Camp Update July 16, 2015

Dear Friends

Camp has gone really well with 34 campers in house.  The weather has been perfect and the sea has been great for swimming.

We are using Charlie and the Chocolate factory to support our preparations for our trip to the Hotel Chocolat for a tour of their plantation next week.  What fun as Willy Wonka (Auntie Tippy) sends them hunting for their Golden Ticket or the Golden Eggs.

They are loving all the crafts with Auntie Olivia and Auntie Kristine.  Auntie Anna is keeping us all on schedule while the Rug Rats and assisted by CJ are keeping busy up on the balcony.

There are several family situations in the village that continue to be of concern.  Please pray for protection and provision for these children and wisdom for us to know how to encourage and support.

Blessings

Auntie Shel

A letter from a camper

Dear Friends

I wanted to share a letter with you that I received at mini-camp last month.
Shyan has been at camp for 3 summers now.  She is the top student in Form 1 at her High School in Castries where she now lives with her father during the school year.  Her mother lives in our village as does her aunt and grandmother.

Shyan wrote:

Dear Aunty Shell and other camper helpers 

Good morning aunties, I am just writing this letter to inform you all that I am really grateful for your return back to our lovely country St. Lucia.  I am only sorry about what happened before..  I thought that camp was never going to go on, but from the moment I heard that camp was still going on I actually rushed down to my mom's house. 

Camp is not only about fun for me, it is like going to school on holidays and weekends, we read, eat, drink, go to the beach and we play. 

At camp we get sponsored with lots of things.  Especially school items, we get vouchers, groceries, and the most important thing we get at camp is love.  Aunty Shel thanks for everything you have done for me and the other camping students.
Thank you very much.  We love you all so much. 

Shyan

It is so nice to know that Camp Sylvester is a special place for many children in the village of Anse La Verdure.  Thank you for partnering with us to make this possible.

We have registered 33 campers for this summer.  All our junior leaders and junior staff are returning which is very exciting.  We currently have a small waiting list and hope to be able to accommodate.
There has been a great response to our camper support this year but we still have a number of campers who are awaiting their Canadian Friend.
Thank you so much for your continued support.

Blessings

Auntie Shel

May Team Update

Our first ever May team was a huge success.  Eleven volunteers arrived in St. Lucia on May 7th and immediately got to work.

Our first stop was a morning visit to the Canaries Pre-School were we played games with the children, read stories, and enjoyed being together.  We even used a parachute in the parking area of the old service station across the road!

We immediately shifted into camp mode as the courtyard was converted to our space station.

For 5 days of Saturdays and Sundays, the campers came down to join us as we learned all about our solar system, space travel, and rockets.  The whole team got involved in acting out the skits, doing crafts, playing games, community time, and then heading down to the beach for sand play, soccer and swimming in the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

On Sunday our 13th volunteer arrived just in time to switch gears again.  We spent Sunday evening making sure everything was ready for our Monday morning arrival at Canaries Infant School.  We ran a 5-activity rotation that kept every student and teacher involved using a turtle theme.  There was turtle science, crafts, games, math, and literacy activities that featured Canada’s own Franklin!

The conditions were very hot and dusty but the volunteers did a super job of keeping the students engaged.  Recess was spent reading and playing.  By lunchtime we were ready to return to the house for some quiet time and a great meal from TiTi, Joanna, and Katie.

On Friday we created special activities that began with a community challenge around the village to answer questions.  Both students and teachers enthusiastically led the volunteers around the village.  Part of the challenge was to deliver donated medical supplies to the village health clinic along with a commode chair that was carried through the village by the Grade 2 students.

After a great first week in the school, camp began again Saturday morning with some children arriving by 7:30. The Junior Leaders did a great job of helping, continuing many of their summer jobs, including making Sunday morning pancakes with Uncle Scott!  

We celebrated Mother’s Day in St. Lucia by helping the campers to create cards and gifts for their mothers.  We were able to let the campers select from a wide variety of toiletries to create a bag of goodies.  We also found creative ways to share t-shirts, school bags, and flip flops that had been donated.

Sunday at noon we had to say goodbye to 5 volunteers as they headed off to the airport for home.  The campers gave them a great send off but we were sad to see them go.

Monday morning the remaining 7 volunteers returned to the school to become classroom helpers.  We were not quite sure how this would work out but we all felt it had been very worthwhile and the timing was perfect.

One of the Kindergarten teachers had begun her maternity leave early.  The replacement teacher would not begin until June 1!!  The classes were combined making 37 students.  Two of our volunteers joined this group and did a fantastic job of assisting the teacher while working with individual and small groups of students.

Meantime, 2 more volunteers agreed to take the 7 lowest Kindergarten students each morning and try to work with them in the special education space using the learning carpet.

