director’s - central ja · ruth ramírez theme song lyrics and music manuel pinedo, david tass...

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Director’sand

Teacher’sManual

Children and Adolescents Ministries

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Coordination

Stories

Music

Intros

Logistics

Curiosities

Food

Crafts

Mission Project

Workbooks

Intros and Dialogues

Costumes

Set Design

Devotionals

Closing

Dialogues

Design

Translation

VBS COMMITTEES 2015Dinorah Rivera

Yuniva Gerardo

Ruth Ramírez Theme song lyrics and music

Manuel Pinedo, David Tass

Sandra EscobarSara PakYhoselen Ruiz

Yuniva Gerardo

Edéniz Ponce

Angélica Trillo, Susana de Dzul

Dámaris Elizabeth Segoviano

Miriam Ruiz

David Tass

Raquel Aguirre

Mayra Rodriguez, Dora H Piñuelas

Raquel Silvestre

Betty Valenzuela

Ismael Orozco

Irel Gutiérrez

Jainie Pita

Welcome to the Vacation Bible School Odyssey on the Sea with Jesus Almighty! The main objective of this bible school is that the students learn and affirm their belief in a Creator God and one who loves and cares for His creation. The stories chosen from the Bible show not only human frailty, but also the greatness and love of a God who despite being the Almighty owner, chooses to show His love in times of difficulty and in moments of victory.

It is our desire that the children and adolescents learn to fix their eyes on Jesus to be victorious; that they learn to fully trust that He will meet our needs. Not our luxuries, but our needs; that they learn that when we feel fear He gives us peace. And above all to trust in such a great and special love that He wants us to live with Him forever.

Everything is possible with Jesus Almighty!

For you director and teacher

M Dinorah RiveraChildren and Adolescents Ministries,

Inter-American Division

Note: All texts are taken from the New International Version (NIV)

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Greeting from the DirectorWhat is Vacation Bible School?Objectives of the General ProgramUsing the ManualFlowchartGeneral Theme of the ProgramPhase 1 (PLANNING) • Organization • Preparation • TrainingPhase 2 (IMPLEMENTATION)Before the Opening • Devotionals • Receiving the studentsOpeningVBS Stations • Knowledge Station • Food Station • Craft Station • Game Station • Decision StationClosingClosing programPhase 3 (FOLLOW-UP)Friends of the Community ClubBible Lessons “God sent His Son to be my Friend” APPENDICES:Songs to the flag and the BibleTheme songForms and materials for the programPreparation for the next VBSAIDS:Adolescents and the plan of salvationWorking with children from troubled homesRegistration FormResponsibility Control Form

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The Vacation Bible School (VBS) is an evangelistic program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church promoted by the

Department of Children and Adolescents Ministries. It is aimed at children and adolescents of the church and community between the

ages of 4-12. It takes place mainly during the months when children are out of school, but can be used for evangelistic campaigns, camps, and community outreach, among others.

The program is designed to last three hours a day during five days ending with a graduation program to which the parents and guardians of the children are invited. It can take place in the church, church

school, or someplace where you have the proper conditions to address them.

The Vacation Bible School has the objective of affirming Christian values in the character development of the students so that they may be better members of the family, church and community, and share with others the

message of salvation through Bible stories.

Specific Objectives of the VBS

• Reach the students who do not know Jesus and plant the seed of the Gospel in their hearts.

• Strengthen the faith of the children and adolescents of the church and lead their footsteps to

Jesus.• Present the character of our Creator.

• Promote the strengthening of the character traits of Jesus in students.

What is Vacation Bible School?

General Objective of the VBS

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In this Vacation Bible School we will be working with four key words in teaching the students with the purpose of motivating them to THINK, FEEL, MAKE, and REAFFIRM.

THIN

KM

AK

E: F

EEL

REAFFIRM:

• Jesus has all the power to take care of my life.

• Even during difficulties, Jesus can save me and take me to a safe harbor.

• The wonders of the sea show a God who has power to control everything.

• A surrender to Jesus of my fears and worries.

• A decision to follow Jesus each day.

• My life a reflection of the Almighty God.

• I can trust in a loving, compassionate, and almighty God.

• Jesus is the only One who can forgive my sins and give me eternal life.

• Jesus is always by my side.

• That God is the Creator of the universe; that all creation reveals His character and works in harmony with His purposes.

that:

that:

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USING THE MANUAL1. This manual is a guide that teaches step by step how to conduct a Vacation Bible School. It is divided in three PHASES that indicate the order of action to correctly implement the VBS program.

2. You will also find a Flowchart that will help you visualize the general projection of each of its phases.

3. This manual includes a series of formats and forms at the end called APPENDICES as well as some suggestions to enrich your work with the students.

We hope that this project may be useful and a blessing.

PHASE 1: BEFORE THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

(PLANNING)

This planning period includes all the activities to be carried out following the

appointment of the VBS director in the churches until the start of the VBS program.

PHASE 2: DURING THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

(IMPLEMENTATION)

Es la etapa que comprende desde el inicio de la EBV hasta el programa de graduación.

PHASE 3: AFTER THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

(FOLLOW-UP)

This is the phase that follows up the work that has been done in the VBS with the stu-

dents of the community, inviting them to participate in a missionary outreach program

for children and adolescents called FRIENDS OF THE COMMUNITY CLUB, which

starts a week after the conclusion of the VBS.

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Flowchart

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Preparation

Handing overthe children

Day

1

2

3

4

GRADUATION

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Message

With Jesus everything is possible

Jesus is theOwner ofeverything

Jesus has the power to calm

the storm

Jesus has the power to supply

your need

Jesus has the power to

save you

Jesus has power over

all things

Theme

Odyssey Walking on

the Sea

Odyssey in the Fish’s

Mouth

Odyssey in the Boat

Odyssey on the

High Seas

Odyssey by the Sea of

Glass

Odyssey on the

Seashore

Value Verse

Trust

Do not fear, for I haveredeemed you; I have

summoned you by name; you are mine.

Isaiah 43:1

Responsibility

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for hefounded it on the seas and

established it on the waters.Psalms 24:1-2

PatienceBe still, and know

that I am God. Psalms 46:10

Faithfulness

Assurance

For your Father knows what you need before

you ask him.Matthew 6:8

Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal… You are worthy, our Lord and

God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they were created

and have their being. Revelation 4:6, 11

Service

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, butto serve, and to give his life

as a ransom for many.Matthew 20:28

General Theme of the Program

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Day Theme Verse

1With Jesus our Captaineverything is possible

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.

Matthew 14:27

2 Our Captain is Ownerof everything

But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its

mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them

for my tax and yours. Matthew 17:27

3Our Captain has

power over the waters

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”

Matthew 8:26

4Our Captain has power to supply

your need

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches

of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

5 Our Captain haspower to save us

Neither height nor depth, noranything else in all creation, will

be able to separate us from the loveof God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:39

DEVOTIONALS

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KINDERGARTENACTIVITY

PRIMARIESACTIVITY

JUNIORSACTIVITY

VBS Staff Devotional

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Receiving the students




Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

In their places In their places In their places In their places

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Opening Opening Opening Opening

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

General Closing

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

Transfer to station

General room General room General room General room

TIME

GENERAL SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY

8:10 - 8:30

10:45 - 10:50

8:30 - 8:50

9:55 - 10:00

8:50 - 9:00

11:10 - 11:15

9:00 - 9:30

10:20 - 10:25

11:40 - 12:00

9:30 - 9:35

11:35 - 11:40

Station Knowledge station Craft Station Workbook Station9:35 - 9:55

Station Workbook Station Game Station Craft Station11:15 - 11:35

Station Food Station Knowledge station Game Station10:50 - 11:10

Station Game Station Food Station Knowledge station10:25 - 10:45

Station Craft Station Workbook Station Food Station10:00 - 10:20

SUGGESTED SCHEDULE

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This planning period includes all the activities to be carried out following the appointment of the VBS director in the churches until the

start of the VBS program.The implementation of this phase is the responsibility of the VBS director.

I. ORGANIZATION1. Appointment of the VBS director. The Church Board appoints the VBS director and

the secretary/treasurer.

Suggestion: It is recommended that at the same time a person be appointed to lead out the Friends of the Community Club (FCC) program which will begin right after the VBS program. The person who will lead out the FCC can be the Children and Adolescent Ministries director, the VBS director or another person appointed by the Church Board.

2. Appointment of the VBS personnel. The VBS director should meet with the secre-tary/treasury, Children and Adolescents Ministries director, and the assigned Elder to appoint the personnel that will fulfill the following responsibilities:

3. Place the ORDER for the VBS materials. The VBS director should consider the number of students expected and based on this place the order of the VBS materials to their Section, Mission, or Region within the established dates. It is recommended to have an evangelistic vision when ordering the VBS material. It is not wise to place an order of limited materials since it could be insufficient for the students who for one reason or another join the group at the last minute. Any remaining material can be put to good use in other church programs.

PHASE

1 BEFORE STARTING THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (PLANNING)

Publicity directorScholarship directorDirector of the stations • Food • Crafts • Knowledge • Games • Curiosities • Bible Stories

Leaders of groups of students • Leaders for Kindergarten • Leaders for Primaries • Leaders for JuniorsMusic directorPraise TeamSurveillance directorNurse or doctor

NOTE: The complete VBS working team of your church should be appointed at least one month before attending the VBS training organized by the Section, Mission, or Region (see format: ebv1).

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4. Put the date of the VBS on your church CALENDAR. Choose the most adequate date for the VBS taking into consideration your local church calendar and that of your Section, Mission, or Region, respectively.

5. Submit a BUDGET of the VBS. The VBS director should prepare and submit a budget to the Evangelism department or the Church Board in which the following should be consid-ered:

a) Expenses: Materials for crafts and staging, assistance for the VBS program training, food, workbooks, publicity, gas, t-shirts, and incidentals, among others.

b) Income: Scholarships, special donations, fundraising profits, existing resources in the church funds, and contributions, among others.

II. PREPARATION1. THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE VBS One week after having attended the training, the VBS director convenes the work team to

work on the general planning of the VBS. It is important to reinforce the responsibility of each committee and times of action.

Request the church treasury the funds that were authorized to implement the VBS.

2. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE VBS. Promotion of the VBS The director of publicity begins the first phase of promotion of the VBS with all the necessary

information:

• Date of the VBS • Place (map and address) • Schedule • Cost • Date and place of registration • Name and telephone of contact person for registration and donations • Age range

The promotion should be made known in the church, in the church school, and in the commu-nity and can be done as follows:

• Verbal. In the different programs of the church: youth society, Sabbath school, worship service, and small groups, among others. It is recommended that a worship service sermon be dedicated to emphasize the importance of the VBS.

• Virtual/electronic. Through social media, web pages, and videos, among others. • Printed. Posters, banners, flyers, invitations, among others. • Public. In the form of a kiosk or table in shopping centers, parks and other places fre-

quently visited by families. Make of this occasion a fun and attractive moment for the children where their interest in moral health is promoted

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Scholarships and donations. The scholarship director requests financial support or contributions of other types from the

church members, institutions, businesses, or persons from the community who accept to col-laborate in this project. Following are described some ideas to carry this out:

• Prepare letters requesting special donations. • Solicit sponsors for t-shirts. • Solicit sponsors to award scholarships to visiting students or those of low income. • Prepare a box o basket with a sign that says “I participate in the VBS” and invite the

members to deposit their contributions. • Take a list of things needed to businesses in the city and ask for their voluntary

collaboration.

3. ONE MONTH BEFORE THE VBS Have a work meeting every week to see how the committees have progressed and make the

necessary adjustments.

4. TWO WEEKS BEFORE Registration The registration director and the Publicity director will work together since they share

activities and information in common. It is recommended that the VBS treasurer be part of this committee.

Personnel Needed • Director • Coordinator (preferably the secretary/treasurer) • 2 assistants

Materials • Registration forms (I ebv/2015). Use the format proposed in this manual or prepare one with the required information. • Payment receipts (2 ebv/2015) • Receipts for cash or other types of donations • Have a cash box and cash to keep the money and to give change if necessary (indicate the amount that you will have in the petty cash box to replenish)

Preparation for the registration area • Begin preparing you work area in advance to the assigned time in order to offer better

attention. • Look for a strategic area in your church that is visible and place a sign that says “VBS REGISTRATION”. Be creative to have something attractive with respect to the theme of the year. • Order and have on hand all the registration materials (registration forms, pens, pencils, and support forms, among others).

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Registration Process • Hand out the necessary form or forms to the parent or guardian. Ask them to fill in the blank spaces in print. • Check to ensure that all the blanks have been filled out including the signature of the parent or guardian. • Give a receipt to the parent or guardian for the amount received. If there is a balance, discuss clearly what the payment agreement is for the child that was registered. • Give the parent or guardian an instruction sheet so that they have in writing what is needed for the child to attend the VBS.

Registration Record Prepare a concentrated list of the registrations to input the gathered information. Remember

that this list will help other VBS committees and other ministries of the church. You can use the EXCEL program or form 3ebv/2015.

Cash handling is of vital importance for this event, as church funds and/or self-financing funds are received, therefore clarity in these transactions is paramount (see IT-EBV/2015).

Organization of the groups of children There are various models that can be applied when conducting a Bible school. One that has

produced favorable results is the one that groups students into small groups of 10-15 students (in places where the general group is large). In churches where the general student group is no more than 50/60 children groups of 8 to 10 can be formed. Each of these groups will be led by an adult leader who will accompany them throughout the route of the different stations.

Organization of the group leaders This group is very important since it allows the participation of adolescents ages 13-15 who

belong to the church.

Responsibilities • Accompany the students during the program from beginning to end. • Sit with the group during the opening and closing. • Lead students through their route through the stations. • Help the students in any situation that may present itself and in the activities. • Maintain discipline within the group.

