alice Ann is fluent in Spanish - we do have gifted interns! This exercise taught the kids colors – Que es rojo? Que es violeta? Que es blanco? Que es negro? I’m sure you knew the English answers to each of these questions (red, purple, white, black); the kids did! And then she would use the English word and the kids would reply with the Spanish word. I was amazed at how quickly most of the kids got it, and how much fun they were having. At this age learning is still fun for the kids and they (most of them) soak it up like a sponge. One of the boys liked it so much that he asked me for paper and pencil so that he could write down all the words. This began with Creole during the Haiti program. By the end of the week he had the words for hello, good bye, thank you, etc. in Creole, Spanish, Swahili, and Japanese.
· A first for our program - During family night at the end of the first week, a young woman asked me what she had to do to be a volunteer in the program. I connected her with Janet Hill and she is now volunteering as a camp facilitator. So what’s so special? Well, she is the daughter of a woman who is the foster parent for one of our campers. This is the first time we have had a family member working as a volunteer in the program. I hope we have others in the future.
· Another young woman, Emily Meissel, worked as an intern assistant at the Bedford camp and loved it so much that she spent another week with us during this camp. Emily is a senior in high school at the Governor’s School in Roanoke. She volunteered as a Reading Buddy last year along with her dad. It was great to have Emily in the program. The interns were impressed with her work and none of us will be surprised when Emily applies for an internship in a year or two. The Good Neighbors family continues to widen its circle.
· During writers’ workshop on Thursday, Hannah and Alice Ann asked the orangutans (the name for their group) to write about someone who is a hero in their life. The 30 minutes for this work occurs at the end of the day and you would think the kids would be tired and uncooperative. But, this group was focused and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Hannah and Alice Ann circulated among the kids, helping with spelling and encouraging them to put their ideas on paper. Again, I felt so privileged to be present and to see the nurturing, encouraging, loving relationships that have formed between the children and their interns.
My Hero is my Dad…
· One day this week, the poster pictured below caught my attention. It is on the wall beside the table where the children check in and out every day. It expresses the kind of advocacy that all children need and deserve. I hope Good Neighbors is such an advocate.
· Finally, the last highlight of the week for me occurred on Sunday. Six of us (four interns, a boy friend, and I) attended the Lovely Valley Baptist Church morning worship. This is a rural, African-American congregation. I list this in my highlights because we experienced the kind of Good Neighborliness we try to model for the children. The congregation opened their doors, their arms, and their hearts to us. It was the experience of welcoming the stranger; of embracing our diversity. I know I speak for the group when I say that we felt very much at home as we worshiped with this congregation. And, the service, including the music, was inspirational and Spirit led.
“The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others. In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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