Haiti: Part 6
Day 6
We held two days of VBS while we were in Haiti. The first day─yeah, we can just agree that the first day wasn't the best. Okay, it wasn't very good. Okay─it was just really bad. (I may─or may not have─forgotten to mention the first day of VBS in my earlier posts.)
Long story short, our suitcase filled with crafts and supplies was not waiting for us at baggage claim. So we filled out some paperwork and gave the airport a number to call. Sadly our number was never called.
I must commend one woman, our translator, who literally ran the show for us─I'm serious─she saved the day. She knew the kids' favorite songs (and in Creole, too!). She explained the craft, and how to play the games. She translated the story─yep, she did it all. She recognized our need for help, and she filled it.
If that's not a servant's heart, I don't know what is.
A few girls and I spent the morning preparing our craft for Daniel and the Lions Den. Now of course, if you're going to do Daniel and the Lions Den, you've gotta let the kids take home their own lion's face. Come on, you can't pass up an opportunity like that.
Thankfully, in one of our suitcases (one that actually did arrive in Haiti) we had packed 100 paper plates. So we set up our assembly line─two girls tracing eye holes, two girls cutting out the holes. Then we drew faces and glued on the ears.
1) Don't give the children glue.
There were too many of them and too few of us to help each child glue their project together.
2) Make the project as simple as possible.
Some of these kids were really little. Expecting them to cut and paste wasn't realistic for the younger ones. We all came to the agreement that we'd give each child a pre-made mask and some crayons, with the freedom to design and color the lion to their hearts content. I mean really─what kid doesn't like to color?
While our first VBS was on site at UCI, the second was off site in a neighboring area. We didn't really know what to expect going into it, how many kids we'd have, or really if there'd be any kids at all.
Oh boy, was I surprised.
Not so much by the fact that we had a church full of children, but by the children themselves. They were all sitting there, expectantly, waiting patiently and quietly for us to arrive.
Seeing that they were all ready to go, we started with the skit. And hey─we even got the kids to laugh a few times! We had three lions (sporting the beautiful masks), Daniel, King Darius, and last but not least─the narrator.
She spoke with such clarity and poise that─had you closed your eyes─you might have thought you were back at home, sitting in your living room, watching a tv documentary dedicated to the book of Daniel.
Okay, I was the narrator. (And I take back all that was stated above.)
After the skit, we distributed the masks and let the kids get to coloring. One word: success!
In brainstorming for activities the day prior, our minds were drawing blank. It's tough to find a game that caters to such a wide age group. Then an idea hit me. I'm convinced this idea was planted by God, because it worked so well.
Earlier in the summer, while babysitting, the kids and I setup a homemade obstacle course in the backyard. The kids had done a similar obstacle course at VBS the night before, and thought it was just the coolest thing since sliced bread. (More like the coolest thing since Frozen.)
Seriously, when I asked about VBS they just couldn't stop talking about that obstacle course. It was a simple obstacle course, really, but they had fun with it and it was definitely a highlight of their day.
We laid out a jump rope for the starting line, had the kids spin around a few times, jump over a rock, run and touch a tree, run around another tree, and then do 10 jumping jacks. Simple stuff, but they absolutely loved it.
The older ones had fun racing each other, while the younger one simply enjoyed the course itself. Some of the youngest kids were so little that a member of our team would "run" with them, holding their hands, or even carrying them the entire way.
While some of the kids waited for their turn at the obstacle course, I blew bubbles for them to try and pop. Mostly for their enjoyment, maybe slightly for mine. I'll be honest, playing with bubbles is fun.
When it came time to switch groups, we sent the kids off to play tap, tap, squeeze. It's like duck duck goose, but you have a wet sponge that you tap on each players head. And once you squeeze, the goose chase begins.
After the games, we transitioned back into the church for a snack to conclude our VBS. When I say transition, I mean it. It was seriously the smoothest transition from one venue to the other that I've ever had with such a large group of children.
We gave each child a cup of fruit flavored water and some of bread from the bakery. I noticed that a few of the kids saved some of their bread. I'm not sure if this is because they had learned to ration what little they had, or if they were saving it for family members back home.
On the way out, we let each child pick a prize to take home with them. They could choose from hair ties, jump ropes, bubbles, and several other small toys.
As the kids came up to collect their prizes, we noticed a strong bond among siblings (well, I'm only assuming they were siblings). The older ones watched out for the younger ones and walked with them, hand-in-hand, to our suitcase full of prizes. The family units in Haiti are very close─they're always watching out for one another. I observed this on several occasions throughout the week.
So after a few hours of VBS, you'd think I'd be wiped─absolutely tired and ready to pass out. Not this time my friends! I was so pleased with the outcome that my energy rose at least 45 percent─maybe even 50.
Witnessing that second day of VBS─that was a beautiful thing. It was a really beautiful thing.
[Interested in reading more? Check out the Blog Archive to the right to find links to my other posts.]
Haiti: Part 2
Haiti: Part 3
Haiti: Part 4
Haiti: Part 5
Haiti: Part 7
Hands down, my favorite part of the day was vacation bible school.
