Drumming with the Children of Migrant Farmworkers
Today was a day I always enjoy each summer. It's one of the 2 days every summer that I drum with the children at Beth-El Farmworkers Ministries in Wimauma. The children range in age from kindergarten to 5th graders and take a 2 week back to school camp at the mission. This is my 3rd year helping with this project and some of the children have drummed with me all 3 years. My favorite today was a young man who said that the first year he drummed with me, he had his drum taken away from him, the second year he was the best drummer in the class and this year he's a camp counselor bringing the other children in for the drumming program. Each child gets to play djembe' with me and sing all of my favorite drumming tunes. I always ask for dancers and it still surprises me how the boys jump right up and the girls wont dance.
So, after each class, I would open the door of the sanctuary and greet the next class. The class I last finished with goes outside to play. But, when the counselors would ask them what they wanted to play it was always soccer or kick ball or basketball. Well, the same answer came out each time...we don't have any balls. So I finished up my last class, packed up the trailer and headed right over to wal-mart. For less than $20 I bought 2 soccer balls, a bouncy ball, and a basketball and went right back to the mission. I imagine that those will be good for now but when I return on July 17th, I'll be bringing a few more.
Why do I say this? Well, sometime you might be at K-mart or Wal-mart or some other mart and see one of those huge bins filled with balls. You might want to grab a few and bring them to your local mission. It's summer camp time and they all need stuff. And, it feels really good to see those kids kicking and throwing and running and jumping. You know why? Because when they don't have the stuff they need, they just sit there.
Another great day at work! Badabaday...Jana