I can't believe it's already been four days -- and today was perhaps the most fun yet! Thanks to a full night's rest, we awoke refreshed and ready to dive headfirst into our long-awaited film camp activities.
After breakfast we divided the students up into smaller teams and had them create their very own videos. They rotated through the roles of director, sound manager, camera person, interviewer, and subject - then we all gathered in the big room to view the epic final products.
The result was tons of laughter and excitement as the kids got to see themselves and their friends on screen. They loved it, and their joy was infectious.
Throughout the day, we tried to impress upon them the fact that they don't need fancy equipment or years of experience in order to tell their story. They just need a desire to share and create. Slowly but surely, this idea seemed to take hold. "But I don't have a story!" turned into singing passionately, dancing joyfully, writing, doodling, and a variety of other ways of expressing themselves and communicating who they are.
And oh, to see these beautiful girls (and boy) come alive. To see the quieter ones crack a smile, to hear them sing songs about love and faith and perseverance through struggle. If we can convince these kids their stories are worth telling, we'll have done our job.
There is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of these students has a story that would captivate the world if they just had the desire, the courage, and the means to tell it. I see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices as they sing at the top of their lungs. They are sweet, and kind, and good - all despite the hardships they come from, the broken families, the abuse, and the deaths that have plagued their pasts.
I hope that at the end of it all, what they learn from us stays with them. The prayer in my heart today, and every day, is that each of them will realize the incredible journey God has planned for them and experience the remarkable power and importance of sharing their lives with others and with Him.
Liz
After breakfast we divided the students up into smaller teams and had them create their very own videos. They rotated through the roles of director, sound manager, camera person, interviewer, and subject - then we all gathered in the big room to view the epic final products.
The result was tons of laughter and excitement as the kids got to see themselves and their friends on screen. They loved it, and their joy was infectious.
Throughout the day, we tried to impress upon them the fact that they don't need fancy equipment or years of experience in order to tell their story. They just need a desire to share and create. Slowly but surely, this idea seemed to take hold. "But I don't have a story!" turned into singing passionately, dancing joyfully, writing, doodling, and a variety of other ways of expressing themselves and communicating who they are.
And oh, to see these beautiful girls (and boy) come alive. To see the quieter ones crack a smile, to hear them sing songs about love and faith and perseverance through struggle. If we can convince these kids their stories are worth telling, we'll have done our job.
There is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of these students has a story that would captivate the world if they just had the desire, the courage, and the means to tell it. I see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices as they sing at the top of their lungs. They are sweet, and kind, and good - all despite the hardships they come from, the broken families, the abuse, and the deaths that have plagued their pasts.
I hope that at the end of it all, what they learn from us stays with them. The prayer in my heart today, and every day, is that each of them will realize the incredible journey God has planned for them and experience the remarkable power and importance of sharing their lives with others and with Him.
Liz
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