TWI for the Children’s Summer Camps to Kids in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Summer 2001

 

Camps to Kids

Daily Activity 2001

"Survivor Bosnia"

Disabled Camp to Kids ( Summer 2001)

 

The team was divided into two projects. Leigh and Scott worked with our ‘Camp to Kids with Disabilities’.  I asked Leigh to serve as lead teacher for this camp. Scott asked if he could join us and he was a wonderful help. Many of the children we work with lost their fathers in the war, so they loved being with Scott. Their trip was short as this particular camp project was just beginning. Leigh was instrumental in working with, not only the children, but with the mothers of the children. She showed them ways they can begin to cope with their trauma of having a child with a disability in a country that is healing from a horrific five year war and helped them find a facet for their trauma.

 

Camps2Kids 2001 Team #3 (July 2001)

Team #3 was already in Sarajevo as part of the ‘Camp to Kids in Orphanages and Schools’. Tatiana joined us for this camp. Tatiana’s family is from the Balkans and she was a special addition to our program, because she represents the ethnic group that were the aggressor in this war. Because the target group was the Muslim community, there is a great deal of fear, anger and mistrust toward the Serb community. Tatiana served as an ambassador for her people as we moved around the country and worked with children from all of the ethnic and religious groups: Serb, Muslim and Croat. Tatiana was perfect for our trip, because she spoke the language and the children were able to communicate with her.

 

Time

Activity

Requirements

Needed

0845 - 0900

Set-up

•       Set up Survivor Group Rooms.

•       Set up Gym.

 

•       Sign for each Survivor Group with color code.

0900 - 0920

Registration

•       Registration Sheets

•       Bandanas per group

•       Sign Banner

 

2 Interpreters

2 Staff

-         25 bandanas each: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow

-         Banner (Survivor Motif)

 

0900 - 0920

Free time Gym Activity

Games:

4 Staff

1 Interpreter

- 4 Basketballs

- 4 Volleyballs

- blow-up balls

 

0920 - 0935

Introductions

Form into Survivor Groups

•       Red: Desert

•       Blue: Ocean

•       Green: Jungle

•       Yellow: Mountains

 

•       6 Staff

•       Interpreter

•       Leader introduces all staff and interpreters.

 

0935 - 0950

Story

 

To be decided:

1 Staff (Bobby developing story and questions)

0950 - 1020

Question- Answers

True/False Competition.

•       Individuals answer questions with T or F Sign. Correct answer moves forward incorrect answer returns to end of group line. Group with most people in winners circle at end of Questions to all children wins Survivor Trophy and moves first to Survivor Activity.

 

4 Staff

1 Major Interpreter

3 other interpreters

 

•       Survivor Trophy

•       4 True Place Cards

•       4 False Place Cards

 

•       30 T/F Questions.

•       Masking tape roll.

Make tape area on floor for individuals with correct answers to move to.

(Designate staff leader to lead this survivor activity.)

 

1020 - 1025

Move to Survivor Group Rooms

Survivor Group leader goes to room with Interpreter.  Back-up staff moves group in line.

 

•       Survivor Horn to signal move.

1025 - 1110

Survivor Group #1

•       Ocean: Team Building activities.

•       Jungle: Dance and preparation of Final Ceremony Skit.

•       Desert: Preparation of Survivor Flag.

•       Mountains: Survivor Games - Maze, eating contest, Relays.

 

•       To be decided.

 

•       More time is provided for initial Survivor Group to:

•        teach facts about Survivor techniques in the geographical area

•       build a survivor chant

•       select survivor name.

1110 - 1115

Move to next Survivor Group.

 

•       Kids in columns.

Horn.

1115 - 1145

Survivor Group #2

Switch among Survivor Groups:

•       ( Ocean - Jungle);

•       (Jungle - Desert);

•       (Desert - Mountains);

•       (Mountains - Ocean).

 

 

1145 - 1220

Lunch

 

•       Move to lunchroom and eat with kids.

 

All Staff

1220 - 1245

Story #2

•       To be decided (Bobby will provide story and questions.)

Move to Gym and organize by Survivor Group.

•       Staff Story Teller

•       Interpreter

 

1245 - 1310

Question Competition by Group.

Questions are asked and the Group must come up with the correct answer.  Each correct answer and group moves forward to block 1 of 5 blocks.  First Survivor Group to get to Block 5 wins. Winner carries the Survivor Trophy.

 

•       10 Questions that will require team to determine answer.

•       4- Notepads and pens for teams to answer questions.

(Designate leader to run this survivor activity.)

1310 - 1315

Move to Survivor Group #3

 

•       Move in line.

Horn

1315 - 1345

Survivor Group #3

 

•       Same as morning program

 

1345 - 1350

Move to Survivor Group #4

 

•       Move in Line

Horn

1350 - 1420

Survivor Group #4

 

•       Same as morning program

 

1420 - 1425

Move to Gym

 

•       Sit by Survivor Group

 

1425 - 1500

Survivor Final Challenge Games.

•       Survivor games.

 

•       Props for survivor games.

•        

1500 - 1515

Closing ceremony

•       Survivor Groups present presents to School.

•       4 Basket-balls/ school

•       4 Volley-balls/ school

•       2 Basket-balls/school

•       Gifts for teachers and Director.