Grupo de alabanza

Once you have the number of students who will be attending proceed to appoint the leaders of each group. Keep in mind that the groups should be formed by age according to the following recommendation:

Students 4-6 years of age (Kindergarten)

Students 7-9 years of age(Primaries)

Students 10-12 years of age(Juniors)

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Praise Group This group is a key element in the program because children like to sing. Select a group of 4

to 6 children so that together with an adult they can be the ones in charge of leading out the songs in the opening and closing. The songs chosen should be lively and with a happy message that talk about Jesus and the general theme. Remember that the visiting children do not know our songs and must be taught with patience and love.

Deacons The VBS director will make the necessary arrangements with the Head Deacon so that a per-

son be assigned to be responsible for opening and closing the church building, facilitate the use of the installations as well as provide water, paper cups, toilet paper, and soap, among others.

5. ONE WEEK BEFORE Enlist the support of the Deacons department to make the necessary arrangements in the

different areas where the VBS will be held.

6. ONE DAY BEFORE The entire VBS team and the assigned deacons prepare the facilities and the set design of the

main stage and the VBS work stations. It is recommended that those responsible for each station be allowed to decorate their space in order to meet their personal work needs. This decoration is described later on in PHASE 2 for each station or committee.

Give each assigned deacon a work plan to open and close the church building as well as the schedule of the use of the premises. It is important that on that day you have ALL that is needed to start the VBS the following day.

Give all the personnel a copy of the general schedule of the VBS program and motivate them to follow it in a timely manner to avoid setbacks.

SET DESIGN This section describes the set design of the stations with which we will be working in this VBS: Main stage Food Station Game Station Knowledge Station Craft Station

Once the work has been completed it is recommended to have a SPECIAL TIME OF DEDICATION to pray for the venue and the activities that will be performed at the VBS.

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III. TRAINING1. The Section, Mission or Region to which you belong will organize a training workshop for the

VBS personnel with the purpose of preparing them to implement the VBS and fulfill the goals set.

2. Upon receiving the invitation to attend the training, the VBS director must make pertinent arrangements for registration with the local church and Section, Mission or Region to which they belong.

3. The VBS director should advise and confirm with their VBS team their punctual attendance to the training.

PHASE

2 DURING THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (IMPLEMENTATION)

This is the phase that ranges from the beginning of the VBS to the gradua-tion program.

BEFORE THE OPENINGIt is of vital importance to be at the place 30 minutes before the opening to have a spiritual preparation (devotional), receive the students and have control of all the details. This part of the schedule should not be included within the schedule that starts the program.

Remember to maintain the exact times for each activity. Go directly to your corresponding place to avoid delays in the schedule.

I. DEVOTIONALThe devotionals should involve the entire VBS team. They should be brief, Christ-centered and with a topic that will help the personnel better perform their work. The pastor, the elder for Children and Adolescent Ministries, the director of Children and Adolescent Ministries, or a teacher, among others, may present them.

1. Personnel Needed: A coordinator for the devotionals. This person will be in charge of organizing the devotionals for the VBS team.

2. Job Description: • Assign the person(s) who will have the daily devotionals. • Assign a specific area for this activity. Try to have it in a special place because it is an area of daily consecration in order to work with the students, therefore the day should start with order and peace. • Have a program of no more than 20 minutes, as agreed by the directors. • Complete and be available to receive the children 10 minutes prior to the check-in time of the students.

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DAY 1 DEVOTIONALWith Jesus our Captain Everything is Possible

Date: ___________ Coordinator: ____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

ACTIVITY

VERSE

Prayer

General instructions

Song

“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

(Matthew 14:27)

Moments of prayerDevotional

PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

“Don’t be afraid! IT IS I, take courage!I’M JESUS! Your Captain!

REASONS FOR PRAYER

PROGRAM

DEVOTIONAL

Just like Peter did not imagine that one day he would be walking on the sea, maybe you never imagined that you would be participating in this odyssey where you will have the opportunity to spread the waves of the love of Jesus to each of the students who look forward to Vacation Bible School.

The first day is the most exciting, and in some cases, a day full of stress from the many hours of preparation done beforehand. However, in this odyssey you have to get out of the boat and walk on the water like Peter did. By walking, I mean to have confidence in the power of God and believe that in Him all things are possible.

As teachers we must do our part. First, acknowledge God as the most important person in our lives. God uses different circumstances to call us: He spoke to Moses through a burning bush, to Elijah through the elements of wind, and to you, today He tells you “Don’t be afraid! IT IS I, take courage! I’M JESUS! Your Captain!

Stay awake; spend time with Jesus every morning through the study of His Word and prayer. Once you have acknowledged Him as your Captain, put on your seat belt because during this week you will experience a voyage like you’ve never experienced before. Get on the boat where the captain is Jesus, and although during the voyage we have challenges, joys and struggles, fear not! Blindly trust the Captain, and remember that with God everything is possible!

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ACTIVITY

VERSE

Prayer


Song


PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

REASONS FOR PRAYER

PROGRAM

DEVOTIONAL

DAY 2 DEVOTIONALOur Captain is Owner of Everything


“But so that we may not cause offense, go tothe lake and throw out your line. Take the first

fish you catch; open its mouth and you willfind a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (Matthew 17:27)

Jesus will provide what is needed for this day.

John was a very poor man who had two children, a boy and a girl. He was unemployed and his son was sick. One day, while he was at his mother-in-law’s house studying Bible stories with his children, singing and praying, in his prayer, he asked God to only help him get 50 dollars in order to buy medicine for his child.

Suddenly his little daughter said: Daddy, now read me something from another book. He took an encyclopedia and what was his astonishment when opening one of its pages there was a $100 dollar bill! He could not believe it! He fell to his knees crying. That was more than double what he needed for the medicine. He asked his family if someone had saved that money there, and the answer was that they had never had any dollars in their home.

Jesus sees us, knows our needs and provides for them. Today before starting, you have to feed your soul and strengthen your spiritual life. Stay away from the beach, go to the middle of the ocean and enter into a deeper relationship with your Captain. He will give you the talent, ability and patience you need. You can have many strategies and skills but God is the One who provides everything. You can have control over the boat and the net but who is Master of the sea and the fish is Jesus our captain and He said: Without Me you can do nothing.

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ACTIVITY

VERSE

Prayer


Song


PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

REASONS FOR PRAYER

PROGRAM

DEVOTIONAL

DAY 3 DEVOTIONALOur Captain has Power Over the Waters


“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’”

(Matthew 8:26)

I know that God will give me peace in the middle of the storm.

Dear teacher, we have probably already started to see some challenges in this odyssey. Remember that it is in the storm where our Captain equips us for service. In the formation process of an oak tree, God places it in a place where the storms shake it and rain falls on it, but it is in the middle of the storm where the oak tree grows stronger and becomes the king of the forest. When God wants to strengthen a person, He places that person in the middle of a storm. Today like yesterday, the storm continues to churn over our boat. Let us not look at our weakness or our limitations. Let us experience God’s power. Let us not be dismayed or fall into desperation. Let us lift up our eyes. He has taken us by His hand, He will never let us go and our boat will never sink. Our Captain is at the helm, He is in our boat and the storm calms down at His voice. Let us exercise faith in Jesus, the source of all security. Our odyssey will follow the desired course and we will reach the harbor safe and sound!

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ACTIVITY

VERSE

Prayer


Song


PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

REASONS FOR PRAYER

PROGRAM

DEVOTIONAL

DAY 4 DEVOTIONALOur Captain has the Power to Supply Your Need


“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

God’s provision always comes at its time.

One day, a Christian woman of great faith, but extremely poor, had only 5 dollars, just enough for the transportation she would use the next day to go to work. That afternoon while reading the newspaper she saw that beans were on sale for $1 dollar a kilo, and told her daughter and son-in-law that she would go buy beans because they had no food for their children. The son-in-law asked: Mother-in-law, if the money is spent today, how will you get to work tomorrow? -She answered: Well, then I’ll walk since I cannot leave my children without eating.

On the way to the market, the son-in-law asked her to tell him some stories of the miracles of Jesus. She was excited to share the Word of God and had the hope that at some point he would accept her faith. A few minutes later, both stood frozen staring at something, and she asked her son-in-law: Are you looking at the same thing I am? They could not believe it! There was a bag of 5 kilos of fresh beans on the sidewalk of a house. They looked everywhere and there was nobody; the house was locked. With tears in her eyes she gently lifted the sack, and at that moment the son-in-law told her: Jesus’ miracles really do exist! You now have more beans than you thought to buy and have the money to go to work tomorrow. Together they knelt down and thanked God for this wonderful miracle.

Teacher, what is your need? It can be physical, material, emotional, spiritual, or social. It does not matter what needs you have, remember that God’s provision always comes at its time.

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ACTIVITY

VERSE

Prayer


Song


PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

REASONS FOR PRAYER

PROGRAM

DEVOTIONAL

DAY 5 DEVOTIONALOur Captain has Power to Save Us


“Neither height nor depth, nor anythingelse in all creation, will be able to separate

us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesusour Lord.” (Romans 8:39)

God has power to save us.

There is a beach that, at low tide, its surface is covered by thousands of starfish that are totally defenseless, as they have not yet developed their shell. Their delicate skin cannot withstand the heat of the sun and soon end up dying of dehydration.

One day, while walking on the beach, I stopped to observe a child who would constantly bend over picking something up from the sand and throwing it into the sea. He did the same thing over and over again. As I got closer, I realized that the boy was picking up the fragile starfish and one by one he threw them back into the sea. Intrigued, I asked him why he was doing this and he replied: “I am returning these starfish to the water. As you can see, the tide has gone down a lot, and if I don’t throw them back quickly, they will die from dehydration.” “But there must be hundreds of thou-sands of starfish on the beach and you could never return them all. Are you not doing something that makes no sense?” The boy smiled, bent down, took a little starfish and tossed it back into the sea and replied: “For this one it did make sense ... for this one too ... and this one...” Then I bent down, I smiled, I took a star and said: “And this one ... and this one...” Other people started to do the same and from far away we could hear: “And for this one ... and for this one...”

A single act of kindness and love can make many people who are on the roadside have the hope of one day very soon being reunited with our Captain on the sea of glass. Our captain has power to save us.

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IV. RECEIVING THE STUDENTSReceiving the students in the attendance control station, entrance and exit of the students.

This station should always be staffed from the beginning of the day to the end.

It should be ready 30 minutes before the start of the program. It is recommended to start with a prayer in the reception area.

It is important to ensure that the door remains closed all the time, to prevent outsiders from entering the program or a student leaving the premises without permission.

Please order the materials you will need (pens, name tags, registration list, registration forms, etc.). Many students are registered at the moment, so you should have everything ready to register them.

If a student arrives late, the student should be taken by a member of the reception group to the place where the student’s group is at.

Personnel Needed1. Reception director. It is recommended that the person(s) who will be in charge of

REGISTRATION be part of the reception team.

2. Reception assistant (2 persons). They support in the process of receiving and taking the students to the leaders of the group they belong to.

3. Group leaders (one leader for each group of students). They are responsible for taking care of and accompanying the students during the program.

4. Assistant leaders (one assistant for each group of students). They support the group leaders in their responsibilities.

Set design for reception station It can range from something basic to a themed decoration. Do not forget to place a banner or

sign that says WELCOME.

Furniture and materials for Reception area: 1 table, 2 chairs; make provision to have shade and a bulletin board. (Everything you need to inform parents or guardians can be placed on this board).

Furniture and materials for leaders: banner or poster indicating the UNIT that it represents

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OPENINGPersonnel needed: a coordinator for the opening. Avoid delegating this responsibility to the VBS director.

The opening program can be divided in three sections: introduction, theme of the day and instru-ctions.

1. INTRODUCTION Entrance of the students: The group leaders should organize the students by groups

before entering the church or place where the VBS will take place. They should do so in an orderly fashion.

Song service: Three songs, including the VBS theme song. Honors: • National Flag: • Salute: in accordance with the national rules of the country • Entrance: the national flag should be placed to the right of the person who is on the platform • Song and pledge to the flag (Annex 3) • Christian Flag: • Salute: right hand placed over the heart. • Entrance: the Christian flag should be placed to the left of the person who is on the platform • Song and pledge to the flag (Annex 3). • Bible: • Salute: right fist placed over the heart. • Entrance: the Bible is places on a special table in the center of the stage • Song and pledge to the Bible Prayer Welcome

2. Theme of the day Intro: the video introduction of the theme of the day. Dialogue: It is the Bible story of the day represented in the form of dialogue. Dialogues

should be well prepared so that the message of the day is transmitted and leaves a lasting impression in the minds of the students. It is recommended that group leaders and VBS staff represent the dialogues.

3. Instructions General instructions: the necessary instructions for the smooth functioning of the VBS

Exit of the groups to the stations: The same indications used for the entrance are followed.

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Dialogue

Exit of the groups

Instructions of the day

INTRODAY 1 Odyssey walking on the sea

Coordinator: _________________________________________ Duration: 30 minutes

ACTIVITY

VERSE

Honors to the emblemsSong Service

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

(Isaiah 43:1)

WelcomePrayer

PERSON IN CHARGE

MESSAGE

With Jesus everything is possible

PROGRAM

INTROJesus, Creator of the Sea

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth dayGenesis 1:1-10, 21-23

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INTRODAY 2 Odyssey in the Fish’s Mouth


VERSE

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded

it on the seas and established it on the waters.” (Psalms 24:1-2)

MESSAGE

Jesus is the Owner of everything

ACTIVITY


WelcomePrayer

PERSON IN CHARGE

PROGRAM

Dialogue

Exit of the groups


INTROJesus Sustainer

Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty…and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time.When you give it to them, they gather it up;When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.Psalms 104:1, 3, 6, 24-28, 34, 35

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ACTIVITY


WelcomePrayer

PERSON IN CHARGE

INTRODAY 3 Odyssey in the Boat


VERSE

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10).

