"I Wrote it in Greek for You"

It has been many months since I added to the blog. It’s not because I have nothing to say; it’s just a matter of discipline. But, this morning I received a reflection from one of our 2013 interns, Chloé Benner from Virginia Tech, that so clearly captures the mission of the Good Neighbors program that it has to be shared. Her reflection helps me understand why I have such passion for this work. I hope all who read this catch the passion!

Chloé’s reflection—

              

       

    Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether something you did had a positive impact on a child. All of the interns spent the summer brainstorming, prepping, and presenting activities that we hoped would be of benefit to the large numbers of children entrusted to us through Good Neighbors. Sometimes the feedback from the kids isn’t immediate or obvious, but if you watch for the subtle signs that something caught their attention, you pick up on things that might have made a difference in a child’s life.

            One day for art we were outside using chalk on the blacktop. As a Classics major who loves all things Greek and Roman, I decided to make the activity educational in relation to my own field – so I offered to write the name of any student who was interested in ancient Greek letters. One boy named Buddy joined the line, glanced at his name in an ancient script scrawled across our modern asphalt, then promptly left and moved on to other things.

            Buddy had been having some trouble in school, with his peers and with his teachers, due to his recently diagnosed autism. At camp, though, he was learning to relate to those around him beautifully. Evidence of this came during morning games one day. Buddy loved to draw cars and trucks, and one morning he presented me with a picture of an ambulance. I told him that I loved his art and would always hold onto it, but I requested that he write his name on it so that I would always remember the friend who gave it to me. He picked up a pencil, wrote his name, then handed it back to me. But there was something unusual about it. The first letter of his name had an extra tail, and his d’s had more curves than they would with typical handwriting. “I wrote it in Greek for you,” he said. 

            I was speechlessly grateful. Now all of the children and interns have scattered back to their homes, but I keep that ambulance drawing by me as a reminder of why this summer was so meaningful. In that one simple gesture, Buddy showed me that the students I worked with might have absorbed more than I knew. What looked like a quick glance at his name on the blacktop took enough time for him to memorize what I was sharing. One small moment, that I thought went nearly unnoticed, ended up staying in his memory. And beyond that, this child who had been having trouble connecting with the emotions of others did something that turned into the most thoughtful gift I have ever received. He respected my love for a subject, though it probably had not been of prior interest to him, and he made me realize that the subjects I study and the jobs I take with elementary school children give my life meaning.

            From that point on, whenever Buddy was writing or drawing anything for me, he instinctively wrote his name in Greek. I held on to each one of those pieces to help me remember that my time, and the time that the other interns spent at Good Neighbors, left a mark for the better on these children, and as a reminder that these wonderful, thoughtful children turned this summer into the best I’ve ever had through unassuming acts of kindness, just like Buddy’s.

"Let Your Life Speak" part 3

             This is the third in the series—“Let Your Life Speak.” It always inspires me to read the reflections and stories of our interns. I am reminded of the hard work, the collegiality, the friendships, the side-splitting laughter resulting from stories at camp, and the bonds of love that form over the summer. This reflection is from Elizabeth Brown. Elizabeth interned in 2010 and as the Lead Intern in 2011. She also organized our afternoon enrichment for the Peace Education week. These activities were fun and effective; so effective that one of the principals called me at home to share a story about change in behavior in one of our kids. This is the story titled “Planting Seeds in Fertile Ground” in the 2010 blog posts.

I have truly been enriched by working with Elizabeth. And, there is no question that the lives of many children have been touched by her. I think you will see what I mean when you read her reflection.

---

As I sit here listening to a travel CD made for me by a friend for my long travel home, I came across a song called “This is Love” by The Script. After I had time to sit down and stop what I was doing because the song fondly reminded me of Good Neighbors, I quickly remembered that I had failed to reflect on my experiences and time spent with the Good Neighbor’s program. And now, finally, I have found a spare moment to write down my thoughts. 

