Our VBS last week went really well! It was the best one yet, which we hope we will be able to say each time. The 135 children who attended were excited about the theme, "Happy Birthday Jesus!" They learned a different part of the Christmas story each day and what it meant for them. There were some new children who came, but many of them were ones who attended all 3 Vacation Bible Schools this year. What a blessing it is to be able to pour into these children multiple times each year, since the school system gives them 3 separate breaks, instead of one longer one.
It was a crazy week for weather. The first day was cool and cloudy, followed by a hot and sunny day, followed by multiple days of brief downpours scattered throughout. Toward the end of the time on one of the rainy days, an 8 year old girl (Tafadzwa) had an asthmatic attack. She didn't own an inhaler, so we had to rush her to the hospital (10-15 minute drive). She ended up being ok after being treated, but I found out from a nurse that she is a regular patient. This treatment is free, so the father didn't want to pay for an inhaler (because he could not afford the $21 cost), although he had to pay $3 for transport to the hospital each time. So we got her the necessary medication and inhalers and hopefully she doesn't need to go to the hospital again for awhile. The family said many times how thankful they were.
We had a few new kids that came this time and they were filled with great excitement. We try to take photos throughout the day and especially free-time. The kids love having their photos taken and always want to see their picture (we never take photos of children who don't want their photo taken). Once a little boy asked to have his photo taken with Yolanda and of course several more boys jumped into the picture. Afterward she showed him the photo and he squealed with excitement. He excitedly told another boy, a friend of his, "I was in a photo with a white person." Of course he said this in Shona. The other boy responded with, "Me too," and instinctively they high-fived each other. Yolanda had to laugh at their excitement as if we were some kind of an anomaly. We start worship time each day explaining to kids about kindness, compassion, respect, manners and how we are ALL created in God's image. This is especially important because we have a down syndrome girl and an albino girl who attend - it would be easy for them to be teased so we nip this in the bud before it even happens. We also try to stress the importance of each child, and their innate value in God.
It was a crazy week for weather. The first day was cool and cloudy, followed by a hot and sunny day, followed by multiple days of brief downpours scattered throughout. Toward the end of the time on one of the rainy days, an 8 year old girl (Tafadzwa) had an asthmatic attack. She didn't own an inhaler, so we had to rush her to the hospital (10-15 minute drive). She ended up being ok after being treated, but I found out from a nurse that she is a regular patient. This treatment is free, so the father didn't want to pay for an inhaler (because he could not afford the $21 cost), although he had to pay $3 for transport to the hospital each time. So we got her the necessary medication and inhalers and hopefully she doesn't need to go to the hospital again for awhile. The family said many times how thankful they were.
We had a few new kids that came this time and they were filled with great excitement. We try to take photos throughout the day and especially free-time. The kids love having their photos taken and always want to see their picture (we never take photos of children who don't want their photo taken). Once a little boy asked to have his photo taken with Yolanda and of course several more boys jumped into the picture. Afterward she showed him the photo and he squealed with excitement. He excitedly told another boy, a friend of his, "I was in a photo with a white person." Of course he said this in Shona. The other boy responded with, "Me too," and instinctively they high-fived each other. Yolanda had to laugh at their excitement as if we were some kind of an anomaly. We start worship time each day explaining to kids about kindness, compassion, respect, manners and how we are ALL created in God's image. This is especially important because we have a down syndrome girl and an albino girl who attend - it would be easy for them to be teased so we nip this in the bud before it even happens. We also try to stress the importance of each child, and their innate value in God.
We were blessed with many more volunteers than we have had in the past. We had 16 ladies from the Tuesday and Wednesday groups who helped in various capacities; craft time, teaching, cooking, folding/cutting/gluing, snack time, some behind the scenes. They were joyful helpers, thanking us at the end for letting them be a part of it. Now, they say that the children greet them with big smiles when they see them in the community.
Some of the volunteers showed up early on Friday morning to start a fire and start preparing all the food that will need cooking. So this last day, the children came an hour and a half earlier than normal, so that they could have a "Christmas lunch," which included chicken, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. Then 40-50 of their parents, grandparents, and other family members came to a ceremony. The children sang two Christmas songs, 12-13 year olds acted out the Christmas story while it was read from the Bible, the video from below was shown (they always love to see their pictures from the week), and they received their certificates and small gifts. Each kid received a coloring book, a small set of crayons, suckers and candy, and a crocodile whistle/flute/toy. The excitement on their faces when they received these gifts was priceless. Almost none of these kids own a coloring book and very few would have crayons and yet they ALL love to color - just as any child. Something this small and simple is very special to them and a real treat.
