A Camp Director’s Perspective
By admin on Mar 05, 2010 with Comments 0
We caught up with Sarah So (Camp Director of Sonshine Day Camp at CGCS) and asked her the following questions:
Q: What was the demographic of kids that attended your camp?
A: Chinese Gospel Church Scarborough is in the heart of a community which has become a common place for immigrants and newcomers to Canada to live. A majority of the new immigrants are from South, East and Southeast Asia. The children who attended Sonshine Day Camp were mostly Chinese. They came from hard working families, some who have little/no English. This created challenges for the staff. Thankfully, some staff were able to translate the bible teaching and activities instructions into Cantonese and Mandarin. The children were still able to receive the full impact of God’s teaching and love despite the language barrier.
Q: Do you think there is potential for more community programs throughout the year? What needs do you perceive?
A: I think there is definitely potential for more community programs throughout the year. The families in this community face a lot of challenges and needs. 1) Many children would benefit from an after-school program to keep them off the streets while their parents work. 2) Many parents are struggling to find work and would benefit from workshops designed to teach job search skills. 3) School work can be extremely challenging for some children because they are learning a new language (English) and are trying to adapt to our culture. They need extra help and their parents may not be able to assist them. For this reason a homework club would also be a huge asset.
Q: Can you remember a story of someone who was directly impacted by the camp?
A: There was a young camper who recently immigrated from China. Although there was a language barrier with some of the staff, he was able to communicate with the campers. Before coming to camp he had never heard of the Bible, Jesus or God. Two of the leaders were able to translate God’s message into Mandarin for him. The last week of camp, his mom told these leaders that he prays before every meal, thanking God for the food! I was so proud of him and his growth in the Lord!
