If you grew up in a Christian family, you'd know what Vacation Bible School (VBS) is. It is a week-long education program hosted by local Christian churches for children during the summer vacation.
It is similar to a summer camp and a community outreach program designed to introduce children to the Bible and Christian values--through interactive, fun, and age-appropriate learning.
I never missed a VBS in the town where I grew up. That was where I learned about how much the Lord loves children like me. VBS is packed with grace. That’s why I get excited when summer comes and the VBS schedule is announced in our church. I am even happier to read about other churches also having theirs.
The VBS brings together not only the children who come to learn but volunteer teachers and donors, who provide assistance through services and allocations for expenses. This year, our church hosted almost 100 kids.
I was humbled when I read about a VBS somewhere in Manila that used one of my books (The Real Thief, published by Hiyas of OMF Lit and illustrated by Leo Kempis Ang) as its resource in teaching the Gospel.
The VBS concept originated in 1894 when Virginia Hawes, a Sunday school teacher, started a summer Bible school in New York City to keep local children occupied with spiritually enriching activities while on vacation.
By the 1920s, the program had evolved into a tradition with standardized publishing materials and structured curriculum kits supplied to various denominations across the world. Our materials this year came from CSM, which conducted a workshop among teachers prior to the execution of the short-term curriculum.
If you are reading this and you have a young child, bring him/her to tthe VBS. The learnings cannot be quantified. They will be lived.
“ . . . ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” Matthew 10:14 (NIV)
No comments:
Post a Comment