South Africa Reading Camp rest of camp report

The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown and the brothers at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery (OHC) partnered together for the first overseas Reading Camp this past July in Grahamstown, South Africa. This is a series of post-camp blog posts from Kary McConnachie, one of the volunteer directors of that camp. Four Kentuckian experienced Reading Camp volunteers (Mary Jane Amick, Connor Egan, Drew Eclov, and Vibh Forsythe) joined Bishop Stacy Sauls and his wife, Ginger Sauls, joined with the Grahamstownians to make a Reading Rock in Grahamstown. Other posts about the South African Reading Camp are available here.

Monday 7th – Friday 11th July: Our routine kicked in bright and early on Monday morning with breakfast, followed by singing, movement and games (while station leaders got organized) and then the work/fun started at the stations with lions roaring or elephants trumpeting to signal the changeovers. At 12h15 the campers streamed outside to play table-tennis or volley ball or finger board or tried their hand at drumming. Lunch was most welcome and then came an interesting instruction: choose a book from the pleasure reading corner and go and lie down on your bed and read! This was a whole new concept, but by the end of the week some of the campers were choosing up to 3 books and loving the time.

Our special visiting author was Gcina Mhlope – a storyteller of note, well known TV personality and author of many books. Basil Mills just about kidnapped her from the schools arts festival where she was a keynote speaker, to join us for an hour. Her time with us was magical and she made a deep impression on the children. Basil Mills gave us so much to experience on the hikes he organized, the obstacle course we all tried to do on his farm, his warthog, Pumba” and of course “Monty” the python who challenged many a fear in us……… Basil asked Stacy why Monty was given such a bad press over the years!!! ……..and then Basil also helped us create amazing animals out of clay and his son Warren helped with drawing lessons. Basil and Warren also managed to squeeze in a self defence course which gave the campers confidence in themselves. Sarah Jackson inspired many a budding artist and Elisma Hallier had the campers (including the amazed boys) create patchwork pencil bags. A game drive in the Kariega Game Reserve was a real highlight for many – Noluvuyo was so unperturbed by it all she even managed to hop off the landrover and “visit the bathroom” right next to a resting rhinoceros much to the dumbstruck amazement of the game ranger. There was even time for a puppet show during one of the afternoon sessions.

Our afternoon activities always calmed down around 17h00 with journal writing in the hall. Every adult was asked to be present to be walking dictionaries and generally encourage the children to express themselves as all of them were doing this in their second language. On Monday there were only stilted sentences, but by Thursday evening words were just pouring out of some of them. When the journals were packed away, we all gathered in the Chapel for our message of the day from Stacy. There was always such joy in the singing and eager anticipation for the next message. Just think about it – these campers were listening to someone who was not speaking their mother tongue and to top it all had a strange accent, but so many got every word of those messages and even told their families once they got home.

Suppertime was fun and enjoyable and was followed by fireside or campfire storytelling by Basil (depending on the weather) , or games in the hall, or a dramatized animal story with a moral (those counselors were incredible actors),and yes we even had “smores”. Bedtime had its own interesting stories: Sineliswe who so loved to shower Sarah would have to get wet to get her out (she does not have such a thing at home). And then of course the bedtime story: we chose Gcina Mhlope’s “African Tales” and read a different story each night. Tired but happy little campers then drifted off to dreamland……….except one night when Connor’s crew decided to get up at 4am!!! They were ready to face the challenges of the new day by 04h30. Connor was impressed at how meekly they got back into bed when he pointed out that it was still night time. Mary Jane did not have too many mishaps. The one evening Noluvuyo tried to take on the boys and got winded quite badly and we thought she may have something serious as she was not recovering from sitting on Mary Jane’s lap at all …………and then it dawned on us……….. that lap was just the best place in the world and admitting to only being slightly injured would shorten the wonderful feeling of being cared for and loved.

Our campers were all so special and each and every one had a story, but on this camp and in the camp environment all the problems seemed to dissolve and an extraordinary time was had by all. When Saturday came and it was time to say goodbye, there was hardly a dry eye to be found. Worse was for me to look in the rearview mirror as I was driving the bus back into town, and to see the tears trickling down Sivenathi’s face as she faced the end of a magical time. Mary Jane and I were in a heap by the time we had delivered them all to their homes and Basil and Ntombekaya felt no better either. Fortunately I had forgotten to include the phonics books in their take-home bags and Mary Jane and I got to visit each of our campers again on the Sunday only to find the tears had been wiped away and life was full of joy and sharing their experiences with their families.

We had many visitors and observers at our camp, all of whom were deeply impressed by the way this concept of Reading Camp worked. They could not get over at how the campers shut out all outside distractions whenever they were at a station – totally absorbed by whatever the teachers were doing and oblivious to anything else. Here’s something amazing: Cheslyn was beside himself when we said we would go on a game drive and stop after 3 stations. He did not want to go – he wanted to do his 3 other stations. Only the news that the second round of stations would happen after lunch calmed him enough to go on the drive.