The other volunteers spread out in the remaining classrooms and found themselves involved with helping with all aspects of the programs.

On Friday we took part in a Mother and Father Day program that celebrated literacy.  We were surprised by the turnout and the enthusiasm of the parents, especially when they competed in Jeopardy.  It was wonderful to see how many of them seemed to feel very comfortable being in the school and how enthusiastic the students were to share the day with them.

Saturday was our last day of camp and our Blast Off to space.  It is always a difficult time as we prepare to say goodbye.  This time it was particularly hard as we had learned that several of our campers were in very difficult family situations.  In one case, a mother of 3 campers had left with only the baby, and was not expected to return.  The children were struggling to get to school although women in the community were trying to help out.

In the other case, the child’s mother was struggling greatly and the child was becoming more and more withdrawn.  They were about to move house again but would be remaining in the village.  It is more difficult for others to help as the mother has no family and has kept herself quite apart.

The team committed to pouring as much love into every camper as we could with special attention to the four, in particular.  It was hard to see them leave.  The only consolation was that another team would arrive in July.

Summer camp is full with every camper and Junior Leader returning along with a few new ones.  We are still in need of a few volunteers to round out our teams.  If you would like to experience Camp Sylvester first hand, this is your chance!  Come and find out why so many return.  Learn how you can make a difference in the lives of some special children.

We are also in need of more camper support.  For $130.00 you can help us to provide 2 nutritious meals/day, a camp shirt, a Blessing Bag, enriched programming, a field trip, swimming lessons, and lots of love and encouragement.

For more information contact Michelle Anderson at auntieshel12@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued interest in the lives of the children, women, and seniors of the village of Anse La Verdure as well as the students and teachers in Canaries.

Blessings to all

Auntie Shel

If we can only help one ….?

I want to share a story with you, not to take credit, but to show what is possible when people decide that something needs to change.

The story starts 11 years ago.  Camp Sylvester was new, so new, it didn’t have a name.  We didn’t know the children but we had this idea that we could spend 4 weeks together and make a difference.

We knew that one of our biggest challenges would be behaviour.  The children were very excited, the culture was different, and our expectations were high.  We expected them to listen, we expected them to co-operate, and we expected them to learn.  We expected the same from every child.

It soon became clear that most of the children wanted to listen, co-operate, and learn.  But…. some found it hard.  One in particular stood out.  His name was Aloysius and he was different, we could see that.  He was only 9 but he had a lot of “baggage”.

The other campers were quick to blame him for everything.  His behaviour towards others was often unacceptable.  We had made it very clear that no camper would be allowed to hurt another in any way.  They were given very clear expectations.  They were also told that if they failed to co-operate with us, or each other, they would be sent home until the next day.

Among the volunteers, there was speculation about who would be sent home first.  We felt it was only a matter of time before one of several boys would cross the line.

It didn’t take long.  Aloysius had been warned a number of times that his behaviour towards others was unacceptable.  Each time his behaviour seemed to escalate.  Finally it became obvious that we needed to follow through and Aloysius was sent home.  He was told to return the next day for a fresh start.

The next morning word came down from the village that Aloysius’ mother had beaten him.  Yikes!!  This was not an acceptable outcome.   We needed to rethink out strategy.

Aloysius did return to camp and from that day on he lost his swimming time when his behaviour deteriorated.  This served 2 purposes.  It made it clear we were serious in taking away something we knew he loved to do.  It also kept the others safe when his behaviour could be the most disruptive.

We managed to get through the rest of camp keeping everyone safe.  We were also starting to figure out what and who were triggering his negative outbursts.  We made it clear that everyone was welcome to return to camp the following year.

The next year was not quite as bad but Aloysius was still not spending much time in the water.  We were realizing however, that several other campers were very good at “setting him up”.  We began to help him develop strategies to deal with this.

By the end of the first week of year 3 we made a sudden discovery.  No one had had any discipline problems with Aloysius.  In fact, we found ourselves complimenting him on his participation and thanking him for his help.  He was in the water everyday and the only problem was that he had not learned to swim.

Camp was going very well for Aloysius and his thank you letters to his Camp Supporter indicated how much camp meant to him.  Unfortunately, school was not going well.  Aloysius had never learned to read and write well.  When it was time to enter high school, he was sent to the catchment school for the lowest students.

This school should have offered just the help Aloysius needed to catch up.  He was eager to improve.  However, the staff had no special training.  The curriculum and expectations were the same as those of the top schools on the island.

Aloysius struggled through his first 2 years.  In the summer before his 3rd year was to begin he approached me to ask for help to attend the CARE program.  CARE is a wonderful program for students who are not academically inclined.  It provides a first year program called the Adolescent Development Program run by a wonderful, caring teacher.  The students are encouraged to learn more about themselves, their background, their strengths and weaknesses.

