SOFAMA



I want to invite you to participate in SOFAMA. Classes start at the beginning of the year in Villa Nueva, San José Pinula and other orphanages as funding and teachers become available. Classes consist in training to be a disciple of Jesus Christ (spiritual formation), teamwork activities, music education and training focusing on playing a wind instrument belonging to a concert band. Classes are open to children 12 years and older.


The schedule is Monday through Thursday 2:30-4:00 p.m. and Friday of 2.5 hours, and a second session Tuesday through Friday 4:15-5:45 and Friday 3:45-6:45. There are classes for beginners in both sessions, and for intermediates only in the second session.

The instruments are:  flute, oboe, clarinet, sax, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone, tuba.

The cost is Q25 per student per month, with Q25 enrollment.


Music Camp Guatemala is a ministry registered with SAT since 2012 for the purpose of teaching young people with limited resources. We have two programs: SOFAMA the band after-school program that has classes four to five times each week and Music Camp Guatemala that is the last week of June each year.

Our goal is to teach young people about the Word of God, how to be a disciple, and to train them to play an instrument and be part of a band.  Students participating in SOFAMA are encouraged to also participate in music camp.


More information about Music Camp Guatemala (McG) and SOFAMA: www.musiccampgt.org


To find out if there's still space, call Vivian Douglas - 5602-5664

Vivian Douglas

Vivian Douglas worked at Casa Bernabé, an orphanage in Guatemala, teaching, discipling and preparing children for ministry outreach from 1998 to 2017 and is currently director of Music Camp Guatemala and SOFAMA (the School of Fine Arts and Musical Arts).


Vivian first became interested in missions through attending the Urbana Missions Conference in 1990. After a series of unfruitful attempts to go into missions, she put it on the back burner.


Then in January 1995, God spoke to Vivian very clearly that He was going to do something new in her life. She started job hunting and before she knew, God had directed her efforts into a missions organization hunt.


After a short-term mission trip to Russia with a choir and orchestra, she was totally convinced that God wanted her to go into missions. She felt compelled and her church confirmed that she was indeed called to GO! She spent time in prayer and fasting; calling prayer meetings for her friends to come and pray with her and for her for Gods direction.


In 1995, Vivian joined Mercy Ships (at that time part of Youth With A Mission – YWAM) to teach in their International Christian School and to work on the evangelism team as well as the worship team.


In 1997, she attended a YWAM Discipleship Training School in Belize, which is an intense six-month missions-prep program of classroom and practical training. After that, she attended a Spanish language school in Guatemala.


After two years in missions, she felt released enough that she sold all of her household possessions, which included a large collection of music which was waiting for her to transcribe into horn duets or quartets.


In 1998, Vivian joined the staff at Casa Bernabé. At first, she was the teacher for the class that was made up of pre-kindergarten through first-grade and she organized and began the library of Casa Bernabé. The following year, besides her Kinder/Prepa class, she was also given the responsibility of teaching art and music, as well as being the librarian and supervisor over playtime with toys.


The year 2000 brought a special education program called PACE (Processing And Cognitive Enhancement) to her attention, and she was able to get the training and apply it at the orphanage while she also taught Creative Arts & Music classes.


In 2001 Vivian was able to begin a band program and put to good use all her musical training (BM St. Louis Conservatory, MM Cleveland Institute of Music (3/5 of BME  from Baylor University).  


Depending on the number of kids involved, she directed the program of 2-5 bands, and supervised a staff of up to 2 besides herself and short term volunteers, though she was responsible for teaching most of the classes. 


In 2001 with the twin towers terrorist attack, Vivian focused the music program to include more discipleship training and in 2016 implemented an even more focused discipleship training curriculum to go alongside each rehearsal, discipleship training as primary and musical training as secondary.  The Performing Arts Group (PAG), was designed from the beginning to be primarily for discipleship training so the band program was shifting to be more like PAG.


In 2004, Vivian began the Performing Arts Group (PAG), which includes drama, puppets, dance, clowning, music, juggling and other performing arts. Discipleship is the main goal of the performing arts group, with evangelistic outreach excursions being an end product. Team building is also a major focus of this group.  Each year on tour, many people from all over Guatemala  have received Jesus as savior and had their names written in the book of life.


In 2006 Vivian became aware of the possibility of the band kids attending a summer music camp in the USA but for several years her students weren't accepted (the caliber of the MasterWorks camp was for late high school and early college age students; her students are Jr. High level in years playing.)  In 2009-12 Vivian took members of the advanced band to the USA to do a concert tour and attend music camp (MasterWorks Festival, & Csehy School of Music). 


In 2011, even before attending the Csehy summer camp, Randy Hayes asked about starting a music camp in Guatemala.  The germ of the seed of vision was planted and in 2012  Music Camp Guatemala was registered with the government in Guatemala as a legal not-for-profit entity.


