Camp ‘Wee’ Kon-da Ho!
So far, VBS is off to a great start! One director came down sick just prior to the kick-off, but still everyone is having a great time and learning together about following Jesus and the importance of camp ministry in the lives of our children and youth. Andrea Underwood is doing a fantastic job flying solo…and we all miss Myra Miller’s joyful spirit, but none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of many volunteers and the strong support of a loving congregation.
Vacation Bible School seems to be an explosion of success in some congregations and a tremendous struggle in others. I’ve heard stories of congregations who prepared for 25 children and had 100 show up. I’ve listened to friends from neighboring congregations talk of running buses into area neighborhoods and bringing in children by the dozens and last minute runs to the store to purchase more supplies because they had more children than they anticipated. I’ve also heard stories of congregations who transitioned to 2 or 3 day events because they just didn’t have enough children to warrant a full week or who were concerned their volunteers just couldn’t take any more on than what they were already committed to.
There seems to be little rhyme or reason to what constitutes a VBS success. Some may think that whichever church has the highest number of children in attendance wins. Others feel strongly that having enough volunteers to handle the amount of kids who show up is a win. Still the consideration of maintaining the integrity of budgetary concerns is important in the question of how many show up. And some may want to know how many professions of faith are a direct result of children attending VBS…or will their family join the church…that this might be the truest measure of success.
The lives we touch through our efforts with Vacation Bible School are tenuous at best. Some children are taken from church to church to church all summer long to participate in all the VBS programs possible in any given community. Sometimes this is because the churches offer meals. It may be motivated by a need for child care. It might be because a parent feels ill equipped to offer a religious education for their child, but knows it is important for them to have one and VBS might just get that done. Or maybe they remember how much fun it was for them growing up and want to share that with their children. Sometimes kids just want to be where their friends are, so they end up going to many VBS programs to spend time with the kids they like to be around.
No matter what the motivation a parent holds for sending us their children, and no matter how we might measure the success of our program, I feel immensely blessed to see the good work we are doing here for God’s kingdom. I’m pretty sure some kids are listening close and their faith is growing strong. I’m sure others are just having a good time playing games and being with loving people. And, I’m absolutely positive that God is transforming lives all along the way…the lives of our little ones and those who are visiting, the lives of our adult volunteers, the lives of the families who entrust us with their precious children and the lives of the members of this community who see our efforts to love and care for all who walk through our doors each and every time we choose to Welcome All God’s People.
Blessings,
Tracy