The first line in the song is “It’s in the eyes of the children, as they leave for the very first time” and the song continues to repeat, “this is why we do it, this is worth the pain, this is where the heart lies, this is love, love is this”. I thought this just about summed up the entire Good Neighbor’s experience. It made me think of the requirements for an intern to become part of the Good Neighbor’s family. I thought if someone really wants to be a part of the program, they must be willing to endure the “pain” and hard work that comes with the ups and downs of Good Neighbors. They have to be really passionate about helping others and dedicating their time to enrich the lives of each other as well as the children and families the program serves. And they must understand that the whole underlying message of Good Neighbors is love. Showing compassion to the community and to the children says that someone loves and cares about them enough to invest great amounts of time, money and energy into the improvement of their education, health and spirit. 

            People involved with GN, regardless of their role in the program, understand why we put in so much effort and work into sustaining this program. I use the word “we” loosely because the number of people who get the recognition for “running the program” is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a huge foundation of community members that is supporting the program, and it is because of the steadfast support and encouragement that the program thrives. 

            Of course even with all the support of the loving community members, there would be no program without Russell Baskett; a friendly Quaker who has a kind spirit, a loving and accepting heart and the patience of a saint. Even though he has these honorable characteristics, Russ can also be the stubborn and steadfast leader that is needed for a program like Good Neighbors to function as well as it has over the past few years. He has been a hero and an inspiration to many and impacted countless lives. But he is humble to the point where he tries to give credit to others for the hard work he has personally put into this program. Russell has been a great advocate, friend and mentor to all the children Good Neighbors has served. He has also done the same mentoring, befriending and advocating for the interns who have worked with him over the years. (Russ- you better not delete this part before you share it with others!)    

            For the last two summers I have been privileged enough to serve as an intern and as the lead intern in2011 for the Good Neighbor’s program.  Working with such a fantastic program with wonderful leadership has been a blessing in itself by teaching me valuable life lessons. Working with my fellow interns has also been quite an enjoyable experience. Over the last few years I have made friendships that are lasting. You learn a whole lot about yourself when living, working and playing with five to seven other people 24/7. But, it also creates a bond between the interns that is indescribable—at times we want to wring each other’s necks, but we still love each other and learn to get along. 

            Then, there are the kids. Oh, the Good Neighbors rascals. They are the true spirit of good neighbors and are the reason the interns get up at the crack of dawn each day, all summer. The kids can drive you crazy, make you laugh, do things that surprise and scare you, all at the same time. But, at the end of the day it’s the love and compassion we show them that counts. Seeing the kids succeed, learn new things, and have a good time makes all the hard, preparation work worthwhile. In my experience it has been the funny stories and experiences with the children that have been the stories told months and even years after. This is not to say that all of the children make lasting positive impressions. In fact I think that most interns would agree with me that most of the children have their positive and negative attributes, and it is usually the negative attributes that cause us stress at the time that make for the best stories. But whether a child was caring, calm, disruptive, kind, angry or off-the-walls, we appreciate every one of them and the kids give the interns an experience that is just as, if not more, valuable to their lives. 

             I have enjoyed every second of my work with SML Good Neighbors and am a true believer in what this program can do for the children in the Bedford and Franklin counties and beyond. There are many people who make this camp program possible and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for offering me this opportunity that has been a life changing experience. Good Neighbors will always have a special place in my heart, and I will forever be an advocate for the children the program serves and works with.

            The song by The Script reads, “This is where the heart lies, this is from above, love is this, this is love.”  And SML Good Neighbors will be where the heart lies for many, and will always be a place where love is abundant.

  

                                           

                                           

"Let Your Life Speak" part 2

    I ended my last post saying that I would share the thoughts and reflections of some of our interns. The Good Neighbors interns model—Let Your Life Speak. And, in their writings I hear how their lives are impacted by the children they serve. Anyone listening to the kids quickly learns how deeply their lives are touched by the interns. So, all of us can—Let Our Lives Speak—our interns show us how to…

    This 2010 reflection by Angela Massino reminds me of the truly important things—things to be thankful for during this 2011 Thanksgiving season.