The feedback from parents, guardians, teachers and principals has been wonderful and so encouraging. One of our main objectives was to make reading infectious – and we have achieved just that in our poorest school with the least resources where children are working hard at their reading to stand a chance to be chosen for the next camp. In another school the one little girl who was very shy has become a leader in her class: whenever the teacher leaves the class she encourages the others to read. Another teacher reports that her pupil cannot get his hands on enough reading material since coming back from camp. One mother says her child picks up anything that has English writing on it – old newspapers, scraps of paper etc and reads. Some teachers report that spelling has improved, others say the child’s pronunciation of words is so much better, and others speak of improved confidence. Parents report that their children seem to be more independent and able to take care of themselves. All in all a very special time was had by everyone.

Our visiting counselors, Mary Jane and Stacy and Ginger really added such a wonderful element to this camp and helped so many children become more fluent in English because there was no was any of them could answer a question in Xhosa or Afrikaans. Our young local counselors learnt so much from Connor, Drew and Vibh – it was such a new experience for them too. I really hope that we can keep some kind of exchange program going to foster this interchange of experience. Your counselors were true ambassadors for this whole camp experience. We still need to find a local equivalent for Mary Jane, but at least this ensures she has to return at least one more time to help us (perhaps many more???). And the big bonus was having Stacy and Ginger here to share it all – it just felt so perfectly right. Thank you to everyone who had the dream and everyone who made it happen.

South Africa Reading Camp Day Two report

The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown and the brothers at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery (OHC) partnered together for the first overseas Reading Camp this past July in Grahamstown, South Africa. This is a series of post-camp blog posts from Kary McConnachie, one of the volunteer directors of that camp. Four Kentuckian experienced Reading Camp volunteers (Mary Jane Amick, Connor Egan, Drew Eclov, and Vibh Forsythe) joined Bishop Stacy Sauls and his wife, Ginger Sauls, joined with the Grahamstownians to make a Reading Rock in Grahamstown. Other posts about the South African Reading Camp are available here.

Sunday 6th July 2008: Breakfast was waiting for us and then we had an extraordinary service in the Chapel near the main centre. Stacy gave us a most inspirational message that set the tone for our wonderful week ahead. Last minute arrangements, a meeting with Milanda Coetzer to discuss child abuse issues and Ntombekaya, Mary Jane and I set off for Grahamstown to collect the children. We rendezvoused with Basil Mills and he was joined by Ntombekaya for the top route, while Mary Jane and I headed for the other route. We took a little longer than anticipated as some houses were harder to find than others. We found excited, nervous, shy, unsure young campers, but all were ready to get going.

The welcome back at camp was superb with singing and drumming and many photographs taken of everyone. The registration process went smoothly, with the queue at the nurse’s door getting longer, but Mary Jane did a great job and soon all the formalities were dealt with. Our first little chapel service with Stacy was really special with all the children on the floor around him listening with amazement to his message that God is in every one of us. Supper was very welcome followed by a meeting to discuss house rules and get T-shirts and Camp jackets. The shy and timid campers were beginning to thaw and everyone was getting into the swing of camp life. The buzz of anticipation was palpable all around us.

South Africa Reading Camp Day One report

The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown and the brothers at the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery (OHC) partnered together for the first overseas Reading Camp this past July in Grahamstown, South Africa. This is a series of post-camp blog posts from Kary McConnachie, one of the volunteer directors of that camp. Four Kentuckian experienced Reading Camp volunteers (Mary Jane Amick, Connor Egan, Drew Eclov, and Vibh Forsythe) joined Bishop Stacy Sauls and his wife, Ginger Sauls, joined with the Grahamstownians to make a Reading Rock in Grahamstown. Other posts about the South African Reading Camp are available here.

Finally this report can be put together after quite an eventful 8 weeks. The National Arts Festival was in full swing when Mary Jane, Vibh, Connor and Drew arrived in town straight from Kentucky. They enjoyed some of the events that were on offer and the students got to spend some “donkey” raising time with my daughter, Kathryn. Mary Jane and I got on with more sedate things like organizing medicines for the camp and meeting local friends over good food. Final packing and final phone calls to camper parents had to be done and then THE day arrived.

Saturday 5th July 2008: Last minute arrangements, buses sorted out, and a last effort to get books that had gone astray in the post before the serious matter of packing could start. Jill Rothman was an unexpected angel when she arrived in a bakkie and loaded all the bulky stuff for us and took it down to Assegaai Trails. Br Timothy collected the counselors who had spent the night in town with me and I set off to get Sarah Jackson and then Ntombekaya, Tembisa and Sistembiso and then we went in search of Luzuko Dyaloyi. En route we checked with Melisa Alexander and found that her mom’s phone had been stolen….. so the very last camper was ready for Sunday and not one had dropped out.

Happy arrivals at Assegaai Trails and what a wonderful reunion with Stacy and Ginger at the “Palace” cottage. Unpacking with all those helpful hands was a pleasure. Marian and Di’s lunch was most welcome before everyone got busy with whatever task they had to do. In no time at all the hall was transformed by huge lengths of hesian and other materials into a Reading Camp with 6 exciting stations all decorated with our wild animal theme.