After the ceremony many of the kids came up to us to give us hugs, say thank you and immediately ask when the next Holiday Bible Fun (HBF) will be. One little girl, 6 or 7 years old, asked me, "Do we come back tomorrow again?" she was rather sad to find out that today (after the ceremony) was in fact the last day for this particular HB. Many of the older kids in seventh grade came to greet us and thank us since this will be the last one they can attend. Next year they will be too old. We could tell they were sad and thoroughly enjoyed the past year of 3 events they could attend. We even saw an older teen who had attend 2 years ago at our first VBS event - at the time she was 13 and in the oldest class. She came and asked if this coming year she could volunteer and help - she would be 15, going on 16. We said we would think about it, but we're sure there's something she could help with. The eagerness to see her wanting to serve made it feel like we were already seeing this children's event come full circle.
Any time we go to the high density area or just town we have kids waving and shouting towards us, "Hello Aunty Yolanda!" or "Hello Uncle Andrew." They shout with glee and giggle with excitement when they see us from afar. Little hands wave frantically in hopes that we will return their excited greetings and of course we always do. We don't always remember faces and often names escape us, but if we hear our names being shouted we can be sure that they know us from HBF.
Some of the volunteers showed up early on Friday morning to start a fire and start preparing all the food that will need cooking. So this last day, the children came an hour and a half earlier than normal, so that they could have a "Christmas lunch," which included chicken, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. Then 40-50 of their parents, grandparents, and other family members came to a ceremony. The children sang two Christmas songs, 12-13 year olds acted out the Christmas story while it was read from the Bible, the video from below was shown (they always love to see their pictures from the week), and they received their certificates and small gifts. Each kid received a coloring book, a small set of crayons, suckers and candy, and a crocodile whistle/flute/toy. The excitement on their faces when they received these gifts was priceless. Almost none of these kids own a coloring book and very few would have crayons and yet they ALL love to color - just as any child. Something this small and simple is very special to them and a real treat.
After the ceremony many of the kids came up to us to give us hugs, say thank you and immediately ask when the next Holiday Bible Fun (HBF) will be. One little girl, 6 or 7 years old, asked me, "Do we come back tomorrow again?" she was rather sad to find out that today (after the ceremony) was in fact the last day for this particular HB. Many of the older kids in seventh grade came to greet us and thank us since this will be the last one they can attend. Next year they will be too old. We could tell they were sad and thoroughly enjoyed the past year of 3 events they could attend. We even saw an older teen who had attend 2 years ago at our first VBS event - at the time she was 13 and in the oldest class. She came and asked if this coming year she could volunteer and help - she would be 15, going on 16. We said we would think about it, but we're sure there's something she could help with. The eagerness to see her wanting to serve made it feel like we were already seeing this children's event come full circle.
Any time we go to the high density area or just town we have kids waving and shouting towards us, "Hello Aunty Yolanda!" or "Hello Uncle Andrew." They shout with glee and giggle with excitement when they see us from afar. Little hands wave frantically in hopes that we will return their excited greetings and of course we always do. We don't always remember faces and often names escape us, but if we hear our names being shouted we can be sure that they know us from HBF.
Video of the Week
Below is a video with many pictures from throughout the week, including children and volunteers participating in all aspects of VBS.
A younger age group, practicing Luke 2:13-14 | Reciting Matthew 1:21 |
Parental Feedback
Except for the parents who thank us at the ceremony, much of the time we don't get to hear how a VBS affects these children. This week, we've heard some feedback from parents and here are a few.
This is just 5 days for an afternoon every 4 months. However, we have seen that it stretches way beyond that, even to children who didn't attend. What a blessing it is to be able to show these kids God's love and have it be a positive impact on their lives; all of whom are on the bottom end of the economic spectrum, a quarter of them who are orphans, and a chunk of them who have been abused at some point in their short lives. Thank you Jesus for making it possible to have this week, that they all look forward to each school holiday!
- A mother said that during VBS week, her child was very enthusiastic about the memory verses. He woke her up every day at 6:00am, saying that she must help him practice the memory verse. The mother would tell the child to go back to sleep and that VBS doesn't start for awhile, until after lunch. The child replied, "That is very soon! I need to practice my verse now!"
- One parent said she really appreciated the parents' letters that we sent home each day. "I know more about what happened each day here than what my child did at school for the entire term."
- Another parent said she is going to keep the parents' letters (which contain the memory verses), so that her child can continue practicing the verses and not forget them throughout the next year.