MESSAGE

Jesus has the power to calm the storm

Dialogue

Exit of the groups


PROGRAM

INTROJesus Worthy of Praise

Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above.Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts.Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created, and he es-tablished them for ever and ever—he issued a decree that will never pass away.Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding.The praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.Praise the Lord

Psalms 148:1, 2, 5-8, 14

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Dialogue

Exit of the groups


ACTIVITY


WelcomePrayer

PERSON IN CHARGE

INTRODAY 4 Odyssey on the High Seas


VERSE

“For your Father knows what you needbefore you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

MESSAGE

Jesus has the power to supply your need.

PROGRAM

INTROJesus Owner of Everything

God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.“He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.Job 36:22-31

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Dialogue

Exit of the groups


ACTIVITY


WelcomePrayer

PERSON IN CHARGE

INTRODAY 5 Odyssey on the Seashore


VERSE

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to beserved, but to serve, and to give his life as a

ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28).

MESSAGE

Jesus has power over everything

PROGRAM

INTROJesus Almighty

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?“Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.“Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteous-ness, he does not oppress.Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart.Job 148:1, 2, 5-8, 14

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BIBLE STORY

BIBLE TEXT

CHARACTERS

Peter walks on the sea

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name;

you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)

• Jesus • A child • 12 disciples • A crowd

VALUE

OBJECTIVE

STAGE DESIGN

Trust

That the students learn to TRUST in God because only by keeping

their eyes on Him can they be safe.

• A small hill on the beach • The sea in all its beauty • Black clouds and lightning • Sound of heavy rain

DIALOGUE DAY 1ODYSSEY WALKING ON THE SEA

Matthew 14:22-33

SCENE 1Jesus and his disciples are on the seashore attending to the crowd that had followed Him during the day. The disciples filled 12 baskets with the pieces of bread that were left over as Jesus dis-missed the crowd.

NARRATOR:Jesus and his twelve disciples had a wonderful day. It seemed as if though the sky had come down to earth! They had witnessed the healing of the sick, lame and blind. Something extraordinary happened that day. A child had shared his lunch with Jesus! Only 5 loaves and 2 fish were enough to feed more than five thousand people! Everyone ate their fill. Now the disciples were picking up the pieces of bread and fish that were left. In the end they filled 12 baskets.

JESUS:(Jesus speaks while touching the heads of a few children who are carried by their mothers).It is already getting dark and it is not good to travel at night on the road. I ask you to please return to your homes so that everyone can rest. My Father will take care of us.

CHILD:(A child approaches Jesus with a sad and worried face).Will we see you tomorrow, Lord Jesus?

JESUS:(Jesus picks up a seashell from the ground and with a smile gives it to the child).Of course we will continue to see each other! My work here is not finished. Run home that it’s almost nighttime.

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JOHN:And what about us, Lord? What do we do?

JESUS:All of you climb into the boat and go on ahead to Capernaum. I will go up to the mountain to talk to my heavenly Father. (The disciples invite each other with a glance to retreat, others, not quite convinced, obey the order).

SCENE 2

Jesus is on the mountain praying while the disciples are on the boat, some rowing, others are fixing the sails and others are taking water out of the boat. It is night and they are in the middle of a hurricane. There is lightning, thunder, strong winds and big waves. (The characters carry out their tasks while the storm rages).

NARRATOR:The memory of that day with Jesus should have filled them with faith and hope to face the stormy sea. A terrible storm was coming and none of the disciples were prepared for it. Lightning lit up the dark waters and a strong wind began to lift big waves that took the small boat further and further away from their destination. Now fear came upon them. The disciples were in the middle of a hurricane and had forgotten that Jesus would take care of them.

ANDREW:(He speaks with a tone of concern). Friends, I believe that a terrible storm is coming.

JAMES:A storm? No way! This does not look like a storm. The wind is very strong and is making the waves rise high.

PETER:Lift up the sails, fast before the wind takes us somewhere else!

Phillip:I think that this is a hurricane! Row! Row with strength!

JOHN:If only Jesus was with us we would not be so scared. Imagine if He was able to multiply the loaves and fishes He can also calm the sea!

JUDAS:Be quiet and get to work if you want to get back to your dear Master!

NARRATOR:A few hours had passed during which the disciples had fought with all their strength against the wind and the tide, but without any results. Now they were lost in the vast sea and in the darkness of the night, tired of fighting with their own strength. In storm and darkness the sea had taught them their own helplessness, and they longed for the presence of their Master.

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Jesus had not forgotten them. The Watcher on the shore saw those fear-stricken men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples. His eyes followed the storm-tossed boat with its precious burden; for these men were to be the light of the world. As a mother in tender love watches her child, so the compassionate Master watched His disciples. (The Desire of Ages, pp. 380, 381)

JAMES:I think we’re lost! We don’t have the strength to keep rowing against this storm.

MATTHEW:Yes! It’s already four o’clock in the morning and this storm doesn’t calm down. I don’t even know where we are!

JOHN:We are all very tired. Oh how I long for the presence of my beloved Master!

NARRATOR:At the moment a gleam of light reveals a mysterious figure approaching them upon the water. But they know not that it is Jesus. All eyes are riveted on this vision of a man walking upon the white-capped billows of the foaming sea. Jesus advances as if He would pass them. (The Desire of Ages, p. 381)

ANDREW:Look! What is that over there?

JAMES:It looks like a man! But no man exists that can walk on water.

EVERYONE:IT’S A GHOST!

JUDAS:And it’s coming straight towards us to destroy us!

EVERYONE:OH NOOO! PLEASE HELP US! DON’T HARM US!

JOHN:No, wait! Look, it’s not a ghost! IT’S JESUS! IT’S OUR MASTER JESUS!

EVERYONE:Master! Master, help us, we’re drowning!

JESUS:Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.

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PETER:(With much joy and beside himself and with great enthusiasm).Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.

JESUS:Come.

NARRATOR:Looking unto Jesus, Peter walks securely; but as in self-satisfaction he glances back toward his companions in the boat, his eyes are turned from the Saviour. The wind is boisterous. The waves roll high, and come directly between him and the Master; and he is afraid. For a moment Christ is hidden from his view, and his faith gives way. He begins to sink. (The Desire of Ages, p. 381)

PETER:(Shouting and desperate he stretches out his hands).Lord, save me!

JESUS:(Extending His hand as He helps Peter, in a sad tone He says).You of little faith, why did you doubt?

EVERYONE:(They express admiration and respect).Truly you are the Son of God.!

JOHN:Yes, with Jesus everything is possible!

NARRATOR:No sooner had Jesus taken His place on the boat, the wind stopped and the storm disappeared. The sea calmed down, the blue water allowed to see the different fish on the surface; the birds began to appear along with the first rays of light of the new day. They had passed a terrible night struggling with their own strength. In this experience on the sea Jesus wanted to teach His disciples their weakness in order to show them that their safety is in constant dependence upon divine power.

Every day we must put our TRUST in God. Jesus, as a tender Father, watches us and although at times it seems that the waves of anguish drown us, we must remember that He takes us by the hand like he held on to Peter.

Jesus says:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

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BIBLE STORY

BIBLE TEXT

CHARACTERS

Jesus’ and Peter’s Tax

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on

the waters.” (Psalms 24:1-2).

• Jesus • Peter • Priest • Tax collector

VALUE

OBJECTIVE

STAGE DESIGN

Responsibility

That the students acknowledge that Jesusis the Owner of everything and that we should fulfill our responsibilities.

• Mural of a village of that time • Interior of a room • A beach

DIALOGUE DAY 2ODYSSEY IN THE FISH’S MOUTH

Matthew 17:24-17

SCENE 1This scene takes place in the street of a village or outside a temple.

NARRATOR:The Lord Jesus lived in a very difficult time. The religious leaders did not consider Him as the Son of God nor did they accept His teachings. It seemed that the more He spoke of God’s love and healed the sick the more problems He had with these people. The priests thought that they were always right and considered Jesus a rebel because He taught people that to love and to do good was more important to God than all the rules they had invented.

The only thing that the priests wanted was to look good with Caesar, who was the emperor, the most important person in the government. Every citizen had to pay taxes to the rulers. If they did not they were thrown into prison.

The religious leaders watched Jesus all the time to see if He broke any of the rules, and in this way blame Him so that people stop following Him. Because they wanted everyone to follow them!

One day, a group of Pharisees approached Jesus with the purpose of making Him fall into one of their traps.

PRIEST:(Comes with a group of priests to where Jesus is and asks Him the following question).Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

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NARRATOR:Jesus discovered their intentions immediately. If He said no, the Romans could arrest him and if He said yes, the people, who hated the Romans, would have a strong case against Him. So He said:

JESUS:(He stares into the eyes of the priests and quietly takes the coin that they give Him, He shows it and says).Whose image is this? And whose inscription?

PRIESTS:(They answer puzzled).Caesar’s!

JESUS:Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.

PRIESTS(They make a gesture of admiration and leave the place).

NARRATOR:With this answer, Jesus made it clear that it was their responsibility to choose which things belong to Caesar and which things belong to God. So those who had come to make Him fall into the trap were amazed by such a wise answer. And leaving Him they went their way.

SCENE 2

(This takes place in the streets of a village of that time. At the moment when talking to Jesus it should be inside a room; it can be a dining room).

NARRATOR:The priests not only watched Jesus but also His disciples with the desire of finding a fault in them to then accuse them before the people and government. They manipulated the people so that it would not appear that they were the accusers. On this occasion they asked some tax collectors to go and collect the tax from one of Jesus’ disciples. So they found Peter and asked.

TAX COLLECTOR:Don’t you and your Master know that every citizen has the duty to pay two drachmas for the maintenance of the temple?

PETER:We are responsible citizens and we know our responsibilities.

TAX COLLECTOR:Does your Master pay taxes?

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PETER:I already told you that my Master is a responsible person and yes He pays His taxes. If you allow me, I need to go and do some things. So, I’m leaving.

NARRATOR:So, Peter a little worried about the comments of the tax collectors, went to find Jesus at the house where He was staying.

PETER:Master, I’m glad I found you!

JESUS:Tell me, Peter. Why do you come so worried?

PETER:Some tax collectors asked me if we pay the temple tax. I said yes, because we are responsible citizens. But Lord, I know you do not have any money and I feel sad that we cannot comply!

JESUS:Do not worry Peter. You are going to do what I say: Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.

SCENE 3

(It takes place on the shore of a beach. Peter should bring a fishing rod and bait).

NARRATOR:Obeying Jesus’ command, Peter took a fishing rod and left very excited. Although he had fished all his life that was the first time he did it with so much curiosity. Upon reaching the beach he put bait on the hook and threw it as far from shore as he could.

PETER:The Lord Jesus does not cease to amaze me. See, now He tells me that I will find a coin in the mouth of the first fish that I catch! And of course that’s what will happen! But how I would like everyone to see this so that they can see that my Master really is the Son of God!

It seems that it’s biting! Yes, I got it! This is the one that should have the coin! (pulling the fishing line) (Takes the fish out of the water and with a smile opens the mouth and shows the coin). The Master told me that I would find the coin in the first one. This should be it! Yes! It’s a coin, just what we need to pay! I knew my Lord never fails!

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NARRATOR:Taking the coin, (which covered the exact tax of Peter and Jesus) went and paid the tax.

This wonderful story shows us that God is the owner of everything that exists in the ocean and out of it. Psalms 24:1 and 2 affirms this truth: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.” And despite being the Owner of everything Jesus lived humbly and fulfilled all His responsibilities as a citizen. Jesus came to this earth to teach us to live properly. He is our only example and we must follow it. You too, even though you are just a child or adolescent, have responsibilities and must fulfill them. You must occupy your hands in your home so that it remains clean and in order. You should complete your homework and of course be responsible for your conduct. Do not forget that by doing this you honor your parents and glorify God.

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BIBLE STORY

BIBLE TEXT

CHARACTERS

Jesus calms the storm

“Be still, and know that I am God”. (Psalms 46:10)

• Jesus • Peter • James • Thomas • Andrew • Other disciples

VALUE

OBJECTIVE

STAGE DESIGN

PATIENCE

That the students understandthat Jesus has power to calm any storm.

• A beach with shells • Some boats • Black clouds and lightening • Audio of a storm and rough seas

DIALOGUE DAY 3ODYSSEY IN THE BOAT

Matthew 8:23-27

SCENE 1NARRATOR:Jesus stood beside the Sea of Galilee surrounded by sand, shells and fish, which had been His inspiration to tell His followers beautiful teachings about the kingdom of heaven. It had been a busy day for the Lord Jesus.

JESUS:(Showing a shell). The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who looking for fine pearls, found one of great value, he sold everything he had and bought it. Today you found the pearl of great price, do not reject it.

JAMES:Master, sorry to interrupt you, but you’ve been talking all day to this crowd and they never get tired of listening. But you need to rest.

JESUS:Yes, you’re right, and I feel tired. Let’s dismiss the people, go to the boat and let us cross to the other side of the lake.

JAMES:(Talking to the people who were following Jesus). We appreciate your attention and patience, but for now our Master needs rest. Have a safe trip home!

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NARRATOR:After having dismissed the crowd they took Him to the boat. But there were other fishing boats near them that soon were filled with people who intended to follow Jesus. The disciples untied the boat and pushed away from the shore, raised the sail and the boat began to move slowly and then faster over the crystal and calm waters. The white moon was shining on the water. The stars twinkled in the distance. So the Lord Jesus felt so relaxed and overcome by weariness that He fell fast asleep.

