| News from Missionaries |
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From: David & Sarah Kitch
News from Missionaries: The Covenant PlayersFrom: David & Sarah Kitch Dearest Freinds:
The following note was sent by the coordinator of our programs in the new county to the woman who had recommended us: “Just wanted to let you know how very impressed I am with the Covenant Players. They are very professional and very talented actors. I observed three of their performances for our 8th grade classes at (name of school). All the students were very engaged. Many, many students participated in the interactive debriefing and discussion of what had happened in the play. At any point during any of the performances, you could have heard a pin drop. All eyes were on the actors. The kids were thinking, they were analyzing, they were experiencing the plays. What a wonderful medium to communicate our very important messages. Thank you so much for recommending the Covenant Players. I hope they can visit us every year to help spread our important message of substance abuse prevention.” From one of the coordinators: ”You know, I look at the sixth graders when they come in, and they seem so young. And then as you introduce the family play I cringe some. You know, I’m thinking is this just too much for them. Then I see them just rivetted to the play, and I hear what they say in the discussion, and watch them respond when you get them up, and the things they say and what comes out --- and I KNOW it’s so important to do this. It’s scary and sad and so very important. Did you see the way the teacher reacted when those students talked about it? She was clearly shocked at what they said, what they knew. That’s what we’re up against. People don’t understand that we have to get in early or it’s too late.’’ From a school counsellor: “You know, it get’s better every time. And each group is so different. Every time, there are kids that say something I haven’t heard, or didn’t think of, or just surprises me. It’s fascinating what it brings out in them.” From an Alternative High School Teacher: “The student you got up for your introduction bit – well, when you got him up we all went, ‘oh-oh’. First of all that you even got him to join you – then to stand up there and be with you through that all that. I know you may think he was pretty flat, but none of us have EVER seen him smile or even engage. That’s why the kids were so responsive, they know how he is. No one messes with him. It was amazing what he did with you there. It may not have seemed like it to you, but that was a miracle.” School Director: “That is so very wise – very wise. No one is preaching – you’re asking them to enter into roles they already know – some know only too well. They’re hearing each other talk about these deep and personal issues. They get caught up, they connect with each other through the play and say things they would never say otherwise. And they are all listening, really listening to each other. It was positive without being naïve or childish. Serious and solid. It’s a well-designed presentation too - thank you that the last word you send them out with is “hope”. That last play is a great way to end.” From a Middle School: Teacher: “You can tell you love what you do, and that you care about the kids. They pick-up on that, they can tell. You got away with murder with some of these kids. Some of them surprised me, how involved they got. It’s good to be surprised by your kids. Keeps you on your toes as a teacher.” Teacher: “I was trying to explain that play to someone – but there’s so much there. It’s not just about an alcoholic father – It’s not just alcohol. It’s drugs, but it’s not just the drugs. There’s so much there. You could use it for the self esteem unit, decision making, peer relationships, family communication. You laid a really good foundation. Every class was so different! I learned something by the way you asked questions – you didn’t judge. Just the way you handled their responses. You looked each one in the eye and took them seriously. I noticed that when you did that, the kids that gave a jerky or blow-off response got involved, and a lot of times started giving really good input. I wish I could have recorded it. A lot of these kids wouldn’t believe what they said out loud here.” Student: “I can’t believe I got up and did that. That was so cool. I hope someone took a picture. My mom will never believe me when I say I was up there doing that. Thank you, that was awesome.” From a High School Student: “That was actually cool. Usually these programs are boring, you know. Just telling you how bad drugs and alcohol are and stuff like this. This was like real life, you know. It’s right there in front of you and you got to face it.” Student: “Hey, that was alright. If there was one thing I could say I got from this would be hope. Is that weird?” Teacher: “It’s so interesting watching who responds – who says different things. Some of these kids have said things I never would have expected in a million years. Some are predictable, you know, and say what I would expect. But every time there’s been students saying things that are surprising.” From a Church "That was a real celebration of the love of God. I liked how personal you
made it - each presentation. I kept hearing about the love of God in different
ways. Especially that play about the man at the council. Even though it was
about the creed - I just never realized how much the creed was about the love
of God - how much God loves us. Don't know how I missed that for so many years.
But that's what I was so moved by in that presentation - how much God loves us.
And all through history.”
We met the contact later in the week who said: “We just had the church
council meeting last night and everybody talked about what a wonderful
service it was. You brought such life and energy, and there were so many
people in church again. The whole service was uplifting and encouraging.
You know, you reminded us who we are as Christians and we needed that.
Look, I’m going to cry.”
From a Church Youth Group Pastor: “We’re just beginning to get into the deeper stuff, so it was interesting to see what came out in the discussions. Kids always surprise you with how sharp they can be and how shallow too. It’s certainly the best discussion I’ve seen them have in a long time. For many of them, this could be the first time they’ve ever talked about these things with each other. Or maybe ever. You do good work.” Youth: “Well, that was a surprise. I came for games and pizza and you guys seriously messed with my head.” From a Church: "That is so true about loneliness. It's all around us and we don't see it.
