VBS Mission Trip to Garden City’s Mexican-American Ministries

A team of 16 adults and youth took Camp E.D.G.E. Vacation Bible School “on the road” to Garden City’s Mexican-American Ministries Center on July 19-22. After attending the early Sunday service together and receiving a special blessing from the congregation and Pastor Nathan, the troupe loaded the church van with sets and props and lots of luggage and set out to Garden City. We arrived in plenty of time to unpack and then transform the MAM center into an inviting “campground” for VBS.

The group taught from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and had 40-50 children each day. The kids were entertained by Blaze (Jackie) and Sparx (Christy) each morning, learned the great Bible stories and songs at Camp E.D.G.E., made a fun craft each day, watched a Discovery science experiment and played games outside. We served the children a delicious lunch and dessert, then had a little time left over to play on the center’s playground with the children and get to know them a little better. Some of the team helped unload a semi-truck full of hundreds of boxes of donated items. There were several exceptional youth from Garden City to help us with so many little pre-Kindergarten kids. They willingly helped us out everywhere they were needed.

We ate fine Mexican food at El Zarape Restaurant (some ordered grilled-cheese sandwiches.) The youth and several adults went to the gigantic pool and slides near downtown one afternoon. And of course, we held the traditional “Sponge-BOmB” Youth vs. Adults competition. We relaxed in the evenings and planned the next day’s activities.

Our team shared devotions each evening and discussed how we had each experienced God's love during the week. We identified some things in our lives that sometimes hold us back from living as Jesus would have us live. Then we took symbols of those evil things and blasted them in a rubber-band shooting contest. We decimated greed, low self- image, anxiety, fear of the unknown, and many other evils, and it felt good!

It was a terrific trip this year. Our group worked well together and it was one of the youngest teams we’ve ever taken to VBS in Garden City. They represented our church very well and left many new friends in Garden City hoping we’d be back soon.

Thanks to our amazing team members: Patty Beck, Kathy Wilson, Deb Williams, Lois Stewert, Jackie Lembke, Mark Mohesky, Marian Lembke, John Wilson, Taylor Bishop, Marc Gribble, Matthew Gribble, Amber Jacks, Samantha Greene, Christy Collins, Anna Hartman and Grant Heiman (amazing Phase 10 player!)

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