VBS 2012 - Day 2

The second day of VBS was sunny and warm as we all gathered together at 11 am to begin the day's activities. I always look forward to each morning as the children gather, bringing new faces with them as guests for the day!

Always good to see teen girls out for VBS! Three of these girls have made professions of faith in Christ!

The day begins with registration. 

This year with the kids having more verses to memorize, registration was a busy time!

This year we also included "Spirit Week" activities which we announced daily at the end of the day so that the kids would remember what they need to bring for the next day. On Tuesday, the kids were supposed to draw a picture either of the Olympic flag or of anything pertaining to the Olympics.

Each day we asked Ryslan to choose a first, second, and third place in each of these "events".  The winners were awarded with chocolate medals.

Ryslan announcing the winners while I hand out the chocolate medals.

Third place (8 year old boy)

Second place (10 year old boy - our Ryan)

We thought it was neat that Ryan used the silhouette of a friend of ours, Sam Hazewinkel, who will be wrestling in the 2012 London Olympics for his picture! Go Sam!

First place (fourteen year old girl - Our daughter, Beka)

Song time.

"If you're happy and you know it shout "Yra!"

The Bible lesson for the day followed the theme: the proper equipment. Those who participate in sports must have the proper clothing, shoes, and equipment to compete. The Christian must put on the armour of God to run his race properly.

Thanks to Ryslan teaching both age groups, our photographer was able to catch this shot.

We were even able to hold her baby so she could take pictures. 

I think that is a fair trade!

Mr. Soldier all ready to go to battle!

Time to review the verse!

Ephesians 6:11

 Review game time is a serious time as the kids do their best to answer more questions correctly than the other team!

Team Red adds up their points.

 The team that wins the review games receives a bonus of 100 points to add to the day's totals!

Team Yellow has to use their calculator on one of the girls' cell phone.

Snack time!

Today's menu - Kool Aid and piroshki with cabbage (a Russian favorite) made by one of the ladies at KBC.

 Game time!

Right side ready!

Before this game started they children numbered themselves. When the whistle blew and David called out their number they had to run to the center and grab as much sports equipment as possible and return it to their team's side of the playing field.

Left side ready!

Love her face in this picture!

Boys grabbing all they can!

After a while you call all of the numbers at once!

Last but not least for the day - the CAGE BALL!

The goal - calling out numbers as with the previous game, the children have to get the ball over their team's line to count as a point.

And once again - all numbers were finally called at the same time for the grand finale!

We had to move all the small children out of the way for that one!

Such a blessing that this teen girl who has been to Sunday school before so enjoyed VBS.

After games and a quick drink of water, the worksheets were handed out and we reminded everyone that tomorrow's Spirit Week activity would be to come dressed as an athlete! 

Then we packed up and went home for the day!

Well, not exactly like this!

VBS 2012 - Day 1

Well, I have been completely MIA on the blog scene for the past month and the reason why is that great and exciting time of the year called Vacation Bible School! You can begin thinking and planning months in advance and the planning still increases in intensity the few months before you schedule the big event! I plan on going into more detail on another blog where I guest post from time to time called, Baptist Missionary Women, so you will soon be able to read all about the behind the scenes work that goes on in the weeks leading up to VBS if that part of it all is something you need to know more about or are interested in. But, for now, I want to share with you the fun part...photos of the children having a blast and learning more about God and His free gift of salvation. That is the best part of it all!

This year an Olympic theme was chosen with plans to reward the children with gold, silver, and bronze medals for the team with the most points at the end of the week, as well as, individual medals for Bible verse memorization and to the child who brought the most guests during the week.

We shared the theme with the children in Sunday school weeks ahead of time and encouraged them to invite their friends and be prepared for a fun week!

Posters were printed and hung throughout the village.

Invitations with the dates and permission slips printed on the back
were handed out to parents and children.

We were thankful for several missionaries from the Krasnoyarsk Baptist Church who came out to help with VBS this year. They held VBS in the city at the church last week, they were with us this week, and they plan on helping with VBS in two other villages (where ministries already exist) in the coming weeks. We have noticed a difference in how the children behave when there are more people and especially more men present during the lesson and game times. Even if the adults are not able to speak Russian well or even at all, their presence is definitely a benefit. In addition, this summer two college students were visiting missionaries from the city and they also came out to help in whatever capacity needed.

Matt and Hannah (visiting college students) helping to prepare decorations.

During the first 30-45 minutes of each day we begin VBS with registration time.

This time allows us to listen to the verses the children have memorized and record their attendance and participation in order to tabulate their points earned.

Registration of children.

One of the missionary ladies from KBC, Nancy, is my right hand help with this registration. This year was even more involved since we awarded the children with medals for Bible verse memorization and guests invited. Registration and point tabulation is a very time consuming task but it helps us keep things fair and recorded so that the children can use their points at the end of the week to spend in the "store" to buy toys and other items as a reward. They love this part of VBS and look forward to it each year!

Nancy and I discussing permission slips as the children gather each morning.

This year we were also privileged to have Ryslan, a Ukrainian man who works with youth camps and VBS programs each year be a part of our VBS program and teach the daily Bible lessons. Ryslan often flies into Krasnoyarsk during the summer months to help out with the summer ministries here in Siberia. David usually teaches the older children and I teach the younger children but this year all days but one Ryslan was a great help in teaching the entire group. This allowed me to be able to watch the smaller, toddler children so their siblings could be in the classes. Almost every year we have several older children who must come to VBS with their younger siblings in tow since the parents are at work or in the city.

This first day of VBS was so windy we had a difficult time keeping everything in it's place!

Once the Bible lesson is complete, Nancy does a great job of playing a review game with the children to check how well they listened during the lesson and to allow them another chance to earn points for their teams.

During the review game, the two college students helped set up Kool-Aid and snacks for the children to enjoy. For this first day, a lady from KBC who works in a cafeteria was so kind to prepare special muffins for the children's snack.

Girls first!

Boy's turn!

Once the snacks have been swallowed it was off to the relay races! Katie Northcutt, a missionary wife, was so kind to be the photographer for the week. She was able to get some great shots all throughout the week. Seeing these huge smiles on the children's faces is such a blessing!

The race is on!

Timothy (our son) running the three-legged race with his friend, Sasha.

Determination!

Some of us just needed a little help!

Pop the balloon relay.

Run to the end of the line.

Sit on the balloon to pop it.

Get back up and run back to the others!

Balloon between the heads relay!

Then, last but not least...tug of war!

Then the adults jump in to help for another round!

Left side ready!

Right side ready!

Victory for the left side!

First day done, the workers returned to our house for lunch. 

Everyone drove home to rest up for the next day! 

(I unfortunately had to go the dentist for a root canal! 

Something is just not fair about that!)