“We’ve picked a different theme each year, usually related to a specific country or culture and how they uniquely celebrate the Christian faith,” said BUMC Pastor Ken Ramsey.

 

This year’s opening night of VBS focused on the Christmas celebration and Monday night, the focus was baptism, Ramsey said.

 

Each night, opening activities and music takes place in the church sanctuary, then participants move out to the marketplace, which is set up outdoors.

 

“That includes crafts to food to specific teachings and music,” Ramsey said. “The kids are split into family units, the familia, so it’s not by age. It’s an intergenerational family so all age groups are represented.”

 

Because of the high volume of volunteers – both adults and youth – there are plenty of family members of all ages and individuals to host and lead activities at the various tents.

 

All participating kids get to wear colorful, authentic clothing for the Mexican activities. They seem very excited about it all, Ramsey said.

The booth that she is helping with is the piñata booth where kids are creating their own piñatas from paper bags. The craft activity comes along with a special story.

 

“The history of the piñata stems from Christianity,” she said. “I started in Mexico with seven point stars representing the seven deadly sins and it was decorated in bright colors to represent temptation. The blindfold is because sometimes our faith in Christ has to be blind and we must trust him to lead us through temptations. The candy represents that reward.”

 

The VBS also includes the learning of Mexican dances, athletic games and prayers and features the making of flowers and live Mexican singing. Children age 4 up through fifth grade are invited to take part in activities, which include crafts, games and the sampling of unique foods at the Mexican café. Some food items, such as tortillas, salsa and guacamole, were even made by the kids, Compton said.