JESUS:(As the narrator speaks, Jesus goes inside the boat and falls asleep).

JAMES:(Talking to his companions). I knew that the Master was very tired. As soon as He laid down He fell asleep.

PETER:Well, let’s try not to talk loudly so we do not wake Him. He needs plenty of rest because the people are following Him on boats and will not leave until He talks with them again.

ANDREW:Well hopefully He can rest because it seems that a storm is coming. Look at how the sky is getting dark! Even the moon is covered with clouds and not a single star can be seen now!

NARRATOR:Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow. Black clouds covered the moon and stars. The wind lifted huge waves that shook the fragile boat, the sky filled with lightning and the deafening sound of thunder left the crew in a panic. A violent storm broke over the lake.

PETER:We have been through severe storms at sea, but none like this! It seems as if this storm will sink us into the depths of the ocean!

ANDREW:Oh nooo, I lost an oar! Pass me the spare that we brought, please.

JAMES:(He is at the helm very distressed). It is impossible to steer the boat, the helm does not respond to me! Row, row with all your strength because we will perish!

THOMAS:This is too much, I take out a bucket of water and ten more come in! We can’t anymore! What will we do? We are sinking!

NARRATOR:The disciples were so intent on saving the boat with their own strength that they forgot that the

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Creator of heaven and earth was with them. Desperate to see how their efforts were useless to keep the boat afloat, they surrendered expecting the worst. Suddenly a flash of lightning illumi-nated the Son of God who was still sleeping inside the boat.

ANDREW:(With a choking voice he tries to scream). Hey, what’s wrong with us? We have forgotten that Jesus is with us. He can save us, let’s wake Him up!

EVERYONE:Jesus, wake up! Save us, we are going to drown!

JESUS:(He wakes up and stands up. He hears the screams and the storm. Then raising His hand to heaven speaks with a quiet, calm voice). “You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Sea, silent, be still . Peace, let there be peace”.

NARRATOR:The wind stopped blowing. The waves were quiet. The clouds disappeared and the moon and the stars were shining again. Now the boat was resting on a calm sea.

JESUS:(Turning to the disciples He asks them sadly). Why were you so afraid? Why were you afraid if I was with you?

THOMAS:(To his companions with amazement asks). What kind of man is this that even the winds and the waves obey Him?

NARRATOR:You know children and young people, many times the same thing happens to us just as it did with Jesus’ disciples. When we are in a storm of problems we try to solve them through our own efforts and as imperfect beings we soon lose patience and we sink into despair. Then we remem-ber Jesus and cry out to Him to save us. You know, we’ll never ask in vain, because on land or at sea, if we have the Savior in our hearts, we need not fear. Therefore the Lord reminds us: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

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PRAYER OR POEMLord Jesus: How many times I forget that You are in the boat. I desire to always remember that, even though it may seem that You are asleep, You are in control.

I complain saying that You do not notice that the waves cover me, that the storm is about to drown me and I’m about to succumb to the test. I forget that Your divine grace saved me, and that You take care of me regardless of how terrible the storm or lack of faith with which I am sinning against you. Thanks for the great bonanza after each storm, for rebuking the wind and silencing the sea of temptation. Thank You because Your power is so great that even nature obeys You.

Thank you because I can cast all my cares upon You, knowing You care for me. Thank You for that love whose measure I cannot quite understand. Because I can rejoice in You, trusting that You test me because You love me and want me to be an increasingly precious stone.

Lord, I ask you to keep track of my boat because I am unable to govern it alone. Direct it to safe harbor. I do not ask for a calm sea all the time, just please do not let me take the helm, but that You make me remain under Your control, allowing You to navigate wisely, and that in the next storm you make me remember that You are the Sovereign Lord of my life.

Martha Torres Rodriguez

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BIBLE STORY

BIBLE TEXT

CHARACTERS

The miraculous catch

“For your Father knows what you need before you

ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

• Jesus • James • Andrew • John

VALUE

OBJECTIVE

STAGE DESIGN

FAITHFULNESS

That the students understand that Jesus has power to supply their needs.

• A beach • A calm sea • Two or more boats • Nets on the water • A listening crowd

DIALOGUE DAY 4ODYSSEY ON THE HIGH SEAS

Luke 5:1-11

SCENE 1

Jesus is found on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, speaking to a large number of people. The dis-ciples are working on their boats.

NARRATOR:It was a beautiful morning, Jesus was sitting on a boat on the Sea of Galilee surrounded by exten-sive fields and the sea with its extraordinary sea creatures. The sun began with its first flashes of light. Taking advantage of the beautiful scenery Jesus shared His teachings to the crowd that was looking for Him. Every moment added to the multitude upon the shore. Aged men leaning upon their staffs, hardy peasants from the hills, fishermen from their toil on the lake, the sick and suf-fering. (DA 211).

JESUS:(Takes a handful of salt and preaching to the crowd says:) You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

NARRATOR:The crowd gets so close to Jesus that they do not let Him continue. He was in danger of being pushed into the water.

Then Jesus saw two boats belonging to Peter and climbs into one of them.

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PETER:Master, it’s very early and lots of people have come!

JESUS:That’s true, Peter. Allow me to get on the boat in order to continue speaking to them. However, please push away a little from the shore.

JESUS:(Preaching from the boat while Peter and John cast their nets into the sea to fish). You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid.

NARRATOR:After a few hours of preaching to the crowd, Jesus took leave of them and asked Peter to push the boat away from the shore.

JESUS:(Peter and Andrew are gathering their nets). Peter! Andrew! Let’ s go out to sea to cast your nets once again into the sea.

PETER:(Looking at their empty nets says with concern:) Master, we have been working all night and have not caught anything, but because you say so we will once again cast the nets.

ANDREW:The sun is heating the water and the fish do not swim on hot surfaces. They go down into the deep looking for the cold water. So Master, it is harder to fish at this time.

PETER:Yes, Andrew, but since the Master is asking, we will do it! Come on, let’s push the boat out to sea!

NARRATOR:Peter and Andrew have no hope of catching any fish at that time of the morning, but were ready to do anything to please their Master.

So they raised the anchor and began to row. They did not go very far. It did not seem worthwhile. After all ,they were now fishing to please the Master. They stopped rowing and cast the nets.

PETER:(Grabbing the nets firmly they cast them out together). Come on, Andrew. Like you really want to do it! Let’s cast the nets again so they go far!

ANDREW:(Speaks with a bit of disbelief). Well let’s sit and wait because we will get tired standing.

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PETER:(Speaking secretly to Andrew). Yes, we have to wait a while. We shouldn’t take out the net so quickly.

JESUS:(With a smile on His face.) No! Don’t sit down! It’s time to pull out the net!

NARRATOR:When they tried to take out the net, Peter and Andrew could not. There were so many fish in the net that it began to break. They were forced to call James and John who were nearby on another boat.

ANDREW:(Very astonished and joyfully.) This is heavy like lead! Come on, harder! You and I can’t, Peter.

PETER:(Shouts in desperation and joy.) Look the net is breaking! James, John come quickly! Help us, we have a lot of fish! Quick, quick, because the net is breaking!

JAMES:What? You have fish? Impossible at this hour of the morning! Come on John let’s hurry to help them. I believe them because Jesus is with them and with Him all things are possible.

JOHN:(Getting as close as possible to the boat says in amazement). Never in my life have I seen so many fish together! I think they will not fit on a single boat because it will sink. Let us put some in ours.

ANDREW:Master! We almost sank under the weight of the fish! Actually I did not believe you knew about fishing.

JESUS:If you follow Me I will make you fishers of men.

NARRATOR:With great care and effort they took the boats to shore, because the large number of fish on them were about to sink them. While the disciples were packing the fish, Peter recognized the holiness of his Master and with a sense of gratitude for supplying his need, exclaimed:

PETER:(He falls at the feet of Jesus and exclaims in repentance). “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

JESUS:Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.Andrew, James and John, come to me, and I will make you fishers of men.

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NARRATOR:Immediately, Andrew, James and John left fishing, the nets and the boat and they followed Him faithfully throughout His life.

Before asking Andrew, James, Peter and John to leave their nets and boats and to follow Him as His disciples, Jesus gave them the assurance that He would supply all their needs. So it is with us. Jesus himself, who just by His word gathered the fish of the sea, is also attentive to our needs if we are only ready to follow Him with FAITHFULNESS, as His disciples.

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BIBLE STORY

BIBLE TEXT

CHARACTERS

Breakfast on the shore of the Tiberius Sea

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a

ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

• Jesus • James • Andrew • John • Peter • Nathanael • Thomas • A disciple

VALUE

OBJECTIVE

STAGE DESIGN

SERVICE

That the children trust in Jesus, who has power over all resources.

• A beach • A calm sea • A boat • Fishing nets • A campfire with a fish cooking and bread

DIALOGUE DAY 5ODYSSEY ON THE SEASHORE

John 21:1-19

SCENE 1Seven of the disciples are on their way to the sea of Tiberius. They are dressed in the humble garb of fishermen.

NARRATOR:For three years the disciples had been taught by the best Teacher in the world, Jesus. They had left their work as fishermen and they had dedicated themselves to follow Him. Together they witnessed many miracles performed by Him. Now they felt terribly lonely, their beloved Teacher was no longer beside them. A few days before, He was crucified and died. Now they were perfectly sure that their Master Jesus had risen from the dead.

They were happy to leave behind the memories of Jerusalem. Now they were on a road that they had traveled many times together and their minds were filled with memories. Upon reaching the seaside they remembered the many wonderful moments they enjoyed next to Jesus because much of His ministry had taken place near that beautiful sea.

PETER:(Speaks with melancholy but when referring to the sinking, he laughs). I can’t stop thinking about my Master! When looking at the waters of this sea I think about the stormy night when I walked on water. It is a moment I will never forget (laughing), especially when I felt I was drowning.

JAMES:It awful to feel that you are drowning! That’s how we all felt on the night that we were caught up in that storm while on the boat. Remember?

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JOHN:Yes. That was the night when Jesus was sleeping in the boat and that we had to wake Him up because we thought that we were all going to drown!

JAMES:Yes! What a shame! What a lack of faith we had thinking that we were going to die in the storm when we had the Son of God with us!

JOHN:That memory is unforgettable! It was wonderful to see how the sea and rain obeyed Him imme-diately when He asked them to!

ANDREW:And what about the day when we didn’t even catch a sardine! And in the morning when Jesus asked us to go back out to cast our nets again! The sun had come out! To me it seemed a waste of time! Had it not been for Peter who almost forced me (laughing) I wouldn’t have paid any attention to Him!

PETER:Well, good thing you obeyed me because of your lack of faith we would have missed out on those tons of fish that came out.

NATHANAEL:Hey Peter, did you really find a coin in the mouth of a fish?

PETER:Of course! The Master said, the first fish that you catch, open its mouth and you will find a coin. And it happened just as He said!

NATHANAEL:Yes, Jesus has power over all nature! What a privilege to have known Him! Right friends?

EVERYONE:(Agree by nodding their heads).

PETER:Since it is getting dark, I propose that we go fishing. Let’s see if we remember how to fish because it’s been so long since we haven’t!

EVERYONE:We’ll go with you too.

JOHN:We’re hungry. I hope we catch something to eat!

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SCENE 2NARRATOR:How happy they felt returning to their old boats! There they were at the seashore just as they had left them. What excitement they felt to look at them again, to accommodate the oars and prepare the nets! The seven disciples went into the boat.

PETER:Well, let’s cast the nets as far as we can! We need to catch something tonight.

JAMES:Yes! We need fish to eat and also to sell. We need money mates!

JOHN:Well, I believe enough time has passed. What do you think if we take out the nets?

NATHANAEL:(Pulling out the nets, says:) Well, I don’t know much about fishing but this does not weigh anything. I think they are empty.

PETER:(Looking at the empty nets). Friends, could it be that we have already forgotten how to fish? I think we’ve lost our ability during these months that we have been away from the boats.

JOHN:I don’t think so. What is well learned is never forgotten. Let us go back and cast the nets again but let’s go further out to sea. The truth is that I’m hungry and need to eat something.

NARRATOR:They spent the hours of the night trying to catch fish from one side to another, but without re-sults. It was already dawn and they were very tired and hungry. At the shore of the beach a solitary observer followed them with His eyes. The disciples were already a few yards from the shore when this stranger asked:

JESUS:“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

EVERYONE:(Shouting sadly). No, no we don’t.

JESUS:Then throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.

NATHANAEL:But we are near the coast and here there are almost no fish!

JOHN:(Casting the net on the right side of the boat). The man sounds friendly. Let’s listen to him.

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PETER:(Peter trying to pull the net out with great effort ,says:) Friends, this net is very heavy, please help me get it out!

THOMAS:I can’t! There are too many, the net is too heavy.

JOHN:(Stops pulling the net and stares at the man from the shore and shouts excitedly.) IT IS THE LORD! Peter! Look! It is the Lord!

PETER:(Peter turns to look at Jesus, he becomes so happy and excitedly throws himself in the water with his clothes on, reaches the shore where he finds his Master and kneels reverently). Oh, Jesus, my Lord, how good it is to see You again! Stay with us! Do not leave us anymore!

NARRATOR:The other disciples came on the boat dragging the net filled with fish. It was so heavy, however, the net did not break. Upon reaching the shore a familiar smell welcomed them. There was some coal with a fish cooking and bread. Their Master, knowing how hungry they were after a long night of fatigue at sea, had prepared this nice surprise for them. Being the Son of God and the risen Christ, He had made provision for them to eat.

JESUS:Bring some of the fish you have just caught.

PETER:Oh yes, Master. I was so excited I forgot about the fish!

THOMAS:(Peter comes up next to him and says happily:). Do you know how many fish there are, Peter? One hundred and fifty-three!