The counselors prepared the rooms for the campers: brand new sleeping bags and cuddly blankets with a Virgin Airline bag filled with toiletries. Mary Jane had brought warm hats and gloves and these were placed on their beds too. (And the weather was letting us know that the African winter was going to make its presence felt). An office and a nurse’s base were also set up. Nashua had sent us a state of the art copier machine on loan for the week for FREE.

A good old South African braaivleis rounded off our day in a most delicious way.

Reading Camp seeds bloom …and bloom, and bloom!

By Maggie Miles

This is a story about Josh Reynolds, a camper at the first Domain Reading Camp in 2002, who grew up to be a Reading Camp Counselor at the Domain. Josh is just one of the seeds that were planted at that first camp, that took root and grew, with the love and nurturing of all of the good volunteers, his family and church family.

When Josh came home from Reading Camp that first year, he told his mom that he wanted to go back the next year. She had to tell him that he would be too old to go back! Josh got very quiet. Then he said; “Well then, I’m going to grow up fast so that I can go back as a counselor when I’m old enough!” Each June, Josh repeated his intentions. And finally, this year, his faithfulness paid off. Josh became the first Reading Camp alum to serve as a counselor, mentoring other young students as he himself was mentored.

Josh has good memories of his own Reading Camp experience: the Wolf Pen hike. Swim time. The camp store. Meeting George Ella Lyon- a real author! Staying in St. Andrew’s cabin. Looking at a scrapbook he has about camp. Coming home with the desire to be a counselor.

This year, Josh, now a sophomore at Rowan County Senior High School on track to graduate in 2011 was back at the Cathedral Domain, “very excited to do two weeks of camp this summer.” (Josh likes camp so much that he also does 4H camp with kids in Carlisle, Kentucky.) As he observed the campers, he noticed how his own reading had grown and developed. Today, he loves to read science fiction, and the Enders game series, although he confesses that he still “dreads reading for classes.” He also enjoys seeing the campers “become better writers” in the writing center, and remembers his own experiences in writing as a camper.

Josh and his family are great supporters of Reading Camp- and of local efforts with Reading Camp. Each year, St. Albans has a Reading Camp send-off. This year, Annie Dailey and Hunter Clarke were the center of attention as the parish gathered to celebrate and help send them off to camp with full tummies and the blessings of the parish. This year’s celebration was a pot-luck breakfast. The campers, their parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles share a meal with the parish. The campers receive goodie bags of practical camp stuff and fun items, including battery powered toothbrushes and disposable cameras, presented in Kung Fu panda bags. The families have commented that the event helps them feel safer about entrusting their children to Reading Camp.

The event makes Reading Camp more tangible to the parish, who not only meet and interact with the new campers, but hear from Josh and his sister, who also attended Reading Camp. The parish purchases cards for “their” Reading Camp children- one for each day of camp. Parish members sign the cards, putting encouraging, funny comments on them. Typically, the Reading Camp liaison begins mailing cards to the Domain the week before camp begins. What excitement when a camper receives mail at camp!

Josh’s aunt, Debbie Howes, is principal of Tilden Hogge Elementary School in Morehead, and has become St. Alban’s partner in reading Camp. Besides identifying and nurturing kids, Debbie is working with St. Alban’s to develop a program to help her kids with reading throughout the school year. Each time we talk about Reading Camp, Debbie’s eyes well up with tears about how Reading Camp “saved Josh’s life.” And each year, she has more students whose continuing progress validate her professional as well as personal investment in this ministry.

Josh didn’t tell the campers at the beginning of the week that he was a former camper himself. Each night, the counselors and teachers write in the campers’ journals, offering words of support and encouragement to them. Midweek at the Domain, Josh wrote each of his campers individually, telling them via their journals about his own experiences as a Reading Camper, and since that time. What excitement went around the Domain when the campers heard the story of how this counselor they admired had once been a camper just like them.

So, while this is a story about Josh, a Reading Camper who grew up to become a Reading Camp counselor, it’s also a story about how we are all transformed by Reading Camp. It’s a story about the dedicated work of family, priests, parishioners, Reading Camp staff, volunteers, principals, teachers…over the long haul of many years.

It’s about seeds planted, and flowers that bloom in many places as a result of the planting. Some of the blooming will happen in gardens we will never see. Some of the seeds will be passed along in families and classrooms and end up in places we could never imagine.

Remember Josh –and tell his story wherever you can tell it. For every Reading Camp, there is a Josh—perhaps several Josh’s, and a blooming that is bigger than any child, or adult or particular camp.

It’s about what wondrous things Gods can do, if we each do our part, and trust.
Maggie Miles is the Reading Camp liaison for St. Alban’s, Morehead, and claims that the story of Josh and Reading Camp brought her to St. Alban’s and the Episcopal Church. “A church that is in the world, sleeves rolled up and meeting people where they are, is a church I want to be a part of,” she says.

-Maggie Miles is a member of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Morehead, Kentucky. Maggie serves the ministry of Reading Camp in many ways, most especially as a recruiter for children from Morehead to come to the Cathedral Domain Reading Camp each summer.

*This article first appeared in the September 2008 edition of the Advocate.