December - Gratitude: It’s Healthy, Easy, and Totally Free to Give

Gratitude is a character quality that you build over time; it’s something you develop through daily, weekly, or monthly practice, just like other skills.  It is the act of showing thanks, demonstrating that you recognize the significance of someone or something in your life. Gratitude goes hand-in-hand with acts of kindness and giving back to others, whether they are people you know or strangers.  And gratitude is one of the hallmarks of being a great leader—it builds trust and connection in every kind of relationship.

It can be easy to get caught up in the busy parts of life, especially as a student, but giving back to show your gratitude brings you into the present and allows you to focus on just one thing at a time.  It is a way to be more mindful with your time and energy, and research has shown that people who actively express gratitude actually live happier and more fulfilled lives. Wow!

So what does it really mean to give gratitude, why is it good for you, and how can you do it in a meaningful way?  Some people think giving back to others means having to spend money, but that’s not true. Other people think that giving back needs to be elaborate and fancy—not true either.  Let’s explore why gratitude is important, and look at ways you can give back without having to spend any money or plan any grand gestures.

First, understand that gratitude shapes your mindset.  Approaching life with a grateful heart actually teaches you how to find peace of mind.  Because gratitude requires that you think about others before thinking about yourself, you’re not as easily distracted by your own questions, problems, of self-talk.  Instead, you are focused on someone else’s feelings and the positive influence you have by giving back to them. A positive mindset results from this positive impact, and the cycle continues as you continue to express gratitude!  This is why building habits around gratitude is so special; everyone reaps the benefits as the effects ripple outward.

It’s also important to recognize that gratitude is simple and free.  Gratitude is about your time and your energy, not your wallet.  It’s about quality. Being present in someone’s life—fully present—is just one example of demonstrating gratitude, and it’s something you can literally practice every day.  Here are 10 other ideas for expressing gratitude without ever spending a dime.  

1. Start a gratitude journal, where you write down three things you are most grateful for in your life each day.
2. Write thank you notes to teachers who have inspired you, even if it was a teacher you had several years ago.
3. Write thank you notes to other people who have brought joy, comfort, or security into your life, such as a family member, clergyperson, neighbor, nurse, author, babysitter, bus driver, or counselor.
4. Listen when someone in your family needs to talk.  Don’t feel the need to respond right away; just be there for them and listen with curiosity.
5. Make plans with your friends in person, and ask if everyone will put their phones away so you can enjoy each other’s company without interruptions.
6. Call your grandparents for a conversation, or visit them in person if you can.  Ask if they want to play a board game, listen to music, watch a movie, or look through old photo albums together.
7. Forgive someone who wronged you and express gratitude for the life experience.  You don’t necessarily have to contact that person, but make the decision to be thankful that you learned something from what happened.
8. Do some chores around the house without being asked and without expecting something in return.  This is taking initiative which is a great trait of being a respected leader! 
9. Write a letter of appreciation to the servicemen and women in our armed forces or to the first responders in your neighborhood.
10. Send an email or text message to say thank you to a friend who has been supportive of you in good and bad times; let them know what an important role they have in your life.

Many times, gratitude starts with kindness.  Acts of kindness are easy ways you can show appreciation in life, even among people you might not know.  This quality is at the core of volunteerism, and why so many people choose to dedicate their time to different causes.  They desire a way to influence change, to express empathy, and to bring kindness into other people’s lives. A gratitude for life begins with the choice to spread love!  Here are five ideas to demonstrate gratitude with gestures of kindness. Choose one or all of them to give back to others during your Winter Break!

1. Visit a nursing home and offer to read, play games, or perform for residents.
2. Volunteer at the local food pantry and help organize donations or assist shoppers with their items.
3. Offer to help a neighbor or two with their chores, such as raking leaves, shoveling snow, or walking their dog.
4. Entertain the young kids at a family gathering, so the adults know their children are safe and cared for.
5. Ask a few friends to join you in picking up litter at the local park or playground.

As you think about how you will incorporate ways to give back into your life, know that gratitude is about intention. When you approach gratitude with purpose, you are being your authentic self.  Understanding why it’s important to you to show thanks in that moment is key; people will feel how genuine you are and will appreciate your openness!  Remember that when it comes to gratitude, you don’t have to do everything all at once—just take the first step. Your journey starts there.

Teenage Stress and Anxiety- How Do We Help?

