A Week of Wonders

From Joe Culp

I must say my week of working at Bridge Street United Church's Hometown Nazareth Vacation Bible School was one of the most full experiences of our lifetime. I look back at the week the Kids were really having themselves a blast through song, Music, stories and Craft Creations.   One of the best thing I saw was  everybody making up Bagged Lunches to help feed hungry people at Gleaners Food Bank and as a Volunteer at our St. Matthews Food Distribution Centre I wanna compliment them on a job well done!

 I know for a fact that our Food Bank Customers down at Gleaners Warehouse would appreciate a great meal as so many just can't afford to get out to get food in the house...as they say "There's nothing Worse than Having Food in the House" which is true indeed!!!

Now my side...one of the best thing I ever experienced at VBS is having not one...not two but 3 Jobs to do and that really made me feel like I had plenty to do there that week.  .my 3 jobs involved 1)Science Assistant in the morning in which both to our surprise that Mike Roberts and I made the Wednesday Belleville Paper!   The Children just adored the kinds of experiments we were doing that any kid could do without using Dangerous Chemicals and Bunsen Burners. Instead we used Milk, Dish Soap and Food Colouring on Monday's and Citrus Fruit on Tuesday that included Lime, Lemon and Orange We put them both in water to see which one's would Sink and which one's would Float although I won't spill the Beans on that one until someone comes up and asks me.
 
2) Helping with Great Activities at both The St. Thomas Anglican Church Parking Lot and the Nicholson Field where the former BCI(Belleville Collegiate Institute) once sat and From Monday's to Wednesday’s and Friday's I was Randy Reid's assistant. The kids sure had a Blast on the kind of Activities we did including Hockey on Monday at St. Thomas and Water Balloon and Sponge Toss on Wednesday's.  Later that same day the youngsters were treated to a waterslide and they enjoyed that a lot!!! And on Tuesday's and Friday's at the Northeast and Southeast Nicholson Field I had to run back and forth from one field to another to keep track of the activities. 

Thursday we didn't do activities as kids visited both the Bridge Street Retirement Residences and Quinte Living Centre so I got to stay at the Church and Chat with those I haven't yet met and give my reflections on how much I was really enjoying my helping out at Hometown Nazareth.  Of course Randy Reid and I go a long ways back...Randy was my former School Teacher at Bayside Public and who knew that one day I would wind up going from his Student to assistant eh?!!! And I ask myself how good does that get eh?!!!

Another great task I had was having to be the Front Door Man Warming up Hearts and welcoming not only the Youngsters In to Hometown Nazareth but the Parents as well and I had the Huge responsibility to remind them to make sure the kids were taking to their Groups and signed in and to make sure no Kid walked out.  That task was courtesy of the Reverend Dr. Bill Smith Minister at Bridge Street  

Unfortunately like all great things our Program like all the other VBS and otherwise has come to an end but as I always say their is plenty of Opportunities to look forward too down the road and as I say in our Minutes of Missions ending "MANY HANDS MAKE MANY MISSIONS" and I do strongly encourage anyone out there to Please do get involved cause we can't do it without your Help and it's more than just 2 Hands to complete a mission!!!

 And in the end I want to say "You know what this combined Vacation Bible School along with College Hill, Bridge street and us at St. Matthews was one of the greatest experience of my lifetime but the only problem is I'D LIKE TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN"!!! Thanks be to God Amen!!!