Today we continued wrestling with our theme about HOME through the story of Zaccheus and Jesus and their encounter when the former climbed a tree to see Jesus come into his town. We finished one art class, switching to another one. Our programmatic approach moved us from our strengthened sense of community (from yesterday’s relationally bonding fun) to our first of several community service-learning activities which seek to expand our sense of community from ourselves, and our friends, to the city in which we live and the wider world of the common good. We’re partnering with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, specifically the Child Life Department to help provide fun crafts and activities for children who are long-term patients there. At their direction we’ll be making as many lanyards, or at least starting them, as we can. They can then be given to hospitalized children as a fun way to occupy them during their hospitalization. We also are making some signs/cards (based on the campers’ vision) to encourage Ms Leonardo who is also hospitalized. She has been an art teacher at nearly every VBS and suffered a stroke in late June. She’s now at a long-term care facility in Vallejo. She has little to no mental impact from the stroke, and is learning to walk again and some other physical tasks. We’ll deliver the cards/signs to her next week.
TALK WITH YOUR CAMPER ABOUT TODAY’S CAMP FUN
Here are some questions for talking with you camper(s) about camp today:
1. What did Home mean for Zaccheus? for Jesus? How were they different? How do you see that story happening in your life, at your school, or in our world, today? You can read the story for yourself or as a family in Luke 19:1-10 [LINK]
2. Is your camper collecting bracelets? What’s their plan with them?
3. Who had the craziest hair at camp? What made it so crazy?
4. Some of our kids have been working on the art of coffee, from growing to making it. Has your camper done that yet? What did they learn about coffee?
Tomorrow is Halloween! Recycle a past costume or make a new one! It’s too much fun to have Halloween only once a year.
We’re engaging the story of Mother Teresa and notions of home as one we can create for others with our care and actions.
For lunch we’re having Mac & Cheese
In our project-based service-learning we’re working OUSD to provide school supplies and much needed recess supplies (balls) to Horace Mann Elementary School in East Oakland. Children’s Hospital [LINK] to We’ll have a visit from Dr. Gary Yee who represents the part of the school district that includes Horace Mann on the OUSD Board of Education.
You can see photos of today (and every day) on our social media sites as well as on our photo 2019 page on the camp website HERE http://www.recreationvbs.org/2019-photos
Thursday is our art show from 6-7pm, a chance to show off and celebrate what we’ve been doing as well as to connect among families and friends. You can bring a dish of finger snacks (savory or sweet) to share as we seek to make our celebration like a real art show gallery opening!
Friday we’re doing a public art project, seeking to expand our conversation about home and what that means and who that includes to the larger city. We’ll be creating an art installation to go on the fence of the empty lot at the end of the block, at the intersection of College and Claremont Avenues. An idea curated by some of our church community members and VBS volunteer leaders, the project will include photos of your campers with their statement of what home is. There will be no names or identification with the photos, so that all campers remain anonymous. If you would like your camper to opt out of this activity, and not have their photo in the public installation please contact Monte by phone or email or at drop-off/pick-up by Thursday night.