happenings between our weeks at camp

As life continues on for me I am humbled by the trials that our wee ones go thru. It was recently that we found out that three of our campers from this past year went thru something beyond our nightmares and worries. These three are of ten children in total to one mother. Only a week or so from returning from camp, with all children in their home, the house was lit on fire. Details aside, all kids were in the house and had to quickly be moved from their home to other foster homes willing to quickly take them in. They lost everything! They have since been reunited with their mother and are attempting to get back to life before school resumes.

Since hearing of this saddening story we have rallied the troops of our family and friends and taken in donations from “hand-me-downs” to cash. The hand-me-downs were gone through and cleaned and the cash was used towards the necessities that weren’t proved thru the hand me downs and that were needed as school began again. Even the most basic, like socks and underwear, was beyond what was readily available to them.

With the blessings bestowed on us we did what we could to provide what we could. This Tuesday a few from our team took a trip to the Section 8 housing where the ten children are currently living with their mother in Watts, California. When we arrived I was quickly humbled by the “home” in which they live. We are beyond blessed, beyond taken care of. The home that we arrived at was “cleaned-up” as those who had been there before me worded it. There were bars around all the windows, dogs around barking and howling. As we entered the mother who looked painstakingly tired greeted us. Most of the ten children were at day care/summer camp, but the two who were there were shyly grateful for what we had brought.

It is these times between the weeks of camp that we hope to be there for our kids. Some of these stories we hear and can do all we can to help. Others we will never hear about. (Either we have no connection to the service providers or the children will never tell the tale.) The point being that our hope is that the love we share with these kids while they are in our hands will give them the power they need during times like this.

To those of you who were a part of the giving, we are eternally grateful, as is the family.

“Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others. “ –Barbara Bush

Today I've been thinking a lot about our kids. For many of our adult volunteers it's a rough transition coming home. Not waking up to children yelling. Not being greeted with hugs and smiles. Not breaking up fights. Not wrapping up our munchkins in sun-warmed towels when they get out of the chilly lake. Not writing and receiving letters from the mail. Not winding down the kids for bed. We are brought back to the reality of the city and a much faster life, filled with things that seem much less important. We miss our kids and we miss them a lot. As the time continues on we get stories filled with happy memories shared with caretakers. However, we also get some stories from case carriers of a reality that our kids come home to much different than ours. One that is accompanied by loss, and heartache, and many switches from home to home. It reminds me of how much love needs to be shared. It reminds me that even when it seems like there is too much work to be done with this population we have to push on. The feelings we feel are expressed well in this story written by Mr. Milbrandt;

The Starfish Story

While walking on the beach one day, I saw Starfish by the score.

And everywhere I looked it seamed, I saw a thousand more.

Then what to my surprise appeared? A boy of nine or ten.

And as the Starfish washed ashore, he threw them back again.

I smiled at his exuberance and noticed his frustration.

"One fish won't make a difference son; You can't change this situation"

He stooped and picked up one more fish, then looking right at me.

"I can make a difference for this one sir," and he tossed him back to sea.

So I went and gathered all my friends, my brothers and my cousins.

We joined in with that little lad to save Starfish by the dozens.

There are many to rescued. Many "Starfish" on life's shore.

And you can make a difference too...by saving just one more.