Every year, for the past four years, NLF ECC spends the last week in May conducting Vacation Bible School (VBS). This one week of music, stories and fun is for the children of NLF ECC as well as for the HSR communitychildren. Every year we enjoy the trust of the HSR community as they send in children from ages 6 to 12 years.
This year was no different. Between May 25 to 30 2015 from 5 to 7 pm, the doors of NLF ECC were opened to welcome the Children. Just as Jesus said ‘Let the children come to me’, the hall was filled with about 45 children of all ages and personalities. This year we used a curriculum from VBS verve ministries. Every year VBS has a theme and this year the theme was ‘EVEREST – Conquering challenges through Gods mighty power’. For five days we enjoyed some foot tapping
music, crazy dancing and fun games.
The two hours at VBS were spent between Six ‘Stations’. The evening started with the ‘Praise and Worship station‘. Beautiful, catchy and soul rendering numbers were used to minister to the children. As in every year, the children developed a favorite song called ‘Power shuffle’.
Every evening had an individual theme. This year since we were ministering to the children about ‘A powerful God’ the bible point for each day went something like this
Day 1 – God has the power to provide
Day 2 – God has the power to comfort
Day 3 – God has the power to heal
Day 4 – God has the power to forgive
Day 5 – God has the power to love us forever
At hearing the bible point for each day, the children had to scream out ‘HOLD ON’ while crossing their hands across their chest. The bible point had an appropriate bible verse to go along, talking about Gods provision, comfort, healing, forgiveness, and eternal love.
With each theme came a meaningful bible story at the ‘Bible Station‘. Stories shared included how God miraculously provided Elijah food, to how He healed Naman and forgave Peter. Each story was brought alive by drama and performances by the volunteers.
At the ‘Imagination station’, cool experiments were performed where ice was created to show God’s might provision and bubbles were made to show His comfort. The children were encouraged to talk about their experience in their lives of provision, comfort and love on each day.
The ‘Games station’ was the most fun part of the evening with thematic games that encouraged to childrent to feel forgiveness and love while playing fun games. Water games with balloons and sponges added to the laughter that filled atmosphere at the hall.
The ‘Snack station’ was filled with yummy and again thematic treats. Ice creams, chips, sandwiches and juices of different colors filled the tummies of your little friends.
The ‘Kid Vid Station‘ told a real story via a video of real children around Bangalore. This helped the children relate to another child who faced real problems and had overcome it ‘through Gods mighty power’
We ended our five days of VBS with and open house on the sixth day. Parents of all the children were invited to come and enjoy the performances of the kids as they danced to the songs that they had learned in the past one week.
In all an exhausting but fulfilling week both for the children and the volunteers. As we closed the week, each of us volunteers and children are looking forward to next year’s VBS!
