The Foster Child’s Psalm
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
I have had a limited involement with RFKC through the years. I was on their curriculum committe for 4 years; helping to revise, edit and write materials for their camping ministry; was a guest speaker twice at my friend Lance’s E. TN camp and did a Birthday Box project for them one year.
Little did I know how moving this past week of training and camp observation would be for me.
A RFKC is made up of campers referred by Social Workers in the local Health and Human Services department (DFACS for those of us who live in Georgia.) Specifically, eligible kids are abused/neglected children “in the system.” The nurses at camp told us during training, that most, if not all the kids are on mental health/psychiatric drugs for anxiety, depression, ADD, ADHD, sleeplessness and/or bed-wetting. One of the nurses said some of the kids are on such powerful does, that if she, an adult took as much, she doesn’t know how she would even be able to function- much less a little 7-11 year old such as the RFKC campers.
All of the children I observed were from group foster homes or traditional foster families. Two of the kids were in foster homes in which the parents were trying to adopt them. One little girl had been in five different foster situations since camp last summer. All of them have been taken away from their biological parents because of some level of abuse.
Yet, to look at them, especially as the week went on- it seemed for the most part, like just a normal group of kids having fun at summer camp. Kids can be very resilient!
The distinctive of RFKC is they are “in business” to create positive memories for abused and neglected kids. And that they do very well- in a Chrisitian, biblical setting. Here are some of the special ways in which they create memories:
–Everybody’s Birthday party Many foster kids miss out on regular childhood markers such as birthday parties and gifts. One supper at camp each year is a decorated birthday party meal, complete with cake and candles. This year, following supper, there was a birthday carnival complete with an inflatable slide and climbing tower. That night as the kids settled in, each child found a birthday box full of gifts on their bed.
~The Variety Show Most foster kids never get an opportunity for lessons, involvement in enrichment opportunities or sports. They don’t have “talents.” At camp, however, counselors work with the kids to create fun talents. We saw kids do puppet shows, magic tricks, sign language, tumbling, “marching” and singing a created song as counselors and staff wildly cheered and aplauded. The kids felt like stars!
The Girls’ Tea Party was so much fun- and included lots more than just tea. All afternoon the girls had gotten their hair fixed, nail polish for nails and dressed up in cut-down prom dresses and princess costumes. At the tea, they were escorted in by one of the male staff, dressed in a suit, as their entrance was announced. They also had their picture taken with their “escort.” In the meantime, the boys were meeting with a university soccer coach, running drills and having fun. They were given a university soccer jersey as well.
Graduation ceremony and gifts; a CD player and CDs of the praise and worship we had sung all week, pom-poms for the girls, soccer balls for the boys, photo albums featuring each camper, a duffle bag and a special storybook chosen for them by the founders of RFKC, Wayne and Diane Tesch…and all the 11 year olds who cannot come back to camp because of age receive roller skates, helmets and pads.
The nurture and physical attention given to these campers will go a long, long way toward achieving the goal of creating positive memories in the hearts of these children. I can’t wait until we get started on our own Cherokee County version next year. Watch for a new tab above, once we have set a definite date.
That sounds like a great camp … you don’t think about foster kids missing out on some of those very basic activities … especially birthday parties for themselves & their friends, but that’s so true!! I’m glad it was such a great week for you (and of course the kids too)!
Love all your stories about RFK. But glad you’re back home!
I can’t wait! I am worried though, that if I get started with this it will be all I’ll want to do, EVER.
I am a former foster kid and I am considering gettign involved in this program. You story makes it so come alive!