The relationship between teenagers and their parents, and perhaps more accurately, teenagers and the rest of the entire world, has always been contentious. As young people move through their teenage years they are changing dramatically physically and emotionally. While hormones are raging and bodies are morphing, teens also struggle to assert their independence and sort to their identity. They begin to recognize the realities of life and often get caught between their attachment to family and relationships with friends. In our STAR Leadership program, over the past few months, we've been focusing on positive self-image and living a life of excellence. Throughout conversations with our teens aged 13-18, several interesting, and sometimes troubling subjects have come to the forefront. Many teens comment on how much stress and anxiety they have in their life along with their close friends as well. They have often brought up the subject of anxiety, depression and even deep depression. As an educator and leader of this age group, it prompted me to dive deeper into the “why” of this phenomenon. What I found validated my concerns. In a Blue Cross Blue Shield Health of America Report for 2018, there was a reported 47% increase in diagnosed anxiety and depression in ages from 17-24 from 2013 to 2018. From ages 12-17, there was a 63% increase in diagnosed anxiety and depression, (47% for boys, 65% for girls). I was even more alarmed at stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that reported a 77% increase in suicides in the age group 10-18 in the period from 2008-2018. Why? I was further troubled after having discussions with my own students, dance students who I have had for over 10 years in my program. These are high academic achievers, huge leaders in their schools and community. They were eager to talk about the issue and wanted someone to listen, perhaps because I wasn't a parent. To paraphrase a common response, these students often said “Many kids in our schools are depressed and have anxiety. It is very common, and kids of this generation are more depressed than you think.” "Wow", I thought. It was stunning and more than a bit concerning to hear this from young people.. Upon asking the reasons, the teens had a seemingly endless list. I broke the list down into three general categories.

1. Today's teens are spread too thin. Teenagers have over-committed schedules with not enough time to concentrate on one thing. There can be self-generated pressure to fill and exceed through these busy schedules.
2. There's a fear of not meeting expectations. Many teenagers in the group had brought up the pressure of not living up to expectations of parents, other adults and their peers. This amounts to the classic fear of failure and they mentioned over and over again how they were afraid to disappoint the people they are close to. .
3. Pressures of social media to have the “perfect” life. Alright, so this was new, at least to me, and to be fair, I hadn't given it much thought from their perspective. It prompted me to dive even deeper, doing further research. I found a report from Jamison Monroe, CEO and founder of Newport Academy. It validates teens are intelligent, tech-savvy and have many positive assets as a generation of a social, digital and mobile world. However, social media is a primary source of anxiety and pressure for adolescents. Teens become particularly depressed when they compare their lives unfavorably to the people they follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Not just neighbors and schoolmates or what we would call “peers”, but any and everyone on social media. Those are unreasonable expectations.

Monroe's report discussed how scientists have also found correlations between teen smartphone use and depression. It demonstrates how excessive use of technology damages relationships, education, and extracurricular activities. It also reaches other reasonable conclusions:

• Many teens experience some degree of academic pressure. In addition, an uncertain economy and tough competition for college and graduate school make that pressure even worse.
• Teens, of course, typically experience their first romantic relationships in high school or college. While this is an essential part of teen development, teen relationships can also be emotionally challenging.
• Today’s teens have fewer coping skills. Parents try to shield them from experiencing failure and disappointment. That means they often have fewer opportunities to build resilience. They frequently don't know how to pick themselves up and dust themselves off. Thus, they don’t learn how to cope with challenges.
• The adolescent brain is still growing. Hence, teens have an immature prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls self-regulation. Many decisions they seem to make are not real decisions they have made at all. They have a limited ability to exert control over their impulses. Consequently, this leads to teenage risk behaviors, such as substance abuse and unsafe sexual choices.
• Today’s adolescents spend so much time on screens that they don’t get outside enough. This subjects them to “nature deficit disorder” a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods”. Because teens and children are spending less time outdoors, they experience a wide range of behavioral and mental health problems.

It was becoming apparent to me that while today's teens have the challenges of the past generations, they are less capable of coping. They also have the additional challenges of social media that has not been a factor previously. Add in school shootings, heightened ecological fears, increased political uncertainty, social injustice, and other factors, and I was getting a clearer and clearer picture.

Today's teenagers are under more pressure than ever and are less equipped to handle those pressures. The result? Frequently high anxiety and deep depression.

