One reason we went to Joplin for 10 days was to help with the VBS there. On Monday, July 13, the ones who were available met at the church to get everything set up for VBS starting that night. The VBS had a Pioneer--Oregon Trail theme. On the back walls were the point chart and the map to Oregon. We put covered wagons on the point chart with each child's name and moved them up to the top as they gained points by saying the memory verse each evening.
We had "wanted" posters on the side walls of the church to put pictures of each child who came and the stickers they received for being there, bringing a friend, and bringing a Bible. We started with 41 children on Monday evening. By the end of the week, there were over 85 wanted posters on the walls. The largest attendance was Wednesday night with 70 kids. Even on Friday night, we got 5 or 6 new attendees.
Randy painted this background in his shop on painting tarps. Rowen, Jeffrey, and Jason built the frame work for it. My dad helped make the wagon and our kids painted it.
Brenda is giving a talk on Tuesday evening to the 3-10 year olds, right before Tim tells them the Oregon trail installment. The lady helpers wore prairie skirts and bonnets, and the guys wore bandanas and cowboy hats.
Brenda is taking roll.
Tim was a great story teller. Joy told the story for the youth (age 11 and above).
Joy wrote the story and it ended on a cliff hanger every night! I never got to hear Joy but she is a very dramatic story teller, as well.
Some of the children had a hard time showing attentiveness. (understatement of the year!)
Joy going over the memory verse with the youth in the basement chapel. When Tim was finished with the story, the 6-10 year olds went down to the basement and the youth came upstairs for their story. The 3-5 year olds went to the Sunday School room with me for their memory time and a Bible Story.
Some people are in the line for getting their prizes; others are having another drink of kool-aid.
Randy and Tim discussing the plan for taking the kids home on church bus and van.
Before snack time every evening was organized play. The kids were divided into their age groups, so the littler ones would not get hurt. We were playing "Doggie, doggie, who has your bone?" here.
I never heard the little girl standing up say a word all week. Her brother interpreted all her silences for the rest of us.
Here we are playing "Duck, duck, goose". Beth and Jeffrey helped me a lot with my group. We had from 7 to 21 in our class!
The middle group playing volleyball.
The youth had their own playing field.
On Friday, the project for the day was filling water balloons-1000 of them-for the picnic activities the next day. My sister, Brenda Owens, and her family were visiting Joplin, so we had Rebekah and Andrew helping us fill the water balloons.
We didn't get any pictures of the water balloon toss or the water balloon fights on Saturday, because Jason participated and didn't want his camera to get wet. Rowen and I were not at the church on Saturday because of my high school reunion activities. So these are pictures of the picnic on Saturday.
The following are pictures of the program on Sunday evening. Below is Tim and Brenda's 6-10 age class either singing or saying their verses.
Randy speaking to the group. There were at least 13 family members, and about 40 of the children who came.
The "wanted" posters on this side of the church were for the 11 and up group.
The "wanted" posters on this side of the church were for the 3-10 year olds. Not all of them are showing as they filled this side of the church. Brenda was talking to the group.
We were very glad we were able to be there this particular week to help our family with the VBS. Those kids were a big handful, and needed "all hands on deck, ur, prairie schooner!"
I have not been around so many needy children at once; some of them have no concept of attentiveness or respect. They are there for the free candy and maybe to see if they can cause trouble. We tried our best to show them God's love.
We thank the Lord for the gospel seed that was sown in their lives. We pray it will bring forth much fruit. At least one young fellow was asking very interested and probing questions about getting right with God and making right choices.