With financial support from 2 of our volunteers, Aloysius did very well at CARE and began to display more confidence at camp and in the village.  At camp he had become a Junior Leader and he took his role seriously.  He was especially watchful when the children were in the water.  He still needed help to write his Thank You letters but it was obvious that he felt much better about himself.

At CARE, Aloysius decided to study to become a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician.  Over the next 2 years he worked hard at his studies, kept himself out of trouble, and became a very reliable Junior Leader at camp.

This past summer, on the 2nd day of camp, Aloysius came down early and asked to speak to me.  Shyly he handed me his certificate of graduation from CARE and his trophy.  It was a special moment!

Not only had he graduated but also he was given the award as Most Skilled.  In a trade that is a big deal.

He made a speech I am sure he had rehearsed for days, thanking me and his sponsors for making this possible for him.  I was in tears as I hugged him and congratulated him on all he had achieved.

The economy in St. Lucia has never recovered from the recession.  Many have lost jobs or have had their hours cut.  Many have given up, some have never even tried.

Aloysius has applied to every company on the island that needs his skills.  He has been told that no one is hiring right now.  When I asked him what he planned to do, he looked me right in the eye and announced he was to keep visiting them again and again.

Here is a young man who was given the opportunity to reach his true potential.  He seized that opportunity and he made it his own.

If Aloysius’ story was the only positive one I could share with you I would be disappointed.  So many people have invested their time, energy, financial support, encouragement, and love in the kids at Camp Sylvester over the past 11 years.

His is not the only positive outcome and I am grateful but if he were the only one, he would be enough!

This is not quite the end of Aloysius’ story.  I just received the best news ever.  Aloysius has a job. All his hard work and perseverance paid off.  I can’t wait to hear all about it.  What a wonderful role model he has become for the entire village.

Titi's Cooking

Any SLLP team member - past or present - has wondered, how does she make that dressing?

At long last!  The secret is revealed ... Titi's special salad dressing. Featuring the backbone of the St Lucia Learning Project, Sandra Mauricette Herman - aka:Titi.  Enjoy!

SLLP : At Ten Years

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years of learning and growing together!
Here's our Ten Year video from Uncle Scott.

Final Update - Summer 2013

Wow!  Wow! Wow!  We challenged ourselves to finish strong and we did!  Camp Sylvester #10 was definitely “The best ever!!”

While we were short staffed, everyone came committed to giving their all.  It is fair to say that we all surprised ourselves with what we were able to accomplish with such small teams.

Our secret weapon however, was the amazing Junior Leaders and of course Sandra and JoAnna!  Our Lucian team amazed us week after week.  By week 2, the older boys were arriving early, helping set up for breakfast and flipping the pancakes on Friday.  By the last week they were making the pancakes from scratch!

Chefs Philip & Leo at Work

We were also grateful to welcome Ms. Paul back to camp as a volunteer.  She missed most of last year with other commitments but we were thrilled to have her help. The laughter from the kitchen told us how happy Sandra and Joanna were too!

We were also joined ,for 2 days, by Elphege Brown, a local high school teacher.  Her extra hands came just in time for our “kit” day.  Each of the younger children chose a wooden kit to make a birdhouse, bug trap or book ends.  There was hammering, gluing and painting going on for 2 hours but in the end everyone proudly took home their project.  Thanks Home Depot!

Another advantage we had this year was amazing weather.  We did not lose any days to rain and the temperature was bearable.  Even the bugs seemed to be calmer this year making it easier to work in the evenings and to sleep at night.

Uncle Graham had the boys choose their own carpentry projects this year.  We were concerned by how ambitious they were but on the last day we loaded tables, dressers and shelving units into the van to deliver up the hill.  It was obvious how proud they were to show off their finished products.  

Uncle Graham and Garvey discuss his dresser.  Rick’s dresser is in the background.

 

The last week of camp is always the busiest as we hand out the gift bags to each camper.  These bags have been prepared for each child by a special Canadian friend.  The children are always so excited to see what is inside but they also cherish  notes and pictures that are inside.                         

 

Garvey, Stephan, Emissa, Makaela, and Natalie look inside their bags.

While Graham and I delivered the carpentry projects to the village, the rest of the team packed up the Blessing Bags for the campers.  These bags full of rice, beans, lentils, tuna, flour, sugar, pasta, chow mein, sardines and peanut butter were distributed to the campers and delivered to our seniors.

For many of our volunteers this is an extra special time as they help the campers carry the bags home to share with their family.  It is a chance to learn more about the children and the culture they come from.  