So, what can we do as parents, educators, and people of previous generations to combat this rise of depression in our teens? What should we be doing to help them through this critical period of their lives? I was able to break it down into three critical components.

1. Create awareness and a framework to cope. Talking with family members, your team or faculty, and teens themselves to let them know this is a rising issue. Help them understand how to set structure around the feelings they are experiencing. (I developed a leadership curriculum program I use with my teens called Taking Shape STAR Leadership program where we discuss several current issues that teens face such as positive self image, bullying, ect).
2. Set up guidelines and limits to social media usage. A CNN study of 13-year-olds and their relationship with social media found that participants who checked Instagram or other networking sites between 50 and 100 times a day were 37% more distressed than those who checked just a few times a day. Those who checked more than 100 times a day were 47% more distressed on average. The more checking, the more stress. I have a no cell phone policy at our studio. Teens come in and check phones in a basket on arrival and pick up at end of the day. This allows them to establish better personal relationships and talk among friends, problem solve and have fun!
3. Limit overextended schedules, taking time for mindfulness and reflection. Have kids take an audit of all of their schedule. What do they really “love” to do and what are they doing that can be taken off their plates. My students now yearn for “yoga” class where they can get their mind off the grid. There's been an interesting trend in “mindfulness” classes in the school system in the past 3 years. This is telling us kids need to slow down.

I feel it is our purpose as leaders of this generation to find ways to establish these relationships with our teens. They don’t need information from us, they can get this in seconds on their devices. What they need is caring, listening ears, the experience of generations that have “been there, done that” to help them strengthen values of resilience, discipline, and building relationships.

We also need something too. We need to understand that things are in fact, different for this generation of teens. They grew up differently. They have almost unlimited access to technology and are more connected than ever. They are exposed to more real dangers in their young lives.

I have always felt these kids are worth the effort. It's why I've made them such a significant part of my daily life and career. If we can better understand these teens, we can better help them. That is a goal worth pursuing.

Developing Trust as a Gen Z Leader

This month in our STAR Leadership program we have been focusing on the importance of building TRUST as a successful leader. Today, it seems more than ever, we can get confused about what a true leader is. We may believe that a leader is someone who has the most friends, has the most likes on a post, or even has the most views on a video. We can confuse leadership with popularity, and one doesn't necessarily equate to the other. Being a successful leader requires trust between the leader and those who follow. Not blind trust, but deep seeded faith in the leader and his or her decision-making ability. It is trust that is not earned by votes or fans. Our STAR Leaders dove deep into the following character values that are pertinent to establishing trust as a leader: Integrity Integrity means doing the right thing, no matter the consequences. Some have said it is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It is having standards, even higher standards than most and living up to them. Generation Z is already more purpose-driven and that is a good baseline for integrity. Maintaining integrity involves making the right decisions more often. When one has an ability to determine who is authentic and who is fake, it helps weed out those who may be a threat to integrity. Honesty Honesty starts with being your true self. It is dishonest to try to be someone you are not or to say things to get attention or approval. It actually can be a relief to not have to hide who you really are. Honesty is being honest in your actions and being upfront with what you believe. Keep in mind, however, hurting people through actions or words is not a sign of honesty in leadership. Honesty can also be earned by being unselfish and having a focus on others. It can be strengthened by being empathetic and creating habits of being a good listener. Loyalty Loyalty takes commitment and perseverance. It is earned through consistency in the values listed above, integrity and honesty. Consistency is an area that is difficult for Gen Zers as they live in a digital, social and mobile world where they are used to getting quick results. If results don’t happen quick, this generation has trouble sticking with it. The good news however is that Generation Z leans towards more conservative and traditional values. With the right guidance and support system, these kids can strengthen their values in loyalty by creating solid habits consistently and seeing the value in their results. Reliability Reliability is earned and established by a pattern of consistent behavior. Reliability is living up to commitments even when you don't want to. It is doing what you say you are going to do. It is being timely. When people can count on you, you are building the foundation as a leader. There are no “cheats”, hacks or shortcuts. Every day there are opportunities, some big and some small, to exercise reliability as a true leader. As an educator and parent of the kids of Generation Z, I have found that they are like sponges. When exposed to these character values in the way they receive information, they get excited. The “light bulb” comes on and they love to jump into conversation on their experiences and ideas. I am so optimistic of this amazing generation! What they need from us as adults is for us to serve as a compass. We can take responsibility for our next generation of leaders and provide opportunities, examples, and guidance. We can all then, have renewed faith in our future.