PETER:That’s great! Enough for everyone. Now help me carry some to the Lord. He needs them.

JESUS:(Breaking the bread and fish, says:) Come and have breakfast!

NARRATOR:What a beautiful scene! Jesus the Son of God, serving His tired and hungry disciples. It is no won-der that they loved Him! With that delicious breakfast the Lord Jesus was confirming their call to be missionaries. Their days of being fishermen in Galilee were over. Now a big task was waiting for them for which they had been preparing for so long. From that day on each of them had to be fishers of men for the kingdom of God.

Today, the same Jesus who took care of, loved and provided food to His disciples loves you and cares for you too. He wants you to invite Him to travel together on the odyssey of your life and you will see many wonders performed in your favor, just as His disciples saw them. Dare to be a disciple of Jesus, He is waiting for you. He promises to always be by your side.

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VBS STATIONSIn this Vacation Bible School we will be working with four stations, which are described below:

1. KNOWLEDGE STATIONThe objective of the knowledge station is to introduce students to an Almighty God. Here students will learn some interesting facts of the sea and will answer their workbooks. In this station it is important to emphasize the value of the day.

Personnel: A coordinator and an assistant.

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KNOWLEDGE STATION DAY 1WHY IS SEAWATER SALTY?

Value: TRUST Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Theme 1: Why is seawater salty?3. Answer workbook4. Prayer5. Exit of students

Materials: 1. 37 grs. of salt2. 1 liter of water

in a transparent container

You will:1. Show the children the salt and water separately.2. Dissolve the salt in the water in front of the chil-

dren so that they can observe how much salt there is in 1 liter of seawater

3. Allow some of the children to taste it with plastic spoons.Duration:

30 minutes

You will say:

Has it ever happened to you that you had been swimming in the sea leisurely and suddenly a wave covers you and you accidentally drink water? What was the first thing you felt? It happened to me and it was very unpleasant when I felt a lot of salt going down my throat! And then I asked myself, why is the seawater so salty?

The main component of seawater is sodium chloride (common table salt), which constitutes 85% of dissolved salts in water and therefore is the mineral that contributes most to the sea being salty.

Seawater contains 37 grams of salt per liter of water (dissolve the salt in the water and show the students). If we fill a garbage can with water, we would have to dissolve 8 kilos of salt in it like the one your mother buys at the supermarket, to convert it into seawater. Seawater is really very salty!

If all the salt in the sea were spread evenly over dry land, it would form a layer more than 150 meters thick, a height of 45 floors! Where does so much salt come from if we consider that all the fresh water rivers and streams empty into the sea? Scientists have identified several sources.

One is the ground beneath our feet. The wind carries mineral particles of the soil into the sea. In addition, rainwater seeps through soil and rocks and dissolves small amounts of minerals, including salts and their components. Then, they are transported to the sea by rivers and streams. Of course in fresh water there is so little salt that our palates don’t perceive it.

Another source is the minerals found in the earth’s crust under the oceans. Marine water enters through some crevices to underground caves, where the temperature is very hot and dissolves minerals that are on the walls of caves. Then the water comes out warmer and saltier from the caves at times forming geysers at great depths.

Also, in the sea as well as on land, there are volcanoes that throw large amounts of hot rock in the interior of the ocean, where the chemical components of the rock are dissolved in the water.

Don’t you believe that we have an Almighty God who keeps the right amount of salt in the water so that all marine species can live in the wonderful world of the sea? Without any doubt, we have an Almighty God in whom we can trust because just as He cares for marine species, He also cares for each of us.

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KNOWLEDGE STATION DAY 2THE MIMIC OR COPYCAT OCTOPUS

Value: RESPONSIBILITY Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Theme 2: The mimic or copycat

octopus3. Answer workbook4. Prayer5. Exit of students

Materials: 1. Video of the copy-

cat octopus

You will:1. Show the students the video of the copycat octo-

pus after sharing your interesting facts.

Duration:30 minutes

You will say:

Have you ever played hide and seek with your friends and wished they wouldn’t find you? Or have you hidden behind a bush and wished to be the green color so as to not be seen?

That which you have wished is called “camouflage or mimicry”. Humans do not have that capa-bility as do some marine animals. The mimic or copycat octopus is king of the marine mimicry and is the smartest ocean animal capable of imitating textures, colors, shapes and even the be-havior of other animals. With its body it simulates the form of poisonous creatures like the sea serpent or the lionfish to confuse its predators.

The mimic octopus of Indonesia is able to imitate more than 15 different species to confuse its predators like an illusionist magician. It modifies its shape, size, color and even its behavior in an instant: its body is like plasma; more than skin, the octopus wears its mind.

Among the species that the octopus mimics are the sea serpents, lionfish, flatfish, starfish, giant crabs, seashells, stingrays, flounders, jellyfish, sea anemones, and mantis shrimp.

It chooses its disguise according to the predator that is stalking it, becoming in turn the false predator of the species attacking it. It is a meticulous observer of its environment.

Other species of octopus change color and mimic the sand or rocks, but the mimic octopus, discovered in 1998, is the first known octopus that mimics other species.

The octopus learns the behavior of the animals by just observing them. But we should not imi-tate everything we see. Who are you observing? What do you see on TV, on the Internet or in video games? God invites us to be responsible for what we see and do. Paul said in Philippians 3:17: “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Let us imitate every day our only model who is Christ Jesus. Only then will we be true imitators.

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KNOWLEDGE STATION DAY 3STARFISH

Value: PATIENCE Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Theme 3: Starfish3. Answer workbook4. Prayer5. Exit of students

Materials: 1. A starfish

You will:1. Show the students the starfish as you share your

interesting facts.

Duration:30 minutes

You will say:How many of you have seen the stars in the sky? Did you know that in the sea there are also stars but with the big difference that these are living beings and not rhinestones as we see in the sky.

They are called starfish because of their flattened shape from which are born 5 or more arms that have external prongs to defend themselves from possible predators.

It is believed that there are over 2000 species that live in the ocean depths, some of which can have up to 40 arms.

The starfish are not fish as one might think. They do not have scales or fins. Their movements are totally different from those of other marine animals. Fish move by using the tail; the starfish, meanwhile, have tube feet that help them move.

Another characteristic of the starfish is that they have no blood. They have a hydrovascular system through which water is pumped through porous plates -called madreporites- until it reaches the tube feet, allowing them to absorb the nutrients they need.

One of the most interesting skills - and useful - of the starfish is its ability to regenerate. When they lose an arm because of some external attack they can gain it back again. An identical arm to the previous one grows back and takes the place of the missing body part! It is as if you were to cut off your finger and regrow it! How extraordinary, right? It would seem as though it is enough to have one arm and the central disk so that a starfish can regenerate completely, only that the process takes time. It is estimated that it happens in about a year.

Don’t you think a year is a long time! What is the most you have waited for something? If starfish can wait a year to regenerate a lost arm, how much do we need to wait for God to regenerate our hearts? He wants us to be patient as He works in our lives. By observing the starfish we learn that we have an Almighty God who slowly works in us until we become what He wants us to be.

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KNOWLEDGE STATION DAY 4TURRITOPSIS JELLYFISH

Value: FAITHFULNESS Person in charge:

Program:1. Receive the students2. Theme 4: Turritopsis jellyfish3. Answer workbook4. Prayer5. Exit of students

Material: 1. A video of tu-

rritopsis jellyfishs

You will:1. Show the students a video of a turritopsis

jellyfish after sharing your interesting facts.

Duration:30 minutes

You will say:Have you ever felt sad to think that one day your parents will die? We all worry about this. Would you like for your body to have a cellular mechanism that could regenerate its cells and be young again?

Well, this is what happens to a marine animal that God has given the ability to regenerate cells and not die naturally. In the last ten years Turritopsis Nutricula jellyfish have caught the atten-tion of biologists and scientists. It is a kind of jellyfish, which from now on I will call Turrito, for practical reasons.

Most living things are destined to die one way or another, but Turrito is almost immortal. I say almost because it can fall prey to some marine species, but cannot die of old age. And this does not mean that it does not age, but something far more stranger and fascinating: when it gets old, it rejuvenates.

Turrito is a hydrozoan, in other words, a marine animal that is a few millimeters long and almost transparent. It is the only living thing that scientists believe has managed to cheat death. The Tur-ritos, when they reach maturity, return back to their embryonic state. They do not rejuvenate in a technical sense, but their bodies change in a radical way just as you would if you were to wake up tomorrow as a baby. They return to start almost from scratch. They go from having nearly 100 tentacles to having only a couple, then to restart all the stages of growth and decline again.

In a similar way that a snake sheds its skin while still being itself, these Turritos completely re-new. In other words, they grow a new body from within themselves but are always the same individual.

This process is still being seriously researched with the goal of knowing its molecular basis, which would be very helpful in the manufacturing of medicines and regenerative creams so much more efficient, not only with an aesthetic sense, but also to fight diseases like cancer and Alzheimer, among many others.

We have an Almighty God who has allowed the jellyfish to enjoy cell regeneration and be young again. We know that we will never achieve immortality by ourselves, but if we are faithful to God every day, when Jesus returns in glory and majesty, He will give us an immortal body to live with Him for eternity.

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KNOWLEDGE STATION DAY 5LANTERN FISH

Value: SERVICE Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Theme 4: Lantern fish3. Answer workbook4. Prayer5. Exit of students

Materials: 1. A video of lantern

fish

You will:1. Show the students a video of lantern fish after

sharing your interesting facts.

Duration:30 minutes

You will say:In the deepest parts of the ocean, there where prevailing darkness and no sound disturbs the peace, strange creatures live: the lantern fish. Their body has adapted to total darkness, proving that life on the planet can be found where we least imagine.

The lantern fish produce light and emit light when two chemical compounds are mixed in the body: luciferin, which itself generates light, and luciferase which catalyzes the chemical reaction. The combination of these two compounds in the presence of oxygen produces a blue-green light. Some of these fish emit light all the time; however, others do so intermittently, causing flashes generated at the tip of its tail. The so-called lantern fish, for example, has an organ that produces light near their eyes.

The light serves as a warning to other species to stay away. It can also be one way to camouflage themselves when there are enemies stalking them.

It is remarkable to know that even in the depths, to more than 5,500 meters below the sea, God takes care of those small animals and has given them the ability to generate light for their survival and protection.

You know, not only in the depths of sea are there beings that live in darkness. Also near us there are many people that need to be illuminated with the light of the knowledge and love of Jesus.

It is therefore important that we allow Jesus to enter our lives so that we can reflect His love. The chemical that produces that light is to love Jesus and to love our neighbor. When we serve others we reflect the light of Jesus.

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FOOD STATION DAY 1SCURVY, THE DISEASE OF THE SAILORS

Value: TRUST Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Capsule 1: Scurvy, the disease of the

sailors3. Prayer for the food4. Snack5. Clean up6. Exit of students

Materials: 1. A basket with fruits and

vegetables that contain vitamin C

You will:1. Give students small servings of fruits

and vegetables to taste that contain vitamin C.

Duration:20 minutes

You will say:Long ago, more or less in the Middle Ages, sailors suffered from a disease called scurvy, which produced anemia, bleeding gums and eventually death. Surprising though it may sound, to “cure” the disease, the sailors did very curious things such as eating fireflies, mustard, salt, among others. An English naval doctor named James Lind discovered that if they consumed lemon juice the sailors would recover.

Some time later, it was discovered that what prevents this disease is Vitamin C. Do you know where we find Vitamin C? This vitamin is found in all citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, guava, peppers, and tomatoes, among others. Although vitamin C is very easy to get we must also remember that it is very easily lost especially if we consume it in processed foods such as juices. Now you know a reason to eat these rich fruits and vegetables that God has made!

2. FOOD STATIONThe food station is the place where the children will have a daily snack.

Personnel: A coordinator and assistants (those deemed necessary).

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FOOD STATION DAY 2SALTY WATER

Value: RESPONSIBILITY Person in charge:

Program:1. Receive the students2. Capsule 2: Salty water3. Prayer for the food4. Snack5. Clean up6. Exit of students

Materials:1. Two cups with plain water2. Three tablespoons of salt

You will:1. Dissolve the salt in the water of one

of the cups and let a student taste it.2. Allow a student to taste the plain wa-

ter.Duration:20 minutes

You will say:Have any of you ever tried to drink seawater? Why can’t we drink it? It’s very salty, right? Even though sailors are surrounded by water, they can’t consume seawater. A long time ago they struggled trying to conserve water in good condition so that they could drink it during their long voyages. The water, after a few days, became slimy and tasted terrible. Today, all we have to do is go to the water cooler and serve ourselves a cup with fresh water to quench our thirst. But although we have such easy access to it, many times we forget about it.

Do you know why we need to drink water every day? More than half of our body is water! All the organs of our body need water to function well and although many of us like juices and soft drinks, we must consume natural water, without sugar, no artificial flavors or colors, because all of this harms much our body. If you’re one of those kids who are very active and like to play all the time, remember that you need to drink more water so you can run and run without getting tired so quickly.

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FOOD STATION DAY 3THE COCONUT

Value: PATIENCE Person in charge: Program:1. Receive the students2. Capsule 3: The Coconut3. Prayer for the food4. Snack5. Clean up6. Exit of students

Materials: 1. Image of a palm tree2. A whole coconut3. Coconut pieces or shredded

You will:1. Show the students the whole coconut

and the image of the palm tree so that they know where the coconut comes from.

2. Let the students taste small pieces of coconut.

Duration:20 minutes

You will say:How many of you have gone to the beach? What do you like best about going to the beach? When we go to the beach we typically swim, run, sunbathe, and there is also something very delicious that we find in that place: the coconut. The coconut palm is known in some places as the tree of life. Its fruit, the coconut, has many benefits. Such are the properties that in survival books many examples are given on how to use it.