Below you can see our youngest camper Shane as he proudly struggles to carry his first Blessing Bag 

The end of camp also signals the announcement of the top Junior Leader for the year.  It was especially difficult this year as the whole group had worked so hard and so well as a team.  We felt they had all done the best they could.  It was obvious however, that Philip was the leader of the whole group followed closely by Rick and Leo.  As the top Junior Leader, Philip has been offered a job as Junior Staff next year.  

This year’s reward was a tour of Ti Kaye Resort by the General Manager.  Sarah showed us the top rooms, the kitchen, the wine cellar, the renovated restaurant and the new rum bar.  At the same time, she highlighted the qualities they look for in their employees and their strong commitment to team work.

After meeting several of the department heads we all headed down to the beach bar for a delicious lunch and a talk with the chef, our own Andy Leonty from Anse La Verdure.  The whole day was a perfect way to reward the JLs while giving them a chance to learn more about what employers want from them.  Unfortunately, the sea was too rough for our planned snorkeling but everyone enjoyed a swim to end the day.

When asked what job they would like, we had several general managers, a chef, a bar manager, and a pool guy.  The funniest answer was from Leo.  He hesitate, then smiled and said :“ I want to be a guest!”  I think he got the message that Ti Kaye is about service.

Packing away camp is always a major job at the end of a very tiring month.  This year was so much easier thanks to Auntie Marissa and Auntie Lisa who took over the space during week 3 and organized it all in advance.  This turned out to be an extra blessing on the last day!

At 7:30 am on Sunday I got a call from Sandra saying she would be late arriving for work as she was at the hospital!  There had been an accident the night before and her oldest son was waiting to see if he needed stitches.

Sandra arrived down about about 10 am to fill us in on the details.  Her 2 sons, 3 grandsons, and several of our other campers were riding in a pick up truck that went out of control and over an embankment after a cricket match in Castries.  Fortunately, the injuries were minor considering the severity of the crash.  Lots of scraps, bruises and cuts but nothing serious.

We were able to complete the rest of our close up routines and some of Sandra’s as we waited for Sylvanus to arrive to transport our luggage.  Our trip to the airport and home was uneventful – another blessing.

As a team of volunteers, we began every morning “counting our blessings”.  Each of us shared something we were grateful for from the previous day.  As the weeks progressed it was clear that such a positive start helped us to deal with all the little problems each day.  We felt it was also helping us to create a more positive atmosphere at camp.

Reflecting back on this year and the past 10 is full of overwhelming blessings.  It is also full of over 50 committed volunteers, almost 100 enthusiastic campers, the laughter of the women’s group, the shy smiles and hugs from the seniors, the shouts of hundreds of school children, and sharing with over 50 teachers, and hundreds of supporters just like you!

There have been lots of successes and some failures too.  We have had the privilege of celebrating joyous and sad events.  There have been challenges met and those yet to be attempted.  It all comes down to one thing really.  The relationships we have been able to establish and continue in this special part of the world.  The reward is in seeing a child succeed, and knowing you had a small part in making it happen.

Thank you for 10 amazing years!  With your help a dream has become a reality in a tiny village on the island of St. Lucia.

Blessings

Auntie Shel

Some of Uncle Scott's Photos from Week 3

 

Week Three Into Week Four

We wrapped up plant week on Friday with a tour of the plants in our own village.  Our tour was led by "farmer" Lintus who grows pumpkins and knows the names of all the plants and fruit trees.  It wonderful to be lead around the village by the campers who proudly pointed out their homes and shared their local knowlege with us.

Uncle Graham and the boys continued to work on their carpentry projects.  This year the boys planned their own projects and they are continuing to hammer, saw and paint as we continue into week 4.
Uncle  Scott was only able to join us for 1 week but it was great to have him.  He has already posted some great shots on facebook and we can't wait to see what he will post on our website!

Week 4 began with Auntie Chara leading a study of water.  One activity was to figure out how water is collected, saved, and used at Camp Sylvester and to compare this with the water system in the village.  The campers were surprised to learn how much water we store and how much we use.

The weather this year has been fantastic for camp with no cancellations of swimming.  In fact, we have experienced a mini-drought!  Last night however, we were awakened by thunder, lightening, and some heavy rains that continued until about 8 am.  We were expecting that the campers would not come down.  However, by 8:30 the tables were full and we were rushing to get set up!  Perfect weather for a water week!

Yesterday were handed out the gift bags that are completed by Canadian friends for each camper.  There was much excitement as some of the contents were visible.  Today the campers took almost an hour to complete their thank you notes and many had brought down the letters and photos they had received in their bags, carefully copying the names onto their thank you notes.

