VBS Week #2, Day #4

I will get to VBS pictures shortly, but first a bunny trail...

 

For the first several years I lived in Phoenix, I spent a lot of time in the city-built housing area we call the Projects.  I visited kids there, often several times a week, and I knew kids in almost every section.  I don't spend as much time there anymore, since my weekly visitation route and van driving route has been in the immediate neighborhood surrounding Aim Right for the past number of years.  In the early days, I recall that it was often while I was in the Projects that I had the greatest sense of calling -- that God had me in that place, with those kids, for a specific purpose.

 

Residence in the Projects is income based; you cannot make over a certain amount and live there.  Years ago, I remember visiting with a mom who was always friendly and easy to converse with since she spoke English well; she was excited because they were finally able to purchase a home and leave the Projects.  A counter example is another family I knew who also lived in the Projects.  One of the adult children in the home had a chance at employment.  The mother insisted on the son moving out or quitting the job since being employed would push them over the income level.  As with many government solutions and programs, you see them used as intended (temporarily) or abused.

 

The Projects has shrunk in size through the years, with the City demolishing a whole section of apartments where a number of "our" kids used to live.  The City is now experimenting with building multi-income and senior housing on the empty lots.  As a result, we have a dozen or so children and teens from the Projects area that still attend Aim Right programs, versus the bus load we had a few years ago.  However, quite a number of children and teens come from neighborhoods to the east of the Projects. 

 

Here is where the bunny trail connects with VBS:  children residing in the Projects and neighborhoods to the east of it were the ones we invited to VBS for week #2.

 

 

Eileen and helpers told the story of Zacchaeus.

 

The last evening to study the memory verse!

 

Group photos were taken in preparation for tomorrow's craft.  Let's just say they're full of personality.

 

Dallas told me he loves our hot, sunny weather.  I guess the Games site was the perfect one for him to lead, since our outdoor "gym" had plenty of hot.

 

Ball toss memory verse game:

Our grassy yard area isn't so grassy anymore, but kids still had fun running across it.