Cheers, laughter, and excitement filled the premise of the Armenian Evangelical Social Center in Trad, Bourj Hamoud, from July 12 – August 13, 2010. 100 children gathered every weekday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and became part of the exciting Summer Playground activities that were designed to meet many interests and to leave a positive impact on the children.
With the leadership of Miss Liza Barsoumian, the Counselor and Children’s Worker of the Social Action Center, Mrs. Maro Topeian, Mrs. Dzovinar Gumushian, Mrs. Kohar Jambazian, Miss Talar Kassarjian, Miss Alice Iprajian, Miss Nanore Saghrian, Miss Nareh Kerdian, Miss Nazani Svajian, Mr. Hrag Avedanian, Mr. Vartan Doudaklian, Mr. Sero Kelougian, Miss Areni Svajian, Miss Caroline Keshishian, Miss Roubina Margossian, Miss Dzovig Arnelian, Mrs. Vartoug Barsoumian, Miss Zarmig Soussani all enjoyed being with the children, whom they wanted to serve with a caring heart and creative mind.
8:30 am was the time when kids gathered and got prepared to start their day. The program included worship time, Bible lesson, Psalm memorization, continuous story, and free games. Children of elementary age were asked to choose one of the following activity clubs: Crafts, Sports, Cooking, Dance, and Theatre. The groups gathered every Tuesday and Thursday, and each learned new things according to the specific club. The crafts group made interesting and creative items to be exhibited during the closing event. The cooking club prepared yummy food for the whole students to eat and enjoy. The dancers and theatre crew got prepared to perform in front of their parents during the closing event. As for the sports group, the participants followed the coach’s instructions in stretching, playing sports games, and staying fit.
Thursdays were announced as “Cultural Day”. During those days, the children were introduced to the history, culture, arts, and songs of each of Lebanon, Armenia, Italy, and France. The Kindergarten had its special program of crafts, story-telling, worship, games, and other recreational activities.
Fridays were reserved for outings. The children enjoyed visiting and playing at Beirut Mall’s Adventure World, Youpie Park, Blue Beach and Living Colors.
In addition to the visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group to our center, other activities included a joint event with the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church’s DVBS group, and a visit to the Old People’s Home (CAHL) where the children met with the older generation and sang, recited verses, and listened to the grandparents residing at the institution.
The whole program, along with the closing event, wouldn’t have been possible without the readiness of 17 leaders who chose to play an active role in making this summer remarkable for the children.
We thank God for being with us during the five weeks of DVBS, during which we enjoyed many blessings through His little creations and through the talents which He has endowed the leaders with. We pray that the seeds that were sewn be watered and nourished by His Spirit, according to His wisdom.
August 2010
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Summer Playground Report – 2010, U.A.E.C.N.E. Social Action Committee
Photos of the 2010 Summer Playground of the U.A.E.C.N.E. Social Action
Outing to Beirut Mall
Outing to Youpie Park
Outing to Youpie Park
Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group
Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group
Visit of the “Parev Pokrigner” animation group
Armenian Cultural Day
Lebanese Cultural Day
Lebanese Cultural Day
"Foul" Eating
"Foul" Eating
Dance group
KG Worship
KG
Swimming at Blue Beach
Swimming at Blue Beach
Returning Back from Blue Beach
Games
Games
Games
Visiting CAHL center
Visiting CAHL center
Visiting CAHL center
Personal Statement on Kamp Armen, by Garabet Orunöz (Turkey)
Deaf Friends,
Kamp Armen was our ATLANTIS which We had built with our own, very hands. I won’t say much... I was sent to Kamp Armen, because I was orphaned. My prayers are for Sara. Makasçi who sent me there, for Hrant Küçükgüzelyan who was our constitutive principal and for Hrant Dink who had been struggling against the camp’s seizure, May God bless them all!
Kamp Armen was the name of our childhood house. I had learned ‘the art of living’ in there. I had never seen my mother, but was never deprived of love. I had never felt that it was necessary to hide away the tears.
In Kamp Armen, I had learned not only to share, but also to jealous... the glory of success and to concede defeat; to come to terms... the value of having few, and that sometimes, too many is weary.
I got bored sometimes. I had tried to escape for a couple of rimes. I was caught. I got the bashing.
I was surrounded with nature, with our animals. We had a horse, a dog. We even had a couple of monkeys: cows, sheep, goats, turkeys, gooses, ducks, chickens, bees... I had learned how to take care of these animals; how to inoculate a tree and get three different fruits from the same branch in there.
I had learned the smell of the earth after rain in Kamp Armen. . . to look for the mushrooms, which I wiped on my trousers, in its garden; in the garden where I had also found my orphan sister afterwards.
I had learned how to light a fire in cold winter nights; to dream about my future in hot summer days, and not to lie under my circumstances in Kamp Armen.
I had learned not to let anyone to judge me when I am right and not to judge anybody for his/her rights; but to listen, but also to question... to resist for my rights and to standd still when I know I am right in Kamp Armen. I had learned to have a simple way of life; to say yes, and to say no; to say I want to and to say I don’t want to in Kamp Armen.
I had learned to finish school season with one outfit; to be clean, to appreciate kinship, teach it to the one who does not...
I had also learned in there to speak in short; that everything has an end, including the life itself.
I had learned that one has three rights to ask for (and I saved them for the end):
One, to respect hard work; two, to say ‘I love you’ and finally; three, to lose... I had learned them all, in Kamp Armen.
Garabet Orunöz
