Pint-size peacekeepers

Interfaith camp to bring kids of diverse religions together to foster unity, trust

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette interfaith illustration.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette interfaith illustration.

In a twist on traditional Vacation Bible School, faith leaders in Little Rock are offering an alternate summer camp for children this year.

It's called Friendship Camp, and organizers say it's the first interfaith camp for elementary school-age children to be held in central Arkansas.

The week-long day camp for rising third- through fifth-grade students will be held July 11-15. It's sponsored by the Interfaith Center, an outreach of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church and other faith-based organizations, including those representing the Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Baha'i faiths.

The goal is to foster friendships and understanding among children of diverse faith backgrounds.

The Rev. Mary Vano, rector of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, said the camp is an extension of the church's work in interfaith relations.

"This is fitting for our community because we care about reducing fear and hatred among the world's religions, but also it's something where I think we can make a real difference," Vano said. "If we really want to reduce fear, we believe that starts with relationships, actually knowing one another, and who better to engender that kind of friendship with than children."

Sophia Said, a Muslim, is program director of the Interfaith Center. She said interfaith cooperation is necessary "to create peaceful and harmonious communities."

"It's a skill that we all need to learn and teach to our young ones," she said. "In fact, maybe the children are doing better than us. I think children do not see color or race or faith; they just see others as reflections of themselves. It is us adults who teach them about differences through our behaviors of intolerance and prejudice."

Said added that the Interfaith Center has been working with people of all faith backgrounds and age groups in an effort to increase understanding. For example, the center has an interfaith youth group for high school students.

"Through their interactions together for the last several years, the youth group members have learned communication and leadership skills," she said. "They have seen the beauty in the spirituality of others. They have grown to respect and cherish diverse faith traditions in the world, and most of all they have deepened their own faith and identity."

As future leaders, Said believes these relationships will help the students create inclusive communities.

"We live in a very multicultural world and a very diverse country," she said. "We need our children to be open-minded, respectful, loving and able to communicate with people from varied backgrounds in order to be successful in their own careers and lives, and also to create healthy and inclusive communities."

Said says the high school group has been successful, but she said she thinks interfaith education needs to start even earlier. The Friendship Camp is a way to do that.

"During today's age and political climate, our children are directly and indirectly learning about fear and hate through media all the time," she said. "I feel it is our responsibility to help them see good in others, to help them see differences in a positive way, to teach the important life skills of respect, acceptance and getting along from a very young age."

Using Vacation Bible School as a model, organizers planned Friendship Camp with a superhero theme.

"Our goal is to let these children of different faiths come together and form friendships," Vano said. "That's why we chose the name. Let them be friends."

As part of the program, the children will learn about the "superheroes" in various religions.

"It will be a fun way to learn about the virtues we share in looking at some of the heroes of faith from our different traditions," Vano said.

The curriculum was designed by a committee of Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Baha'i members. Each day the children will gather to learn about each of the four religions and what they have in common, such as love, honor, courage, compassion and mercy, she said.

They will also meet in small groups with others of their own faith to learn more about their traditions. These sessions will include time for worship and prayer.

Large group meetings will include team-building activities, music, art, meditation, yoga, cooking, tae kwon do and robotics.

"For me, at the heart of Friendship Camp is [that] peace building and peace making is done by relationship building. A wonderful way to build relationships is through open and sincere communication between diverse faiths and people," Said says. "It is the belief of the planning committee that when we build healthy relationships with others, we break the wall of 'us' versus 'them' and live together as 'we'; we learn empathy and cooperation in spite of the differences; [and] we are less likely to hurt others or to wish them harm."

On the last day of camp the children will visit the Islamic Center of Little Rock, Second Presbyterian Church and Temple B'nai Israel. A closing ceremony will be held for the children, their families and interfaith leaders.

Vano said the goal is to have a different faith community host the camp each year.

"We truly want it to be a multi-faith effort," she said. "Not only are the kids getting friendships out of this, but the adults are too."

In addition to the Interfaith Center, partner organizations include the Baha'i Community of Greater Little Rock, First United Methodist Church, the Islamic Center of Little Rock, Raindrop Foundation, Second Presbyterian Church, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church and Temple B'nai Israel.

The camp will be at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, 20900 Chenal Parkway. The fee for camp is $55 per child, and $45 for each additional child from a family. Scholarships are available.

Applications can be submitted online at interfaith.itssm.org/friendship-camp. Information is available by email at friendshipcampca@gmail.com or by calling (501) 821-1311.

Religion on 05/21/2016

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