What happens when you take a bus load of kids, one big piece of property, and a slightly crazy Vacation Bible School director? (that would be me!)
A whole lot of fun – with a whole lot of Bible teaching!
We’ve been working for months now to prepare to host our church’s one-day Vacation Bible School here at Windy Ridge. My sister-in-law Julie and her two sons came from Chicago the week before to help us transform our property into the Amazon.
I think almost half the church was here on Saturday to help!
Pedro and Jan built a puppet theater and Julie sewed the curtains for it. The youth group kids manned the puppets for us.
We had 3 different outposts set up on the property – each with a different Bible story and emphasis. When you do everything outside you have the unique opportunity to make things real. At each outpost we set up a tent and instead of a cardboard canoe – we used our real one.
You also have the opportunity to use water – real water – and lots of it! We had relays with squirt guns and even a slip and slide water fall.
We played with slime, dug in quick sand, caught piranhas, found buried treasure, and made some crafts – all while learning how much God loves each of us.
We sent the kids home exhausted but grinning from ear to ear!
I was exhausted too – but so thankful that after all the hard work by so many people – an entire bus load of kids heard the plan of salvation clearly presented.
And that, my friends, makes it all worth while.
Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees 
Thanks for stopping by our blog AND for leaving a message! We hope you do try the ice cream pie and that you enjoy it!
Our church does a ‘Day Camp’ program that might work for you guys. Campers arrive around 9:30 am First they have to check in and take care of their stuff. Then it’s time for hillside. Christian songs are taught and sung with much gusto! A devotional is given. Instructions for the day …. then they line-up by age group for flag raising. After that, half of the groups go to their age’s Bible Study hour while the other half do game time. Then they switch. Then it’s lunch time. The kids bring their own sack lunch’s, we provide the beverage. Then it’s first then second craft period. When they originally registered for camp, they got to choose two crafts from the list of available ones. After crafts is free time or free swim in our spring feed pond. Some days the slip and slide is out. Sometimes balloon animal making is taught. Sometimes it’s painting finger nails and doing hair ….. Then they are sent home. BUSY days! Ran totally by volunteers. But GOD has truly blessed the efforts over the years!
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What a fun way to do VBS! I bet the kids will remember the lessons, as well as the fun they had on the “Amazon Trail”.
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I am glad that you had so much fun! Wished I could have been there, my kids would have loved it too!
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PRaise God for your VBS and being able to give the salvation plan which is what VBS is all about! Ours starts up the middle of next week. 😀
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I have such fond memories of VBS from when I was a kid and love that my children are able to enjoy it, too! Our church had VBS last month and saw several children saved. It’s a lot of work, but so worth it!
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