My little summer camp for the neighborhood kids is better than I even imagined it could be. I am so happy with the way it's going and so completely worn out, but it is truly a labor of love.
I've had a dream the past few years of opening a trauma center. I envision a place in a central location where anyone can come when they need a person to connect to. People of all ages would gather and share stories and connection. People wanting to serve could drop in and help to life those who needed to be lifted. I would have collaborative art installations because art therapy does wonders for mental illness. In the evenings there would be music and poetry. I think about this place all the time. In a way, what I have created two nights a week for these children, is just a sliver of hope I have. I've only had a theory that all people really need is trusting, loving, accepting person to witness their life but it is proving to be true.
The kids are so happy. They have all said how happy it makes them to know they can come and hang out with Shelbie and I. One of the girls said it was her only reason for getting out of bed, at the end of the day. I wasn't sure they would take any of this seriously but they do.
After a craft, we share the best part and worst part of the day while we snack on a homemade treat. I am trying to instill in them that life is both hard and happy and sometimes, at the same time. We talk about agency, and how our choices affect all those around us. We each write on a little green leaf, our gratitude for the day and attach it to our gratitude tree and finally, we share what we did for the week to serve someone around us.
Here are pictures from the first two weeks, 4 nights of camp.
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| This is our setup. If it's not too windy we hold it on the driveway. The first night, I had our itinerary of events. They showed up with their journal and their badge for 'admission'. Our little gratitude tree is in the middle there. |
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| Night one, we did self portraits..."I Am". They had to look in a mirror and without lifting their pen, draw a portrait of themselves. I love this activity. Around their self portrait, they had to write statements about themselves starting with 'I am...'. It was the saddest activity. Most of their statements were, 'I am sad.'. 'I am suicidal.', 'I am lonely.' I knew I couldn't leave it at this so we went around the table and told each person the redeeming qualities we saw in each other. This led to a really great discussion on how hard it is to see our own worth. One of the girls shared a story she had read in a Korean comic and it was really good! She is the oldest in the group and has just thick, tall walls around her heart which she guards carefully, in often offensive ways. It was so sweet to see this vulnerable side of her. I just love her. |
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| For dessert, we had Pizzookies. They love my homemade chocolate chip cookies so I baked everyone a big thick cookie and topped it with two flavors of ice cream, whipped cream and sprinkles!! |
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The second night, we decorated water bottles and then they each got to make their own signature Italian Soda. I have a carbonator and bought a few syrup flavors. We sat around the fire and shared our day while drinking our unique soda. The kids had no idea you could carbonate your own water!
Week 2, we combined the two nights because it was a big project. We made vision boards! The kids loved this activity. I had them make it on regular sized cardstock and when they were done, I printed each one on transfer paper and then we ironed it onto a t-shirt. This activity surprised me. They actually looked so good! I noticed some of the kids have a hard time imagining a life beyond where they are currently stuck. You can see the degree of struggle and what is important to them in the visions they had for themselves. |
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| It was sad to see that what some of them really need are just the basics of life. Food, clothes, money |
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| So much thought and time went in to this vision.... |
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| This one is interesting to me...some of the pictures were upside down, a little chaotic. This is a reflection of the saddest story. |
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This is from the youngest boy in the group. He has a special place in my heart. He is in the middle of so much hurt and tries to keep everyone together and happy but I know he's tired of the struggle. I love so much that he found the word 'Special'.
I hope this is somehow making a difference to them. I hope that they can feel a little peace and a lot of love each week. It's easy to feel hopeless when we see the state of the world around us. I know it doesn't take much to rescue each other. |
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