Vietnamese Church hosts VBS for national conference

ARLINGTON, Va. — A 50-member team from Vietnamese Baltimore Baptist Church (VBBC) hosted a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for nearly 200 children whose parents attended the National Vietnamese Baptist Union Conference June 29 — July 2 at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. The conference draws Vietnamese churches throughout the country and leaders from as far as Vietnam. The VBBC VBS

team began planning three months in advance using Group Publishing’s Stellar: Shine Jesus’ Light,” an outer space-themed curriculum. They decked out four hotel rooms with hanging clouds, stars, planets and a spaceship. BCM/D Youth & Kids Ministry Missionary Kris Buckman dropped by to visit and said she was so impressed with the way Michelle and her team tackled the challenges of hosting VBS for the first time, with kids from all over the United States, and at an off-site location! “I knew when Michelle and her team attended the VBS cohorts back in the spring that this was going to be a phenomenal event. I’ve been praying for them and was blown away by their efforts!”

Making the feat even more impressive was that it was the church’s first attempt at VBS. Director Michelle Nguyen, VBBC‘s worship leader and most of her 50-member team, never even attended a VBS.

“Even when we were younger we didn’t have our own VBS. I love how God used us in our capacity and let our community step up and serve,” said Nguyen.

The team had four rooms for VBS in the hotel — one for the main worship celebration and three VBS stations. An “Imagination Station,” was for making crafts, including friendship bracelets with a heart to remind children of Jesus, and gold stars to remind them to shine Jesus’ light, explained Nguyen. Children ate snacks and watched videos of children sharing their testimonies in the “Dark Room.” A Stellar Bible Adventure story room is where the team focused on each day’s Bible stories. Every day team members changed the backgrounds to help the stories come to life for the kids.

In a Jetsons-worthy gold skirt, Nguyen exuded palpable energy as she led the celebration sessions singing loudly and rallying the kids. Church member John Tran dressed in a full astronaut suit partnered with Nguyen to cheer on the kids, who danced and sang with gusto.

Nguyen, said the pre-schoolers, she called “crown jewels,” loved the music and would come up front to sing when she led each day. “The last day I played the music without being in the front, but all of the pre-k kids went up without me and started dancing. I thought it was so adorable and I admired how much courage and confidence they had, and how much fun they were having,” she said.

Nguyen said she was also impressed with how well all of the children got along. “We had kids from Texas, Georgia, Washington, Florida, and California — all across America,” she said. And they melded together quickly

Some of the VBS team had some emergencies and had to quit, but several members from Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Bear, Delaware lent a helping hand. Later this month, VBBC will help GSBC with their VBS.

“A lot of kids and parents were surprised at how grand and big we made the VBS and how much heart we put into it,” Nguyen said, but it was a labor of love. “A lot of us became weary and tired, but after experiencing the entire VBS we were encouraged and want to serve in that capacity again for our own community.” The church has a smaller facility, but Ngyun said she knows God will provide opportunities.