Plans are well underway for our Junior Leaders reward and I hope to include all of the leaders as each, in their own way, has done a great job.  We are encouraging them, and ourselves, to finish well.
Today the team headed to Castries after camp so that I could finish shopping for the Blessing Bags to be distributed after camp on Friday.  This year we are also giving each camper a $20.00 EC voucher for Simon's Grocery in the village.  We have taken the money from the gift bags and added some more so that each child's family will be able to buy chicken or groceries to further extend the impact of blessings.  This is new this year and we hope we will be able to continue in the future.

Thanks for your continued support and encouragement and please pray that we will finish well, making Camp Sylvester 10, the best year ever!!

Blessings

Auntie Shel

A Quick Update From Soufrière

Team 1 headed home on Sunday for some much needed rest while Chara and I welcomed Team 2.
Auntie Lisa, Auntie Jocie,Uncle Graham, and Uncle Scott returned while Auntie Marisa is joining us for the first time.

Our theme this week is Plants.  For 2 days I led the group as we learned about what plants need, how they grow, and how to take care of them. We did a number of plant experiments and we are anxiously waiting for our seeds to sprout.

Today we visited a farm in the hills above Castries owned by the Thomas family.  They are committed to preserving and promoting the Creole ways and culture. We learned about plants that grow from seeds, grafting. and sprouts.  We also learned how plants can be irrigated, cross pollinated, and harvested.

The campers were given a demonstration of a 2 story saw mill and several worked the bottom handle as they tried to cut through a very large mahogany log.  They also helped make cassava bread, tasted freshly squeezed lime juice and learned 3 creole dances.

Returning to the village we enjoyed chicken hot dogs cooked by Sandra and Joanna.  Tomorrow we will review the questionaire that kept the junior leaders busy on the trip and continue our plant unit with a number of activities.

Things have settled down well at camp and we are expecting our final new camper tomorrow.  August 1 is a national holiday here and a few campers will be visiting with family in other parts of the island.  For us it will be a regular camp day with women's mentoring at night.

Please continue to pray for health, energy and patience for the team as well as peace and provision in the village.

News From Camp - Week 2

N44

B3, 

B4

BINGO!

It's our 4th night of women's mentoring and Bingo night.  Auntie Anna is calling the game while baby Linus sleeps on a cushion and Nicholis is playing with Bristol blocks and singing to us.  The ladies are using M&Ms for counters and the winners pick from a prize bucket.  Thanks Sue Raynor for all the goodies to include.

The challenges have continued here at camp as Uncle Herb struggles with a sore foot, Auntie Chara tries to fight off a cold, and everyday several campers are missing with "flu".

This week we said goodbye to several junior leaders.  Their attendance and attitude made it obvious that Camp Sylvester was no longer the place for them.  It is hard to let go after 9 years together but the time had come.

We have also had to say goodbye to another camper.  He has always struggled at camp but his behaviour has continued to challenge all our best efforts.  His behaviour in the village has also escalated to stealing, threatening others with a knife, destroying gardens, and killing chicks and chickens.  We wish there was a way to get him help but resources here are very limited.

 We understand that he will be sent away by the Grandmother next week as she has run out of patience and is worried about the safety of her other grandchildren.  It is hard to fault her decision.

We are happy to have returned to using the pad next door thanks to our new neighbour.  While the campers have done well using our smaller pad, it is great to have a larger, flat space.

Our theme this week, led by Auntie Anna, is Creation.  While learning about the 6 days of creation she has also tied it into the beautiful environment that surrounds us.  The campers are doing a great job with all the co-operative activities assisted by the junior leaders.

I have been having fun with the "rug rats" up on the big porch.  This group includes 2 special needs campers who can be a real challenge but each day a junior leader comes up to help and we are managing.

Each day, as lunch is being set up by the junior leaders, I have been taking the other camper over to the "reading rock" for stories about The Magic Treehouse.  Yesterday one of the girls asked to read and there are now 4 campers practicing their chapters to read aloud.

This year's junior leader team is made up of 8 boys and 2 girls.  With the recent changes, the team is doing a fantastic job.  They have been arriving early and helping with breakfast preparations and set up.  This morning 3 of them mix and flipped pancakes!  As a reward, they were allowed to make a giant pancake each.  When they brought them into the courtyard, all eyes were on them.  It was a great tangible example of the rewards of extra effort!

Please pray for god's protection and care for those who have left camp, especially Sherquan.  Pray too for healing for Herb, a safe flight for both teams this weekend and health and energy for Chara and I.

Blessings

Auntie Shel

Summer #10 Begins!

In just 3 weeks time 35 campers will come down the hill from the village of Anse La Verdure ready to begin Camp Sylvester 10.  Some will be excited and ready for the first hugs of summer.  Others will be super cool and offer a nod or a high five.  A few will come down anxious to see who will greet them and what is in store for them.