August 2018 - Day 5 - Haiti Mission Trip

Today is a day off from camp. We have scheduled a water truck delivery in the mountains of Titanyen, Haiti where after the 2010 earthquake many survivors went to the mountains to live but do not have access to running water. Many other missionaries in Haiti are part of water truck delivery where you purchase a semi tank of water and hire a driver to deliver it the area needing water. Teams meet up with the water truck and help disperse and carry water that comes out of a huge hose.

What an experience this was! The road up the mountain was gravel and dirt with several 2-3 foot holes every couple yards and our vehicles were stick shift, which even made it even more of an interesting challenge. The homes up the mountain ranged from 20 x 20 shacks made of tin to small tents made of canvas and sticks. We finally arrive at the top of the mountain to meet the water truck that hadn't made it yet. As we got out of our tap tap we saw many young Haitian kids come from their homes to greet us, they knew we were coming with water! Since the truck hadn't arrived yet we passed the time with some teenage Haitian boys from the mountain who played a round of basketball and soccer with Sammy, Ben and Davidson on a playground area that was built from another American missionary group. Alongside of the basketball game, Beana was greeted by young girls from the neighborhood who gave her some fancy hairdos!

Water truck finally arrived and things starting getting CRAZY! People came running from everywhere with their buckets for water. The water truck driver jumped out of the truck and filled big barrels with water. Many Haitian women were in a frenzy to help scoop out the water into the 5 gallon buckets for the children and other members of their family to carry to their house. Our job was to help carry them to their home. This was certainly a work out! Insanely amazed that some of these young children could carry this water further than we could.

During the water transport we also had kits of baby items such as diapers, soap, clothes and washcloths that we handed out to the families. The baby items were donated from Crystal's generous families of Showcase Dance Studio! Another set of donation were flip flops that came from Malia Casner and many ladies from Carrollton, MO. This was a sight! We decided to distribute these from the tap tap like we were setting up "shop" and the swarm quickly came. So many children needing shoes. Our tap tap van was a popular place for about 10 minutes until we ran out.

This was a gratifying day for the team as we left feeling like we really did valuable work but oh, was it heartbreaking!  Shoes and water, something we so easily take for granted, were such a scarcity among the Haitians living in these mountains.

We finished our day at the beautiful Wahoo Beach with our team!

August 2018 - Day 4 - Haiti Mission Trip

It's Thursday and another full day at Cepras.  Our tap-tap rolled out from the guest house at 8:30 am to head to camp. The drive is one of our favorite parts. Everyone is Haiti has a purpose, they are all up and doing something. It may be to set up a couple of milk crates to sell bananas or it may be a walk across town, dodging the crazy traffic, just to visit a family member. Everyone here has a definite mission!

We arrived at camp, greeted with all of the kids who were behind the gate waiting for the entire team with hugs and high fives!  It was so fun to see them proudly wear their SDA passport lanyards and sunglasses we gave out to them the past several days.

Today our surprise activities included Sumo wrestling with inflatable inner tubes, dream catchers for arts and crafts and a group dance to Cotton Eye Joe. Oh and we can't forget the younger kids got to put on a show with some fancy costumes!

We were a little sad at the beginning of camp because we didn't see Bob today but found out that he was so wiped out from the last two camp days before that he overslept. Bob needed some rest!

After the third day of camp it was so neat to see the growth of these kids not only in their activities and skills, but the relationships and friendships they were building among each other. The children of Cepras live a good 20 minute tap -tap drive from the children of Lephare orphanage. These kids are  brought together only by our camp. Very grateful that they have had this experience together this week making friends.

We finished the day with a drive up the mountains of Haiti for a delicious dinner and incredible view over the entire country of Haiti. What a beautiful country!

August 2018 - Day 3 - Haiti Mission Trip

Meayla on the mic!

Up and at it again for Day 3 of our week and the second day of our camp. Today we started our camp out with each child coming up to the microphone, saying their name and telling us what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was a confidence builder for many kids as some where a little shy but others had no trouble taking the mic, especially 2 year old Meayla! She can't speak clearly yet but oh boy, can she sing! As the rest of the kids took the mic, we heard a lot of aspirations to be doctors, football players (football in Haiti means soccer) and pastors. Pretty cool!