- A grandmother, who was a volunteer, told us her grandkids got up at 5:00am on Friday to prepare for the ceremony. They were so exited and couldn't sleep any longer. They got dressed in their Sunday best and frantically memorized their memory verse. The grandmother was one of the helpers who came earlier to make fire and cook for the kids and yet her kids were up before she was, filled with so much anticipation. Her youngest grandchild said to her before she left, "I feel like I'm going to burst. I am soooo excited."
- Another grandmother who was a volunteer brought her 4 year old grandson (we usually do not allow kids this young to attend but there was no one home to care for him, so we made this exception). After eating lunch he told her, "This is the best chicken I have ever eaten." To which his grandmother told him she would be sure to make chicken at Christmas time, but he responded, "No, this is SPECAIL chicken because it is HBF chicken." I guess everything is better at HBF ;-)
- A mother told us that she keeps all of the handouts her daughter, Whisper, takes home. In Whisper's Sunday school class at church recently, they went through the Fruit of the Spirit (our theme from August). The teacher asked if any of the children knew anything about it and was very impressed when Whisper rattled off each fruit, as well as motions for each one that went with a song that we sang. The mother then chose to spend some extra money and make copies (of the VBS materials her daughter brought home) for the Sunday School class, so they could have better resources.
This is just 5 days for an afternoon every 4 months. However, we have seen that it stretches way beyond that, even to children who didn't attend. What a blessing it is to be able to show these kids God's love and have it be a positive impact on their lives; all of whom are on the bottom end of the economic spectrum, a quarter of them who are orphans, and a chunk of them who have been abused at some point in their short lives. Thank you Jesus for making it possible to have this week, that they all look forward to each school holiday!
Happy Birthday Jesus
Below is a video showing the children singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus before they have cupcakes. Many of them had never had cupcakes before, but absolutely loved them. Their "Happy Birthday" song is just like ours, except at the end, they add, "How old are you now?" It was humorous to hear them asking Jesus his age.
Scroll through the pictures below to see some more activities from the last day of VBS
Tuesday Group
 | This week, we had our last group of the year with these ladies and had a Christmas celebration with them. It's hard to believe we have been meeting with, developing relationships with, and pouring into them for a whole year now. We are very thankful for them and we're glad that we could provide a cake for all. We also gave them each some banana muffins (it would be very unusual for them to make muffins at home, due to resources and supplies) and small gifts. Yolanda was sure to wrap them and even used some ribbon. This is because they want to go home and open it in front of their families, showing them that they received a wrapped gift, which is considered very fancy. But of course they wanted Yolanda to tell them what was inside before they opened them :-) We included some small toiletry items like soap, face cloth, lotions, etc. (many of the items we have on hand from previous donations). For the children we handed out coloring books, crayons and candy. At the end, they had a relaxed time of sharing testimonies and prayer. Many of the ladies also shared what they had heard in the community about HBF, from both adults and children. Those who had volunteered kept thanking us for the opportunity. |
Showing off hand warmers that they knitted recently
Wednesday Group
We also had a Christmas celebration with the Wednesday ladies, which included a special lunch with cake, gifts of clothing items for themselves as well as an item for their spouse, a new pair of underwear and socks, a local recipe with all the ingredients provided (enough for their family), and a winter item of their choice (hat or scarf). For the children they got coloring books, crayons, candy, dresses for the girls and t-shirts and shorts for the boys. We also had a time of prayer and worship. The ladies would break out in grateful worship every time they received a gift. Toward the end they volunteered to share some testimonies. We thought one or two might share about their year and what this group has meant to them, but every single one stood up and spoke about what this group has meant to them. We don't have nearly enough space to write all the details that were shared. The stories were very touching, very sincere and very much God-centered. We were especially grateful that even though they thanked us countless times, that they also pointed to Jesus and God's provision knowing full-well that He was the giver of all good things. We felt so touched that they were grasping all their blessings as a gift from Him, rather than having our names and faces at the forefront - this has been our goal, to edify His name not our own. Many of their testimonies brought tears to our eyes and some shared of their own personal struggles, God's goodness, His provision and their growth in faith. We were so impressed with their vulnerability and transparency and their willingness to share this with the whole group. Everything was shared in Shona, which was fine for Yolanda to understand but a few times she had to ask a lady to slow down in sharing her excitement because the words start to run together which makes it harder to understand. Afterward, Yolanda tried her best to write down what she could remember of their testimonies. which filled up several pages and we look forward to sharing some of these in person when we return stateside in August.
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