Vacation Bible School!

Wow, we’re learning about dinosaurs this week! And we’re having a lot of fun. We’ve had popsicles in tubes, snow cones, and fudgesicles that melted alllllll over. It dripped from lips, noses, fingers and ran down arms. Little drops covered more distance than we thought possible, and I’m certain several mothers would love to complain to us – but the kids and grownups involved had fun.

We had a skit that went from day to day, introducing Professor Mesosmartmedumbdumb (well, that’s what it sounded like to me!) along with his friends Ug, Lee and Er. They kept the children in stitches and looking forward to each day’s discoveries.

Our buses left early each morning, bringing in children from the surrounding area that seldom attend church. About half the students are children of church members, half aren’t. But you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Every child has been a joy to behold. They sing along in the buses, line up in the gym for the march to the sanctuary, participate when the pledges are led, sing loud and strong, then pay attention to the skits.

There is a contest each day to see which group brings the most pennies for missions, will it be the boys or the girls? So far they are even – the boys have won twice and the girls twice when their pennies are weighed. This year’s mission money will help in a boys home in Mexico that our church will be visiting in July.

Crafts have been a busy activity, too. Papa prepared fifty sets of bookends that have now been painted, decorated and are ready to go home to hold their books. And the number of paper hats – two different styles – that the younger children made is almost beyond counting. They’ve made mobiles and transfers and colored and … it just keeps coming out of the crafts group each day.

This is the first time I’ve been able to work in Vacation Bible School for over forty years. Work always interfered. It’s been a lot of fun to watch these children as they spend time in the jump house and through balls to dunk the volunteering youth – or the Pastor today. Yep, they whooped and hollered when the water splashed with their fall from the perch. Then lined up to do it again.

There were helpers, too. About two of them for each child. Bus drivers, teachers, assistants, crafters, snack providers, performers, puppeteers – each one providing an example of God’s servants for these precious children.

Wednesday I met one young child while in Wal-Mart and she recognized me, telling her Mom and Dad how much fun she had at church. Oh, what a big smile on her face while doing so!

We pray she will continue to do so. And come to serve as an example herself as time goes by. God bless those who have done so, and those who will do so in the future. They speak for Him.

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:16 KJV)