VBS Day 1 in Ciacova

Today was the first day for VBS in the Ciacova Church. We started at 11:00. We, Marius, Tabita, Ruth and I, started out for Ciacova around 10:00am. Lavinia had left the apartment around 8:30-9:00am because she had her last final exam at University. She called Marius to come pick her up so she could be at VBS when it started because she was done her exam. She aced it!! Congratulations Lavinia.

OK, but to our trip. At the start there were only a few kids, about 13. They were playing games outside and we shuffled them into the church. Tabita lead them in 2 songs then we were on. Ruth presented the verse, 1 John 4:14-15 "The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." She did it in a neat way visually. She had written the phrases, written in Romanian, on objects that would represent that phrase, i.e. Son of God was on a cradle. The kids repeated the verse several times. One of the teens, Flovious (sp?) translated for us all day.
Next was a game to help with the memorization of the verse. Four kids were "tied" together and had to hunt down cards with the words of the verse on it and then assemble the cards in order to list out the verse. They did this two times.

The kids also had an opportunity to recite the verse individually to one of the designated teens. By this time the number of kids seemed to have doubled, which was good but unexpected. If the kid reciting the verse got it correct, they received a ticket to get a prize from the Verse/Prize lady (Ruth). She had an apron made with many pockets and had stuffed the pockets with prizes, so when a kid came with a ticket they could pick one of the prizes.

We then went to craft time. They made picture frames from foam board and glued objects and glitter on the frame. On the inside of the frame was the verse typed out. We had to do this earlier in the day so the glue would try. There were several teens from the Ciacova church helping the little ones, but they also made the frame and I think they had more fun making them for themselves then helping the kids.

We broke for lunch. The kids were sent home and instructed to be back at 3:00pm.

At 3:00, they were back. They started playing games and again were ushered inside the church to begin the program. Tabita again led them in two songs, they sounded great. Then it was story time, my turn. I told the story of the Man born blind and Jesus healed (John 9). I started out by having three volunteers which I blindfolded. One I gave a bandanna to and asked what color it was, he got it right on the second guess. One I put a piece of currency in his hands and asked how much money he was holding, he said “red”. I asked the question again and he did not get it correct. This was to show them what a blind person during Jesus time had to figure out when he was begging in the streets. The third volunteer I had walk up the aisle to the back of the church, he did not make it all the way because he could not see and had to feel his way, just like the blind man in the story had to do to get to his spot to beg. Well I went on to tell the story and I think the point got through, and then we reviewed the verse again.

Then they went outside to play games. The older ones played some blind volleyball (hang a bed sheet over a piece of rope so your opponent can not see were the ball is coming from. The little ones played the parachute game (you have to see the pictures). After a while the bobbles and balloons came out to keep the kids busy. Ed & Cheri did come up with an idea to take a group of six kids, blindfolded, out of the church yard to have them experience life as a blind person. This also gave Ed & Cheri time to review the story again with the kids. They did this with 3 or 4 groups. The kids seem to like it.

Finally we rapped things up around 4:30-4:45. The kids were able to pick up their crafts from earlier in the day and were encouraged to come again tomorrow and to bring friends.

We had time to rest before dinner. And over dinner we discussed some changes for the remaining weeks evening plans. You will have to follow the blog to find out what the changes were.

See you tomorrow,
Doug