Volunteering

Most Wednesday mornings now I'm volunteering in the art room of the day program of Penn Mar, an educational, vocational, and residential program for disabled adults. It is much like SHAPE on Saint Helena, except...bigger. And minus a banana grove among other sub-tropical things but mostly...the same.

The art room is a large, well lit space with big tables, a countertop with sink and a walk-in closet of ever changing supplies, mostly donated.

To help the full-time mentors, I've agreed to find and prep projects for two groups of 4-10 students each when I'm there. (Pinterest is my friend :-) Group sizes change as there is an importance placed on outings - which I think  is great - and any given day a number of people are out and about in the community going to the library, YMCA, shopping, lunch and so on.

At first I just really wanted to get to know people and let them get to know me. Now 6 months in, I have a better gauge of different people's abilities and weaknesses. So I've put some art concepts and words out there. "Monochrome" was a big hit even if it didn't end up being monochrome because who in the world would only want ONE color and black and white when you can have them ALL? (Some people made true monochromatic paintings that were fantastic...and of which I forgot to take photos.)

This blazing field of flowers is one of my favorite pieces produced so far. (I'm sure Van Gogh would have agreed.) I had suggested students use crayons for stems then dip their fingers in paint to make dots for flowers but John preferred to blend. And like most great art, his breaking of the rules makes this piece sing.

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Taking SHAPE

SHAPE campus at what was originally Sandy Bay Primary school.

SHAPE, Saint Helena Active Participation in Enterprise, was birthed about 11 years ago, by a couple of Saint Helenians and modeled after the Soltane schools. It was a humble beginning with a few students and directors learning on they go. There is great pride taken, as it should be, that now 20 or so disabled adults and receive education, encouragement, job training and a variety of services three days per week.  In that time fifteen people have “graduated” and moved on to independent employment. 

We're helping in a variety of ways, although I've mainly been in the craft room and Kyle is working on two murals. We research craft methods/patterns, discuss design and help source supplies as getting stuff from the outside world on such a remote island is a task unto itself. We chat and encourage and drink tea. Oh yes, always tea.

Samuel has spent almost all of his time outside helping with the farming – pruning banana trees, planting potatoes, harvesting chow chow – all of which is taken home by students or sold to help support the center. (For a kid who wants to be a farmer this is like tropical, muddy heaven.)

The craft room.

Bangle bracelets that I designed using one of SHAPE's materials of choice, cereal boxes.

Banana and potatoes all in the same garden!

The needs of of students, or trainees as they are called, are varied. While some were born severely neurologically and or physically disabled, others suffered a stroke as an adult or were the victim of incorrect misdiagnosis of disease and subsequent lack of proper medical treatment.

Some people may wonder if this sort of environment is depressing – oh for sure it could be. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when I fully think about the limitations of the students, what their daily lives must be like, what their families lives must be like. And for the tireless employees who are there 5 days per week no doubt there can be great stress and sadness. 

But day to day, SHAPE is mostly a place of relationship, laughter, amazing kindness and opportunity to find meaning. Daily I am challenged to think differently about how I act and speak and think about myself and my own problems. I hope I am giving to them as much as they are giving to me.

SHAPE's recycled paper, illustrations added by Jeannie, beads rolled by me = teamwork! She and I are really proud of these babies. 

Jeannie can only use one arm but she amazes me by making bracelets and even earrings. Here she's laying out a necklace with beads she and I made together. 

Far out in the South Atlantic

Seventeen days since leaving home, just over a week since arriving to Saint Helena. When you are here...you are really, really here as the nearest land is an even smaller island 2 days away by sea and the east coast of Africa is 1200 miles to the east.

Impromptu jewelry design on the beach in Cape Town.

Our flight (BWI to JFK to OR Tambo to CPT) was long but uneventful. Thats all you can really ask for in a 24 hr. economy class flight really, right? Uneventful. Our time in Cape Town was relaxing ( I really like Cape Town...I wish it wasn't so dangerous) but rainy. They need the rain so desperately though.

Deck of the RMS in the early morning.

Next - five day sea journey with calm seas, far too much delicious food and ,as always, interesting company. I must admit the sea sickness patches which do their job well also make me a bit dopey but non the less I always find the assortment of passengers on the Royal Mail Ship Saint Helena a bit like the UN. Saint Helenians traveling home, an Australian travel writer, The Bishop of the South Atlantic for the Roman Catholic Church...we are always the least traveled of the bunch.

Arriving Saint Helena 7:45am.

Our rental house is older this time, built fifty some years ago in the traditional Saint style with the bathroom accessed via the veranda. Our sweeping sea view faces directly west. Every sunset captivates me.

Our home while here. 

Our settling in has been smoother and easier this time. Much is familiar but most importantly friends welcomed us back just like we had only been gone a couple days. Sure there are many cultural differences but when you get down to it, people are really so very much the same. That has struck me so profoundly this time.

Looking north from The Peaks. Flagstaff is the pointy hill on the left. The barn which is volcanic formation is on the right. 

Thus far there's been a good bit of nesting, visiting, hikes and walks. We just started volunteering at SHAPE yesterday and now perhaps life with settle into a bit of a rhythm. 

Ever sunset is a marvel.

Taking SHAPE

SHAPE,  the organization that we volunteered with last summer, has posted a Vimeo about what they do.  Its great to see them growing! We really miss them and I think I've watched the video about 5 times already.

 
SHAPE - St. Helena Island from pillar2post productions on Vimeo.