Church runs 2nd Vacation Bible School

Northern Hills UMC
takes Bible lessons
to community center

Northern Hills VBS Video Clip

By Claudia M. Williams
Staff Writer
James Badrek, 15, volunteered to work during Vacation Bible School at Northern Hills UMC, San Antonio, in June, for a simple reason.
“When I was little, I didn’t get this kind of Vacation Bible School,” he said. “I’m here this week because I want the kids to get what I didn’t get.”
During the week of July 11 - 14, youngsters at a San Antonio childcare center had the opportunity to attend Vacation Bible School because some 50 volunteers from Northern Hills shared Badrek’s desire. They took summer Bible classes to the east side as an outreach.
Nearly 40 children—kindergartners through fourth graders—from the Miller Child Development Center attended Vacation Bible School at the Barbara Jordan Community Center in San Antonio.
Carolyn Brown, teacher assistant at the child development center, said she was pleased that church members brought their children with them.
“All the kids from Northern Hills are a big help,” she said. “They’ve made the kids feel more relaxed.”
Emily Rick, 11, was a helper with the first graders. She said she wanted to be part of this outreach ministry “to honor God.”
Having grown up in the church, Rick said, she’d attended many Vacation Bible School programs. “I became a lot closer to God,” she said.
Becoming closer to God is exactly what Brown said she hoped would happen for the Miller Center children.
“In this day and time,” Brown said, “I think all our kids should be made aware that Jesus loves them, Jesus saves, Jesus is there for them, whatever they’re going through.
“It’s not like when we were growing up. Now there is so much peer pressure. It’s important that they know they can turn to Jesus no matter what the situation is. They know he’s going to help solve the problem for them.”
One mother told Brown that even though she didn’t go to church, “her child could come to Bible school.” But not all parents from the center agreed to allow their children to attend Bible classes, Brown said.
David Gallegos, a new member of Northern Hills, took time away from his job running a staffing agency to portray Jesus’ disciple Andrew and tell children the story of Jesus overcoming temptation.
“As a child,” Gallegos said, “I grew up in an area much like this (around the Barbara Jordan Center). There were people in my life who had a profound impact on me. I remember to this day the time they took to provide a positive distraction—as opposed to the other distractions in the environment. They kept me on the right path.”
Wanda Stanley, Northern Hills director of children’s ministries, said it was amazing the difference a few miles could make. Northern Hills is about 20 miles from the Barbara Jordan Center.
“Our children are very blessed financially; most are blessed with two parents; many have one parent who stays at home,” Stanley said.
“Our youths have been amazing, holding these kids, hugging them, loving them. I don’t know how much a 4-year-old can fully understand about Jesus, but this puts him in their heart, and they can associate him with this loving person who has given them so much attention and love here this week.”
Brown said, “I’m happy these kids have the opportunity to learn about Christ. It may just be for a week, just for a couple of hours, but I’m sure they’ll be able to take something back with them.”
Was it a lot of work to bring all of the materials from the Construction Zone Vacation Bible School to the center? “Absolutely,” Stanley said.
Will the church do it again? “Absolutely,” she said.

Northern Hills VBS Video Clip