Mary Margaret:

While the largest part of the team worked hard with crafts, songs and games; Webster, Tom and I worked on a few of the painting projects Milquella had for us.  Yesterday we finished painting the Parish Hall, above the sanctuary, and started prepping the playground for a new coat of paint (or two) and a new theme. 

As we were getting close to the end of the bucket of primer, I started thinking about the story of the loaves and fishes.  Would we have enough primer?  It was so thin I wasn’t sure it would cover anything very well.  We ended up with enough and more.  The same was true today.  We started with six quarts of different colors, six paint brushes and one ladder.  In the end we had a beautiful house, see saws and a jungle gym decorated in many colors with paint left over. 

The same was true with our craft supplies the congregation so graciously donated.  The bottom line is, when we are together doing the work we have been called to do, there is always enough to go around and a little bit more.

Katy:

This year while packing for our trip I decided to bring along my journals from years past and to reflect on those trips while living through this one. While I was reading through them I stumbled across a saying from one of our talks with Padre Tony. That we bring God’s love when we are willing to give God control of what is to come and that in the Kingdom of God your size is not important.

One lesson I have learned through 5 trips to Bani, is that you have to let go and allow God to take control. Crafts, supplies, and activities, may be laid out to the last detail but what matters is not the ‘things’ but the relationships going in and on around them. Because when things come along that are unexpected you have to stop and remember what is important, why am I here.

So tuning in to the relationships around me has been my ultimate goal this year. Many people return each year to VBS because of these relationships. These people are my family and what happens to them impacts me and the world around us. Why do I come everytime? To see my family both from Winchester & Bani in order to remember that relationships are the true love God wants for us. This means I may spend hours painting leaves on vines to watch the preschoolers smile and give hugs when they see their improved playground. Work in a sweltering classroom with many voices calling out for help to end up getting tons of smiles and hugs when they finish their project. Have no running water and a million mosquito bites to sing or play one more time with the kids and adults. But in the end it is all worth it because I have been in relationship with others whom I love and receive love in return.

It is hard to express what it means to be here, there are small heartbreaks and joys that accompany each day. Yesterday I watched as a little girl, who has come to at least 3 or 4 VBS climb up into a dumpster to look for something and when she didn’t find anything wander through the garbage in the field. When she showed up this morning, in her best outfit, for school she gave me a huge smile and hug. I returned the gift to her and many others today. While painting the playhouse one 4 year old little girl called out “Tia” and “se lindo” which translates (roughly) “Auntie, it’s lovely”. I was so happy she felt close to us to call us so familial a name and approved of our painting. To let go and let God take control invites these opportunities into our lives. While we are not here to fix anything, we are here to live each moment with these loving beautiful people- Nosotros familia! I hope more people from Christ Episcopal Church will come join in our family!