"Bob" and Beana

Have I mentioned how AWESOME our team is! Beth and Beana are rocking the crafts. So far we have made aluminum foil figurines, jeweled fish puppets to go along with Beth's bible stories and tie dye flowers from coffee filters. Kids of every age here love to create and it is amazing how detailed and focused they are in their work.

Ben, Sam and Isaac keep the sports and games going on with soccer, baseball and a team challenge of using a bed sheet. Meanwhile, Crystal continues to be a rockstar in the the gravel dance floor area teaching hip hop and a creative improvisational game where the kids made letters with their bodies.

Older boys of the camp making the letter "K"

Oh, and there is this funny little 2 year old guy here we named "Bob" who we later found out is really named Marcus. We didn't know where "Bob" came from for the first couple of days. He just showed up and wouldn't tell us his name so we named him "Bob". After a couple of days a couple kids that knew him kept telling us "no, his name Marcus." So Beth said, "Oh, Bon Jour Marcus!"  He looked at Beth and pointed to himself and said "Bob, Bob, Bob." I think he likes his new name! Bob has brought a lot of humor to this camp. He is a wild crazy kid who spends his time running around chasing the wild chickens that sometimes come through the camp.

Smore time at Lephare

We returned back to Lephare to drop the kids off and had time for a smore party with the neighborhood. This has turned into an annual event as we taught them this last year when we visited. Funny how excited the kids got when we pulled out the smore supplies. They knew exactly what we were doing!

Fritznel, our awesome dance translator, and Crystal!

Overall, another great day building relationships with these kids, this team and this community. It is so evident that these children are so hungry for organized, social and physical activity. They are creative, athletic, fun and full of energy. Ready for tomorrow!

August 2018 - Day 2 - Haiti Mission Trip

Breakfast on the deck at the guest house is always one of our most favorite parts of the trip. Juicy mangoes, fresh pineapple and bananas along with scrambled eggs and assorted peppers cut in detail to the smallest squares. Brunet’s beautiful wife is always the best cook!

Off to camp we go packed with our suitcases on top of the “tap tap” (the Haitian name for taxi).   We have 10 of us riding to camp looking a little like Sanford and Son. Tight quarters, no AC but it doesn’t matter. The liveliness of the streets of Haiti keep us totally entertained on our journey to camp. 

Taking Shapes hosts the camp for the children of Cepras, a Haitian ran organization whose mission is to grow young Haitiain children through education and Christian faith. We combine Cepras kids with the children of Lephare orphanage for the entire camp week. Total kids in the camp are 75! 

Haiti children don’t have the exposure to organized activity, sports and fine arts. We quickly saw once they were introduced to the activities, they were like sponges! We divide the kids into 3 rotations according to age and they rotate to arts/ crafts with and bible stories with Savanah and Beth, sports and games with Ben, Same and Isaac and dance with Crystal and myself. These kids love art and are so artistic! The detail and time they put into their work is so amazing.

Favorite dances are the Chicken Dance, Baby Shark and Tootie Ta! It doesn’t matter the ages of these kids, everyone is participating, laughing, enjoying time together and learning. Such a cool experience! Oh and also keep in mind it is 95 degrees and no AC. 

Meanwhile while we are busy with our kids at camp, Greg is back at Lephare Orphanage helping complete the building project at Lephare. Taking Shape will be housing it’s future summer mission campers in the expansion of the Lephare Orphanage, giving them a total immersion inside the Haitian culture. 

The Ripple Effect - Coming Full Circle

There is nothing more gratifying than seeing the ripple effect that leadership can create, especially when it is with your students. Our Taking Shape STAR leadership program is in full force!

We are in the second year of existence with over 25 studios, clubs and organizations
throughout the United States, Canada, Haiti and even Aruba who are affiliate members
using the Taking Shape STAR leadership curriculum. Our mission continues to create a
young generation of leaders who impact others through strong character values and
community service.

This season, two of our Richmond area STAR leaders, Malori Chrisman and Isabella
Duffet, took their leadership training to the next level. In addition to being STAR Leaders
with our Taking Shape organization, they also are enrolled in a dual credit leadership
class in their high school. One of the course requirements was to create a project that
they were passionate about and would benefit the community.

Isabella and Malori took the initiative to design their own series of Chance to Dance classes that were held at the Richmond Shapes Dance and Acro Studio. Both girls took the ball and ran with the idea! They organized, marketed and taught a movement and exercise class for special needs adults in the Ray County area. They marketed the classes through social media, flyers and visiting group homes in the area, inviting qualified candidates to the free classes. The class format incorporated gross motor skills, balance, musicality and coordination. The class was taught monthly by both girls and averaged over 20 participants in each class.

