First ever "VBS" at Sin Paredes
Monday through Wednesday Chris and I spent our mornings "helping" with the first ever VBS at Sin Paredes. We got volunteered for the job, and were basically needed to make copies of CDs for music, transport food across the border for lunch, and photocopy coloring sheets. I am officially OUT of recycled paper from that last one. The plan was to do 3 days, ending on a Wednesday with the regularly scheduled Mesa de Reyes programming. This week was our only open one before school starts again over there! Basically it consisted of an extended version of what takes place every week, with a few special treats thrown in. The kids divided into 3 groups by age for a very brief Bible lesson/prayer (sometimes), a coloring sheet/craft or practicing choreographed motions to a song (for the oldest group), and then lunch all together. Attendance was 60ish on Monday, 80ish on Tuesday, and 100ish on Wednesday.
I feel like it could have been more structured and exciting if I/we had felt more ownership of the event and put more effort into planning themed Bible lessons, crafts, songs, etc., but everyone seemed to get something out of it anyhow, even if it was just something to break up summer monotony, fellowship, and free lunch. There were a few special touches: leftover craft supplies from St. Paul's Des Peres, a water balloon fight, and distributing items donated by Pastor Mark Kluzek from Albuquerque.
While we were there, I spent most of my time helping the middle group and taking pictures!
The oldest and middle groups made scratch art crosses, leftover from St. Paul's Des Peres. There weren't enough for everyone to do them; well, there would have been, but I didn't know there was more scratch paper until it was too late! Even Pastor Martinez made one!
St. Paul's left 2 bags of stickers too, which spiced up their normal run-of-the mill coloring sheets.
Wednesday morning, like always, the middle group's teacher Alex taught English for an hour before Mesa de Reyes began. I was excited to sit in on the class and see what it was like. The subject matter was a review of what they had learned up to that point: personal pronouns, the verb "to be," days, months, colors, animals, and beverages. There was a real range of students, in age and ability level, which I could tell was frustrating. I also observed a real lack of order; people talked non-stop while Alex was trying to teach and many showed up late. There is definitely learning taking place, but pray for Alex's patience and that the class would prosper!
Water balloon fight!
Notebooks and pencils from Pastor Kluzek.
They have John 3:16 in Spanish taped on the inside.
Stuffed animals from Pastor Kluzek too!
Alex had a very organized method of calling his kids up one-by-one to choose a toy, using the attendance sheet.
AND toothpaste, toothbrushes, and baby blankets!
Brother and sister.
Using my camera's panorama mode to capture the entire multi-purpose room at one point during the chaos of lunch/donation distribution.
The kids made us a thank-you banner, which was incredibly sweet but I almost felt guilty accepting since we hardly did anything!
I feel like it could have been more structured and exciting if I/we had felt more ownership of the event and put more effort into planning themed Bible lessons, crafts, songs, etc., but everyone seemed to get something out of it anyhow, even if it was just something to break up summer monotony, fellowship, and free lunch. There were a few special touches: leftover craft supplies from St. Paul's Des Peres, a water balloon fight, and distributing items donated by Pastor Mark Kluzek from Albuquerque.
While we were there, I spent most of my time helping the middle group and taking pictures!
The oldest and middle groups made scratch art crosses, leftover from St. Paul's Des Peres. There weren't enough for everyone to do them; well, there would have been, but I didn't know there was more scratch paper until it was too late! Even Pastor Martinez made one!
St. Paul's left 2 bags of stickers too, which spiced up their normal run-of-the mill coloring sheets.
Wednesday morning, like always, the middle group's teacher Alex taught English for an hour before Mesa de Reyes began. I was excited to sit in on the class and see what it was like. The subject matter was a review of what they had learned up to that point: personal pronouns, the verb "to be," days, months, colors, animals, and beverages. There was a real range of students, in age and ability level, which I could tell was frustrating. I also observed a real lack of order; people talked non-stop while Alex was trying to teach and many showed up late. There is definitely learning taking place, but pray for Alex's patience and that the class would prosper!
Water balloon fight!
Notebooks and pencils from Pastor Kluzek.
They have John 3:16 in Spanish taped on the inside.
Stuffed animals from Pastor Kluzek too!
Alex had a very organized method of calling his kids up one-by-one to choose a toy, using the attendance sheet.
AND toothpaste, toothbrushes, and baby blankets!
Brother and sister.
Using my camera's panorama mode to capture the entire multi-purpose room at one point during the chaos of lunch/donation distribution.
The kids made us a thank-you banner, which was incredibly sweet but I almost felt guilty accepting since we hardly did anything!Until next time, blessings!
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