Camp McDowell

A number of young people from the three deaneries of the Diocese of the Virgin Islands traveled to the Diocese of Alabama during the summer to take part in Sawyerville Day Camp and Camp McDowell.  The trip was part of a series of events marking a new Companion Diocese relationship, which was formalized last year.  Aleta Tyrell and Alenia Buncome-Murraine served as counselors at Sawyerville, a free day camp for economically disadvantaged children in Hale County, and spent a week interacting with 6 to 14 year olds. While the two served in many roles, they agree that they received even more than they gave and that their lives were touched by both the staff and the campers.

DeAnalyn Gumbs from the St. Thomas Deanery and Gregory Gibson from the St. Croix Deanery (both in the US Virgin Islands) attended Camp McDowell from July 7th to 12th, while Sean Georges, Clifton Forbes, Jr., Timothy Malone, and Travis Thomas from the Deanery of the Virgin Islands (in the British Virgin Islands) attended senior camp from July 17th to 26th. Not only were they able to participate in recreational activities like canoeing, hiking, and rock climbing, but they were also able to visit and do minor chores on Magnolia Farm.  The seniors say a major theme of their time at Camp McDowell was the importance of remembering their baptism and its implications for their relationship with God and with other people. 

Both groups have talked about how loved they felt and were so excited at what they experienced that one of the first questions they asked when they returned was whether they could go again next year. Through the spiritual and recreational activities they were able to make new friends, and hope to be able to welcome a group of Alabama youths to the Virgin Islands in the summer of 2017.