One hundred and twenty seven little heads bobbed into the
church building. Two hundred and fifty four sparkly little eyes looked up to
the front as Delsi welcomed them to church; most were there for the very first
time, while only a few had ever cast a shadow upon the entrance. Eager and
excited for the new adventure, they listened intently for the activities of the
day.
Monday
afternoon: 3:00pm
The teenagers from the church in Monchay were joined this week by a group from England to run a Vacation Bible School for the neighborhood kids. I walked into the church building that sunny, beautiful afternoon welcomed by a blanket of balloons all over the floor. I quickly learned how to make a flower out of a few balloons. Our fingers flew twisting and turning the balloons making little presents for the neighborhood kids. Minutes later, we were headed for the door again with our flowers and animals. A few clown noses were thrown out among the group and we set out parading around the neighborhood. We chanted and cheered trying to get the kids to come out of their houses and join us. After we had a significant group, some of us stopped in the middle of the road to play games, while a few went around a few more blocks herding in more little niños. Once the kids saw we were playing games and handing out balloons they literally started running in from every direction. We gave them little flyers for the VBS and showed where the church building was, then we headed out in a different direction to do it all over again.
The teenagers from the church in Monchay were joined this week by a group from England to run a Vacation Bible School for the neighborhood kids. I walked into the church building that sunny, beautiful afternoon welcomed by a blanket of balloons all over the floor. I quickly learned how to make a flower out of a few balloons. Our fingers flew twisting and turning the balloons making little presents for the neighborhood kids. Minutes later, we were headed for the door again with our flowers and animals. A few clown noses were thrown out among the group and we set out parading around the neighborhood. We chanted and cheered trying to get the kids to come out of their houses and join us. After we had a significant group, some of us stopped in the middle of the road to play games, while a few went around a few more blocks herding in more little niños. Once the kids saw we were playing games and handing out balloons they literally started running in from every direction. We gave them little flyers for the VBS and showed where the church building was, then we headed out in a different direction to do it all over again.
Tuesday
afternoon: 2:15pm
I squeezed into the bus with my guitar and backpack full of supplies planning to arrive at the church thirty minutes before the kids were supposed to arrive. I crawled my way off the bus and walked a short distance to the doors of the church only to find that many of the kids were already there. After being bored for the past week from their winter vacation from school, they were eager to start a new week of games, songs, snacks and drama. We had planned to start at 3:00 with approximately 60 kids in the audience. We started signing them in and dividing them into teams. The line of kids kept getting longer and longer. The kids who had gotten there early were getting restless waiting to begin. Finally, we welcomed them to EBDV. I finally had a complete view of the auditorium. The cheers and chants, balloons and clown noses had surely done their job the previous afternoon. One hundred and twenty seven kids attended the first day of Vacation Bible School. For the Bible Lesson time, we had to bring benches up to the second floor in order to seat the overflow of children. We even had a class of older students on the roof. The walls of my classroom were lined with 4, 5, and 6 year olds standing without a seat. Once the lesson had been taught and the memory verses learned, we all met once more downstairs for one last song. The church was filled with happy little voices enthusiastic from the afternoon spent in church.
I squeezed into the bus with my guitar and backpack full of supplies planning to arrive at the church thirty minutes before the kids were supposed to arrive. I crawled my way off the bus and walked a short distance to the doors of the church only to find that many of the kids were already there. After being bored for the past week from their winter vacation from school, they were eager to start a new week of games, songs, snacks and drama. We had planned to start at 3:00 with approximately 60 kids in the audience. We started signing them in and dividing them into teams. The line of kids kept getting longer and longer. The kids who had gotten there early were getting restless waiting to begin. Finally, we welcomed them to EBDV. I finally had a complete view of the auditorium. The cheers and chants, balloons and clown noses had surely done their job the previous afternoon. One hundred and twenty seven kids attended the first day of Vacation Bible School. For the Bible Lesson time, we had to bring benches up to the second floor in order to seat the overflow of children. We even had a class of older students on the roof. The walls of my classroom were lined with 4, 5, and 6 year olds standing without a seat. Once the lesson had been taught and the memory verses learned, we all met once more downstairs for one last song. The church was filled with happy little voices enthusiastic from the afternoon spent in church.
