A n ews o rg a n for S ale s ians in Angloph on e We s t Afr i ca
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Kids performing camp activity
Ashaiman Summer Camp 2016: As the children play the world wins!
The Summer Camp held at Don Bosco, in Ashaiman, has been very successful this year. It started on the 8th of August, 2016 and for 15 days, numerous young people participated in all our activities where life lessons were learned, in a playground that invited them to make new friends and to grown in relationship with the community. These experiences were also the perfect source of personal growth for those youth who helped animate the summer camp. As part of being responsible, they discovered their capacity to make a difference in the lives of the children attending the camp.
September 2016 - Newsletter
Holiday Camp Special Edition September 2016
Our daily activities included prayers, education classes, art&crafts and games. Tons of fun activities where both children and animators, shared faith and values that help them to break down any existing wall and to create a meaningful connection between them. Don Bosco Summer Camp provided the ideal environment where kids and teens could share their concerns, have real conversations with others, know another realities and build a strong friendship based on trust and love. We want to thank everybody for your trust and belief in our summer camp experience! The brief movie linked below captures perfectly the great time we had together. DON BOSCO HOLIDAY CAMP 2016 Animator Interview: What we do here is we take the kids ahead of what they are going to learn next academic year because they have been promoted just fresh to the next class. And we also have fun with the kids, teach them a lot of games‌ because as the children play the world wins! So we introduce the play matters with the kids and attend them and have fun with them so we wish this camp continues next year. See you there!
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St. Dominic Savio Centre in Tema New Town commenced 2016 Summer Camp with enthusiasm on the 8th August and ended on the 18th August 2016.
Animators & Volunteers
The Camp: Tema Newtown
The camp recorded about eighty registered campers who received coaching in the core subjects as well as creative art. They were fed every afternoon throughout the camp meanwhile on the last day of the camp more than three hundred and fifty children were fed excluding the campers. Among the animators were ten members of CMB (five from Bologna, two from Chile and three from Burundi), six local animators and two Salesians.
NII-EKUE FRITZ. Tema Newtown, Ashaiman - Ghana
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September 2016 - Newsletter
Cross section of the children at Ijebu Ode camp
The Possible Question For Reflection: From Ijebu Ode Commiunity EMMANUEL JONES. Ijebu Ode - Nigeria WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF HOLIDAY CAMP 2016? We thank God for this experience’s that we have had during the holiday camp 2016, which are POSITIVE • Experiences of the presence of GOD through morning prayer (Animator’s prayer) • Learning new things and sharing of ideas with the children, animators and the salesians among us. • The teaching aspect helped us in recollecting things we have learnt in the past about our education.
NEGATIVE • Because of the economy problems, we had financial problems during the camp, not all children attended the camp and some difficulties arise. • Communicating with the official language “ENGLISH” was a problem somehow because where we had one of the camps, the children don’t understand “ENGLISH” and then we had to communicate with their local language which was difficult for some of us who don’t understand the local language • The structures and places of learning was problems to us, classes were not much and adequate, the children had to be combined in classes and it was difficult for us to teach well.
WHAT ARE YOUR REFLECTION FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? •
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That we are one and together as a family despite our tribes we do things togetherness The camp builds us spiritually, morally and it has helped us to learn how to take up responsibilities. We have learnt how to associate with children, to make them happy and we have also learnt the preventive system and it application. It has brought realization to us that our local language is more important and it will help us to communicate with children who don’t understand the official language “ENGLISH”
WHAT ARE THE PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE CAMPS OR RELATED YOUTH ACTIVITIES? • •
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Youths should be empowered to take up responsibilities Avenues should be created for salesians /animators in the
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country to learn the salesians spirituality and its pedagogy. An avenue should be made for animators in the country to meeting for seminars, trainings and moving animators within the country once a while.
