On being mobile (or, how to put a Bible school in a car.)

Did you know you can fit 95% of the MUMMs van's VBS materials into a Buick? This was an important lesson I learned this week as the van was in the shop being uncooperative. My grandparents were gracious enough to lend me their big car, so Dean Martin and I rolled down the highway to Van Buren County.

Kids put together quilt squares for the church as a VBS souvenir

We had eleven kids the first day at Milton and were up to seventeen by the end. We wound up doing lots of camp songs at first because while I was absolutely certain I had taken my copy of the Workshop of Wonders CD, do you think I could find it? Not until the second day when my craft volunteer brought it to me- right from the box I had set it in a few days before. Over and over God teaches me that things will not work out the way I plan them, but they will work out. I must be a slow learner at this concept. I'm getting plenty of practice this summer.


We were all pleased to have lots of older kids come. I pulled out the karate song right away, and it seemed to pass the "cool enough for middle school boys" test. But later on, I was also thrilled to see them doing the actions for (AND SINGING) "Jesus Loves Me" that a first grade girl requested we sing. We sang that a lot this week. I told them if that's all they learned at Bible school, that was ok.

This church had a very small congregation, but that meant a fairly large percentage of them turned out to help. Some volunteers also came from outside their congregation, which was great too. Lunches were so wonderful that I had to include a picture of our cooks. They knew how to put together a tasty, healthy meal in a place where hunger really is an issue.

I hope to get some JOY campers from this week. Many seemed interested. One boy was so excited about the idea that he snatched the flier out of my hand as soon as I told him it was free. ("Free?! My mom loves that word!") He then proceeded to give me a big hug.

Sometimes a problem with being mobile is that you feel a little rootless. Luckily, this was not the case here.  I got to enjoy lunches with my little cousin who came to VBS (and chat with his mom as she picked him up.) I got to stay with a dear friend, Karen, whose picture may well be next to "hospitality" in the dictionary. And I got to go with her to a supper and Bible study at her friends' house, where the food and conversation were so good I look forward to going back next time I stay with her- which will be soon!