The Igniting

The Lighting a Fire for a Better Jamaica Summer Camp, aka FIRE 2012, began with the opening ceremonies on Monday July 16, 2012. Parents were welcomed and Chelsea Wallace, the visionary of FIRE, gave a synopsis of the process through which FIRE became a reality.

Pastor Beresford Pryce of Kingdom Embassy Ministries gave a brief exhortation to the parents and students present. His words were well-received. The standards and protocols to be followed during the 5 weeks of FIRE were laid out in the hearing of the parents ans students. Tools for the camp, particularly the laptop and the water cooler purchased with project funds, were then blessed and dedicated for efficient usage and benefit of all involved in carrying out the project. Students were then presented with writing instruments they would be using throughout the camp.  

To close out the opening ceremonies, the camp was declared open and blessed by Pastor Pryce.

We, as the mentors of FIRE, will accomplish our goals of a change in perspective within the students by involving them in many activities and discussions. These will sharpen their awareness of who they are, and how their education can serve as a tool for maxmising all that they have within them so as to change their world for the better.

We are now in Week 2 of FIRE. Thus far we have engaged the students in tours to the Bob Marley Museum, Liberty Hall, Emancipation Park, and Heroes' Circle. From these tours we have engaged the students in discussion s about their identity, freedom, and what their freedom allows them to be. This week, we will be focusing on the students' TAGs - their talents, abilities, and gifts.

We have seen positive growth thus far, and are looking forward to further improvements. FIRE 2012 is providing the tools for these students to light their own fires, to ignite what they have within them so as to empower them to enforce change.