September 2016 - Newsletter
Can guess Who i am? Clue: Fr. A _ _ H _ _ _
For You I Study Young People... For You I Am Ready To Give My Life KINGSLEY IKEJE sdb. Sunyani - Ghana All work and no fun, they say, makes jack a dull boy. Similar to this saying but with a different slant is one amongst the many famous maxims of Don Bosco: “run, jump, shout, sing but do not sin.” This was what the St John Bosco Salesian community, Odumase, tried to make a reality in her 2016 edition of holiday camp. As it had been the practice in previous years, this year’s camp was held simultaneously in 3 locations: St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church Adentia, Don Bosco Home Sunyani, and in the parish, Mary Help of Christians Odumase. In all, the centres hosted about 700 children between the ages of 1-17 years with over 50 local animators, 15 volunteers from Italy and Germany, and 10 Salesians toiling day and night to make sure that the children were able to make the best of their holidays. The camp activities consisted of coaching classes and skill acquisition in the morning hours and then games in the afternoon section. Amidst the joy and jubilations truncated after 3 weeks, a lot was welling up within me. Remembering a saying of Don Bosco (for my poor boys I am ready to push to the point of recklessness) which he also lived out for his poor boys I asked myself whether I pushed or was ready September 2016 - Newsletter
to push to the point of recklessness for the sake of these youngsters gathered to be nurtured with and in the spirituality of Don Bosco. These youngsters from different backgrounds approached me with open hearts yearning for love and affection but the question is whether I was able to offer this, whether I was able to proffer answers to those questions which pricked their minds the most. In all I only hope that we have been able to
offer them something more than they have always routinely received from their schools and society at large; that we have been able to educate and inform their young minds and not just organized another jamboree, that we have been able to form good Christians and honest citizens; and most of all that I have truly been a sign and bearer of God’s love to them.
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Holiday Camp 2016 In Koko CHIMEZIE sdb. KoKo - Nigeria It is a statement of fact that the Salesian presence in Koko (Kebbi State) began just slightly over two years ago. Koko as a place is a significant area where our presence is highly felt despite the historical slant of the Hausas which does not give room publicly to Christianity. “Yet in this situation we are conquerors” like the scriptures will put it. Yes our being conquerors has never been by our might but through the intersession of our mother Mary, St. Joseph and of course St. John Bosco; we have found favour in God as missionaries sent to this part of the world, living among the Muslims and evangelizing as well through our works and most recently through the summer camp. The summer camp in Koko commenced on the 1st of August, 2016 with the one week animators camp which was held outside the Parish; it was indeed an exciting moment to travel together with the animators from the parish in Koko (St. Francis of Asisi) to another Parish in Yauri (St. Domnic) where we temporally reside which is still within the Vicariate of Kontagora. There we spent a fruitful week together. The training was intense: sports, prayer, food, workshop as it would unfold dayby day, nothing was left to chance. Details of the expected numbers of the children and how to go out and get them registered, to the exact gifts that could be given to the children at the end of the camp was also considered.
Other important details includes the choice of location for the two trips during the camp (one for recreation and one for education). Everybody came back from the animators’ camp with picture slides in their heads on the way the camp was going to run every day. And the exact tasks each one would have to do in the morning and afternoon activities with details. And so it was. To the glory of God, our plans came to fulfilment throughout the camp, and the most interesting aspect was the number of Muslim campers we had and the cordial relation kept by both religions (Christians and Muslims) showing that with proper understanding, we can co-exist without
problems. It was also wonderful to have among us the presence of the provincial (Rev. Fr Michael Karikunnel) at the closing ceremony of the camp which included holy mass which brought to us a lot of blessings both individually and collectively. In a special way, we the entire Salesians of Blessed Iwene Community Koko (Kebbi State) Nigeria express her big thanks to God almighty for all He had done in our lives and in the life of everyone in Koko. Likewise, we ask you the entire Salesians to always keep us in your prayers as we continue to be Don Bosco among the young people in this part of Nigeria.
Holiday Camp 2016 Akure EDISON M’BAYO, sdb. Akure - Nigeria ON the 12th August 2016, we commenced the annual summer camp at Mary Help of Christians basilica, Akure. Before this time, there was a preparatory camp for the animators to educate them, especially the new ones on the aims and goals. It was also a time used for the planning of the camp. The total number of animators in the camp was sixty-five, including aspirants and those who came for the comeand-see program. The campers are two hundred and fifteen (215) in total.
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Our daily activities of the camp included prayer of the animators in the church, assembly of the campers, skills and games. The weekly activities consisted of: Friday Mass for both animators and campers, cultural day
for the children (the culture of Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and Edo), Olympic, outing and treasure hunt. This year camp was quite a unique one. Usually the camp hosted about eight September 2016 - Newsletter
or nine hundred campers but because of the present situation of the state. The government schools that are usually large in population were on strike in the month of June which consequently led to the late vacation of the schools on 19th August. Consequently, quite a few number of children were able to make it to the camp. Among these few,
many were from poor homes. We were forced to extend the camp to the 9th of September just to give privilege to those who have the interest to join the camp after the late vacation.
daily needs was not a piece of cake for the Don Bosco Youth Animation Centre Akure this particular year. In all, we give thanks to the Almighty God who has been with us throughout the time. Viva Don Bosco.
