"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." - Dorothea Lange

Thursday, December 13, 2007

back in brussels

Today we said goodbye to the teachers, staff and children at St. Mary Kevin, as well as Peter and Henry - but not before a busy morning and early afternoon.

Ann and Melissa continued doing their work with the kids and also met with the teachers for a final wrap-up. They established an immediate and meaningful relationship with the staff and were highly regarded and admired by them. The teachers really seem to want to learn as much about the therapy techniques Ann and Melissa have up their sleeves. Watching them all work together was really amazing, and it all went beyond my expectations for how that might work out. Ann said early on that her goal was to see some eyes sparkling, and I can testify that that did indeed happen. She and Melissa both heard stories that seem wildly horrific - beyond anyone's imagination. The terrible part is that these accounts are true. I will let Ann, share some of them at some point. Ann worked with a total of 42 kids and 10 adults, ten or twelve of whom she then worked with on an individual basis. Melissa saw all the kids in group sessions, most of her kiddos being aged five through twelve.

Lonnie and Jane set up a "private" class for the older, more talented painters, while I took tables and benches outside to build a little outdoor area for coloring. We had some paper and paper plates left, and, of course, lots of crayons, so I just told the kids to draw whatever they wanted. They went nuts. They reached out to me over and over again for yet one more piece of paper, a coveted sharpened color pencil, a marker or a ruler. They sat there for a very long time, using both sides of each piece of paper and then continuing their efforts on the paper plates once the paper itself was gone. Three year olds sat next to twelve year olds, the older one looking out for the younger, everyone sharing, everyone being poilte and calm and totally into the opportunity to express themselves.

Meantime, Jane and Lonnie got some beautiful acrylic on canvas work from the older children. Having a smaller group gave them the opportunity to work one on one with the kids, giving them advice about shading, application of colors and encouraging them to work out of their head instead of what they see, while incorporating what they see and have learned. It was a meditative and calm room to be in, and just sitting there watching the young artists work was completely fulfilling and humbling.

This afternoon we were treated to a final musical performance, and guess what? They performed the debut of a new song called, "We Cannot Stop the Truth, but We Can Change the Truth." It was written by one of the teachers. I was in tears. (So, what else is new?)

I was pulled to the drum section by Emma Vincent and played so hard I have a nice colorful bruise on my thumb. Playing drums with the boys was so much fun, definitely a highlight of my stay at SMK. Max, look out! I think I may actually have some talent and a sense of rhythm! Maybe I got it from listening to you play all these years.

Got to run, my minutes here at the airport are running out. Will post lots of photos and more of our accounts as we process them once we return to the COLD midwest!

xoxox

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