Newsletter, September 6

These words from this past Sunday’s lessons rang out in my heart as I heard them, and as I reflected on the week just prior.  For five years in a row now, St. Stephen’s has hosted a group of children for a week-long camp, whose activities include drumming and dancing with a master African drummer, art classes, outdoor play and organized games, and delicious and wholesome meals and snacks.  These children, all of whom have a parent who is or has been incarcerated in local jails or prisons, come to us via the PATCH program (Parents and Their Children).  PATCH helps see to it that the children are able to visit their incarcerated parent on a regular basis.

Drumming camp is the result of a commitment that our vestry and rector made several years ago to somehow become involved in prison ministry.  It has been funded by a variety of grants from the Diocese of Newark, bequests, and donations.  It has grown and changed through these past five years as we have learned how to do it a little better each year.

We had only 12 children in attendance this year, but they all came every day. One little boy, when given the choice, even chose to come to camp on his birthday instead of staying home. Several had been part of the camp in previous years; many were first-timers, but said they hoped to come again next year.  One of our campers who had attended in two previous years became a “counselor-in-training” this year, and some of the other older children expressed a hope to fill that role in future years.  They all worked hard, played hard, made beautiful artwork, learned complicated dance moves, performed intricate rhythms, and hopefully, took home memories that will sustain and inspire them in the days and years to come.