VBS

So, we got home Wednesday afternoon from Fumento, and Friday we started VBS (July 31-August 2). There were 3 VBS’s going on at the same time in different churches in Iquitos. Thank you Lord for my awesome Team!!!!!!!! The girls, Hermana Magna and I had been working on the materials for a good three weeks already (which is stinking good planning in Peru. Iglesia Central didn’t start planning till the week of and was scrambling up until the last moment). VBS was 3 days long, and it was an absolute blast. I definitely went through some hard moments that week. I did VBS back in the States (with Sherry Willis, and Nanny, and the help of SOO many amazing people), but the point is, I have a rough idea of what’s going on, and am capable of directing things. I was so frustrated here because I felt like I was lacking in the language and thus the understanding of what was going on and what others wanted of me. I cried a couple times, but in the end, it came off without a hitch! The first day we had 44 kids, the second 50, and the last day we had 56. On an average Sunday morning we have 30 or 35 kids, so this was an incredible turnout; especially in a our little pueblo. Our kids memorized their bible verses like pros, and learned new songs, and did stinking awesome crafts. Jared Bouton and Tim Daughtery came up from Arequipa (they came down for Projects Arequipa 0 and Arequipa 1) that Sunday morning, (the last day of VBS) so I drug them out to Gabriella Nunez with me. The kids thought they were awesome.

Saturday morning during VBS, Ana and I also programmed a day of Social Aid. With the help of local medical students, members of Iglesia Central, Elisa, Wendy, the Smiths, Noemi Correa (and her mom who was visiting), we cut and washed hair that was saturated in lice, had classes on personal hygiene and sufficient nutrition. The medical students also brought pills for every family to help with the terrible parasite problem. It was a great morning and left a great impact on the community. The people know that we “Nazarenos” are about more than just their spiritual health. We care about their physical and mental health too. It was glorious.