They will be greeted by Auntie Chara as Camp Director, Uncle Herb leading week 1, Auntie Anna who has an exciting week 2 planned, Auntie Dixie our kitchen facilitator, and Auntie Shel who will care for the Rug Rats(our first time campers).  We are still hopeful that a few more Aunties or Uncles can join us.
With such a small but dynamic team we are brainstorming ways to meet all the campers needs while keeping safety first.  It may mean less swim time if the sea is rough but who doesn’t love to build sand castles and play soccer on such a soft surface?  We also plan to rely more on our junior leaders, giving them a bigger role in programming.  There may also be less structure and more free play time in the mornings.  It could be very exciting.

Thank you to all who have supported a camper this year.  Your financial support makes this possible but your commitment to your camper also makes them feel so special.  We lucky few will try to collect all the hugs on your behalf!

This summer will have a number of challenges as we learn more about the ongoing impact of all the new taxes and price increases.  It will certainly affect our budget at camp but we can only imagine the impact it must be having on our village and the rest of the country.  We are committed to continuing to provide the most nutritious meals possible for our campers, soup in the village on 4 Monday nights, and overflowing Blessing Bags at the end of camp.  

I am leaving this Thursday for St. Lucia.  I will spend a week getting things ready in the capital.  This will include meetings with schools for our teaching program in November, Blessing Bag and camp purchases, and connecting with a potential local volunteer.  The following Thursday Dennis arrives and we will spend time getting the site ready.  There are lots of little repairs to be addressed and a new structure needs to be made for the outdoor shower.  Hopefully by Sunday, July 14 everything will be ready for the arrival of Team 1.  

Please keep our village, our campers, our seniors, our women and our teams of volunteers in your thoughts and prayers.  The campers will need a sense of peace and love at camp, the seniors will need health and energy, the women a sense of peace, trust and love when they come to us, and the volunteers will need energy, health, and a daily awareness of how fortunate we are to get to serve in St. Lucia.  Please pray too that we will be able to continue to grow our role in the local community in ways that are sensitive to the local culture.

Blessings
Auntie Shel

Camper Support 2013

Dear Friends;

Happy New Year!  2013 marks the 10th year that The St. Lucia Learning Project will be serving in St. Lucia and what an exciting year it will be.  We are committed to making this special year, very special indeed!  With over 60 alumni volunteers our teams just keep getting better and better.

The cornerstone of our program is our commitment to the children of the rural village of Anse La Verdure.  Our 4 week, learning enriched day camp, Camp Sylvester, is a hub of learning and excitement for 35-40 local children from ages 5 to 18.  While we all agree that education is the key to getting ahead in life, we also believe that the love and encouragement poured out by our volunteers is what is really making the difference in the lives of those we come in contact with.  For 20 days every year, the campers hear "You are special!", "You can do it!", "I know you can!", "I care about you!" and "God loves you and so do I!".  They also see these statements in action as their Aunties and Uncles work for and with them, listen to them, play with them,and help them in every way they can.

For 20 days and several evenings our campers also share nutritious meals with us, swimming time in the sea, games time on our pads, crafts in our courtyard, and field trips that highlight how special their home country is.  We also provide gift bags from Canadian supports that make the camper's feel so special and a Blessing Bag full of food to help the entire family.

None of this would be possible without our self-supporting volunteers and our Camper Supporters.  With your financial help we are able to continue to offer 20 days of high quality programming and high quality care.  There is nothing else like this in St. Lucia.

Once again we are asking you to  partner with us in ensuring that Year 10 is our best year ever!  Due to inflation and the VAT that was added late in 2012, we have finally had to raise the cost of support from the original $115.00 set 10 years ago to $130.00 for 2013.  We are still committed to stretching our dollars as far as possible and if all our campers are supported this year, we will have enough.

If you have already sent in your support, thank you from all of us at SLLP.  If not, please consider partnering with us this year.  You might want to consider getting a group together, giving a camper in honour of someone's birthday or another special occasion, or making a partial donation.  As always, 100% of your donation goes directly to Camp Sylvester.

You can make a real difference in the life of a community when you support a Camper at Camp Sylvester. 

Blessings

Auntie Shel

News from TiTi

Dear Friends;

I had a long conversation with Sandra on Sunday.  Thursday was the funeral for Auntie Margaret who died after a very brief stay in hospital.  Sandra said that the 7th Day Adventists held a lovely service for her and that the family was doing well.

Everyone else in the village is well but things are financially hard for most folks.  The local resort, Ti Kaye, has low occupancy right now which means that there is less work for several of the women in the village.  The new management has also decided to change the work hours so that the women have to stay later, arriving back in the village around 8 pm.  This is a hardship for some.

