I don't know who benefited more from VBS, the kids or the adults. Last week Northside had their VBS (vacation bible school) from 6:30-8:40 each evening. There were around 250 adults helping (a good majority being men!) take care of a ton of kids! Total for the week was around 440 kids with the highest per night being around 375 kids! It was so cool to see so many kids there! We did "Crocodile Dock" as the theme for the week. I got to work with a special group of kids. I helped in the special needs group. I teamed up with 3 other women (2 being special needs teachers in the school our kids will go to in Coweta), and we had 6 different kids we worked with all week. They were all around 4-7 years old and having anything from autism to a seizure disorder to asbergers. It was so amazing to be with these kids and do nothing but play, love on them, and try to tell them how much God loves them.
2 boys that I worked with a lot and just stole my heart were twins, and they had a seizure disorder and thus have brain damage from it. They were hard to take around to the different rooms b/c one needed some help walking and the other wanted to just go socialize! They had to wear helmets all the time in case they fell or had seizures while we were out (and they did both!). They could sign some and understood some sign. They would look you in the eye and just melt your heart with their big ol' brown eyes! They loved to turn the lights on and off and screamed whenever the door opened. They would smile and clap when they got to go do the activities.
Another girl in our class goes to Northside. I'm not quite sure what her diagnosis is... I think she is autistic but she has some other medical needs. She is so sweet and absolutely loved doing the activities! She would just start laughing and cackling for no reason! :-) She couldn't speak and had a few signs she could do. Her mom was also working at VBS and got to come see her play and smile and laugh! Her mom just loved on her and was so proud of her daughter!
What got me was during worhsip. We took the kids in with the hundreds of other kids so they could do the opening and closing songs. One song they sang was "You are my King." I could not get through that song without choking up. The line that says: 'I'm alive and well, your spirit lives within me.' got me b/c God's spirit is in those precious babies! As much as we love those kids, His love is so much greater for them! He sees inside those kids and knows them. All week the other workers and I would talk about that one day when these children are in Heaven and free from the diseases that are in their bodies. How precious for their parents to finally get to talk to their children and know what they think and feel! We were picturing the twin boys running up to us and saying "hey do you remember that one VBS??" What hope for that day when they will be in their new bodies!
Sunday Jarod sang "He knows my name" during service right after talking about all the kids at VBS. I could not get through that song. The song says "He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call." I couldn't stop picturing those sweet children and their eyes. I couldn't help but just think of their parents one day sitting down with them and talking- finally knowing what they are thinking.
Thank you Lord that you know them and love them! Thank you that one day, they will be free from their burdens! Thank you for the opportunity to work with them. I am honored to have had that chance!
Here's to a better year
11 years ago
"For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?'"
ReplyDelete1 Cor. 15:52-55