The summer of 2012 the first Music Camp Guatemala was held in Chimaltenango at Finca la Loma Doña Tina.  The camp is held the last week of June when both school systems (Guatemalan and North American) in Guatemala have vacation time.   Since 2012, the camp has also been held at various campgrounds. 


Each year kids have accepted Jesus as savior, and many have rededicated their lives to Christ.  The lives of the staff have been transformed as well, with a number of the USA staff sensing a calling to work as long term missionaries in Central America or with music.  The camp with its discipleship training focus allows for everyone involved to be challenged in their faith walk and given opportunities to make deeper commitments to live worthy of the Gospel.


In 2013-14, again while on furlough, God birthed the idea of expanding the program at Casa Bernabé to include more orphanages and put to better use all the resources God had been sending to the band program.  


In 2016 while on medical leave, God put an urgency to step out in faith and bring that vision to a reality.  Thus, SoFaMa was born and is an outgrowth of the music and performing arts programs Vivian had been doing at Casa Bernabé as well as the ministry of Music Camp Guatemala. 


The mission of Music Camp Guatemala is more in line with SoFaMa and because the target population is more than just one orphanage, it was decided that SoFaMa should come under the umbrella of Music Camp Guatemala.

History

History

Since 1998 at Casa Bernabé, God has sent many resources to the band program and yet since 2014 with the focus on the vocational program, fewer and fewer kids are able to participate in band.  Vivian had been talking with Flory, the Director of Casa Bernabé since 2014, about expanding the music program to include other orphanages and maybe start a school of music with all the resources we have.  


This is now becoming a reality with the School of Fine Arts & Musical Arts (SoFaMa). Trusting that God is leading and guiding, 2017 was a year to use the program at Casa Bernabé as a pilot program for SoFaMa. There have been many tweaks to the program and as always adaptations must be made along the way to accommodate the other ministries and activities that happen at Casa Bernabé.


It is called SoFaMa (School of Fine Arts and Musical Arts), and comes under the umbrella of Music Camp Guatemala (McG)  as it fits perfectly  with their mission and is equipped  to minister to more than just one orphanage or ministry.  


Besides doing the summer camp, it has been part of the longer plans for Music Camp Guatemala to do after school programs around the city, theory camps, teacher training camps, music classes, etc.  SoFaMa fits perfectly with that mission of being an after school program, but with priority on the orphanage population, missionary kids and kids at risk.  We will began with just the band program and as we feel led will expand to include orchestra, worship band, and other performing arts: clowning, drama, puppets, mime, dance, etc.


The focus is discipleship training as TOP priority but using the vehicle of music and performing arts with all its benefits to bring that opportunity for teaching discipleship. 


We are planning fund raising events both in Guatemala and the USA, to share about the ministry and see who God wants to be regular supporters for SoFaMa.  Besides startup costs, there are some regular monthly costs in order for the plan to work. Paying teachers, for their time and gas, storage location for the instruments and stuff not currently in use, space for doing instrument repair, possible renting of a school in which to do big rehearsals, cost of maintenance for the instruments, consumables that are needed for the instruments (oil, reeds, etc.)


There are big things happening, big vision, big changes, big faith to keep on going even when it seems impossible.  And of course a BIG GOD to give the vision and lead step by step to make it into a reality!  HIS WILL BE DONE!!!

Big Picture - Vision

YEAR 1:  


Multiple teachers at each satellite site doing simultaneous classes of 1.5-2 hours four to five times per week.  Kids will receive instrumental instruction, music theory, team building, and discipleship training.  


Beginning level:  woodwinds, brass, percussion, theory, discipleship training, band, sectionals, team building, and workshops.


End of the year, a concert/presentation will be prepared and performed at the Satellite site as well as potential other sites around the city.  


YEAR 2

Expands to include worship band.


Beginning level and intermediate levels.


End of the year a select group will be selected for participation in a tour in Guatemala for outreach purposes (includes service projects and testimonies).


YEAR 3+

Potential expansion could include homework tutoring, English as 2nd language, PACE brain training, Performing Arts Group classes.


Beginning level and intermediate and advanced levels.



ANNUAL GOALS for each site: Beginners to participate in a final concert.  Intermediate groups  to have minimum of 2 concerts per year, one in June/July and another near the end of the year.  Advanced groups to join with intermediate groups and in addition to also perform off campus and participate in church services, and other sites around the city.

