More VBS!

Kids loved gathering for the Closing Assembly each day because it gave them an opportunity to do the motions to our theme song "Jesus, You're My Superhero" that was playing as everyone made their way to the auditorium.  And they were usually still singing the song on the ride home!

Part of the fun at VBS was anticipating the antics that Maintenance Mac, Pizza Man, and Water Woman would do.  In this activity, they had to search through tubs of Cool Whip to find a key. 

For craft time, children made JESUS necklaces.

Ro shared the Bible story about the loaves and fishes, and he just so "happened" to have a little boy with him with a lunch!  Ro-Ro did a great job helping his daddy tell the story about the miracle.

Our stolen van was towed to us on Friday.  It appears rather sad looking, doesn't it?  The word for "stolen" used by most kids and teens is "jacked," and we heard that frequently last week as kids were boarding the borrowed van to come to VBS.  Those not used to the blue van we were driving would ask, "What happened to the other van?"  Another child in-the-know would gladly offer, "It was jacked!"  I believe we are still waiting on the final word from the insurance company as to repairing it or totaling it.

We praise God for the many seeds of His truth that were planted in hearts last week at VBS!  Please pray for the 7 children who are spending the week at Youth Haven Ranch this week. We will pick them up on Friday and then take a second group to the Ranch on Monday. 

VBS - Days 2 & 3

Aim Right VBS - Day 1

When the high temperature is around 113 degrees, then you know that it must be VBS time at Aim Right!  Hero Headquarters began yesterday evening.  With the swamp coolers running throughout the building, and a few air-conditioned rooms to slip into, we managed to beat the heat and have a lot of fun in the process.

Maintenance Mac, Pizza Man, and Water Woman kept the children amused with humorous skits about the evening's theme:  Heroes do the unexpected.

Darrell shared the Bible story about Naaman and the servant girl, who was the hero in the story because she told Naaman about the man of God who could heal him.

In other news, our trusty--and only!--van was stolen last night.  Authorities found it in El Mirage (20-25 miles away), and it is probably totaled.  The driver of the van was charged with a DUI and had collided with a street sweeper.  The good news is that we had full coverage on the van, and our insurance company will most likely cover the cost of a rental van for us until it's determined if the van is fixable or if we need to purchase another one.  In the meantime, Paradise Valley Mennonite Church is letting us borrow their van to pick up kids for VBS tonight.  Since there are several events this week and in the following weeks that will require a van, please pray that insurance adjusters can quickly make a decision, and that God would lead us to the right van (at the right price!) if indeed we have to purchase another one.
  

(Bye, Bye Van!)

More Babylon!

Children in the Sunnyslope area came for round #2 of Babylon VBS.  Those who weren't afraid to get a little itchy had some fun making numbers.  Can you guess what this is?



The curriculum included a DVD of songs, and the kids are having a blast doing the motions and memorizing the lyrics.  In fact, on the van ride home, you heard many of the kids singing these words: "Where do I go, when I need a shelter?  Where do I go, when I need a friend?"  The evening's Bible story came from the book of Daniel again, and children learned what it means to have God as their refuge and shelter.

A clip of the catchy song:

 

Welcome to Babylon

A.J. and Jewel are coordinating Paradise Valley Mennonite's VBS this summer....with a twist.  They are using a traditional VBS curriculum (Babylon:  Daniel's Courage in Captivity), with the church creatively decorated to represent Babylon, but VBS lessons will be spread out over 5 different weeks throughout June and July.  Other Aim Right'ers are volunteering during the VBS weeks; interns are serving as tribe leaders.

Spaghetti for a cause!

Aim Right's annual Spaghetti Dinner was held on Saturday evening at Sunnyslope Mennonite Church.  Many, many thanks go to Freda Troyer for coordinating the dinner, and to Roseanne Burbank and the Randy & Karena Kropf family for clearing their busy schedules to help as well.  Gifts and pledges totaled just under $2,000 -- praise the Lord!  The funds will be used to send teens to camp in Colorado in July.

Several teens helped serve the meal on Saturday and quickly fell in love with the tasty pasta, bread, salad, and dessert (they got to eat at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.!).  When we served the teens leftovers after Bible study on Monday evening, there was no complaining.  Nor was there when many received take-out containers to give to their families!

 

If you'd like to "join the ride," you can securely donate online through Network for Good.  Simply include "Teen Camp" as your designation, and click here to begin!