Equip to Serve

In 2010, while vacationing in Jamaica, Karen Walls left the seaside resort to attend a Sunday morning service at a Baptist church perched on a hillside up in the interior mountains of the island.  The church had a beautiful Roland keyboard.  A hymnbook sat on the music stand for no other purpose than to keep the keyboardist on track as to which verse the congregation was singing.  Every song was played was in the same key, because the keyboardist used the only three chords he knew;  He could not read a note of music.

 

Upon inquiring, it was learned the keyboard was donated by ‘churches abroad in North America’.  Struck by the fact that it is one thing to write a cheque and send ‘stuff’ to other countries but quite another to go in person and train how to use those donations, a deep desire was planted in her heart that day -- to return to Jamaica to teach music literacy and equip church musicians with music skills and knowledge to use serving in their churches.

 

In 2013, Equip to Serve was granted status as a registered Canadian charitable organization for the purpose of education in music and creative arts in Jamaica.

 

Over the years, God has provided and presented windows of opportunity for growth in remarkable and unexpected ways, and ETS has witnessed lives changed because of passion ignited and purpose found in music.

 

2013    Summer music camp

2014    Easter week music camp at Maggotty High School/weekend workshop & concert at

                        Black River Baptist church

            Summer 5-day music camp at Maggotty High School

2015    Easter week music camp at Maggotty High School/weekend workshop & concert at

                        Black River Baptist Church

             Summer 5-day music camp at Maggotty High School

            Fall “Music for Christmas” choral music training for church choirs

2016    Easter week music camp at Maggotty High School/weekend workshop & concert at

                        Black River Baptist Church

             Summer 5-day music camp at Maggotty High School

            Fall “Music for Christmas” choral music training for church choirs

2017    Easter week music camp at Maggotty High School/weekend workshop & concert at

                        Black River Baptist Church

             Summer 5-day music camp at Maggotty High School

2018    Summer 5-day music camp at Maggotty High School

2019.   Summer 5-day music camp at Holy Spirit Centre

2020    No music camp due to Covid

2021    No music camp due to Covid

2022    Summer 5-day music camp at Holy Spirit Centre

2023    Summer 5-day music camp at Holy Spirit Centre

2024    Inaugural summer 10-day music & fine arts camp at Holy Spirit Centre.

 

 

QUESTIONS & FAQS

 

Where is Maggotty, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica where you focus your efforts?

Maggotty is a town located on the western side of the island in the southern interior mountains on the edge of an area known as “Cockpit Country”.  It serves as a hub to numerous surrounding mountain districts and villages where many churches, high schools and primary schools are located.  Thus, we are able to draw music camp participants from a wide radius, because roads for converge at Maggotty. 

 

Is ETS affiliated with a particular Christian church denomination?

No.  Our purpose is for all who trust and worship Jesus to share the experience and opportunity to develop music skills they can use to serve Him no matter their church denomination.

 

If you are non-denominational, why do you hold music camps at the Holy Spirit Catholic Mission?

 

In the spring of 2018, ETS faced an urgent need to find a new location to store equipment due to termites eating our guitars, wood cajons, drums and other supplies.

 

Located around the corner from Maggotty High School (music camps 2014-spring 2018), the Holy Spirit Centre responded to our need for storage and welcomed ETS to keep our equipment in its church building.   Rev. Mark then showed us around the grounds of the mission compound and offered us the use of its facilities for music camps which included team accommodation, dining hall, kitchen, classrooms, an auditorium for concerts, storage of instruments and ground transportation.  ALL MISSION TRIP NEEDS COULD BE MET IN ONE LOCATION!

 

Until then, mission trips/music camps held at Maggotty High School necessitated ETS rent a vacation home, rent a van, rent storage space for instruments, hire a driver, travel two hours each day, outsource lunches for music camp, and arrange many other challenging logistics.

ALL WE PRAYED FOR WAS STORAGE, AND GOD PROVIDED SO MUCH MORE!

 

Since the summer of 2018, ETS has had the privilege of holding its music camps at the Holy Spirit Centre.  A beautiful working relationship has developed between ETS and Rev. Mark and the other missionaries working alongside him.  Together, we hold a common passion and desire to serve Christ in the Maggotty area, and ETS is grateful for the encouragement, gracious hosting and loving support given us by the Holy Spirit Catholic Mission.

 

Does ETS charge a fee to attend music camp?

Music Camp is FREE.  It costs ETS approximately $50 per participant to cover the costs for theory workbooks, instrumental lesson books, daily lunches, snacks 2X daily, music supplies, daily prizes, transportation aid (if needed) and other incidental necessities.

 

A registration fee of about $4.00 CDN is required from participants.  This nominal amount was recommended to us by Jamaican educators/pastors to ensure commitment and attendance.  In many cases, a church will cover the registration fee for its worship musicians, and a school will cover the registration fee for its students.

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Can a person really learn to read music and play an instrument in 5 days of music camp?

The answer is a qualified “YES”;  progress varies depending on the aptitude of the participant and his/her use of practice time at music camp.   Though proficiency is at a beginner level, many participants are able to use the learned skills in schools or churches throughout the year between music camp.

 

How does music camp achieve success in effectively teaching music in a 5-day music camp?

 

1.  Twenty-three hours

• 46 half-hour lessons of hands-on learning

• a school year’s worth beginner lessons

 

 

2.  Consistency:

• Location:  Maggotty, St. Elizabeth

• Frequency:  Annual Summer Music Camps

• Curriculum:  ETS developed its own books for measured progress

• Volunteer Musicians:   Many teachers return each year to continue where they left off  & relationships with class participants

 

3.  Quality:

• Professional music studio setting (one instrument per person)

• Camp Policies ensure best possible learning experience

• Volunteer musicians have a passion & expertise to teach music

 

4.  Objective:

• To gift each participant with knowledge and a skill ability that can be used practically in churches & schools after leaving music camp.

(Example:  The acoustic guitar class teaches 3-5 simple basic chords, strumming patterns, and provides a guitar chord book of about 50 worship songs using those chords.)

 

How do music camp participants use the music skills learned at music camp?

Jamaican public schools are “Christian” and practice a routine of daily morning prayer, scripture reading and devotions as well as special assemblies at Easter and Christmas.   Students with music skills play instruments for school worship at assemblies , special activities and devotional times.

 

School Choir members attend music camp, including singers and accompanists.  It has been wonderful to watch some high school competitions on TV and to see our music camp participants singing and competing while being accompanied by a keyboardist and guitar player who learned to play at music camp.

 

Teachers and principals attend music camp and use the skills and music theory learned at music camp to teach in the classroom.  A teacher started an after-school music club, using her new-found skills and the instruments ETS donated to the school.  We LOVE educators who attend music camp, because they in turn can teach and ignite a passion for music in so many more than we are able.

 

Churches give the young people (as young as 10) opportunities to play instruments in weekly services.  Pastors welcome and are thrilled to have young worship musicians developing their skills and understanding how to read music.  Youth are getting plugged in to their churches by finding a place and purpose to use their music skills.

 

Alumni are teaching others.  Several have pursued post-secondary music education and have become music teachers or professional instrumentalists earning a living through music.