THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 25, 1996 TAG: 9608260686
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KATRICE FRANKLIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 83 lines
For 16 boys from Faith Deliverance Christian Center, spending Saturday on a farm was a chance to experience things they never thought they'd do - like learning how to plant vegetables and ride horses.
But what the boys from Norfolk, age 7 to 18, didn't know was that they would also learn much more: Like the value of hard work while planting collard greens. Like the importance of teamwork while building a greenhouse. Like the way their ancestors lived years ago while working as slaves planting and harvesting crops.
``This is fun,'' 13-year-old Derrick M. White said as he painted a small bus. ``They're teaching us how our ancestors felt years ago when they plowed fields and worked on farms. I didn't think it was this hard. If we hadn't come out here, I wouldn't have learned these things.''
Through an organization at their church, White and others spent the day at a farm on Hosier Road in Suffolk, being educated on what it takes to become a farmer - everything from building a shed for cows to raising and training horses and dogs.
Called neophytes, which means beginners, the boys meet every Saturday morning at their Norfolk church from March through December to learn how to become young men. They are teamed with a group of male mentors from the church. Most Saturdays the boys meet and participate in rap sessions on mental or spiritual awareness.
Other times they take field trips.
``We're getting them involved in projects to cultivate their awareness of their African-American history,'' said Tim J. Smith, a mentor and coordinator for Saturday's outing. ``We also focus on the value system.
``The purpose of today is to help them understand that a lot of the things they see in a grocery store don't come from the grocery store but from a farm,'' he continued. ``It's also to help them understand that farming is a part of their history and was what our ancestors had to do.''
The boys were surprised to learn Saturday that they would actually be working on Shawne R. Bryant's farm. Bryant, a gynecologist in Virginia Beach, is also a member of the Faith Deliverance church.
Bryant rounded up farmers from Suffolk to spend time with the boys.
The day began with a walk through the 47-acre farm, which is full of soybeans. Then, they learned how to ride horses from a Surry animal trainer. Next, they split into groups to accomplish different tasks, like painting and building a greenhouse. A retired police officer talked to them about making positive choices and showed them how to defend themselves without weapons.
They also planted collard greens. Before Christmas, Bryant wants the boys to come back and get the collards to eat during the holidays.
``It takes a community and the church to help our children,'' she said. ``We have the answers. We just have to use them.
``We have to teach them about different cultures and show them different things like farming while they're young,'' she continued. ``Look at them. They're having fun.''
Throughout the day, many of the boys said they thought farms had air conditioning.
``I thought there would be some sort of meeting place where we could cool off,'' said 12-year-old Michael Robinson, wiping the sweat from his face. ``I certainly admire my ancestors more.''
Ten-year-old Corey Williams said the heat didn't really bother him, because he was excited about riding a horse. ``I've never been on a horse, and that one looks pretty scary,'' he said, pointing to a large, brown one. ``But when I go back and tell my sister that I went on a farm and rode a horse, she's gonna say, `Cool,' because she's always wanted to ride one.''
Eleven-year-old Terry L. Harris, who wants to become a computer programmer, said his favorite task during the day was painting.
``I like painting,'' he said, carefully dipping a brush into a can of white paint, trying to copy what Joseph E. Johnson, an experienced painter, showed him. ``We're doing a pretty good job. It looks pretty good. I`m having fun.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Project coordinator Tim J. Smith of Portsmouth reflects on what
brings him, several volunteers and the 16 boys to a Suffolk farm on
Hosier Road on Saturday morning.
Photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Offering rides, horse and canine trainer Mike C. Robinson of Surry,
talks to several boys about the animals as part of a mentoring
program at Faith Deliverance Christian Center. The group spent
Saturday at a Suffolk farm learning about farming and life. by CNB