We held two days of VBS while we were in Haiti. The first day─yeah, we can just agree that the first day wasn't the best. Okay, it wasn't very good. Okay─it was just really bad. (I may─or may not have─forgotten to mention the first day of VBS in my earlier posts.)
Long story short, our suitcase filled with crafts and supplies was not waiting for us at baggage claim. So we filled out some paperwork and gave the airport a number to call. Sadly our number was never called.
Aside from lack of preparation, I think our greatest struggle was communication.
I must commend one woman, our translator, who literally ran the show for us─I'm serious─she saved the day. She knew the kids' favorite songs (and in Creole, too!). She explained the craft, and how to play the games. She translated the story─yep, she did it all. She recognized our need for help, and she filled it.
If that's not a servant's heart, I don't know what is.
So about that second day of VBS.
A few girls and I spent the morning preparing our craft for Daniel and the Lions Den. Now of course, if you're going to do Daniel and the Lions Den, you've gotta let the kids take home their own lion's face. Come on, you can't pass up an opportunity like that.
Thankfully, in one of our suitcases (one that actually did arrive in Haiti) we had packed 100 paper plates. So we set up our assembly line─two girls tracing eye holes, two girls cutting out the holes. Then we drew faces and glued on the ears.
After the first day of VBS, we came to two important conclusions:
1) Don't give the children glue.
There were too many of them and too few of us to help each child glue their project together.
2) Make the project as simple as possible.
Some of these kids were really little. Expecting them to cut and paste wasn't realistic for the younger ones. We all came to the agreement that we'd give each child a pre-made mask and some crayons, with the freedom to design and color the lion to their hearts content. I mean really─what kid doesn't like to color?
 |
VBS Day 1: This little girl has one of the
sweetest smiles in the world.
|
After lunch we set out for VBS.
While our first VBS was on site at UCI, the second was off site in a neighboring area. We didn't really know what to expect going into it, how many kids we'd have, or really if there'd be any kids at all.
Oh boy, was I surprised.
Not so much by the fact that we had a church full of children, but by the children themselves. They were all sitting there, expectantly, waiting patiently and quietly for us to arrive.
Seeing that they were all ready to go, we started with the skit. And hey─we even got the kids to laugh a few times! We had three lions (sporting the beautiful masks), Daniel, King Darius, and last but not least─the narrator.
I commend our narrator, I really do.
She spoke with such clarity and poise that─had you closed your eyes─you might have thought you were back at home, sitting in your living room, watching a tv documentary dedicated to the book of Daniel.
Okay, I was the narrator. (And I take back all that was stated above.)
After the skit, we distributed the masks and let the kids get to coloring. One word: success!
Then we split the group in two, my group sent to the obstacle course.
In brainstorming for activities the day prior, our minds were drawing blank. It's tough to find a game that caters to such a wide age group. Then an idea hit me. I'm convinced this idea was planted by God, because it worked so well.
Earlier in the summer, while babysitting, the kids and I setup a homemade obstacle course in the backyard. The kids had done a similar obstacle course at VBS the night before, and thought it was just the coolest thing since sliced bread. (More like the coolest thing since Frozen.)
Seriously, when I asked about VBS they just couldn't stop talking about that obstacle course. It was a simple obstacle course, really, but they had fun with it and it was definitely a highlight of their day.
And thus the inspiration for our obstacle course.
We laid out a jump rope for the starting line, had the kids spin around a few times, jump over a rock, run and touch a tree, run around another tree, and then do 10 jumping jacks. Simple stuff, but they absolutely loved it.
 |
| Running through the obstacle course. |
The older ones had fun racing each other, while the younger one simply enjoyed the course itself. Some of the youngest kids were so little that a member of our team would "run" with them, holding their hands, or even carrying them the entire way.
While some of the kids waited for their turn at the obstacle course, I blew bubbles for them to try and pop. Mostly for their enjoyment, maybe slightly for mine. I'll be honest, playing with bubbles is fun.
Tip to anyone, in any country, who ever plays with kids: bubbles are a hit.
When it came time to switch groups, we sent the kids off to play tap, tap, squeeze. It's like duck duck goose, but you have a wet sponge that you tap on each players head. And once you squeeze, the goose chase begins.
After the games, we transitioned back into the church for a snack to conclude our VBS. When I say transition, I mean it. It was seriously the smoothest transition from one venue to the other that I've ever had with such a large group of children.
We gave each child a cup of fruit flavored water and some of bread from the bakery. I noticed that a few of the kids saved some of their bread. I'm not sure if this is because they had learned to ration what little they had, or if they were saving it for family members back home.
On the way out, we let each child pick a prize to take home with them. They could choose from hair ties, jump ropes, bubbles, and several other small toys.
As the kids came up to collect their prizes, we noticed a strong bond among siblings (well, I'm only assuming they were siblings). The older ones watched out for the younger ones and walked with them, hand-in-hand, to our suitcase full of prizes. The family units in Haiti are very close─they're always watching out for one another. I observed this on several occasions throughout the week.
 |
| VBS Day 1 |
Witnessing that second day of VBS─that was a beautiful thing. It was a really beautiful thing.
[Interested in reading more? Check out the Blog Archive to the right to find links to my other posts.]
Haiti: Part 3
Haiti: Part 4
Haiti: Part 5
Haiti: Part 7
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