The dual credit project for their high school completed in January, but now, several months
later, due to the popularity of the class and the value of service which these girls have
experienced, they have chosen to keep the program going until the end of the school year.

Taking Shape bases is curriculum on 5 points of the star; Trust, Serve, Love, Growth and
Excellence. These girls have taken “Serve” above and beyond and are true leaders as
they grow in character and cause a ripple effect of leadership in their own community.

Isabella Duffet comments on her experience with this leadership project, “ Teaching a
Chance to Dance class was so rewarding because dance has brought so much joy to
my life for so long and it was cool to share that joy with other people who don’t get
the opportunity to dance.”

Taking Shape is proud of the excellent example of servant leadership that these
two young ladies have portrayed.

This is our mission of our organization, to grow young leaders who impact others!
Our goal is to continue to raise up young leaders Here, Near and Far in order to
make the world a better place.It is working! We are on a mission! We will
continue to change lives!

Day 5 - Haiti Camp Finishes with a Bang!

Haiti Camp Finishes with a Bang!

Today we completed our final day of our Taking Shape/Cepras summer camp combining the children associated with the Cepras organization and the children of Lephare orphanage. What a week we have had! Learning, growing, dancing, singing and meeting new friends!

Today we finished with a performance of all of the dances, games  and songs we have learned this week.  It was hard to say goodbye especially to all of the children that touched us in so many ways. Despite the bitter sweet goodbyes, Taking Shape is ecstatic to announce that we have partnered with the Cepras organization of Haiti to conduct our Taking Shape camps annually. Look for our mission camp registration and announced dates to be available September, 1.

.A huge thank you to Marcella Gibbs, Benson Jean and Emmanuel Pierre of Cepras who allowed this camp to happen! What experience it was for our team of 3….. Ms Beana, Mr Sam and Ms Tracey. We are looking forward to opening up our 2018 summer Haiti mission camps with a larger team of Taking Shape STAR leaders and dance studio owners! Until next year…..!

Au Revoir!!

Day 4 - Fish are a hit!

Today was the last full day of camp, tomorrow we finish up with a performance and celebration with the children of Cepras and Lephare orphanage.. Today’s big hit was creating a wall of rainbow fish!  Cepras President Benson read the bible story of the loaves and the fishes. The children made a wall of beautiful fish using weaving and construction paper. Very creative!

We had several new dances and games that we introduced to the campers such as the Macarena, Limbo and Duck Duck Goose. Games are a huge hit with this bunch!

After day 4 it has been so cool to see the kids of Cepras and Lephare orphanage become friends and establish relationships. They have shared a common experience and have formed some wonderful friendships along the way!

Day 3 - August 2017 Mission Camp Trip

Another full day at the Cepras Camp! Today we arrived at the camp with 23 Lephare orphanage kids and a 9 month baby in the Tap Tap (another name for Taxi but it is a short bed Toyota truck painted in vibrant colors). We met up with the remaining children attending the Cepras camp at the CMAS school where the camp is being held.  

Such a variety of ages from a 9 month old to 24 year old boys and girls coming to camp to learn, grow as leaders and make friends. 

Today our campers learned some American favorites; The Chicken Dance, YMCA and the Wobble. We also joined both ages together for a Cotton Eye Joe production number. Yee haa! 

Musical chairs, public speaking using a microphone and several crafts and art contests throughout the day!
Benson the President of Cepras conducted a very creative bible skit focusing on the story of the prodigal son. Haitian children are quite entertaining and great actors! 

What an experience this has been so far! Haitian children are so similar to Americans in that they are like sponges, they want to learn. They love to play and they take care of each other. I have seen our leadership team grow as young leaders themselves as they instruct activities, games, songs and lessons to children that don’t speak the same language. Leading others in example rather than words! 

Day 1 - August 2017 Mission Camp Trip

Today our Taking Shape Team arrive in Port-au-Prince Haiti for our first mission camp trip. We would like to give a BIG thank you to all of those that donated supplies for our dance, sports and leadership camps. Our suitcases were loaded with so much love from our community and our team is now fully equipped to provide a great experience for the students here in Haiti. Our team is looking forward to a week of growth and service with some amazing children!

Keep up with us on our  taking shape FB page this week as we post of our camp!