Some of the benefits are: that it hydrates (a large coconut can have up to 1 liter of water), it contains healthy fats like omega 6, it removes parasites, it is anti-carcinogenic, it prevents osteo-porosis, and even serves as a sunscreen. As you can see, the coconut is a food that God created and it’s very good for your health. So next time you go to the ocean remember to take a deli-cious chilled coconut and then you eat the coconut with salt and lemon.

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FOOD STATION DAY 4SEAWEED

Value: FAITHFULNESS Person in charge:

Program:1. Receive the students2. Capsule 4: Seaweed3. Prayer for the food4. Snack5. Clean up6. Exit of students

Materials: 1. Seaweed for Sushi or photos

of seaweed

You will:1. Show the images or actual seaweed to

the students

Duration:20 minutes

You will say:Did you know that on the sea bottom there are also forests? Among the marine forests we have seaweed. These plants are the vegetables of the sea. They absorb many nutrients and produce most of the world’s oxygen. When they are dry, they can be kept in good condition for 20 years.

On the Asian continent (Japan, China, and Korea, among others) it is a very common food, but in other countries it is barely consumed. Seaweed contains phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magne-sium, calcium, iodine, zinc, iron, selenium, amino acids, chlorophyll, mucilage, and most importantly it contains vitamin B12, which helps us to combat anemia, which causes children to not develop well and tire often.

It’s most likely that you have never eaten seaweed, but if you get the chance, try it and remember that it is a very healthy food. God created seaweed to help us grow strong and healthy.

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FOOD STATION DAY 5MARINE GARBAGE CANS

Value: SERVICE Person in charge:

Program:1. Receive the students2. Capsule 5: Marine garbage

cans3. Prayer for the food4. Snack5. Clean up6. Exit of students

Materials: 1. Images of shellfish or make

believe shellfish

You will:1. Show the images or make believe

shellfish to the students

Duration:20 minutes

You will say:In every place there exist animals in charge of cleaning your ecosystem. These animals are usually very dirty because inside their bodies they carry all the “garbage” that they collect. For example, some cleaners on earth are the vultures, because they eat animals that are already dead or pigs that can eat even that which you can’t imagine. Likewise, in the sea there are some animals that are the cleaners. They like to be eating everything they find and usually eat the waste of others. These animals are called shellfish. Some of them are shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and octopuses, among others.

In the Bible God says that we should not eat these animals since consuming them greatly damages our bodies. Would any of you eat out of a garbage can? Of course not! When you see shellfish, remember that they are the garbage cans of the sea.

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Suggestions:First day:Happy faces and butterflies prepared with fruit.

Second day:Whole wheat crackers with small plastic bottle water with the 2015 VBS logo.

Third day:Coconut oatmeal cookies with a cup of fruit juice.

Fourth day:Tostadas with soy ceviche and horchata (rice water)

Fifth day:Vegetarian hamburgers in the form of a crab.

DAILY MENUDAILY MENU

3. CRAFT STATIONCrafts are very important in the learning process of the Vacation Bible School, because they stimulate and strengthen the processes of attention, concentration, memory, learning, cognition, thinking and motor skills in children. They also encou-rage creativity and imagination, but more importantly they record biblical truths in their minds.

Here are some suggestions to use in the VBS Odyssey on the Sea with Jesus Almighty, always re-membering that crafts should be something useful and also something that the child or family can use or look at daily to reinforce the message they learned.

Personnel: A coordinator and assistants (as deemed necessary)

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SUGGESTED CRAFTS

KINDERGARTEN

Marine treasure chest

Material:

Instructions:

• 1 wood or cardboard box in the form of a chest• Acrylic paint, as needed• Seashells

1. Sand and paint the wooden chest the color of your preference.2. Decorate the chest with seashells.3. Store in the chest daily memory verses. It can also be used as a chest for prayer requests.

The catch

Material:

Instructions

• 5 cutouts of 9 mm sea animal shapes on MDF wood (fiberboard)• A 28 cm wood fishing rod• 5 metal hooks• 5 cutouts of sea animal shapes on adhesive paper• 25 cm of fishing line• Different colors of acrylic paint

1. Sand the sea animal shapes made on MDF wood (fiberboard) and paint them different colors

2. 2. Place the cutout adhesive sea animal shapes on the front of the MDF wood (fiberboard)

3. 3. Place the metal hooks on each of the sea animal shapes4. 4. Place them on the fishing rod and start to fish! Each sea animal shape can have the

daily Bible verse on the reverse side.

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SUGGESTED CRAFTS

PRIMARIES

Mini Sea Mobiles

Material:

Instructions:

• 6 mm cutouts of sea animal shapes on MDF wood (fiberboard)• Clothes hangers• Clothespins• Acrylic paint (as needed)

1. Softly sand the MDF (fiberboard) pieces. Let the children paint them at their prefe-rence and creativity and place on the clothes hangers with clothespins.

Nautical mirror with handle for girls

Material:

Instructions:

• MDF wood (fiberboard) cut in a 3mm form of a mirror with a handle• Piece of mirror in an oval shape• Rope (as needed)• Silicone (as needed) • Seashells• Acrylic paint

1. Softly sand the MDF wood (fiberboard) and paint it to the preference and creativity of the girl.

2. Use silicone to glue the mirror on the center and the rope around the edges of the mir-ror.

3. Decorate with seashells

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SUGGESTED CRAFTS

JUNIORS

Fish Toothbrush

Material:

Instructions:

• A piece of MDF wood (fiberboard) cut out in the shape of a 6 mm fish• A 3 mm toothbrush holder cut out of MDF wood (fiberboard)• Acrylic paint (as needed)• White glue

• Softly sand all the MDF wood (fiberboard) pieces and paint them to the preference and creativity of the child.

• Glue the MDF wood (fiberboard) fish shape to the toothbrush holder with white glue.

Nautical mirror for boys

Material:

Instructions:

• MDF wood (fiberboard) cut out in a circular shape of 3mm• 2 sea animal shapes for decoration• Rope (as needed)• Acrylic paint (as needed)• Piece of mirror in a circular shape• White glue and silicone

1. Softly sand the piece of MDF wood (fiberboard) and paint them to the preference and creativity of the boy.

2. Use silicone to glue the mirror on the center and the rope around the edges of the mirror.3. Glue on the sea animal shapes with the white glue

NOTE: The Primaries can also use the option of the sea soaps detailed for the Junior department.

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Basket of sea soaps

Material:• 1 basket made of MDF wood (fiberboard), wicker, plastic, metal, among others (as preferred)• Sea shaped soap molds• Transparent solid glycerin• Artificial liquid colorants• Essence or perfume• Transparent film (saran wrap)• Decorative facial washcloth

NOTE: If it is a basket made of MDF wood (fiberboard) you will have to sand and paint it. If it is a wicker basket you will have the option of decorating it with ribbon or whatever is preferred.

Instructions to make soap:1. Clean the molds that will be used.2. Cut the glycerin into small pieces to melt it: you can place them in a double boiler or in a

glass or hard plastic container and microwave in 30-second intervals. When the mixture reaches a fully liquid but viscous aspect, remove from heat or microwave.

3. Add the coloring and essences of choice.4. Brush oil on the mold for easy removal.5. Place the mixture into the mold.6. Allow to cool at room temperature for at least half an hour. If you want to speed up the

drying stage, you can refrigerate it.7. Remove from the mold by allowing air to enter into the mold and straighten burrs with a

knife (only if necessary).8. Wrap the soaps with transparent film (saran wrap).9. Decorate the basket with the towel and place the soaps inside.

ANOTHER IDEATo decorate use

Styrofoam balls andQ-tips. Color and ready!

(Courtesy of Pinterest)

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2

3

4

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4. GAME STATIONThe games in the Vacation Bible School are aimed at providing an opportunity for socializing, to develop team spirit and encourage recreation in the students.

Use age-appropriate games for students. Here are some options you can adjust in relation to the materials that are found in the place where you live.

Flying Water Balloons

Wet Sponge

Race with glasses ofwater on their heads

Fill small balloons with water and let the students toss them to each other. The idea is for the balloon not to fall on the ground. As they are tossing the balloons they move back a step. The pair that wins is the one that was able to get the furthest apart.

Fill plastic cups with water and have the children try to get from one place to another supporting the cups on their heads. The first to reach the finish line wins but be careful because if you go too fast the cup may fall and wet the participant.

At least two students are needed for this game and a bucket and sponge for each one. Each must have a bucket with water in which they must soak the sponge and fill it with water before tossing it to the other participant. If the sponge touches the ground the participant loses. The fun part of this game is that although sponges absorb water, when they are being tossed from one place to another they are going to splash water on whoever is waiting to get it making it harder to catch and of course getting everyone wet.

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Slide

Fisherman Pie Contest

The dolphin that crosses the hoop

A roll of thick plastic (sold in stores like Home Depot), leave it on a soft surface (grass, sand) and fill it with soap and water. If there is a hill or mountain slope you can use the plastic as a slide, and if the sur-face is flat, you can use it to play and glide on. Add more soap and water every 20 minutes to keep the plastic slippery.

Buy a bag of candy fish or plastic fish. Place 8 of them at the bottom of a pie mold or a similar container. You will need a mold or container for each player. Cover the fish with whipped cream. The children will put their arms behind their back and when they hear the start command, they should remove the fish with their mouth (one at a time). The winner is whoever finishes first. Even though this game is fun it has a special meaning. Jesus was a fisher of men. Many people did not like the truths He said but He continued to teach. He was not was afraid “to get His face dirty with pie” while He shared His Father’s will.

Place a hoop within a certain distance, acquire an inflated dolphin, large or small, allowing students to throw it in order for it to go through the hoop. The distance depends on the student’s age and size of the dolphin. You can reward the kids who get the dolphin through the hoop at least 4 times.

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5. DECISION STATIONThe purpose of this station is to give each student the opportunity to reflect on the consequences of practicing the wrong values and the benefit and happiness that is experienced by practicing the Christian values.

Using the most utilized method and that which has the most impact on them, technology and vision, the students will be able to see through a short film the correct use of the value of the day.This tool, which comes with an additional game per day, can become part of the daily life of those who obtain it, contributing to the edification of a character ready for the heavenly king-dom.At this station a puzzle piece will be given each day. The student will receive the final piece after having collected the previous four by daily attending the VBS. This puzzle will help as a daily reminder of the decision to become better children in the family, their country, and with God.

Personnel: A coordinator and assistants (as needed)

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CLOSINGCLOSING

DAY 1DAY 1 Odyssey walking on the waterCoordinator: _____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

VERSE

ACTIVITY

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine”. (Isaiah 43:1)

Song Service

VALUE

PERSON IN CHARGE

TRUST

ClosingA grandmother was sitting and surrounded by her six grandchildren who were very scared because a hurricane was passing through that place. They lived in a big and safe house surrounded by seven palm trees that were each named after her grandchildren. The children watched as the strong wind bent the palm trees until they almost touched the ground but they straightened up again. Gerard, one of the smallest grandchildren, concerned asked his grandmother: “Grandma, do you think that this hurricane can knock down our palm trees?” The grandmother, with a smile and hugging her grandchild said to him: “No son, the palm trees are privileged by having very long and deep roots and when there are storms, cyclones or hurricanes, they stay firm and are not easily uprooted.”

Bernice, one of her granddaughters said to her: “Grandma, I’m scared!” The grandmother hugged her and said: “Remember that we must trust our heavenly Father. He has told us in His Word “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine”. (Isaiah 43:1) Do you remember how Jesus’ disciples were scared when they were going through a strong storm and how Jesus calmed the storm? What we should do is pray so that He can protect us as well. After praying the children were calmer.

Dear students. Today I invite you to be like palm trees. They have deep roots that attach to the ground and because of that, can withstand hurricane winds and severe storms. When you study the Word of God and learn about Him, you are planting the roots of your heart in deep soil. Our root is called “trust in God”. If we learn to look at Jesus during the difficulties as Peter did when He walked on water, then we will make our roots grow.

In the odyssey of your life many surprises are waiting for you. No one knows what will happen tomorrow, so it is very important that we learn to trust God because He has pro-mised to always be by our side.

PROGRAM

Exit of the studentsInstructions for the following day

Prayer of consecration

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CLOSINGCLOSING

DAY 2DAY 2 Odyssey in the fish’s mouthCoordinator: _____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

VERSE

ACTIVITY

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters”.

(Psalms 24:1-2)

Song service



VALUE

PERSON IN CHARGE

RESPONSIBILITY

ClosingIt was summer vacation. Ishmael’s cousins had come to spend a few days at his house and were happy and eager to play together. That afternoon they had bought tickets to go to an amusement park the next day, but they had a big problem. Ishmael had to take an exam that day. What to do? Why did things have to happen at the same time? It would be so much fun to go, but he had to study! Finally he decided to stay and study while his cousins had fun at the park. Later that day, Ishmael and his father would catch up with them.

There is a saying that grandmother’s say: “First the duty and then the pleasure” or “spinach before dessert.” This reminds us that we must get our work done and that play comes later. God’s Word advises us: “The integrity of the upright guides them.” (Proverbs 11:3)

Responsibility is a character trait that Jesus had and we should strive to develop each day. Do you remember today’s story? It was a great odyssey to see how Peter got the money to pay the tax, right? Yes! It was amazing how the fish had the coin in its mouth! So that you know, the best thing is that Jesus can do the same miracles in your life today (like our theme song says). Jesus was responsible with His duties. Well, He wants us to fulfill our duties and promises as best we can. How did you leave your room today? Is it clean and tidy or did you leave it as if though a hurricane passed through it? So, today when you get home, show your parents that you love them by completing your daily chores. You can sort your things, take out the trash, and take care of your pet, among others. Remember that the best act of love is to be obedient.