On October 1, the Value Added Tax(VAT) came into effect.  There is great concern that this 15% premium will impact the tourist industry as prices will reflect the increases on goods and services effected by the new tax.  St. Lucia is already a very expensive destination.  However, once again this year, St. Lucia was voted top honeymoon destination in the Caribbean and several resorts are planning to expand.

In mid November a team of 5 is going to spend 10 days on the island working in Ciceron Combined School.  We are planning to follow up the work done by the team in July.  We will focus our attention on the Kindergarten and Grade 1 classes.  Our team will work with the students and teachers to implement The Learning Carpet donated in July along with following up on the use of Handwriting Without Tears.  We will also be introducing the Grade 1 classes to the learning bins that we started in Canaries last November.

Of course, we will visit with the teachers and students at Canaries Infant School and Primary Schools, the Canaries Pre-School, and we will make an initial visit to the Lady Gordon School.  This school was originally for deaf students but now also facilitates special needs pupils.  We had the opportunity to work with 2 of their staff members in July at our workshops and they were very enthusiastic and eager to use the new techniques they were learning with their students.

The seats are already blocked off for the March Break team from the youth group at Chartwell Baptist Church.  For the 3rd year, 10 high school students and 4 leaders will provide programs in local schools and operate Camp Sylvester for 3 days.  This initiative has become an important part of our programming and one that has special impact with our youth in St. Lucia and the youth that participate.

Last year a small team went down prior to the youth team to prep more beds and do some work in the community.  We would like to continue this tradition and possibly include a teaching week as well.  If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in volunteering for 1-2 weeks during the last week of February and the first week of March please let me know.  The costs will be the airfare plus $ 250.00 per week and includes food and transportation in St. Lucia.

2013 marks our 10th year of reaching out to the students, teachers, children, women and seniors in our part of rural St. Lucia.  None of this could happen without the support of donors and the passion and commitment of our volunteers.  Thank you to all for helping to make a dream a reality.  Together we can make 2013 - "the best year yet"!

Blessings to all

Auntie Shel

Concert 2012

Monday, February 6 2012 -

Our annual concert - you don't want to miss this amazing event in support of the St Lucia Learning Project!

Produced by Janet Martin - and featuring a cast of Canada's musical theatre elite - this concert is an incredible night with some of this country's best talent, who are donating their time to support SLLP.

Click to download the poster below

Tickets: $35.00 ($25.00 for seniors & students)

Available at:

Good Books: 905-844-3102

Chartwell Baptist Church: 905-844-2801 x.23

Michelle Anderson: 905-878-4637

All is Well

Just got word from St. Lucia that "All is well". Fortunately, Maria did not bring anything more than a little rain as she headed further north and away from St. Lucia.

Also heard that all is well in our village with no exciting news to report. The children are back at school and will reluctantly be getting back into their routines. The other good news about the
return to school is the resumption of the government sponsored lunch programs which benefit many of our students.

Thank you for your continued support.

Blessings

Auntie Shel

Weather Update

Dear Friends;


While this year's hurricane season has been very active in the north,
the Leeward Islands including St. Lucia have not experienced any
direct hits. So far, there haven't even been any near misses!
However, any weather system in the area can cause heavy rains in St.
Lucia. There have already been several serious tropical storms.
I have copied this morning's weather update from St. Lucia at the
bottom of this email. As you will see, the concern once again is that
heavy rains will cause more landslides in areas that have continued to
be weakened since Hurricane Tomas. Just before we left the island in
the middle of August there was a major "slide" on the way to Soufriere
near La Haut. As we drove to the airport. they were still trying to
stabilize the hillside but each scoop of earth they removed seemed to
release more of the hillside.
Many of the smaller islands, like St. Lucia, continue to struggle to
restore the infrastructure damaged by Tomas and subsequent weather
systems. Potable water continues to be an ongoing problem throughout
the rural areas. The catchment systems in Canaries and our own
village of Anse La Verdure are still unreliable.
The irony is that the more rain that falls the less water will be
available in the "pipes". Some of the locals in our area now have
barrels out to catch the rain water that flows off their roofs but
this will not last long when it is the only water available for an
entire family to cook, wash, do laundry, and bathe.
Please pray that this storm will pass well north of our island and
will lose power out at sea. Pray too that the rain that falls will be
enough to fill the water barrels and the village water tanks without
bringing with it the debris that contaminates and plugs the system for
days after the storm has passed.
Pray also for the government as it struggles to find the resources to
make permanent improvements to the roads and water systems throughout
the island. They will need to continue to make wise choices with
limited resources for the benefit of all their citizens while ensuring
the safety of the tourists who provide the biggest boost to the
economy.
Thank you for your ongoing care and concern for the people of St.
Lucia. For those who are camp supporters, your letters should be in
the mail next week. I love having the chance to read them and to be
reminded that together we are making a difference in so many ways.


