By David J. Hercher

Emotions and tears flowed freely as the area’s first summer camp for inmate’s children came to an end Friday afternoon at the Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown, Md.

The Prison Ministry Task Force of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland sponsored Camp Amazing Grace. The week-long camp was for 19 children of mothers who are inmates at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women in Jessup. The camp committee is also working with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to give each child a mentor for at least a year.

According to figures released by the Department of Justice, 7 million children in the United States have at least one parent who is, or has been, in jail.

“If a child has a parent in prison there is close to a 70 percent chance the child will also end up in prison,” said the Rev. William H.C. Ticknor, rector of St. James’ Parish in Lothian, Md., and camp chaplain. “If a child has both parents in prison it goes way over 90 percent and our goal is simply to reverse that.”

“This is our maiden voyage for this camp,” said Val Hymes, coordinator and founder of the Prison Ministry Task Force. “It is the most daunting but rewarding endeavor the task force has ever done, but it is also our best investment.”

When campers first arrived they were quickly introduced to a wide range of activities like ethics classes, art classes, rope challenge courses, swimming and other various events to include a taste of spiritual guidance.

“Our goal is to give these children some of life’s tools so they can take them back home to their lives in the city,” said Shannon Williamson, Camp Amazing Grace program director.

One such tool Ticknor shared with the children was that no matter how big a problem seems, we can always make a difference. He continues with a homily about a starfish. Thousands of starfish had been washed ashore, he explained. Along came an old man who saw a little boy throwing the starfish back in the ocean, he asked, “Hey kid, what are you doing? You can’t put them all back. They're gonna die.” The boy looked as he picked up another one and he replied, “This one’s gonna live” as he throws it back in.

“The CAG isn’t like any other outreach program I’ve ever worked with before. These kids will actually teach you something if you let them,” explained Marsha Jameson, camp volunteer and Baltimore City probation officer.

“In my line of work, I’ve become slightly hard. I assumed that these kids were going to be hard and not want to do anything, but they taught me that they are gentler than they appear. They are only hard on the outside,” said Jameson.

“We have 19 kids here -- and well we gotta start somewhere. We’re hoping to change lives here,” said Ticknor. “These kids are bright and can go places in life, and I don’t want that place to be jail.”

This year’s campers ranged in ages from 8 to 13 years old and plans are already being made to prepare for an even longer camp next year and volunteers will be needed. If interested, contact Ticknor at 410-867-2838.

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