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The Truth and Mama Mary Sunbeam

Truth

By Nahla M

I was so glad to go on this field trip. We arrived at Mama Mary’s daughter's house, and we set up a fire. We started singing in different languages and playing musical instruments. Mama Mary really helped me understand how life works and what life is about. She helped me understand that it’s not just me in this world who feels the same way.

The best thing about this trip for me was when we went in the lodge and we started saying what we felt and what we would like to get back to us. Right then I figured out that people around me were feeling the same thing. Mama Mary told me that you are the only person who could free your mind from anger, pain, and bad things. I had a great time with my friends and with Mama Mary.  Sorry if I can’t be more specific; to understand, you have to go there when you experience the lodge yourself.  Thank you so much, Mr. V, for letting me go on this trip.  It was great and an experience I will never forget. I strongly suggest that if anyone gets an opportunity to go, they should not waste it. It’s really a life-changing experience.  

Teachings of Mama Mary Sunbeam

Teachings

By Kwadwo O-K

                   

            It was such a nice and beautiful drive to Mama Mary's place in Dale City. I experienced a lot of things. Some of the things we did were that, we sat by a fire with some pieces of rocks surrounded by it. We sung a whole lot of songs in different languages. 

            I also sung my own song entitled “Rasta Rocky World.” Mama Mary is a special type of person who is kind and helps people to share their feelings. She is like a mother to everyone, and if everyone on this planet had a mother like her, the world would be a better place because she is very kind to all her children. She helped us to know how to forgive each other and how to make new friends.

             There are a lot of things that I learned from Mama Mary; she also helped us to share our thoughts and feelings with ourselves. By sharing our thoughts and our feelings, I experienced similar feelings within many different people.

Lina's Reflections and Mama Mary

Possibilities

By Lina E-B

What Mama Mary did was not impossible. She knew what was in each and every one’s heart. She knew how to reach that point of weakness and she also destroyed that wall that was between friends. She also made people speak up and show their real emotions and true feelings. Mama Mary’s trip made me really appreciate the two people that were sitting beside me for supporting me and having supported me since the time I met them, and also showed me who cares and who doesn’t. She also made me learn from this trip that it’s better to share your anger or love with someone you know that is hurting too, or at least having the same feelings, instead of by yourself, alone. Also I learned from her that I need to give a good chance to people to make them express themselves, and give the others the right opportunity and time to speak because they might have something to say that will mean so much to the heart.

In the end I would like to thank you, Mr. Van Opdorp, for letting us have this trip and for choosing the right people to join us.  Also I would like to thank Mama Mary for letting us explore each other’s feelings and thoughts and anger.  So thank you.          

Mama Mary Sunbeam and the Lodge

Peace

By Christen B

On Monday after school we all went to the art room to meet Mama Mary.  I was really excited to see her, because Mr. Van Opdorp has talked about her a lot. We were all waiting for her until she came. She started introducing herself to each one in the class room. I think she was so amazing because she talks in a special way. We did an activity with her; it was so wonderful because I actually learned something from this activity. I learned that all the people that we care about are like our relatives. I really enjoyed this activity, and I think it was really cool meeting with Mama Mary. I'm really glad I went to that meeting because I learned lots of things and one of them is to start peace beginning with myself first. 

Abdul - Healing Lodge and Mama Mary Sunbeam

Journeys

By Abdul RK

It was a great and long ride from Reston to Dale City. It was about a one-hour drive. On our way aboard the bus we took some photos, created a lot of fun and thought as we went along.  At last, we reached Dale City. Mama Mary welcomed us very warmly. She introduced us to her daughter, Strongheart.  Her daughter was also very nice and welcoming to us. After some time we sat by a fire and with some large rock placed in the middle of it. We sang different kinds of song such as “Happy Birthday” in Spanish, German, and Arabic. There were also other songs in French, reggae, Polish, and Creole. We had a lot of fun.   We also took some photos while we were sitting by the fire. Afer that we ate some food and prepared to enter the lodge. We spent a lot of time in that special place. After that, we came out and ate lunch. While we were eating Mama Mary told us to write some thank you notes to the teachers and our fellow students. We wrote them and placed the teachers’ notes in a large envelope, and the student notes in an egg, and and then we gave them all to each other. We left Dale City about 4:00pm. It was also a great ride home; some people sang songs, and some were just talking. I really didn’t want the trip to end. I had a lot of fun; I had a new experience of different cultures and traditions. I was so happy to experience it. I learned a lot of new things and met some new friends.   

Reflections on the Lodge with Mama Mary

Harmony

By Andrea C

Some experiences that touch the deepest place in our souls make us see a different perspective of life. I lived that experience with a wise woman called Mama Mary. The knowledge that was passed down from generations to generation in her culture, she shared with us to understand a little bit more about ourselves and other people around us. Moreover, I found out that some people feel the same way I feel and they don’t express it. I’ll never forget the spiritual moment I have been blessed with,. Mama Mary was able to set us free from our pain, our fear, and bad things in our life that were locked up inside us. I learned a lot from this experience where everyone was an important part in this field trip and it brought more peace and harmony in my life.

            Thank you Mr. Van Opdorp and Mama Mary.