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Religion Forum Index » Christian Methodist Forum » UMNS: Camp Paz
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| UM News |
 Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:24 am |
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Apr. 1, 2004 News media contact: Tim Tanton * (615) 7425470*
Nashville {04149}
By Allysa Adams*
PHOENIX (UMNS) - Six-year-old Paige Thummond has always had trouble
sleeping.
One night in May 2003, restless and awake, she headed to her mom's room.
But on this night, something didn't feel right.
When Paige looked out into the back yard, she saw flames. She heard
screaming. Her father, delusional and suicidal, had set himself on fire.
"I just started screaming," she recalls. "They flew him in a helicopter
(to the hospital), but he was 99 percent burned. I'm kind of glad he
died; I didn't want to see him like that, all burnt."
At Camp Paz, a special camp just for children who have lost a loved one,
Paige is learning to cope with that tragedy. On a February weekend, the
camp has taken over First United Methodist Church in Phoenix, filling
the corners of every room with Teddy bears and balloons. The camp is a
partnership between the church and Stepping Stones of Hope, a nonprofit
organization.
Paige sits in a small circle surrounded by two adults and four other
kids who all have lost someone close to them. Paige stretches Play-Doh
in her hands as she recounts that horrible night in May when her dad
committed suicide. The other kids listen as Paige explains that her dad
was "sick with a disease" she calls "bipolar of the brain."
One of the other little boys, whose dad died of cancer, chimes in. "I
think that's what happened to my dad. I think he was really sick in the
end." There is no judgment, no shocked reaction, just a matter-of-fact
acknowledgment that "it happened to me, too." It's one of the most
important things Paige will learn at Camp Paz - that she's not alone.
"As a child they don't always know who to talk to, when to talk about it
and how to talk about this process of grief," says Charles Finch, the
founder and director of this unique camp for kids. "What we're trying to
do is make it easier for them to understand the process and move through
the process in a safe way that makes their self-esteem stay up and
understand this grieving process better."
But camp is supposed to be fun, and Camp Paz is no exception. It offers
plenty of crafts and games and songs, each serving a special purpose in
helping kids through the natural journey of grieving.
"Children have a lot of anger, and a lot of their grief does center
around anger and guilt," Finch explains. As he talks, the
thump-thump-thump of drums in the background can be heard. Those are
kids in music class, and their teacher is asking them to "play" their
emotions on the drums. Anger gets a big reaction from the group.
Out in the church parking lot, kids take swings with a bat at rotten
fruit in a game called fruit ball. "You try to hit the fruit and get
your anger out," Paige explains. It seems to work because after she's
nailed some tomatoes she says she feels "happy and not angry any more."
After a lunch of hot dogs and brownies, the kids sit down to sing a song
about love. It's not sad, in fact there's lots of dancing and shouting.
"Love is higher than the mountains," they sing.
"They may not get all the concepts of spirit world and heaven and all
of that," says the Rev. Jim Wiltbank, associate pastor of First Church.
"But they can understand. 'Even though Mom is gone, I can still feel
Mom's love.'"
At one point, Paige and her group of friends shriek with laughter as
they all try to race with giant skis attached to their feet. They fall
and help each other up, only to fall again. But still, they laugh.
This obvious lesson about leaning on others is not lost on the kids.
"When someone understands your feelings it makes you happier because
they understand," Paige says before grabbing the skis for another race.
*Adams is a freelance writer and producer based in Phoenix.
********************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org
NOTE: A UMTV report are available with this story at
http://umns.umc.org. |
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