When The Spirit Says Move

Historical April–May 2007 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

Backflash to the spirit of the 60’s when assemblages for human liberty were percolating in corners and crevices of the Skinker DeBaleviere area. Somewhere on the cusp of civil rights, a flock of children under the wings of Betty and Rob Renard found themselves staggering in awe through vacant rooms of their grand new habitat in Parkview Place.

The voices of seven, (soon to be eight), children echoed through wide open spaces of the manor on McPherson and over the years their voices and uncommon stories were heard in the halls of St. Roch and throughout the neighborhood.

I know these tales well because I was the middle child in this unconventional flock, clamoring to find my place in a world on the brink of transformation.

The year is 2007, and I’ve come full circle.

The values for human rights instilled in me during my formative years in the pulsating neighborhood of Skinker DeBaleviere have carried me to a place where I have been asked to take uncommon risks. Allow me to share with you some twists and turns that have led me in the direction of writing, illustrating, publishing and creating projects with Senecorps to raise awareness and support the underserved in Senegal, West Africa.

In the summer of 2004 I had the opportunity to volunteer with Senecorps, a non for profit organization dedicated to building bridges through service learning expeditions to Senegal, West Africa.

I was immersed in a culture in which people wake up to the reality of extreme poverty, day in and day out. Living in the manner of the Senegalese, I learned to bathe myself and wash my clothes from a bucket of cold water and dropped 12 pounds in a month eating fish, chicken onions and rice with no snacks in between.

But these were only passing moments of discomfort for me because I knew that in a short time I’d be able to hop on a plane and return to the excess comfort of the USA.

When I returned it took a long time to work through the culture shock which I have only been able to resolve by working on projects to support the Senegalese.

While I’ve received a lot of encouragement and support, there have been a few friends who have reminded me that there is much to be done in our own back yards. So it is! I’m a teacher and in my classrooms I have found many ways to connect my students with West African culture.

The kids here are eager to learn and eager to reach out in service to the children of Africa who are not so unlike themselves.

The stories and traditions I share with my students are true and the music I have taught them is authentic and rich.

In turn, when I visit Africa, I teach the children about our own culture and share our heritage through story and song.

I can only say that the world is small and our neighbors are so eager and gracious for the gifts we offer.

In Senegal, a single pencil and piece of paper are considered treasures. I’ve had the good fortune of serving as a teacher in the United States for twenty years. Today, I’m ready to focus my energy differently while utilizing all that I’ve learned as an educator over the years. I’ve spent the past three summers volunteering abroad with Senecorps, building and renovating schools, planting gardens, providing supplies for hospitals and clinics and helping artisans by selling their work at fair trade prices.

Most recently, our organization has established Senecorps Synergy Youth Corps. (Register a Middle School or High School group for a 10-15 day service-learning trip to Senegal, West Africa and two teachers from your school will go for free!) Senecorps also offers medical and teaching internships for college graduates and other interested adults.

This summer we’ll be cutting the ribbon at a ground breaking ceremony for the opening of our first learning center and library for youth and adults. Currently, we have a goal of raising $5,000.00 by mid-April for a large shipment of books, computers, furniture and equipment that have been generously donated to Senecorps for The Learning Center. We’re also very excited about activities surrounding an art school and civic youth group that we’ve supported in the city of Thies. Our work with schools, universities and medical facilities in Senegal continues to expand each year. We’ve been dialoguing with professors at the University of Dakar and St. Louis University in St. Louis, Senegal, our sister city, in the development of Senecorps’ study abroad program. Last summer we created a sponsorship program for 250 underserved children at Daara Malika boarding school. For the past three summers we’ve worked with teachers and children at this school on renovation projects, bringing closure to our work through the Senecorps Junior Olympics. Fundraising, grantwriting, establishing internships and developing programs such as Senecorps Synergy Youth Corps and Senecorps Summer Corps for adults have become a major focus in my life.

During my time away, I have been awakened to the beauty of West African tradition and I want to continue sharing these treasures. Inspired by the ability of the Senegalese to celebrate life with dignity and generosity in the midst of immense suffering, I have written, illustrated and published my first children’s book, Come Bless the Baby, (A Song of Love and Celebration in West African Tradition).

This combination book and musical CD is based on the Ngente, a Senegalese Baby Naming Ceremony and can be purchased at independent and major bookstores or through Big River Distribution.* I’m 53 years young and am not interested in keeping up with the Jones’s. It’s taken me a life-time to realize that being the boisterous middle child who marches to the beat of a different drummer is not such a bad thing. I’m moving toward my passion before settling forever into a rocking chair.

I don’t have a clue about when such a day might come, but if and when it does, I’m sure I’ll be good and ready.

When the Spirit says move, you’ve got to move!

Please support our work and join us for a lively evening of African music art and cuisine.

This fundraiser for Senecorps will be held on April 12 from 7:00 to 9:30 P.M. at the Regional Arts Commission on Delmar.

The suggested donation is $10.00 and we’re asking for contributions of new or lightly used tennis shoes. Handcrafted African jewelry, carvings, clothing and children’s original paintings will be for sale.

I may even muster up the courage to hoist my guitar and share a few treasures of African music that I’ve learned.

A signed copy of Come Bless the Baby will also be available at this event. Senecorps is a non for profit 501-c3approved organization.

All contributions are tax deductable.

To learn more about Senecorps visit www.senecorps. org . *For information about Come Bless the Baby visit www. bigriverdistribution.com & www. aaduna.com.

Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2007.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Archival transcription note: Article fundraiser is 10 dollar donation and 7–9:30 pm; page 2 calendar and page 7 poster say 5 dollars plus shoes and 7–9 pm. Source conflict retained.

Original source: SD_Times2007_04.pdf, printed page(s) 4, 7; PDF page(s) 4, 7.