Wednesday
afternoon: 2: 30pm
I got to the church again hands full of supplies to help lead the songs. I fully expected to be greeted by hundreds of hands wanting to help me with my things. The benches were surprisingly bare of children. Thirty minutes past and we had about fifty students playing and singing with us. A few more trickled in late, but our numbers were cut in half. However, those who were there participated wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.
I got to the church again hands full of supplies to help lead the songs. I fully expected to be greeted by hundreds of hands wanting to help me with my things. The benches were surprisingly bare of children. Thirty minutes past and we had about fifty students playing and singing with us. A few more trickled in late, but our numbers were cut in half. However, those who were there participated wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.
Thursday
afternoon: 2:30 pm
“Admirable es nuestro Dios. Our God is an awesome God.
El reine con todo poder, He reigns over heaven and earth
con sabiduria y amor. With wisdom, power, and love.
Admirable es nuestro Dios.” Our God is an awesome God.
“Admirable es nuestro Dios. Our God is an awesome God.
El reine con todo poder, He reigns over heaven and earth
con sabiduria y amor. With wisdom, power, and love.
Admirable es nuestro Dios.” Our God is an awesome God.
We had started each day with a few songs. Thursday was no
different. The kids sang at the top of their lungs for the third day in a row.
Though our numbers were still lower than that first day, we were still going
strong with enthusiasm and energy. The theme for the week was “El Rey Pide” or “The
King Requests.” Each day we learned about a different King from the Old
Testament. Thursday we learned about King Solomon and the wisdom that he was
given. My class of little four, five, and six year olds memorized Proverbios
2:6, “Porque Jehova da la sabiduria…” Proverbs 2:6, “Because the Lord gives wisdom…”
Complete with hand motions, they tried to repeat each small little word after
the teachers said them.
Friday
afternoon: 3:00pm
The last day of VBS was our second largest day with eighty kids. After four afternoons of beginning in church, they were a little more wiggly and antsy than earlier in the week. The winner of game time (a game of musical chairs) was disputed amongst the teams. No one wanted to admit that he was a little slower than the rest. The little kids struggled to pay attention to the lesson. Instead, they just wanted to color their picture and eat their snack. The drama time captured the kids attention and had them rolling in laughter, while the prayer time afterward had them walking around or talking to their neighbor. All in all, the week was successful. The message of Salvation was clearly presented each day with a “Flip Flop” similar to a wordless book. We hope that the kids will come back on Sunday for the finale to find out which team won. They were told to bring their parents so their parents could see what they had been up to all week and so that they could hear a salvation message also. We’re praying that this week will bring the kids back to church each weekend to learn more about the Father’s love and his saving works through His Son. A successful week that will hopefully result in saved lives.
The last day of VBS was our second largest day with eighty kids. After four afternoons of beginning in church, they were a little more wiggly and antsy than earlier in the week. The winner of game time (a game of musical chairs) was disputed amongst the teams. No one wanted to admit that he was a little slower than the rest. The little kids struggled to pay attention to the lesson. Instead, they just wanted to color their picture and eat their snack. The drama time captured the kids attention and had them rolling in laughter, while the prayer time afterward had them walking around or talking to their neighbor. All in all, the week was successful. The message of Salvation was clearly presented each day with a “Flip Flop” similar to a wordless book. We hope that the kids will come back on Sunday for the finale to find out which team won. They were told to bring their parents so their parents could see what they had been up to all week and so that they could hear a salvation message also. We’re praying that this week will bring the kids back to church each weekend to learn more about the Father’s love and his saving works through His Son. A successful week that will hopefully result in saved lives.
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