The retreat ended up being really, really great. Accommodation was rough and very cold at night, but that was hardly noticeable. The kids were there to focus on their relationships with family, friends and others and to reflect on their lives. There were activities about communication and active listening (I ran one of those), making a road that signified their journey in life, reflecting on what each member of their family means to them and more.
On the first day the kids were read the story of the Warm Fuzzies. They then each got a bag that they put their name on and decorated. Over the course of the retreat everyone wrote "warm fuzzies" to one another, and everyone got to read the contents of their bad at the end. What a great idea!
I ran a workshop on day 2 called "Music is my Life", where the kids are meant to compile 10-12 songs that make them think about people and places in their lives. To model the task I shared some of my life experiences and played some songs. Even though I get up in front of a class 5 days a week, many times a day, I still felt quite nervous about getting up and sharing. But I'm glad I did, and I'm glad I was honest with them about some of the things that happened at different parts in my life. I think it encouraged the kids to dig deeper when they did the activity.
By the second day the mood at the retreat was already different. Kids were coming out of their shells, being more honest with one another and branching out, talking and interacting with other students who weren't necessarily friends before. That night we had a liturgy. Every student brought a candle, and we lit them all. Towards the end, the kids had to think about something they wanted to get rid of, a feeling, an experience, anger, guilt, etc. and they wrote it down on a piece of paper. One by one each kid quietly stood up in the candlelit room and ripped up their paper, throwing it away. After this, a girl named Emma got up to sing a song. She's had some tough times in her life and when she started to sing her voice broke and she began to cry. Immediately, friends were by her side, holding her hand, encouraging her. She sang the whole song, even though her voice was breaking now and then. It was really beautiful. Because of the overwhelming emotional reflection over the days, most of the kids were in tears when Emma sang her song. After the song finished everyone hugged someone, or many people. I had some students I didn't even know giving me a hug. In school it might feel weird, but it was nice on retreat.
The next day was also quite emotional - each student received a letter from their parents, or a parent. This part of the retreat reduced even the toughest, jockiest guys to tears. The great thing was the letters would say how proud parents were and how much they loved their kids. That reinforcement and expression of love and pride just made the kids cry, because they were overwhelmed with reassuring, happy feelings.
I think it was really a great experience for all the kids, and I feel so glad that I got to be a part of it. I wish we had done something like this at my school.