 

 

Half Day Activity at Rama -- Team #1 (6/28/01)

0930 - 1000

Registration

 

 

 

1000 - 1100

Survivor Games

•       Outdoor survivor games if possible.

•       (Note that this period could be the same as final challenge games for one-day camp.)

 

•       Designate person to lead all games.

•       Provide Survivor prizes.

1100 - 1115

Closing Ceremony

•       Survivor Groups present presents to School.

•       (Hold the closing ceremony on day two of the Rama program and not on day one.)

 

•       4 Basket-balls/ school

•       4 Volley-balls/ school

•       2 Basket-balls/school

•       Gifts for teachers and Director.

 

 

Half Day Camp at Mostar Orphanage (7/12/01)

1500 - 1515

Registration

•       Sign in and give bandanas

•       Sign Banner

•       Use two survivor groups with combined (ocean and mountain group) and (desert and jungle groups).

 

1515 - 1530

Story 1

•       Story to be determined

•        

1530 - 1615

Survivor Goups

 

•       Groups should do their group activities, but at a compressed level.

•       Groups must be combined and compressed to keep the attention of the young orphans.

 

1615 - 1700

Survivor Final Games

•       The final games must be reviewed and selected to ensure that the children can take part in them.

 

•        

1700 - 1715

Final Ceremony

•       Gifts given to Staff

•       Volley balls

•       Basketballs

•       Basketball nets.

•       Blow-up animals for the children.

 

I want to share the report from Tatiana with you. She writes:

"My trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of many firsts: first mission trip, first trip to this particular region of ex-Yugoslavia, and the first time that some of my vacation was spent emphasizing the needs and desires of others rather than my own.

 

I am appreciative of Bobby Houser who encouraged me to go to Bosnia with TWI for the Children. We met just about three years ago at the National Presbyterian Church during one of the Mission Outreach Sundays. When they found out that my roots were in Serbia , they warmly welcomed me and enthusiastically told me about their work in the Balkans. They suggested that I come with them on one of their trips and I am so glad that they did not give up on encouraging me to go. In fact Bobby has been a blessing to me because she also introduced me to people in Washington Metro area who were at one time refugees from the Balkan civil war. I have developed a dear friendship with one family in particular as a result. Therefore, because of my background, I had a unique perspective as a member of the Bosnian team.

 

The itinerary consisted of going to five different children’s schools and/or orphanages. I was responsible for helping the team that conducted the recreational and sport activities of the summer camps. My duties were to be responsive to the team leaders and to generally support the core team and the children as needed. Except for one school, which had children with special needs, the kids were smart, polite, alert, and well behaved. It was fun to observe the universal differences between boys and girls. The former showed their competitive and assertive nature in sports while the latter displayed gentle and feminine qualities. It was precious!

 

The Bosnian trip was life changing. However, I wish to be brief in my summary of my spiritual and emotional experiences. I had a great time getting to know some of the children. In addition, I tried to apply relational evangelism by extending human warmth and touch, friendship, and love. I arrived with the mindset of loving people for love’s sake, that is, loving people for no good reason just like God loved me by sending His Son so that I may have life.

 

Emotionally, the trip was hard (but I knew it would be) because of my personal sadness for the tragic civil war in my former country and for war’s aftermath. Being with the children, especially the orphaned children, was also emotional. At one orphanage I had a little more time with the children because of the program format, so there was more opportunity to bond. There was a feeling that the children were happy for our presence.

 

Leigh Foster writes:

"Last spring I was approached with the opportunity to lead a camp involving children with and without disabilities in Bosnia . Not only was I somewhat overwhelmed by the task of leading a group of children with the existence of a language barrier but also I was completely intimidated by and fearful of exploring the realms of a country which had endured such violence and depression. My ignorance was, I realized then and even more so now, the sole basis for my fear. Yet, as I continued to pray about whether or not to accept the offer, I found my heart radically changing and my desire to participate quickly increasing. Of course, with any experience, one does not know how God will use the elements to bring change in his or her life and I could not begin to imagine how this trip would affect me spiritually. I felt God’s presence in my own life and I began to understand some of the lessons I was to learn.

 

Remarks from Lois Janney

"I haven’t stopped talking about my experiences in Bosnia since I returned.  Being with the children in the orphanages and schools was incredibly uplifting.  All were so welcoming, energetic and funny.  I think that I came away much more appreciative of my family and country and very thankful that I was able to give a little bit of myself to youngsters in need of support, love and encouragement.  When our van would drop our entourage at the schools, the children were eager to greet us.  Of course, the hugs and kisses were extended to one and all. I did not imagine them to be so open and trusting.  The story telling, games, crafts and dance were enthusiastically embraced as well as the small gifts of hats, candy, basketballs and nets and inflatable toys.  These youngsters did not have a hand out for presents they just wanted to play, talk and show off their rooms and introduce us to their friends. They also made us promise to write to them and I affixed my address stickers to their hats for their use - the cries of Lois, Lois, Lois made me feel 10 feet tall.   I was not prepared to have as such a wonderful time and I was also not prepared to be devastated by the ravages of war as seen in Sarajevo.  In spite of all hopelessness, the courage, faith,  fortitude and spirit to arise above the disaster lives on in these beautiful people. "  

 

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