By Janice Parker / Photos: Todd Lawson
The East Lake Courts Center was filled with music and activities during the Vacation Bible School led by members of the McDonald Road Church there this summer. The VBS was held June 24-27 as part of Ms. Lawrence’s East Lake Summer Camp, which is named in honor of Ms. Lawrence, a longtime resident of East Lake Courts, who started the camp as a safe and fun place for kids to go during summer break at no cost. This was the 7th summer for members of McDonald Road Church to work with these children. It is such a joy to bring the love of Jesus to these children who have little hope for the future.
Each day we started our program with our praise group leading the singing and Todd Lawson playing his guitar. These children love to sing and take part any way they are allowed. Then we have prayer requests and prayer.
Each day, we had a DVD introduce a new animal representing our theme for that day in our ROAR experience. Next, we meet a child from another country. We learned what they had to do to help their families before going to school and how they walked a long way to get to their school. They have so little, but are happy.
Deanna McDonald, Preston, Kaitlyn, and some children from the group acted out some of Moses’ Bible stories, such as going to Pharaoh and asking him to let God’s people go, how God sent plagues, and the Israelites journey all the way to the Promised Land.
The highlights of each day were the outdoor games led by Todd and Cherie Lawson and the science experiments by Jonathan and Jane Leffew, Kaitlyn, and Preston McDonald.
The Samaritan Center donated crayons, pencils, coloring books, story books, and the New Adventure Bible for each child to take home with them. The children loved the colorful Bibles. Each Bible had written in the front, “To my special child (child’s name). Love, Jesus” These meant a lot to these children.
A special thanks to Dave and Mary Ann Turner for leading out in the VBS program and Ms. Jessica Lawrence for sharing her school, children, and a place to hold our Vacation Bible School.