In general, it took extra energy, time and money to run the camp. Feeding 65 animators every day and solving other
Holiday Camp 2016 In Kontangora JOACHIM OKORO, sdb. Kontangora - Nigeria Fr Vincent Illah, the Cathedral administrator of Kontagora Vicariate called Fr Anthony Oche, the Rector of the Salesian community in Ondo to send some Salesians to help organize the summer camp in the Salesian style. Based on this, four Salesians (Okolo Michael, Okafor Chinedu, Abichi Geoffrey, and Okoro Joachim) went with Fr Anthony Oche to organize the 2016 summer camp in Kontagora vicariate. Five of us arrived Kontagora Vicariate on the 23rd of July. We were welcomed by Fr Vincent Illah and were given our rooms. On the 24th, that is, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary time, Fr Anthony Oche celebrated the Holy Mass and at the end of the Mass we were welcomed before the people and we told them about our mission in the vicariate. Our experience in Kontagora vicariate could be bifurcated into Pastoral experience and the Holiday Camp experience. Pastoral Experience Fr Vincent Illah engaged the four of us (Michael, Chinedu, Geoffrey, and Joachim) in the activities of the church especially during Holy Mass. We had the opportunity of giving our reflections on the readings to the people of God during Holy Mass. On Sundays we go out to the Out-stations with the priests, and some weekdays we go to the Outstations to conduct Service. Holiday Camp Experience Animators’ Camp: the Animators’ camp was just a day preparatory camp due to the fact that the week before the camp was the “Youth Week” so all the youth were expected to havean active participation in it. Nevertheless, on the 1st of August, we had the animators’ camp with the presence of twelve animators. In the camp Okolo Michael explained the Preventive System to them. The animators were put in their various groups. The names of the groups were young Saints such as St Kizito (red house), St Maria Goratti (yellow house), St Teresa (blue house), and St Dominic Savio (green house). The animators chose the subjects they would like to teach and the group of interest they would involve their talent in. In the camp the animators were told that the children would have to pay a sum of 200 naira, that the camp would be closing by 3pm each day and that the camp would be for three weeks. And for the first time in history we considered feeding the animators. September 2016 - Newsletter
Animators’ Evaluations Here are the suggestions and observations of the animators after the 2016 Summer camp in Kontagora. 1. It was suggested that animators should be of right morals in order to inculcate good morals on the campers. 2. Why is the camp opened to all people and not only for Catholic Children? 3. Let us be strict with the number of campers planned for 4. Active participation for animators during games. 5. There should be extra care for the pre-nursery and more animators should be assigned to their care 6. Animators who are less busy should help other animators in controlling the class. 7. Animators who freely accepted some responsibilities failed to carry them out. 8. 3 weeks camp is not enough
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Holiday Camp: The holiday camp began on the 2nd of August with about 120 campers with 15 animators. The first day was for orientation and telling the campers some rules and regulations of the camp. On the second day of the camp, classes began proper and the campers clocked more than 200. The 2016 Holiday camp in Kontagora was unlike other holiday camps held in the past. It was different because it was the first time in history it had its campers paying some amount of money (200), the first time each day of the camp closed at 3pm [other camps closing at 12pm], the first time the camp itself ended in the 3rd week of August [others having ended in the 1st or 2nd week], and the first time she fed her animators. The camp was typically the Salesian style of organizing summer camp in AFW Province. It had the Class section in the morning hours, Talent development and then Games time. Each day after camp the animators met for evaluation and after the evaluation, they ate their meal. Being the first time of feeding the animators, it was a challenge for us because half of the money for the food was from the fee the campers were able to pay and the rest came from the Cathedral administration [this is because the initiative of feeding the animators came from us and we considered it too late]. Based on this we decided to eat in the cathedral house after the close of the day to economize money because a plate of food cost 200 naira. Nevertheless, the were times we ate with them, times like the day we had the sent-forth of Okolo Michael and the get-together we had with the animators on the last day. The camp ended on the 19th of August with an opening Mass of the day celebrated by Fr Vincent in the Cathedral of St Michael’s Catholic Church. After the Mass there was a group photo with Fr Vincent and all the camp participants. After that we went to St Michael’s school (where we had the camp) to continue the rest of the end of the camp activities. Each group made different presentation and after the presentations the winner of the camp games’ activities was announced and that was the group of St Kizito. After which the teachers gave the students their report sheet and then gifts were distributed to all who paid the 200 naira fee. Gifts were also given to all those who came 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in their classes. After the end of the camp we had more than 450 campers who paid the 200 naira fee. Nevertheless, all campers (paid and unpaid) were more than 500 and all were given a report sheet. The next day the animators and the brothers came to clean the compound and tidy up the classrooms. Afterwards we had the get-together party. On Sunday we had thanksgiving together with the animators during the Holy Mass.
