Day 1 in Bathurst

Our first full day on the ground was packed and a great start to our trip! The team had an orientation tour of the city after breakfast to get the lay of the land and hear some of the community’s history and needs.

We at lunch together, had group prayer and devotions, then we had some training and orientation for our main project here: VBS. Everyone learned what role they will play, whether leading a station, acting in skits, or leading a zoo crew of kids (since our theme is “weird animals”). We got our manuals and spent the afternoon reading over scripts, checking supply lists and putting final touches on the decorations that will transform St. Luke’s into a lush jungle!

Tonight we’re looking forward to a bonfire at the beach and meeting some people from other churches in the area. Hopefully we can encourage them to take the plunge and try running VBS in their own church because it is a great way to share the gospel with kids, a great way to serve families, and a great way to use our creativity and personalities for God’s glory!

In devos today we discussed why Jesus taught about God’s kingdom in parables, and one reason is so people could relate to the topic. Jesus taught some very complex theology to fishermen, farmers and merchants by putting things in their own terms. One team member pointed out that VBS is a way to put the gospel in terms that are relevant for kids, which follows Jesus’ example. I’m excited for the week to unfold and see kids making connections from the Bible points, memory verses, wild games, sciencey experiments and more!

It is also a great opportunity for us leaders to remember the simple truths and powerful meaning of our faith in Jesus, so stay tuned as we get ready to learn together through serving God and each other!