Music as Therapy

News from Bethlehem 3

Every day in Bethlehem brings some fantastic new experiences. Our timetables are sorted for the Music as Therapy training sessions and we are thrilled with the SOS staff that we will be working with. It fills us with confidence to be working with such enthusiastic people, so keen to learn new skills through Music as Therapy and eager to see the effect it can have on the children.

We have now begun delivering sessions, working with individuals and with groups at both the SOS Village and the SOS School. Even after our first session it became evident that children are the same all the world and their reactions and responses to music and musical instruments are striking similar to those of children we have worked with at home in Britain. It’s true therefore that music really is a universal language. Liz and I are extremely happy with the sessions so far as the Music as Therapy trainees are immensely creative, they are developing new skills very easily and are already confident to lead activities with the children once we have demonstrated.

Outside work Liz and I are really finding a home in Bethlehem. We know our way around very well now and our Arabic is improving everyday! The SOS house that we are living in is brilliant. Our two little brothers not only help us with our Arabic but they teach us Arabic dancing and have yet to laugh at us even though I am sure we’re not quite getting it! Another few evenings dancing with them around the living room will only lead to much improvement I am sure!

News from Bethlehem 2

BLOG 2

Hannah and I have now had the chance to really settle in here in the Village, and feel part of the family.

Unfortunately the meetings we set up to sort out the sessions and training have had to be changed for various reasons, so we now have 2 meetings tomorrow to sort everything out. We will be training 6 staff in total, 3 here at the Village and 3 at the school. Weíre so excited to start this work!

Although it was frustrating to have the meetings changed, we have had the opportunity to observe classes in the school and meet the children here in the Village. We have taken some instruments round to the houses and played music with lots of children, as this will give us a good idea as to who would most benefit from Music as Therapy sessions and what the therapeutic aims of this work would be. We bought a æ guitar as we thought this would be a nice way of bringing music to the children, and it has proved really popular. The music teacher we will be training plays guitar, so we thought he would be able to use it in his sessions too.

Yesterday, Hannah and I went to an Olive Festival in nearby Beit Jala. There were lots of community music and dance groups performing, with local crafts and foods for sale and sampling ñ I particularly enjoyed the chocolate stall! We also bought some lovely embroidered cushion covers and Jerusalem stone ornaments, so are already collecting memories of our time here.