A couple days ago, we arrived at the Aida Refugee camp to talk to Mariam, the director of the board, and Sarah, a volunteer from Sacramento, about what OTYF can offer the kids for a couple of weeks.
This is me explaining airplane with partners. Of course, we are sitting down, but I love this picture because it shows the moment when Mariam and I see each other and understand: we are here to give the kids the space to have fun to express themselves physically. And we are goofy and we are ready to get goofy with the kids!
And here are some of the results from our first day at Aida camp -- goofiness and love was in full expression!
Amber teaches the older boys partner poses:
Ruthie slides under the down-dog tunnel made by all the kids:
Anastasia and Georgia pose with the "Active Boy" group after a sweaty class of jumping, leaping, kicking soccer balls, handstands, and laughing.
During the first class, a woman from the camp came to me and asked "when does the yoga begin?" I said, "this IS the yoga! Balance, laughter, breathing, happiness!" And then she said "Ah yes! It is sneaky yoga!" Yes indeed, teaching kids yoga is a practice in seeing the yoga in everything we do -- tossing a ball, balancing a ball on our feet, sliding around on the floor like a snake, jumping into the air. It looks like a sports camp, but we are practicing yoga.
Amber was concerned because she had no translator. She knew only Please and Thank you in Arabic when she arrived. But through an amazingly expressive series of noises (Ha! Oooooh! Uh? Whaaaaa?) she communicated to the kids through what one super-cool teacher from the camp said was the International Language of Clowns! Amber never stopped. She dug deep for courage and strength and taught children in her own Clown Language and connected with them so deeply that I wonder if it would have been the same with words. We left connected, in love, tired, and inspired.
And we go back for more today!!!
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