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| Blue Sunday
Makes Big Splash... San Antonio's CPS kids and families enjoy a day at Sea World |
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Dolphins and whales and otters, oh my!
For many San Antonio CPS children, the adventure was almost too much. Keeping a rein on their excitement, almost impossible. Music and laughter, thrills and rides, a water park - and Shamu, too? What to do, what to do....  And
to top it all off, hot dogs and hamburgers and popsicles and giant cookies.
What to eat first?They came, they sought, and with an almost unquenchable thirst, they drank heavily from the magic cup of adventure that is Sea World San Antonio. For the organizers and donors, this was the finale of Child Abuse Prevention Month, intended to raise public awareness and the recognition of local abused and neglected children. This was Blue Sunday - April 29th - a national day of prayer for these children. But for the children themselves, it was so much more. It was a day that many would never forget, a day that would help others forget - that would help heal their hurts. So it wasn't all about fun and festivities. It was also about the very special prayer service. And, it was the anticipation that later music would fill the air of the wet and wild theme park.  An awesome procession of singers and speakers highlighted the prayer service. There was a drill team from the Resurrection Baptist Church, CPS Regional Director Sherry Gomez, and a group of mimes that brought the crowd to tears with their dramatization of Jason Michael Carroll's hit song "Alyssa Lies." Not to mention the Yanawana Drummers from the American Indians of Texas and the Christian rock band, Standing Amazed. Interspersed throughout were special prayers by leaders from various faiths - for the children, for caseworkers, for police officers and firefighters, and for parents, foster parents, and adoptive parents. Christian recording artist Glenn Green and his group also performed, as did the University United Methodist Church Children's choir, who graced the crowd with an angelic rendition of "I Am A Child." During the choir's performance, a seven-year-old CPS boy (who attended with 
his mother and little brother) kept moving closer to the stage as the children sang. Desperately, he tried to sing along, while mimicking the motions of the choir director. After the service, one of the Blue Sunday organizers asked the child if he would like a t-shirt from the service. "YES!!" he shouted. "If I get a t-shirt, can I be in that choir?" Later, his mother related that the boy can't stop talking about how much he loved the choir . Choir director Rev. Denise Barker told the Child Abuse Prevention Month Task Force, "Needless to say, I think we'll be having one more choir member, and it will be his first time to ever be in a church choir."  This was the third annual citywide Blue Sunday program held in San Antonio. The service culminated a month filled with events, starting with the April 2nd kick-off. The city's mayor, police chief, and numerous county officials joined in signing a declaration promising to put the full weight of their resources behind battling child abuse and neglect. At an April 2 news conference, State Senator Carlos Uresti announced the spectacular plans for Blue Sunday. The Senator led the way in raising thousands of dollars to send 2500 people - parents and children - to Sea World San Antonio, complete with t-shirts, transportation, snacks, and a full lunch.  CPS families in Kinship Care, Preparation for Adult Living (PAL), and Family Based Safety Services (FBSS) were joined at the park by foster children from various agencies and shelters throughout San Antonio. Chartered buses picked up many of the excited children, parents and caregivers from two different CPS buildings and shuttled them to the park. Members of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) met the buses at the parking lot entrance, noisily escorting thrilled kids to the park gates. The Child Abuse Prevention Month Task Force, the CPS speaker's bureau, and other CPS staff numbered among the volunteers. This was Blue Sunday in Bexar County, a day that many CPS children will remember for a long time. A day for children to just be children. A day that may, thankfully, help others to forget - by replacing the sting of abuse and neglect with a whale of joyful memories. - submitted by Mary Walker, Region 8 Public Information Officer |
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