Curriculum

I.  SPIRITUAL FORMATION

II.  MUSICAL THEORY

III.  TEAM BUILDING

IV.  INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING

V.  PERFORMING ARTS TRAINING

  

I.  SPIRITUAL FORMATION - possible topics of study:

BASICS: 

kingdom of light and darkness

salvation

redemption

baptism

TRANSFORMED LIFE - the process of maturing/ growth

spiritual disciplines

Apostles Creed

feeding your soul/spirit for growth

MIND set

Forgiveness given and received

Evangelism - the process of reproducing

Service:  mindset like Jesus

Spiritual Warfare:  

Eph. 6  

Strategies of God/Satan.  

fighting lies with truth

Promises

Power by the Holy Spirit

Characteristics of maturity:  lists of character qualities,

Fruit of the Spirit

God's character/ Identity

Who is Jesus/ what did he do/ Authority/ Return

Our Identity in Christ

Authority/ submission

Bible book studies (epistles)

BIG picture of the story of the Bible (God's plan of redemption)

Order of the books of the bible and what they hold. (categories) General Bible knowledge

 

II.  MUSICAL THEORY

A:  Theory basics through games: 

B.  Theory writing music: basic rules

C.  Jazz

 

III.  TEAM BUILDING


 

IV.  INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING

 

V.  PERFORMING ARTS TRAINING

A.  Clowning (stilts, gymnastics, rolla bolla, juggling, jokes )

B.  Drama

C.  Writing dramas

D.  Puppets

E.  Dance

F.  Mime

G.  Illusion and skits

H.  Balloon tying (animals and stuff from balloons)

Fund Raising - We invite YOU to join the adventure to bring this vision into reality. 

From North America:     

Make checks out to:

Commission Ministers Network

Put on memo line Music Camp Guatemala


and mail to:

CMN

P.O. Box 291002

Kerrville, TX 78029-1002


From within Guatemala:

You may make a direct deposit to our account at Banco G&T Continental

Asociación Music Camp Guatemala

Account number - Monetorios: 063-0001599-0

Orphan kids need:


Anchors....usually this is family and then expands to peers and other groups: band, church youth group, swim team etc.  Every kid needs a group where they are loved, where they are valued.  Orphan kids also need to be  challenged to expand and break out of the  false mindset that they have no value and nothing to offer the world.  The label of "orphan" is something they will always fight to break, in their own eyes as much as in society in general. 

SoFaMa will not only offer them a "group" in which to belong, but they will get the benefit of the spiritual formation for being a mature disciple of Jesus alongside the brain enhancing activities of learning to play an instrument and use the arts to express the deeper feelings that they may not otherwise have the words to express. 


With SOFAMA we hope to create a "family" like atmosphere where the kids can feel loved, nurtured, and accepted.  They will be challenged to work as a team, as one body, as a family; they will learn how to work with others in collaboration to reach a bigger goal than they alone could achieve.  They will learn biblical principles of how to govern life to be pleasing to God and to connect with Him. 


At the end of the year we plan to have concerts and presentations and a vision for taking these presentations (sprinkled with the testimonies of the kids) on tour and not just sharing the gospel, but putting into practice what God has been training us to do as disciples, to serve and meet the needs of those who have less than we have.


SOFAMA hopes to give them a platform, and equip them to launch them out into the world as disciples, evangelists, pastors, ministers.  Our goal is transformed lives into the likeness of Jesus.


For this ministry to become a reality we will need regular supporters.  Sponsors for the kids participating.  The start up costs and the running costs will need to be provided for.  As a not for profit organization, Music Camp Guatemala cannot "sell" stuff.  We can offer concerts for fund raising purposes solo as donations only. 


Being located in Guatemala, the potential to get enough donors to support this ministry from within the country is unlikely.  We'll never be self supporting but with your help, we can partner together to help train up these orphan kids to not just be Christians but followers and disciples of Jesus; equipped to do outreach and ministry  and prepared to face the storms of this life with deep roots of faith.


In Matt. 28:19 Jesus gives the Great Commission "Go into all the world making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you."  Col. 1:10  says "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God... "


The cost of one teacher for one month is $400.  Each satellite location will need 3 teachers teaching at the same time (so the kids are not without anything to do and not sucking up their whole afternoon),


The cost of one satellite location for one month is $1,200


We have 5 satellite locations in the works.....2 are for sure going to happen in 2018.  It is possible we can combine 2 of the ones that are requesting.  We are still negotiating with the orphanages and trying to find the best site.


If we just do the 2 satellite locations in 2018, then the cost would be for the YEAR: $28,800.  That is what we are trying to raise with this tour.


OUR GOAL FOR THIS TOUR IS TO RAISE UP DONATIONS AND SUPPORTERS THAT WILL COMMIT TO COVER THE COSTS FOR 2019 FOR AT LEAST 2 SATELLITE LOCATIONS


$28,800.


ICM  is a fully registered 501c3 Non-Profit ministry. All gifts and donations are tax-deductible. Music Camp Guatemala and SoFaMa are under the sponsorship of ICM.  In Guatemala Music Camp Guatemala is its own tax deductible entity. (NGO)