Snapshots of VBS

The second day of VBS has come and gone, and 3 more are yet to follow! Each morning, we look forward to the bright, smiling faces of about 60 children, as they spill out of jam-packed vans and eagerly line up to be checked in and join in the games already underway. Duck, Duck, Goose (they have FINALLY learned that the last word is not "juice", "poose", or "loose" as they have never heard of a goose), and Musical chairs seem to be the favorites at the moment.

When the program officially begins at 9:00am, the children enjoy singing Bible songs with us, and especially delight in the active ones and ones where the group is divided and takes turns sitting/standing while singing (Hallelu, This is The Day, etc.). I am surprised at how well even the Kannada-speaking children have mastered the songs over the previous year since we last saw them. This year, the majority of kids are from Kannada and Telegu-speaking backgrounds, so the Kannada class is much larger than the English class. After singing, we divide into classes for a Bible Lesson (so far, the covenants with Adam, Noah, and Abraham), and memory verse, then comes the favorite craft time, and finally snacks and more games while they wait for their turn to be bussed home. The children have been listening attentively, and we pray God is reaching some hearts!

A few random tidbits that always strike me with the VBS kids here in Bangalore:

~The children are SO eager to be here and respond SO strongly to physical touch and affection. This appears to be something they are not used to getting in most settings, and to have those from far away and wealthier backgrounds care for them means SO much. Even though language prevents much conversation with many of them, we feel completely connected with huge smiles, hugs, taking photos of one another, having small children sit in our laps, etc. I always have several girls grab my hand and all are fighting over who I will sit by.

~The number of children they pack into cars never ceases to amaze me. When the two small vans (like our minians) roll in, there may be up to 20 children crammed in to the front bench, middle bench, and back sideways benches. They sit stand, huddle all over each other in order to get here! I have no idea how they breathe, especially in the hot afternoon air and no A/C on the way home, and I often wonder if any of their crafts make it home intact with all the pressing and shoving! However, they are SO grateful for the privilege of riding in a vehicle (still a wonder to many, as many of these children are from villages, and not all families even own a motorbike.)

~Crafts mean so much more to these kids than I can fathom! Since many of these children live in small, almost one-room village houses with no running water, and very little physical possessions, they have almost nothing that they themselves own. The school do not really do crafts, and extra paper and supplies just for making something would not be in the budget, so they are so THRILLED at what they make at VBS! Even older teenage boys sometimes hang their crafts in prominent places in the home, as the main wall decorations. The beaming faces as they complete each day's craft, proudly display their own handiwork, and tug at me, "Photo, akka!" (older sister) makes it worth all the countless hours that go into designing, copying, cutting organizing, and transporting the crafts from home. Thanks for all who assisted back in Indianapolis!