Giving Back...
HELLO! I haven't written in forever, and for that... I apologize...between my laziness, school and other responsibilities, plus the addiction to my phone, I hardly have time for other stuff. But, my blog is really important to me, so I am going to try to update it regularly, and also get some people coming to read it... *knocks screen*..is anyone there? LOL
Anyway.... I've decided I want to talk about giving back today. I know its not the first time we've heard the term... we've always been told to give back to "charity". Although the definition of charity speaks to those "in need", it doesn't always mean a physical or financial need. Sometimes it's an emotional need.
I have been a volunteer at a sports camp for inner city youth for 2 years now. I thank my friend Clive Mohalland for introducing me to the JASY volunteer group. JASY stands for the Jamaica Advantage thru Sports for Youth. It is an initiative that started with a partnership with a christian group from New York and the Jamaica government. At this camp, youths between the ages of 10 and 17 are given the opportunity to be exposed to different sports and different activities to which they probably would not have been exposed to otherwise. This year, however, the camp focused on Juniors, children 2 - 6 years old.
This year was also a bit different, because instead of the children coming to us, we went to them. The basic school we went to is the Christ, the Saviour Basic School in Riverton City (not too sure of the name, but its the only basic school I saw in the area and it is apart of the St. Patrick's Foundation).
It wasn't my first trip to Riverton. But whenever I went there I wondered how the leaders of our country could be allowing persons to live in these conditions. After getting over the initial pity, I hoped that this camp would do more for these small children than just occupy their time.
I stepped off the bus and was greeted by the stench and omni-present flies. This didn't sit well with my OCD and my germophobia (the right name is mysophobia- the fear of germs). But as I scoffed at the surroundings, I was greeted with this....
She was so bubbly, so happy, as she bobbed her way into each volunteer's arms. How could one be in any way unhappy after seeing such a face. The first assignment for me was to accompany a group to the zoo (the yellow team- they were all 4 year olds). I was thinking how dilapidated Hope Zoo is and how could it be an attraction for anyone. But I was so wrong, the children (being much younger than I am) never knew the Zoo in its former glory, so for them it was the bee's knees. They had so much fun. Can you imagine 27 four-year olds roaming hope zoo? But, we came prepared: there were 5 volunteers, 2 teachers, plus 2 security guards... The trip was a success with minimal hiccups. We went back to Riverton in time for lunch and dismissal.
After that day with the children, I began to look forward to going back, and the more I got involved the more the names of the over 70 children began to register in my head (with the help of their name tags and their team colour shirts). Happy faces were always ready to greet you, just when the heat and everything else was about to get to you...
A face like this would greet you, and remind you what it was all about. Children are such blessings, and it is amazing how they can change when they are exposed to alternatives. One little girl, during game time, did not want to stop playing with the ball and she was very bossy. No matter what she had to get her way or else... This was earlier in the morning... By midday she was sharing her chair with her other classmate. These little changes make it all worthwhile.
By the last day, all the children had become so comfortable with one another. There were no cliques, and anyone could sit at a table with anyone. In one of the last sessions I had with the red team (the 6 year olds) they took over and they were completely organized. We headed to 'Song and Dance' (an activity which is self-explanatory) and they went into the room and gathered chairs and sat in 2 rows, and said they wanted to sing. Soon enough one girl volunteered her rendition of a song, then two boys... then almost everyone wanted to sing. :)
We all got so attached to the children in the one week of camp.
Some of us felt so empty when we took the last bus ride from Riverton City. It was sad for me, because I never got to tell my red team goodbye; although I had joined them late in the week, I still felt like I should've said bye.
However, JASY was a great experience. And I hope that through me sharing this experience you will go out and give back. It doesn't have to be a huge programme like JASY, with a ton of sponsors, it can be something you and a friend would like to do. It can even be something you can do on your own: you pass a homeless man everyday one day you could give him a meal, you know a friend who has been having problems you can assure them that you are there for them whenever they need to talk or just if they need someone to be there.
You can give back in many ways, and as I said before it doesn't always have to be physical or financial.
