Vacation Bible School 2018 has come and gone, and quite frankly, it is a relief to have it over. We decided on the theme of the life of Barnabas in the New Testament. Normally we begin preparing for Huejotzingo´s vbs in January, but with home schooling Abish and all the details of our new home, we didn´t begin any work on the vbs until late March. All the planning and preparation takes lots of time, but is completely consuming during the actual week of the school.
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| Our two registration ladies |
My dad and Joyce arrived a few days before the event. Abish and Lani were ready to pop waiting for them and were so excited when they actually came in the door. Waiting is difficult for little people.
Monday, as per the usual, was quite hectic as we set up the craft and worksheet for the day, enrolled the arriving children, and sorted out last minute details. Just like last year, my dad drove over to pick up some children who live too far away to walk to the house.
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| the schedule we more or less followed |
The other days went more smoothly, and each day saw four or five more children arrive than the day before. On the last day, we had 45, and on the enrollment, we had 54. Friends from Dios es Amor and two mothers from another church, along with other friends helped us teach the children, do the crafts and worksheets, serve snack and clean dishes, and run games.
Each volunteer was a great blessing. We certainly cannot run vbs without help.
Although our own kids mostly enjoy the week, it is also quite hard on them. Abish, a veteran of several vbs´ and the more outgoing of our kids, laments the end of the week´s activities. Lani becomes increasingly clingy and crabby as the days pass. On Friday I let her hang out in the living room for about an hour rather than participate outside with the other kids. The week is, without a doubt, very tiring.
On Monday Abraham dressed up as Peter to tell about Barnabas selling his field and donating the money to the disciples. A friend memorized the monologue of Paul who was first accepted by Barnabas after Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. I told Wednesday´s story from the point of view of a woman of Antioch where Paul and Barnabas stayed and taught for a year. Thursday was another friend telling John Mark´s story of how Barnabas accepted him again even after he had abandoned Paul and Barnabas in a previous missionary journey. On the last day, my brother-in-law spoke as Barrnabas about how following Jesus hadn´t always been easy.
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| Rachel as a lady from Antioch |
Thank you for your support and prayers for us. Please pray that the lessons from the life of Barnabas would stay with each person who participated in the vbs week. The majority of the children who attended do not do any other activity with us but have been to at least two or three vbs´.
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| Abraham as Peter, telling about Barnabas |
