I SPENT PART of last week assisting with Vacation Bible School (VBS).
Ah, the memories you say. Of course that would be those of you who grew up when that sort of thing was prevalent. Before summer camps took over, many children took that trip up or down to the church in the community first thing in the morning.
There, for the next few hours, you and your brothers, sisters and especially cousins engaged in learning Bible verses and listening to Bible stories that taught us right from wrong. We also made creations out of strings, paper, glue and other materials. Then at break time, a small treat awaited the faithful. It was not much but my friend recalled that it saved him many a day.
Last week the Emmanuel Baptist Church hosted its annual VBS with the help of missionaries led by Minister Bill Highsmith of the Tusculum Hills Baptist Church out of Nashville, Tennessee.
I marvelled that most of the teenagers who were a bit grumpy at first, did eventually settle into the programme to the extent where they attended every day. They soon realised that what they usually got away with outside the premises was not permitted once they landed at the church. Their attitudes were adjusted accordingly.
I also marvelled that while there were scores of them, that there were still others who could have benefited from the experience.
The VBS provided a setting for wholesome activities, away from the damaging influences of the social network and was a respite from their home boredom. It gave the children a chance to meet in an environment without major distractions or issues such as bullying.
Their every request had to be preceded by “please” and followed up with “thank you”. They had no problem with following the rules and, if they did, they silently complied and we had no idea.
Why wouldn’t parents insist on ensuring that their children were in attendance in such a nurturing environment? The benefits would be tremendous. All it takes is a bit of effort in insisting that the children make their way to the church.
Some parents are too lazy in their responsibilities. I am not saying that VBS is the answer to every social ill associated with teens and young people, but a few hours of moral teachings could go a long way.
Why not insist that VBS be a part of their summer? When they say “no”, do not let that be the end; insist that they must go. I witnessed one parent about to abort her mission to drop off a child because the child, who was under ten years, said she did not want to go. After a few seconds of trying to persuade the child to go in, she gave up and was about to take away the child.
But a swift intervention by a more experienced person saw to it that the child was escorted inside where she spent the remainder of the day without fuss. That worked out far better than a day spent whiling away the time. By the time she was ready to leave, she had a souvenir and a testimony to her skill in making a functioning dragon fly clip.
So now imagine having that foundation to build upon. It should make life a lot easier at home.
That was one of the bright spots. An even brighter spot was the trooping down every morning of a special bunch from the nearby Richmond area. With their self-appointed leader, the young Kareem, the group was present and accounted for each day.
The church even got a sweet surprise on Sunday when the group turned up en masse for part of the service, further proof that a little bit of guidance can go a long way in steering youngsters on the right course.
• Antoinette Connell is a News Editor. Email [email protected]