GO ON AND HELP SOMEONE TODAY, WE DID:
Jasy volunteers 2010 :)
** if you'd like to volunteer, or help out in anyway you can contact the St. Gabriel Divine Volunteer Organization on facebook or you can just comment on the blog post :)**
Anyway.... I've decided I want to talk about giving back today. I know its not the first time we've heard the term... we've always been told to give back to "charity". Although the definition of charity speaks to those "in need", it doesn't always mean a physical or financial need. Sometimes it's an emotional need.
I have been a volunteer at a sports camp for inner city youth for 2 years now. I thank my friend Clive Mohalland for introducing me to the JASY volunteer group. JASY stands for the Jamaica Advantage thru Sports for Youth. It is an initiative that started with a partnership with a christian group from New York and the Jamaica government. At this camp, youths between the ages of 10 and 17 are given the opportunity to be exposed to different sports and different activities to which they probably would not have been exposed to otherwise. This year, however, the camp focused on Juniors, children 2 - 6 years old.
This year was also a bit different, because instead of the children coming to us, we went to them. The basic school we went to is the Christ, the Saviour Basic School in Riverton City (not too sure of the name, but its the only basic school I saw in the area and it is apart of the St. Patrick's Foundation).
It wasn't my first trip to Riverton. But whenever I went there I wondered how the leaders of our country could be allowing persons to live in these conditions. After getting over the initial pity, I hoped that this camp would do more for these small children than just occupy their time.
I stepped off the bus and was greeted by the stench and omni-present flies. This didn't sit well with my OCD and my germophobia (the right name is mysophobia- the fear of germs). But as I scoffed at the surroundings, I was greeted with this....
She was so bubbly, so happy, as she bobbed her way into each volunteer's arms. How could one be in any way unhappy after seeing such a face. The first assignment for me was to accompany a group to the zoo (the yellow team- they were all 4 year olds). I was thinking how dilapidated Hope Zoo is and how could it be an attraction for anyone. But I was so wrong, the children (being much younger than I am) never knew the Zoo in its former glory, so for them it was the bee's knees. They had so much fun. Can you imagine 27 four-year olds roaming hope zoo? But, we came prepared: there were 5 volunteers, 2 teachers, plus 2 security guards... The trip was a success with minimal hiccups. We went back to Riverton in time for lunch and dismissal.
After that day with the children, I began to look forward to going back, and the more I got involved the more the names of the over 70 children began to register in my head (with the help of their name tags and their team colour shirts). Happy faces were always ready to greet you, just when the heat and everything else was about to get to you...
A face like this would greet you, and remind you what it was all about. Children are such blessings, and it is amazing how they can change when they are exposed to alternatives. One little girl, during game time, did not want to stop playing with the ball and she was very bossy. No matter what she had to get her way or else... This was earlier in the morning... By midday she was sharing her chair with her other classmate. These little changes make it all worthwhile.
By the last day, all the children had become so comfortable with one another. There were no cliques, and anyone could sit at a table with anyone. In one of the last sessions I had with the red team (the 6 year olds) they took over and they were completely organized. We headed to 'Song and Dance' (an activity which is self-explanatory) and they went into the room and gathered chairs and sat in 2 rows, and said they wanted to sing. Soon enough one girl volunteered her rendition of a song, then two boys... then almost everyone wanted to sing. :)
We all got so attached to the children in the one week of camp.
Some of us felt so empty when we took the last bus ride from Riverton City. It was sad for me, because I never got to tell my red team goodbye; although I had joined them late in the week, I still felt like I should've said bye.
However, JASY was a great experience. And I hope that through me sharing this experience you will go out and give back. It doesn't have to be a huge programme like JASY, with a ton of sponsors, it can be something you and a friend would like to do. It can even be something you can do on your own: you pass a homeless man everyday one day you could give him a meal, you know a friend who has been having problems you can assure them that you are there for them whenever they need to talk or just if they need someone to be there.
You can give back in many ways, and as I said before it doesn't always have to be physical or financial.
GO ON AND HELP SOMEONE TODAY, WE DID:
Jasy volunteers 2010 :)
** if you'd like to volunteer, or help out in anyway you can contact the St. Gabriel Divine Volunteer Organization on facebook or you can just comment on the blog post :)**
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