JMJ
August 03,2011
The main criteria to get governmental approval and thus funds in the North is to have an event that is a substitute, an attack and negation of Christianity. Brabant Lake just experienced such an event in its Sixth Annual Youth and Elders Culture Camp. It was harmful to youth, an insult to Elders and an historic lie on Culture.
Before the event there was an infusion of drugs and booze in the community. During the event there was plenty of booze and drugs. Some people were more discrete about doing drugs off the site. The number one problem of youth is drugs. Rather than this camp being an alternative it is an excuse to get more drugs. Since it receives funds a portion is always skimmed off for drugs and booze. There is a move to have vouchers for supplies but trading groceries and store supplies is very easy, especially since some stores consider d& b as part of their stock. ( We’ll assume that the La Ronge Co- Op doesn’t do so.)
We are short of elders in this community due to many premature deaths in the last few years. John Caswell has been considered an elder for years. That isn’t an insult to be considered an elder. It just means that one is considered worthy of respect and should be heard. In addition he is a counsellor. But there was no place for him and his wife at this camp and there never has been. They let me cook some food for them. Period.
There is no place for Christian input at this camp, no prayers, no Grace before meals, no singing anything let alone Christian songs. Which leads us to the Culture part. It was the missionaries, Methodist, Anglican and Catholic who made Cree and other native languages a written language. Thus the languages were preserved. The communities were developed around a Church . The people were educated by the Church and were educated well. Those people who were fortunate enough to go to school learned English, how to read, write and do math. They were taught how to live on earth and the basics of Christianity to help them to get to Heaven. These accomplishments are rarely achieved in present day schools. The Church was the lobby for the natives to the government. Many missionaries were instrumental in making sure that native people got Treaty even if they already got script after the Riel Rebellion of 1870. The Church and the Crown made sure that natives were considered Canadians, not vermin or the enemy to be eliminated in wake of western expansion.
A minimum estimate is the five day camp cost $2240 . No huge figure except we have put on 6 weeks of camp with no government help. In addition and the worse part children, youth and adults learn a camp is where nothing is compulsory, hanging out is enough and no Christianity is taught. We waited until after the camp to put on to have Vacation Bible School. Some adults are deliberately taking children on activities at VBS hours. They know that the children would be happy to go.They’re afraid that since we have events without government funding that their gov. funding will be cut. We become a threat to their finances even though the families involved are not poor.
The absence of Christianity is so marked that when people were Sunday visitors to our home they were trying to stop Mr. Caswell from saying Grace for a meal we financed and prepared in our home.
I am tired of tax payer money used to attack Christian effort. There never were these camps but like many things in Brabant they began to compete and eliminate our Christian efforts. It’s time to nix these anti- youth, anti- elder, anti- culture camps. Gay
