VBS in West Point, Nebraska

Each year during the first part of July, the West Erwin church of Christ of Tyler, Texas, provide help in giving a Vacation Bible School with a small congregation in West Point Nebraska.  Danny and I began helping with this mission effort way back in 1994 and have participated in this work almost every year since then.  It just gets in your heart, and it is fun serving others.

So this summer we timed our trip out west so that it would culminate in time for us to join the youth and their sponsors in West Point.  We arrived on Friday afternoon, July 5th and spent the next week with them and the local congregation.  It was the year of transition from the current youth minister to the new youth minister - so mixed with all the joy of the present and hopes for the future, there was a little nostalgia and a few tears shed for the end of the wonderful working relationship that has grown over the past 23 years.  The youth did a great job of teaching Bible classes on Monday - Thursday mornings; they worked hard on Monday and Tuesday afternoons with a service project of pulling out 40 years of staples and repainting the interior of a county fair building and cutting down a tree on the church property; presenting a movie along with hot dogs and popcorn for the community on Tuesday night; hosting a Parent's Night Social with homemade ice cream and a song performance on Wednesday night; and always the joy of playing games together - Frisbee Football and softball.  What an exceptional group of kids they were!  We parted on Thursday at noon - they headed to Branson for some much deserved fun time, and we headed to St. Joseph.  More about that trip in the next post.  Here are some photos of the week in Nebraska.

The Maxwell Farm Home Where Saturday Night's Frisbee game
and Cookout was held

Beautiful Nebraska Farmland

Competitive Frisbee Football Game

Adults watching the Frisbee Football Game

Ray and Danny Cooking Burgers

Ready for the evening devo and highlights on the farm

Lisa, Shannon and Jordan Snell at worship on Sunday

Our "Daniels" on the trip: Papa Dan, Danny, Danielle, Danilo, and Daniel
at worship Sunday morning

Waiting for the delicious Sunday Potluck Meal - YUM!!

Youth Team for the VERY competitive annual
 Sunday Softball Game

The adult team was TOUGH and they won this year!!

Monday and Tuesday Work Project - Pulling staples and painting 

After lunch Work Project on Monday and Tuesday

Papa Dan at work with the paint

More staple pulling and painting

Others helped cut down a tree at the church building and haul it off

Dragging limbs to the trailer

Ray trimming the limbs off the tree before it came down

A free G family movie was shown the West Point Community Theater 

180 Free Hot Dogs were Served

Following the Hot Dog Supper on Tuesday Night

Energetic teen teachers waiting for their  VBS students

Lots of Yummy Ice Cream was Served
on Wednesday Night

Around 25 cans of ice cream was consumed.

Wednesday Afternoon is always Laundry Day for
the traveling group

Fun bunch of guys and gals

During the mornings, Papa Dan helped care for the 2 and 3 year old kids in
their classes.  He always enjoys this time and make some great buddies.
I usually spend the week helping other great cooks  preparing meals for the group.
Rewarding week - but totally exhausting for everyone.