PROGRAM

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CLOSINGCLOSING

DAY 3DAY 3 Odyssey in the boatCoordinator: _____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

VERSE

ACTIVITY

“Be still, and know that I am God.”(Psalms 46:10)

Song service



VALOR

PERSON IN CHARGE

PATIENCE

ClosingEve and two friends went to visit a family that lived just across the river from where they were. It was a beautiful day but none of them had experience in rowing and steer a boat. They climbed into the boat and crossed the river without any problem. It was a very pleasant afternoon. They enjoyed the company of friends, ate a lot of watermelon and played together. Suddenly, they noticed that a storm was coming so they decided to return home. They quickly climbed into the boat and grabbed the oars, but at that moment the rain began to fall. They were large drops with a strong wind. When looking at the danger in which they were in, Eve told her friends: What do you think if we pray before leaving? Her prayer was: Dear Jesus, watch over us while we cross the river. May You be the One who directs this boat. Give us peace and patience. When they finished praying, they felt the rain, but with assurance they rowed until they reached the shore. How happy they were to have a God who hears the prayers of His children! In today’s odyssey we saw how the disciples spent very anxious moments in a boat and once again Jesus reminded them that He has power over the sea. The verse you learned today is in Psalm 46:10 and it says: “Be still, and know that I am God.”Our life can be compared to a boat trip. Every day becomes an odyssey. There are peace-ful days and others stormy. The stormy day can be when you get sick, hurt yourself or have some kind of accident. In these cases it is very easy to lose patience and become despaired because we want God to heal us faster. But God tells us: Quiet! Be still, I am your God! We forget that God has a very different clock from ours and that His timing is perfect. Our God is patient and wants us to practice patience at all times; patience with friends, patience when waiting, patience when playing, and patience with your siblings, among others. When we lose our patience, most likely we think that we are going to drown in that problem and that we cannot get out.However, we must be confident that He who rebuked the wind and calmed the waters, is still with us and that His purpose is that we be happy.Our theme song says: “He knows what you need and He will supply. His power can calm all the storms in your life. Just trust him today he can better your life.” Let’s sing with joy!

PROGRAM

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CLOSINGCLOSING

DAY 4DAY 4 The miraculous catchCoordinator: _____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

VERSE

ACTIVITY

“For your Father knows what you needbefore you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

Song service



VALUE

PERSON IN CHARGE

FAITHFULNESS

ClosingEdward is a kid like you. Edward’s family made plans to go out for a family day and fish at the lake. They prepared the fish hooks, fishing rods and bait. They took balls and a tasty lunch to enjoy. When everything was ready little Edward became sad because his grandfather could not go with them, so to make him feel happy he promised that he would take him the biggest fish that he caught. Grandpa, with a smile, accepted the deal.

When they reached the lake everyone started fishing, but seeing that they were not catch-ing any fish, they became discouraged and changed their activity. Some began to play ball, others to swim, and others to eat. The only one who remained faithful to his duty was little Edward. No one could make him change activities. Finally, he caught a small fish so everyone was happy and applauded him and said: Now you can come play with us! Oh no, he said. I promised my grandfather that I would take him the largest fish I could catch and I have only caught a very small fish. I have to find a big one! And he continued to fish. Later, something bit his hook and he pulled out a big, beautiful fish, which he gave with love to his grandfather.

You know children “faithfulness is the sister of love.” No one can be faithful to someone who they do not love. In today’s odyssey the disciples acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God through the miracle of the catch. From that moment they began to love Him and follow Him. God wants us to love Him and the best way we can show that love is by being faithful to Him in everything we do.

Every day we have enjoyed an exciting odyssey and what makes us happy is that Jesus can also perform these miracles in you and in me. How wonderful! Let’s sing our theme song with joy.

PROGRAM

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CLOSINGCLOSING

DAY 5DAY 5 Odyssey on the seashoreCoordinator: _____________________________ Duration: 20 minutes

VERSE

ACTIVITY

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

(Matthew 20:28)

Song service



VALUE

PERSON IN CHARGE

SERVICE

ClosingAndrea and Allan are siblings who belong to the clubs of the Adventist Church. Andrea goes to the Pathfinder Club and Allan, who is smaller, the Adventurers Club. One day they had a very important lesson about caring for the environment. The special guest was a marine biologist. It was explained that millions of marine animals such as birds, fish, turtles and mammals die from the contamination of the sea. What causes more difficulties for the sea animals is plastic because it cannot be fully disintegrated, but becomes as small as confetti and the animals mistake it for food and eat it causing their death. What most worried all the kids of the club is that millions of tons of plastic are reaching the sea and the primary contaminant is man. The following Sunday the whole club went to the nearest beach to pick up trash and post signs about taking care of the sea animals.

This week we learned amazing things about marine life and how our God gave each creature what they needed to live in their environment and beautify our seas. It is sad that the beauti-ful world God made is being destroyed. That is why, as children of the Creator, we must help improve our environment. We should not get tired of serving since sharing, helping, cooperating and forgiving are the nucleus of the Christian life. In today’s odyssey we saw how Jesus, the Son of God, prepared a delicious breakfast for His disciples. The Lord Jesus never got tired of serving. He cared for others, He knew what each person needed, and He always had something to do or someone to help. We must imitate this beautiful example. There is no greater joy than to serve as Jesus did!

By doing this, we will be getting ready to meet soon with Jesus on the sea of glass. Would you like to live an odyssey on the sea of glass with Jesus Almighty? One day, together you and I, we will rejoice on that beautiful sea that will be so clear that there will be no need to bring diving equipment to see all its beauty. Tomorrow we will talk so much more about this wonderful sea of glass and our life with Jesus. Come and bring your family with you so that they too can know Jesus Almighty!

PROGRAM

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2015 VBS CLOSING PROGRAMPROGRAM

1. Entrance MarchThe children enter in an organized manner to take their places while they sing the VBS theme song. You can organize the children in the same way they have been doing all week to make the practice easier. The children can remain standing when they enter so that they can be ready to present the honors to the flags.

2. Honors to the FlagsFor this purpose different children, who are willing and have the ability to lead out the honors in public, will be selected. Many of the children participating in the VBS have already done so for consecutive years, so it will not be difficult to find children who are familiar with the songs and pledges.

3. Welcome Acrostic

4. PrayerTwo of the older children, will present this prayer. One of them will start without saying amen and will let the other finish. They can be short prayers that ask the blessing and guidance of God during the program.

WE LCO

ME

Upon completion of the honors, we will pro-ceed with the presentation of an acrostic. The presentation of this Welcome acrostic can be assigned to a specific department or children from different departments who can memorize it or read it depending on the need. Each child participating in the acrostic will hold the letter that corresponds to him/her. These must be made large enough so that the congregation can see them clearly.

we go through storms on the sea of lifeeveryone suffers sorrow and strifelook at Jesus and in Him abidecalm He will give you, He’s by your sideour eyes may see a sky of gray but faith sees skies of bluemidst storm we see what God can doeven the wind and the seas obey Him.

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5. Marine World Section (Introduction)A person disguised as a diver (for costume idea see picture attached to this material # 3) will come to the front to give a brief introduction about the things that were learned during the week about the marine world. This presentation can be done in different ways depending on the possibilities available to the church:

Option

Option

Option

Place in front of the stage 5 medium sized colored pillars (the pillars may be shaped to look like seaweed similar to the idea in attachment # 4). The diver will walk among the pillars while placing on each of them the keyword of the theme learned and gives a short summary about each one. At the same time he will only ask one question of each theme to the children so that they answer in unison.

Images related to each theme are collected and a presentation or 3 minute video about the different themes learned is prepared. Then the diver asks the children questions and associates the answers to the teachings received during the 5 days of the Vacation Bible School.

The diver invites 5 children to come forward. Each child holds an image that has been colored by the children themselves representing each of the themes learned. The diver gives a brief summary of each theme and asks a question in general terms for children to respond in chorus.

These are the 5 themes and the possible summaries for each one that the diver can say:

1. Salt: Sea salt is necessary for the life of all marine creatures. God allowed the minerals of the rivers and the earth’s crust to provide enough salt to keep the sea full of life. Today we know that there are up to 37 kilos of salt in a cubic meter of seawater, and that’s surprising.

2. Starfish: Starfish are one of the many wonders of nature by which God shows us His trans-forming power. Starfish have the ability to regenerate, which means that if one of its arms is cut off, they can grow another back one just like the one they lost.

3. Camouflage: In the sea there are many varieties of animals that feed on others. Interestingly, some of these animals, like the octopus, can change their color in order to camouflage themselves and trap their food. Also, other marine life can camouflage themselves to hide from those who want to eat them. God has asked us to be different and unique to represent Him before the world and not confuse ourselves with it.

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4. Bioluminescence: In the deepest areas of the sea there are small and large creatures that have the ability to produce light themselves. This is called bioluminescence and it is extraordinary to know that even in the depths of the sea God takes care of those small animals and has given them the ability to generate light for their survival.

5. Jellyfish: The majority of living beings are doomed to grow old and die one way or another. But there is an animal on this planet that cannot die of old age because when it gets old, it rejuvenates. This reminds us that God, in His love, has promised us eternal life, and even though here we reach old age, we are promised that when get to heaven we will all be rejuvenated and transformed.

6. OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE STORIESPrior preparation: Invite a Sabbath School teacher or any church member who can play the role of a Bible time fisherman. They can give him the name of Peter since Peter was the only disciple who participated directly in all the stories used in the Vacation Bible School. This “fisherman” must be dressed in clothing similar to what Galilean fishermen used but must be dirty, half torn and very simple.

There should be a table in front of the platform with the following:

• A sheet or white cloth that resembles a boat sail • Wood to represent the oars • A medium sized rock to represent an anchor • A net similar to a fishing net or a real fishing net • A small cloth bag with coins inside it • A basket with bread covered with a cloth napkin

At the time of closing:Our Galilean fisherman enters down the center aisle of the church and walks slowly, showing that he is very tired, until he reaches the platform. Upon arriving to the front he addresses the congregation and says:

You are not going to believe what happened to me during this last week. I have gone through great adventures, some not so pleasant, but all worthy of being told. I believe that all the children here know what I mean because they witnessed everything that happened. Isn’t that right, kids?

(The fisherman approaches the table that has all the things listed above and shows them to the audience while talking about them). When we started our adventure, we had a sail like this one. This helped us to travel further. We also had oars, much like these, maybe a little heavier to move in the right direction. We had an anchor for when we stopped to fish so that the boat would not move from its place, a fishing net, a little food, because we never knew where we would be arriving at. And finally a small bag with money that we all shared for the needs on the road.

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1. On the first day, we went out on the boat with Jesus. He told us to go on ahead without Him and then in the middle of the trip, children, do you remember what happened? Yes, a big storm. It was very strong and we lost our oars and the bag with the money in it, but when we were most scared we saw that someone was walking on the water towards us and who do you think we thought it was? (Give the children time to respond.) “A ghost”, but in reality, who was it, children? Yes, Jesus. He calmed the storm for us and He even helped Peter walk towards Him.

2. On the second day, we told the story of an occasion when we found ourselves needing to pay a tax but we didn’t have money and we felt that we were in trouble, especially Peter, since he had to pay. But Jesus told him not to worry and to go fishing… Children, do you remember what happened then? That’s right, Jesus allowed Peter to find a fish that had a coin in its mouth that was enough for him to pay the tax for Him and Peter. That was wonderful.

3. On the third day, we traveled in the boat with Jesus and a very strong hurricane surprised us. We were all so afraid but Jesus was sleeping. We tried to lower our stone anchor but the ropes broke and we lost the anchor. Our sails also tore and even the food that we had got wet and was unusable. We finally woke Jesus up and do you remember what He did? Good answer. He calmed the winds and the rain with His peaceful voice.

4. On the fourth day, you heard the story of when we decided to go fishing. We needed food and money, so we went fishing during the night and were unable to catch anything. We were very sad and discouraged but Jesus came towards us and told us to try again on the other side. And what happened? That’s right. There were so many fish that we had to ask for help because they were so heavy and our net was damaged because of the weight. We were very impressed by the marvelous power of Jesus.

5. The last story that you heard was about our last adventure with Jesus before He went to heaven. We were fishing close to the shore but once again we caught nothing. Someone on the shore called out to us and said: Have you caught anything? And we answered that we hadn’t. Then He told us to throw our nets on the other side of the boat and what happened? A little more than 150 fish fell into the net but Jesus, already had something prepared for us. Do you remember what it was? Yes, bread and fish.

But now, after so many problems and adventures, I have nothing, and I’m on my way to the new earth, and I have nothing to face the problems that will be there. I don’t even know if I can enter without all the tools that I lost. I hope Jesus receives me. Do you believe He will? (The fisherman sits on a bench with the children, to wait for all of them to enter heaven.)

7. SPECIAL MUSIC by the Kindergarten children

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8. CHORAL POEM by the Primary children

Dear Jesus.

How often I forget that You’re in the boat! I want to always remember that, even if it seems that You are sleeping, You are in control.

I complain saying that You do not notice that the waves cover me, that the storm is about to drown me and I’m about to succumb to the test. I forget that Your divine grace saved me, and that You protect me regardless of how terrible the storm is or the lack of faith with which I am sinning against You.

Thanks for the great bonanza after each storm, for rebuking the wind and silencing the sea of temptation. Thank You because Your power is so great that even nature obeys You.Thank You that I can cast all my cares upon you, knowing that You take care of me. Thanks for that love whose measure I cannot understand, because I can rejoice in You, trusting that You test me because You love me and want to make me an increasingly precious stone.

Lord, I ask you to continue keeping an eye on my boat because I am unable to do it alone. Direct it to safe harbor. I don’t ask You for a calm sea all the time, just please do not let me take the helm, but make me remain under Your control, letting You be the One to wisely navigate, and that in the next storm You remind me that You are the Lord Almighty of my life.