That story is a good parable - makes you think about things in a different way.
I live alone, but I have a lot of people in my life. There are a lot of people
out there who don't have anyone and if you aren't looking for them you'll miss
them.”
“This is one Sunday I’ll not soon forget.”
“That lady (in the play) brought tears to my eyes. That is so true about the
world we live in, isn’t it. And it doesn’t matter where you are - all around
us are people who need us to be there for them."
“Everyone was spellbound, their attention was right on you - glued to what was
happening - even the children. It was amazing to see.“
“I kept waiting for an easy ending, but it didn't come.”
“What should you say? It certainly doesn’t seem right to say ‘we enjoyed the
show’, because it was so much more than a show. It made for quite the Sunday
morning, I’ll tell you that. I’d really like to be a fly on the wall at quite
a few Sunday dinners today. I’ll bet you would too.”
From a rural school: Teacher: “That was worth whatever we had to do to make it happen. If you need any kind of reference or help to do this again, just call me. This is very valuable. Thank you very much for coming. Things like this are real good for us. The kids were really involved with what was happening. I mean you could almost hear the gears turning as they watched. You sure had their attention. It’s good for us to get things like this – sometimes you know small schools get left out of things – and we need it.” Teacher: “Your program doesn’t pull any punches, but you present it in a way that the kids can receive it and respond to it. I appreciate that.” From an after school program: “That was amazing. Really great stuff. Thanks for breaking into discussion groups. That is so valuable for us. You know that one about the family, we could have discussed that all night. We’ll pick it back up, that’s for sure. Enough of these kids live that, you know, so the others know it even if their life isn’t that way. I liked that you had us connect it with friends, and how you try to reach out to someone in that situation. That’s where we’re at, you know. It’s great that you don’t give answers, or that you go through the usual answers and then leave it to us watching to come back on it. That’s great writing. That’s the kind of thing you need to do for these kids.” From writing assignments by 9th Grade Health students following a performance. “I think of what I would do if I or one of my friends was in this situation. I’ve learned that this isn’t just a play, it’s real life and thousands of kids are in this situation. I liked the play, but not imagining the setting – it was tough.” “I grew up in a family just like this. I know to be thankful for it, I will not have drugs or alcohol anywhere near me. I learned to be grateful for what I have. I just smile and analyze a lot of things. I really enjoyed it, I love educational theatre.” “When I watched the play I thought the family was really messed up and that they need help, even the mom with her behavior. I learned that this can happen to any family and you should always be there for your family for support. I really liked seeing the plays and I thought they were really humorous but at the same time I learned something about them.” “Problems in a person’s life usually have many causes. I expected it to be a very clichéd skit on smoking, but it actually turned out to be very original, funny, and educational.” “I think of what I would do if I or one of my friends was in this situation. I’ve learned that this isn’t just a play, it’s real life and thousands of kids are in this situation. I liked the play, but not imagining the setting – it was tough.” “It may not seem like it but there are kids in our school whose lives are like that.” “I have been paying more attention to things people have been doing. Also being nicer to someone. I have learned that someone could have a hard time and not show it at school but they get beaten at home. Also that people that grow up in harsh families have an equal chance to be people who don’t have a bad life.” “I thought differently about how there are teens who do do drugs because of family conflicts and some of these kids could even think or commit suicide. I have learned that there are families who aren’t very close and say their family is normal, while their kids are on drugs or doing other stuff. I thought the play was very well done, and gave many facts about real life situations.” “I began to think that kids actually grow up in these situations and it may be hard for them. I learned that situations like this, they are preventable and can be turned around with the help of the family. I thought the play was funny at first but as it went on I thought it was actually pretty good.” “People that we go to school with and have classes with everyday may be going through what this family is going through. I learned that even the families you least expect to go through something like this could be going through this. I thought the play had very good meaning and I enjoyed it. It had some serious parts and a few funny parts. [It] taught me a lot about life and about what all kinds of people go through.” ”I have been thinking that how some kids in our class might have this type of family and how I can help them by becoming their friend. I have learned that many kids suffer from one or both of their parents being bad communicators or alcoholics.” “I realized how common household situations like this are becoming and how alcohol and drugs can tear families apart. I learned some things to do if ever stuck in a situation like that and how to help people in a situation like that. I thought it was pretty realistic and I learned some things from it, it was good.” “I have begun to see that some family problems are a lot harder to deal with than what I deal with each day. I have learned that some people have a hard family life, but they still come to school and try to deal with it. Life can be difficult, we all find or try to find a way to cope with it. I thought the play was a great realization of life. I learned more about the way people act.” “I’ve kind of started to think about if there are people that are close to me who have problems like this. I learned that there are kids I know that have problems like this even though they may not be noticeable. I enjoyed the play, I learned. It really did teach some people about themselves and others.” “I’m thinking if I’d ever be able to help people in these situations, saying is different than doing. I have learned that what people do to themselves isn’t always completely their fault and they need help. I think the play was fun, very thought provoking. I learned not to judge a book by its cover.” “The people I know who go through some things like this I now understand what it might be like. I thought they showed a good example of how some people live.”
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