VBS frenzy!

Hi all,

***this part typed July 15***
We have just finished a week of Tumbleweed Gulch Vacation Bible School at El Paso First, and this coming week we'll be doing the same theme at Trinity Church on the westside.

I worked as a "crew leader" for posse #3, grades 3-5, and led them to each of the stations every night. This was one of the larger groups, as we usually had upwards of 11 kids each night. I had two helpers from the church with me to help with crowd control. :) I remembered the first night how fun that age group is, since I had worked with that group at kids' camp for two summers. It reminded me of why I
became an Education major. :) Rachel led crafts, Angela led games, and Brandi worked with the 1st/2nd graders.

Thursday night was the toughest I think, because we had changed around the routine to allow more time for practicing the songs. This of course confused the kids (as well as the leaders!), and it was just one hectic night. However, more of my kids were actually doing the motions to the songs that night--I wasn't continually asking someone to do the motions or not mess around.

On Friday we had a special time to present to the families, where the kids sang their songs, said their verses, and had their crafts displayed. We also had food for them and facepainting and balloon animals.

We had a total of 58 kids last week (not all at the same time), and 35 helpers, Melissa said. This is a switch from when we had started with only 6 helpers, and that was just before Monday.

Saturday we went to Trinity Church and helped decorate for their VBS, which is this week. I think we'll probably have the same roles there as we did at First Church. This afternoon we decorated some more. There are some awesome "barn doors" (to the sanctuary), fake barbed wire along the walls, and a corral around the stage.

***typed July 17***
Last night was the first night of Trinity's VBS, and there were only 7 or 8 kids there, all of them already involved in the church. I had two girls in my group, Allison and Krystal, both age 7 and they were the oldest ones there. The leaders at the church were very enthusiastic, getting the kids to "yee-haw" at various times.

We will continue with this VBS the rest of the week, and hopefully more kids will come.

It is sad to think that we have only 9 more days here, but I want to make the most of our time, especially with VBS, the families/teens we've met, working at the Rescue Mission, etc.

Prayer Requests
~health/safety
~VBS at Trinity Church: that kids that are not already "churched" will come, that we will have the right time/right place/right person and right words to lead people to Christ, that we will reflect God's love
~Joel Tooley's mom Dee is in the hospital in Mississippi, and she could very much use prayer

That's about all I can think of for right now. Thanks again for all your support and prayers, and I will see you in August/September!