Blessings;


Auntie Shel

Last Words From St Lucia 2011

It was strange having everyone else wave goodbye to me today as I headed down to the airport. I am the only member of Team 4 that is flying Air Canada. I just spoke to TiTi and Sylvanus, our van driver, had managed to fit everyone in with all the luggage. They should arrive here in about 1 hour with lots of time to make their flight. I may even see them briefly before I have to board my flight.

Yesterday we completed the mysterious process of making Camp Sylvester disappear. Thanks to Auntie Chara and help from Meridith and Bethany, we now have a very accurate craft inventory. We are going to focus next year's crafts on using coffee filters, beads and skewers. These items could be combined for some very unique projects! Chara expects that next year's craft budget could be kept to zero with careful planning. She certainly knows how to make me smile.

Yesterday everyone except Michaela travelled to the rainforest and the hot baths at New Jerusalem. What a lovely way to relax and deal with the stiff muscles caused by all the packing. There was also a brief chance for the Team 4 members to do a "speed shop" in Soufriere.

Last night we went up to the village for our final "dinner up top", prepared by Leona. As always the food was delicious and more than we could possibly eat. Before dinner, we met with our campers to hand out their Blessing Bags which included rice, flour, sugar, lentils, beans, tuna, milk and sardines. While we realize that the food provided is not much, it does allow the parents to re-direct their limited resources to purchasing the books, uniforms etc needed for their children.

While in the village we got word that Marie had done very well in her CXC exams and should receive her acceptance letter to A level college shortly. This is so exciting! She has worked very hard and continues to stay very focused on continuing her education. She hopes to enter the medical profession in the future and we believe she can do it.

Not all the news this week was good. For several years we have struggled to accomodate 2 young men at camp. CJ has been with us from the beginning. As the years progressed CJ's developmental delays became more apparent and it became more difficult to facilitate his participation in our programs. Last year we tried including him in the older boys carpentry program but found it was very stressful for

the volunteers in charge. This year, with TiTi's support, we tried placing him in the kitchen to help out. Unfortunately, this also proved to be too challenging for both CJ and the kitchen staff. Reluctantly, we have decided that we will not be able to include him in camp next year.

The other boy, Iman, has been with us for several years. We have found it challenging to accommodate his Rastafarian ways and dietary restrictions. His attendance has always been a problem as well has his attitude. We felt we could not move him into junior leadership nor would he be able to participate in the carpentry program. Both require regular attendance, good co-operation, and strong listening

skills. On Friday however, the decision was made for us. Iman was discovered smoking marijuana on the property next door. This was an unexpected first. Iman was asked to leave camp immediately and I made it clear that this would be his last year. It is always difficult to admit that we are not able to help every camper and that some situations must be accepted but not condoned. I reminded Iman that he is a smart boy, but that he was making choices that we couldn't accept. I wished

him well and watched him walk up the driveway for the last time. I can only hope that he will be able to make his way in life.

As I drove back and forth to Castries each afternoon for the past week, I noticed how many young men are simply sitting by the side of the road, watching as life passes them by. Far too many still do not have even a basic education. Without this, they are forced to compete with hundreds of experienced labourers who are also struggling to find work.

There is certainly lots of work that needs to be done to repair the infrastructure of the island that was so badly damaged by Thomas. However, the government has very little tax base to use to fund all the projects that are incomplete or have yet to be started. As I drove to the airport today, I had to stop as rocks and dirt from the most recent landslide was being loaded into heavy trucks and hauled away. The roads crews never seem to be able to get ahead of the situation.

Please pray for the continued safety and health of the people of St. Lucia. In particular, remember the students, teachers, campers, women and seniors who join with us each year. May God bless and protect them.

Blessings to all;

Auntie Shel

Video Update

Our video update from the first 3 weeks of camp is now online for you to watch.
Enjoy!  Thanks for watching.

Hospital Updates

Dear friends;

Today Morgan will return to camp after 5 days in Tapion Hospital with dengue fever.  Michaela is into day 2 of her hospital stay and has already gone through gallons of saline solution.  She is much more comfortable after taking antihistamines for her rash.
We have also learned that Zoe has been diagnosed with a mild case of dengue fever back at home.
The score is dengue 3 SLLP 0.
There is no dengue fever in our area so we must have been exposed to it at Rodney Bay where the outbreak seems to be centred.  Fortunately all our campers are fine with everyone at camp today.
Morgan will be fine to fly home on Sunday and there is lots of time for Michaela to recover and fly home with the team.
Please pray for good health for the rest of the team, continued improvement for Morgan, Michaela and Zoe, and continued protection for our campers and the village as a whole.

Blessings

Auntie Shel