The VBS where the war for the teenaged boys was intense

Last week we held a Vacation Bible School for the children and teenagers in our community of Dow Village. Since we closed off Bible Club at the end of the school term, the children were asking when it would be starting back because home was 'boring'. For most of them, they looked forward to being able to come out and interact with the other children. However as the week progressed, we discovered that there were some who had ulterior agendas.

We had an average of 50 children in attendance

Mummy did all the preparations while I was at camp: renting the tent and chairs, organizing the banner and flyers, getting the materials for craft etc. Except for one day, she make refreshments for the children while catering for the teachers who came from the East and Central who were staying at our home. I thank God for giving her the health and strength to be able to do all of that, plus help with the transportation and distribution of refreshments daily.

My nephew was in training in the kitchen

We used the theme "Under construction" to teach the children that God is rebuilding us to be His image bearers on earth. They learnt that when sin came into the world God's perfect plan for humanity was shattered, but through Jesus' death and resurrection the way became possible for us to be restored into right relationship with Him. They were taught to follow God's blueprint, the Bible, for any situations they would face in life. Another lesson focused on teamwork, and the importance of encouraging and building each other up. They were also taught to beware of the enemy who would come to steal God's Word from their hearts before it got a chance to take root. Finally, they were encouraged to share their faith with others.

Each day the teachers put on a skit to introduce
the lesson for the day

On the second day of VBS while we were organizing transportation for the children to go home, a fight broke out among the teenage boys. This is the first time we have had so many of them in attendance: the 13+ class had an average attendance of 20 persons each day. They come mainly from two communities: Church Street and Aripero, and it seems like they came with the intention of provoking each other so that it would result in a physical fight. The timing of this fight seemed like a direct attack because the lesson for that day focused on using God's word to guide us in how we respond to situations we face, and fighting was one of them. The teacher also referenced 1 Corinthians 10:13 and encouraged them to take the way of escape that God provides when we are tempted, which they clearly did not. Thankfully the bruises were minor even though one of them fell into a drain.

Antonio teaching the lesson to the teens

On the following days, the instigator of the fight did not return, but the verbal heckling between the two groups of boys continued. On the last day he showed up, and it seemed like the boys were intent on finishing what they had started. Thanks to the vigilance of the teachers, two male teachers were in place where the fight was brewing and were able to quell it before it began. We know it is a spiritual battle for the lives of these teenaged boys: one of them had raised his hand to accept Christ; another one was able to recite all five memory verses at the end of the week. They all listened attentively while the lessons were being taught and could answer all the questions. The challenge came when it was time to put into practise what they had learnt.

Doing their item for the Closing Program

In spite of these challenges, we have much to give God thanks for. Neighbours from our community gave donations in cash or kind when they found out that we were having VBS. There were four teenagers who were a part of the teaching team and they did an excellent job communicating the biblical truths to their classes in an engaging way. On the second day there was a thunderstorm just before VBS was due to start and I was concerned about the attendance, but the children came through the rain and the storm did not last for very long. All the other days the weather was favourable when it was time for VBS. Throughout the week we had ten professions of faith, so we give God praise for that. For the Closing Program, we had a record number of parents who showed up and heard the gospel being clearly presented.

One of the teenagers using an object lesson with her class

One of the memory verses for this week was 1 Peter 5:8 and we continue to be alert because we recognize that the enemy is roaming around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Many of the teens who were involved in the fight come from fatherless homes and are searching for a sense of identity. Please pray for divine direction for us going forward; we don't want to stop them from coming to Bible Club because we believe in the power of the Word of God to transform lives but at the same time, they need to know that fighting at Bible Club is not acceptable. Pray that the seeds of God's Word which were sown this week would not be stolen by the enemy but would grow and produce much good fruit.

The next generation is looking and learning