His Worst Fear
Seven-year old Andy arrived at camp displaying some anxiety. His anxiety was totally understandable - he had been sexually abused at a family camp just the year before. On the second night, he faced his worst fear when an older camper threatened to abuse him. Staff acted quickly - the boy who threatened Andy was removed to another sleeping area with no night contact with other child campers, and Andy eventually went to sleep.
In the morning our camp psychologist who knew Andy pre-camp, casually sat down with him after breakfast and encouraged him to talk about all that had happened. She asked him how he felt about camp and he replied "Yesterday I wasn’t sure …I was scared….but then I saw how the leaders acted so quickly and took "B" out of our cabin. They were looking after me! I feel so much better now….I feel safe!" His words belied his young years as he earnestly asked the psychologist, "Are you going to talk to "B"?" The counsellor looked at him as she said "Why do you ask that Andy?" "Well…." came the quiet reply. "B needs help too."
Andy attended each camp for five years and “graduated” from SCKC. He is a participant at a local church youth group and is doing so much better.In fact, he was an assistant at a recent SCKC Camp. “B” also returned for one more camp before graduating out and improvement in both behaviour and outlook had been noted. We hope to refer our graduates to other camps who provide for young teens so that a positive camping experience can continue to change young lives.
Starfish Story
A cliff-top jogger in Australia stopped to look down at the seashore below him. He saw a young boy bending, straightening, throwing, bending, straightening and throwing, working his way along the sand. The man started down the cliff path onto the beach and saw the reason for the boy's actions.
Littering the sand were hundreds of stranded starfish, beached by the receding tide. He watched the boy for a while before moving closer. "Hey son," he said.
"I can see what you're doing, but really, with more starfish being washed ashore all the time, what difference do you think it will make?"
The boy stopped and looked down at the starfish in his hand. "I don't know mister" he replied. "All I know is that it makes a difference to this one." And he threw the starfish into the sea.
At Southern Cross Kids' Camps we endeavour to make a difference in the heart of a child, one child at a time through unconditional acceptance, understanding and compassion. Won't you join in the rescue operation of our "starfish" - hurting, abused and neglected kids in Australia?