Make a Joyful Noise at Camp Amazing Grace '08

Camp Amazing Grace ’08, for children of incarcerated parents, will be held at the Bishop Claggett Center in the hills of Western Maryland July 6-11.

The theme, "Make a Joyful Noise,” will come to life with music throughout the week, as well as art, crafts, swimming, fishing and story telling. Campers will interact with a magician and develop teamwork on the challenging ropes course. They will learn about urban wildlife and animals of the Bible, and worship in the chapel and under the stars

Deacon Patrick Arey, serving at St. Philip’s Church, Annapolis, will serve as camp director; Linda Rines, St. James’, Lothian, is administrator, and the Rev. Joe Rushton, St. Martin’s in the Field, is staff director. Also on the staff are the Rev. Shawn Hill, St. Andrew’s, Pasadena; Rick Conover, St. John’s, Ellicott City; Liz Rozenbroek and Katelyn Rozenbroek, St. James’, Lothian, and Christa Naughton, St. Christopher’s, Linthicum.

The planning team is seeking a nurse and swimming instructor and additional counselors. Camper and staff applications may be found in the link under “Important Downloads” in the box at right. In its third year, Camp Amazing Grace is sponsored by the Prison Ministry Task Force, co-chaired by Deacon Mimi Mathews and the Rev. Phebe McPherson and coordinated by Val Hymes. For more information, contact valhymes@aol.com.

Camp Amazing Grace 2007 had a staff with experience and training working with at risk children. “The goal of this experience,” said Maryellen Polvino-Bodnar, program director, “is to offer these children an oasis from what, in many cases, is a chaotic lifestyle that does not afford them the privilege of being carefree children.”

Special times were set aside for quiet times with journal writing in memory books, sacred story telling called Godly Play, and reading from a gift of 400 children’s books sent by a church school in Pelham, N.Y.

“We added story- tellers during our evening campfires and time every day to increase our knowledge and respect for God’s creation,” said Rines. The children made keepsake crafts like dream catchers. Ken McElroy, co-founder of All God’s Children Camp. took them fishing in small groups.

Maryland's Assisting Bishop Rodney Michel drove from Pennsylvania to spend the day with the children, telling them, "Everybody has something special about them." He brought with him  his traveling companion, Basil, a large, soft bear.

"Jesus loved the world so much, he opened his arms to hug the world," the bishop told them. "Does God love you when you're dead?" asked one small child. "God never stops loving you," he said.

Churches, clergy and parishioners across the Diocese of Maryland came forward with hands and wallets outstretched to help make it a success for these smallest victims of crime. They sponsored campers and provided a grant for transportation. They donated supplies like T-shirts, beach towels, sun glasses, cameras, albums, snacks, sleeping bags. ponchos, journals, sun screen, repellent, water and personal care items.

The campers brought their own gifts. One little boy played the harmonica. Another sang “Amazing Grace” and can be heard on the WYPR radio story linked to elsewhere on this page. The girls made beaded jewelry for each other.

There were problems. Two small brothers hid under chairs, tables and couches as if fearful of beatings. There was some bullying, gang talk and signs, fighting and tears. In each case, the chaplains and counselors intervened quietly, creatively and compassionately. One problem was resolved with an impromptu picnic for one small boy.

For the first time, there was fishing in the pond; there were 400 books sent by the church of Bishop of Chaplains George Packard and his wife Brook for the children to take home. There was lacrosse, and there was Godly Play, the telling of sacred stories about the people of God, with kits filled with little wooden figures and “desert sand” to take home.

By Val Hymes

Twenty-nine children, 8-12 -- most with a mother in prison -- made the “Journey to Friendship Island” in a big yellow school bus July 8 for the second year of Camp Amazing Grace at the Bishop Claggett Center near Frederick, Md.

There they slept in cottages overlooking the hills of Western Maryland for five nights. They experienced love, learning and fun plus magic, music, crafts, fishing, puppets, storytelling, swimming, a ropes course and young African drummers, dancers and singers.

“Our camp philosophy is to demonstrate unconditional love to campers who may never before have been offered or accepted that gift,” said Camp Director Linda Rines. ”For many of them, there has never been a gift given without something expected in return.”

On the final evening, the campers were invited to dinner where every table was “The Lord’s table.” Food was served family style by the campers with all using dinner table manners. “We are planting seeds,” said Program Director Polvino-Bodner. “They are starting to sprout. There is no question that we are making a difference.”

“What we have learned.” said Deacon/Chaplain Patrick Arey, “is that these children are diamonds in the rough. All we need to do is polish them and they will sparkle. At times, we saw glimpses of brilliance.”

Most of the children had mothers in prison or on parole or probation. Warden Brenda Shell of the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women visited the children’s activities. “The mothers love that this camp exists, that their children are exposed to this kind of environment.”

“We thought that the children would be the greatest beneficiaries of the camp,” said Director Linda Rines, “but I know that many of this year’s staff, including myself, gained as much as the campers did. They opened up, trusted in us and we became a family and a true community.”

Nearly 40 churches donated time, talent or treasure to give these 29 small victims of crime a glimpse of life with different choices. Angel Tree’s Amachi program provided backpacks, Bibles and partial scholarships. Grants for operating funds came from the diocese, the Bishops’ Appeal, the Fresh Air Society Fund and Church of the Redeemer. A personal appeal by Epiphany Church, Odenton, and the diocese's Prison Ministry Task Force also brought in necessary funds. The camp is under the direction of the Task Force of the Diocese, which was created by Convention in 1998.