therefore, the camp should be extended. 9. Animators should stipulate time to be present during daily evaluation. 10. Animators should be lucid and precise during teaching in order to cover the topics in such a short time. Challenges One of the challenges we had in the Pastoral experience was the fact of preparing reflections each day. It was a challenge because the only time to prepare those reflections was after coming in the evening from the camp coupled with tiredness and the preparation for the next day camp activity. From the Holiday camp experience a major challenge for the animators was applying the Preventive System. The Preventive system was a very strange teaching for them, it seemed impossible and frustrating for them to apply and sometimes the used rather the repressive system. Nevertheless, the brothers gave them some productive measures to use on the campers. Another challenge was the absence of a hall for some in-door activities. Therefore all the games were done outside. It was a challenge because the presence of the rain would be a distortion of our plans. Fortunately, the rain fell just once during the 3 weeks of the camp.
Reflection Regardless of the challenges we faced within the period of the camp, it is of utmost importance to note that the experience of the camp was worthy. As visitors we were made welcome, we were allowed to relate with all; men, women, youth and children. Indirectly we were taught the language of the people (Hausa), we enjoyed their local dish, it gave us a sense of belonging. On our part as Salesians, though with little knowledge, we helped the people come closer to God through our daily reflections at Masses and day to day interactions with them (as individuals during society/group meetings and families’ visitations). Through our closeness to the Christian community, we realized that in some cases, one may not be the solution to another’s problem, but being able to listen with undivided attention can help in solving the problems. We may not be able to say exactly what they saw in us or what we gave them, but will it be out of place to say that the Lord used us His poor servants to radiate the spirit of Don Bosco? We pray God to bless the Priests, Religious and the people of God in Kontagora Vicariate and all those who gave us their help. Amen.
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Pt. Nicholas conducting games with the children
First Holiday Camp at Iju, Lagos SAMUEL JOB sdb. Iju - Lagos, Nigeria
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Group photo of Salesians, Animators, Volunteers and the happy young people of Ibadan community at the 2016 Holiday camp
Holiday Camp 2016 Ibadan DAVID FASANYA. Ibadan, Nigeria
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Cross section of the children at Matadi camp
Holiday Camp at Saferi, Matadi EMMANUEL ONYIKE, sdb. Matadi - Liberia Don Bosco Youth Center Matadi- Monrovia is really a home, school, church and playground for young people from all over Matadi and the surrounding quarters. Here the holiday camp commenced on the 16th of July, 2016 and lasted till the 16th of August, 2016. The holiday camp 2016 was especially interested for many of them as one could easily dictate the joy and happiness that radiate and over flow from their faces. This was because in addition to the normal taste of Salesian creativity and liveliness it was a big opportunity for them to come together once again and spend their holidays meaningfully with Don Bosco. Many could recall their experiences of last year when they were deprived of this joyful moment due to the Ebola epidemic, which led to the suspension of public gathering in the country. No doubt this was indeed a mighty blow to every Liberian most especially the young people of Don Bosco youth center. It paralyzed the expectation of many students who were counting the months and days for the camp. Finally another opportunity had come for them, 2016, Don Bosco summer camp was announced by the youth director. Over five hundred young people ranging from grade one to grade twelve participated in the camp. About fifty animators assisted during the camp as well.. The camp activities include the following-morning devotion, classes, launch for all the campers and the Animators, party games, skill acquisitions (music, basketball, tar Kwando, computer, September 2016 - Newsletter
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etc.), there was also cultural festival which was garnished by the presence of Hon.Mrs. Munah Youngblood, member of the house of representative from district 9. Parade, picnic, and the usual creative games and group dynamics were not left out. It was indeed a happy moment for all as the expectations of these young people were greatly met during these few weeks, which they spent with Don Bosco. The camp came to an end on Friday, 16th of August 2016 with the closing ceremony which involved the presence of the parents of campers.
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September 2016 - Newsletter