---

M

y second summer interning at the SML Good Neighbors day camp is quickly coming to  a close. I was conflicted over my decision to return. I thought, maybe I should try something new, like interning in D.C. with a news station or applying for an outdoor facilitator job. However, the more I shared stories about the kids from Franklin and Bedford counties the more I realized how emotionally attached I am to this special program, which feeds both children’s minds and bodies.

    Every day I am nearly knocked over by a surprise hug from behind, and then reach around behind me, feeling for a head of hair to help me determine whose little arms could be wrapped around my waist. This summer I chose to work with the youngest age group, the 5 and 6 year-olds, otherwise known as the Koalas. Though they are physically exhausting, I have learned that I love working with this age group. One minute you are raising your voice telling everyone to quiet down because they are getting out of hand and five minutes later you are overwhelmed by hugs, giggles, and grins because they seem to have forgotten that they were in trouble.

    The camp was created to meet a need in the community: to feed children during the summer months who receive free or reduced lunches during the school year. However, SML Good Neighbors is much more than a feeding program. We also reinforce concepts such as respecting nature, living peacefully with others at home and around the world, along with healthy living practices. Although the interns know that the kids are from low income families, I was never aware of their home situations. This year a handful of Koalas who were, or had been, in foster care would sometimes, innocently and openly, make small comments about their past home life.

    The smallest, spunkiest, most opinionated and liveliest little girl in camp truly touched my heart this summer. Sometimes she can hug me so hard I have to ask her to let go because she is hurting Miss Angela. You can hear her in the hallways singing, “I Wanna Be a Billionaire,” and having competitions with the other 6-year old campers on who can sing better. In the first week of the Franklin County camp, this little girl’s grandmother, who is now her guardian, asked to speak with Nalina and me about her granddaughter. She wanted to make us aware of the past abuse this child had endured to help explain any flinching, outbursts, or emotional distress she may have while at camp. I was completely taken aback. My stomach, heart, and throat clench- up just thinking that someone is evil enough to hurt a child. And here is a little girl who has endured more in her short life than I hope to experience as long as I live. During the four-week camp I watched as this resilient little ball of personality warmed up to each and every intern, even Jake, who she is especially wary of. Every camp day ends at 3 p.m., but this Koala refuses to leave until the interns reassure her that we will see her tomorrow bright and early at 8 a.m.

    One afternoon, when once again her grandmother was patiently waiting for the girl to finish a game with one of the interns so that they could go home, she turned to me and said, “She’s going to remember each and every one of you. Even after the camp is over, she’ll keep talking about you.” The grandmother later wrote in an evaluation of the camp something along the lines of, “SML Good Neighbors has shown my granddaughter that people can care for others.”

    As interns who double as camp counselors, we strive to be positive role models for these children, hoping that one day they may want to help children like themselves to grow and become confident, healthy, and successful adults. Through the Bonner Leaders Program, I’ve learned that escaping the circle of poverty is a difficult task. While non-profits work to help end this cycle, we can never be certain whether our actions are actually helping to shape these children’s futures for the better. However, if my little Koala is any testament to the work of the SML Good Neighbors volunteers, board members, and interns, perhaps we have opened their hearts to show that people do care. I know that I care very deeply for these beautiful children and the potential they hold for sculpting their own future with the Good Neighbors values. Just today I asked a 10-year old “Kangaroo” what she wants to be when she grows up. She responded, “I want to be a teacher just like you.” Then a couple little ones who overheard piped up and said, “Me too, me too.”

from Angela Massino—SML Good Neighbors intern in 2009, 2010 and 2011

             

       

First published in The Bonner Beat, issue 2, Lynchburg College, 2010