Martha Torres Rodríguez.

9. SPECIAL SONG by the Juniors

10. SUMMARY OF THE WEEKS ACTIVITIESFor this section, you can organize a video or a PowerPoint presentation with photographs of the activities performed during the Vacation Bible School. If the church does not have the capability or resources to make a video, you can ask those who were in charge of each area, to come to the front and share what stood out the most in their section. (Games, snack, spiritual, classes, crafts, etc.)

11. CERTIFICATES AND CLOSINGUpon completion of the summary of the activities or video, the children stand and sing the first verse and chorus of the hymn: “The Coming King is at the Door”.

When they finish singing the chorus, the character representing Jesus opens the doors of the city from inside and makes this invitation: - “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34).

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Then the fisherman approached Jesus y said to Him:

“Lord Jesus, I’ve lost everything I have in the storms of life, I went through a big odyssey on earth and do not think that I can face one more in heaven here without You.”

(Jesus answers.) “My son, here in heaven there will be no more odysseys to face. We have over-come together (Jesus puts a white robe or cloak on him to cover his torn and dirty clothes.)

At that moment harp music is heard and the children begin to come up in order to cross the sea of glass and enter through the door and greet Jesus while receiving from His hand a certificate of completion from the Sabbath School and arranged in order around the throne. (In small churches one can say the name of the children while they receive their certificate.)

While the children are entering, the wall that obstructs the view of the Holy City is removed.

When all the children are accommodated in their place around the throne, the music stops and Jesus turns to the congregation and says: “No matter the odyssey in your life, I am willing to turn them into victories by the Sea of Glass”. Then Jesus walks towards the throne that is located in the center.

At that moment “The Hallelujah” by Friderich Handel starts to play and the children and congre-gation stand to give honor and praise to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

12. CLOSING AND PRAYERTo end the program the VBS director comes forward and offers a word of thanks to God, to the parents, teachers and children, and declares concluded the Vacation Bible School. The Director asks the congregation to bow their heads and prays to end.

13. EXITAfter the prayer, “The Hallelujah” is heard again but now with a soft and lower sound so that the children can exit in an orderly manner down the center aisle.

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PHASE

3 AFTER THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (FOLLOW-UP)

INITIATION OF THE FRIENDS OF THE COMMUNITY CLUB

BIBLE LESSONS

So that the VBS is effective a combination is done with the initiation of the FCC. The 5 days after the VBS will be to form the club, work with the requirement cards and on the first five lessons. Then each club will meet once a week to study the Bible. Every time the children finish a level a graduation ceremony will be held following the recommendations in the program.

Along with the FCC material it is recommended to use the series of Bible lessons called “God Sent His Son to be My Friend”; these will be of great help for the spiritual growth of the children of the community.

1. Welcome

Total

4. Songs and games

2. Opening -Song service -Theme song “I Have a Friend Who Loves Me” -Prayer

6. Closing -Theme song -Closing prayer -Announcements

3. Club requirement -Story

5. Lessons “God Sent His Son to be My Friend”

5 minutes

90 minutes

15 minutes

5 minutes

5 minutes

30 minutes

30 minutes

Suggested Program for the Friends of the Community Club

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Anthems to the flags and the BibleIf you have a person who will only being leading out the songs it would be beneficial to ask that person to make this period of time a special moment by creating different ways of involving the children in the action songs, responsive songs, illustrated songs, etc. The more active the children are during the song the more they enjoy it. If possible ask the children who know how to play instruments to bring them so that they can participate during this time. The music DVD serves as a guide to make this moment special.

Opening:

Song to the national flag (use local national anthem)

Song to the Christian flagThere is a flag flying high from the castle of my heart,

from the castle of my heart, from the castle of my heart.There is a flag flying high from the castle of my heart

for the King is in residence there.

So let it fly in the sky let the whole world know,let the whole world know, let the whole world know.

So let it fly in the sky let the whole world knowthat the King is in residence there.

Song to the Bible(With the music of I Will Make You Fishers of Men)

Read your Bible, read every day, read every day, read every day.Read your Bible, read every day if you want to grow.

If you want to grow, if you want to grow.Read your Bible, read every day if you want to grow.

1

2

3

APPENDICES

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THEME SONG

ODYSSEY ON THE SEA(Translated and adapted by M Dinorah Rivera)

It’s an odyssey on the sea, Jesus is powerful and mightyIt’s an odyssey on the sea, come join me we’ll have fun.

To walk on the water just like Jesus would walkTo find a tax coin in the mouth of a fish

With power commanded the storm to be stillAnd filled an empty net with fish with no end.

Babababababa

It’s an odyssey on the sea, Jesus is powerful and mightyIt’s an odyssey on the sea, come join me in the fun.

Our Jesus has power over ocean and landHe knows what you need and he will supply

His power can calm all the storms in your lifeJust trust him today he can better your life.

Babarabara

It’s an odyssey on the sea, Jesus is powerful and mightyIt’s an odyssey on the sea, you’ll learn and will enjoy.

A great odyssey on the seaAn odyssey on the sea. Yes!

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*REGISTRATION FORMPrepare a registration form for each child. The information on the form will be of great help for keeping in contact with the children and their parents in order to invite them to future activities.

*RESPONSIBILITY CONTROL FORMComplete the form with the names of the persons who will have some type of responsibility during the VBS.

*ATTENDANCE RECORDKeep a record of all the children registered in the program.

*REPORT FORM TO THE FIELD/UNION/DIVISIONPlease complete the form at the end of the VBS and send it to the respective Field. This informa-tion is of vital importance.

ID badges for students and leadersPrepare an ID badge for each child with his/her name. Remember that calling the child by his/her name is an important element in the family. It is recommended that the teachers and instructors also have an ID badge so that the children know them well.

STUDENT WORKBOOKIn this program every child will have a workbook where the concepts of the Bible lesson will be emphasized. Ensure that you have everything that is needed to perform the required activities. Plan to have the children complete the work-book by the conclusion of the VBS.

CHATS WITH PARENTSOrganize a family orientation program for the parents of the children registered in the program. Explain the objectives of the program and allow the parents to receive orientation on how they can contribute so that in their homes they can enjoy a better family atmosphere. You can request the services of a family counselor or the pastor to perform this activity. Invite the parents to help at some of the stations such as: passing out the snacks to the groups, helping with the crafts, and keeping an eye on the kids during the games. We suggest that you take advantage of the material that has been prepared for the certification in the book The First 7 Years, written by Kay Kuzma.

*See appendices

FORMS AND MATERIALS FOR THE PROGRAM

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PREPARATONS FOR THE NEXT VBS20 weeks before the VBS • Select the venue where the VBS will take place and the date. • Form a prayer group to ask for God’s blessing on your project. • Do a pre-registration of the children so that you can have an idea of how many you will have and how much material you will need.

18 weeks before the VBS • Select a group of persons who will work with you and start discussing the plans for the VBS. • Start the promotion in the church and in the venue where the VBS will take place. • Once again contact the parents of the registered children to confirm their registration.

16 weeks before the VBS •Meet with your work group to pray, plan, and set the date for the leadership training course. • Continue with the promotion of the program. • If you have already ordered the material check it to make sure that it is complete. • Present the plan to the church for people who want to finance or support the VBS through donations.

12 weeks before the VBS • Give the materials to the each department leader. • Recruit personnel if necessary from among the church members. • Continue with the promotion and keep the church informed of the program to be conducted.

10 weeks before the VBS • Extensively discuss the goals and objectives of the program with the leaders and pray that the Lord will help them achieve those goals. • Post a list of the leaders and children registered in the VBS and ask the church to offer special prayers for this missionary project. • Verify that each person who has been assigned a part in the program understands what to do and has the material ready. • Visit the homes of the children registered to make a friendly contact with the parents. • Plan the closing program that will be presented to the parents and community in general. • Discuss the follow-up plan that will be used for the non-Adventist children to keep in touch with them. The ideal is to start the FCC. Talk about it.

8 weeks before the VBS • Place the VBS promotional poster in a visible location in the church. • Place the promotional posters prepared for advertising in stores, homes, and visible locations of the community where the VBS will be conducted. • Emphasize during the church announcements the program that will be taking place and continue to invite volunteers who want to join to contact the leaders of the program. Provide the names. • Continue praying for the program.

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4 weeks before the VBS-Conduct the training program for each department: • Explain the content of the program (attend the workshop prepared by the local field). • Discuss the schedule to follow and the new format. • Practice the selected songs. • Talk about the crafts and materials to be used. • Decide if the leaders and students will use special ID badges or if they will be identified by a particular color (printed or embroidered t-shirt of the same color). • Talk about the finances and snacks that the children will receive. • Conduct a dedication ceremony in the church with the VBS leaders so that they feel the support of the membership. • Show the brethren the materials that will be used during the VBS.

During the VBS • Conduct a short daily devotional with all the personnel before starting with the tasks. • Maintain a spirit of enthusiasm with the team. • Evaluate the outcome of the program and the response of the children on a daily basis. • Start promoting the closing program with the parents.

After the VBS • Prepare and send the report to your respective Field (add photos). • Start the program Friends of the Community Club following the instructions in the Manual and reading the packet of lessons God Sent His Son to be My Friend.

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CHILDREN AGES 7-9PhysicallyThey are active and energetic, well coordinated and play a lot.They are independent, take care of themselves and like to sing.

MentallyThey are curious, inquisitive, and always alert.They reason literally, need illustrations to better understand what is wanted to be explained to them.They enjoy doing things to learn better, which is why it is important to involve them in the program.They are imaginative but distinguish better between reality and fantasy.They are learning to read, they like group discussion, they enjoy reading stories and memorizing very quickly.They are very curious; they ask a lot and tend to be selfish.They still do not completely understand the concept of time, space, and money.

SociallyThey are friendly and they like to play with others. They are conformists and like to please others.They like to imitate what others do; they are learning to share and respect others.They are interested in pleasing their elders; they are very cooperative.They like to dramatize and eagerly await their birthday.

AIDS*Learn by watching and observing their surroundings.

*They have a marvelous imagination.

*They trust in people.

*Are active and like to participate.

*They feel proud when they can do something and want to show what they have done.

*Will remember for the rest their lives the lessons they learn now.

*They have control of their bowels.

*Mentally they are more agile and ask many questions.

*Socially they follow others because they like the company of others.

*They are very emotional children.

CHILDREN AGES 5-6

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ADOLESCENTS AND THE PLAN OF SALVATIONLead the children to Jesus was the command that He himself expressed to His disciples when He was on earth. Much time has passed since then, but the command has not changed. The Lord continues expecting that every children’s leader desire to fulfill the task of helping the children to reach the vigorous spiritual experience with Jesus that will allow them to be part of the people who are awaiting His soon coming. That task has been entrusted to you therefore the VBS should not only be a time to play and have fun. It is necessary that through the strategies that will be implemented, joined with your love and attention to the children, they get to know Jesus and accept Him as their personal Savior. Make this your main objective as you work with the children of Primary and Adolescent age.

• Show the child that he/she is a sinner and needs salvation. Romans 3:23. • Explain that the way to salvation can only be obtained through Christ and that is why having a friendship with Him is so important. John 3:16. • Explain to the child how to have a new life that will constantly grow through prayer, a relationship of friendship with Jesus, Bible study and witnessing to others. John 5:39; 15:5. • Each child should personally ask Jesus to be his/her Savior. John 1:12 • Allow the child to experience the assurance of salvation and explain what happens when he/she sins again. John 3:36; Hebrews 13:5; 1 John 1:9

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU WORK WITH THESE CHILDREN?

• Provide alternating periods of quiet time and activity. • Include songs in the program. • Be willing to answer their questions using simple language. • Try not to use symbolisms that are difficult to understand. • Provide activities that allow the children to reinforce what they have learned such as: coloring, drawing, creating, forming, dramatizing, etc. • Provide the means for them to practice reading. • Tell the stories in an interesting and entertaining way. • Encourage them to memorize Bible verses. • Stimulate their imagination and when you deem it appropriate use illustrations to teach new concepts. • Use tact to reach your objectives. • Show them lots of love.

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WORKING WITH CHILDREN WHO COMEFROM TROUBLED HOMES

There is no home on this earth that is exempt from problems and difficulties. Not only do economic problems arise, but also the difficulties go far beyond what we as children’s leaders can imagine. It is a fact that the family unit receives constant attack, such that every day there are more families for whom life is a nightmare. When working with children of various social groups you will find that sometimes the task of leading them to the feet of Jesus is difficult. One possible reason may be that we need to first help the family to get the peace that heaven can give when they allow God to take control of their home. While you are working with the children that you have identified that come from troubled homes, keep in mind the following recommendations:

TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PERCEPTION OF THE CHILDREN WHO COME FROM TROUBLED HOMES.

Usually children who live in troubled homes have many feelings of fear and grief. They feel alone and isolated from others because they think that the problems of their home are unique and no one else is going through them. They are children who feel confused because even though they love their parents they experience feelings of anger against them because of the difficult situations they live at home. Often these children strive for accep-tance from their families and do everything possible to feel loved, even though when they cannot achieve it, they experience a feeling of guilt that is characteristic of those who try to gain the favor of others and fail in their attempt. All of this often produces in the children a deep feeling of low self-esteem and worthlessness.

BE ALERT FOR SIGNS OF ABUSE THAT THE CHILDREN MAY SHOW.

Children who come from troubled homes have learned three fundamental rules to survive in the hostile environment where they live: 1) “Don’t trust anyone”, 2) “Don’t show your feelings” and 3) “Don’t talk to anyone about this”. Many children take these feelings outside the home and they are the standard of their relationships with others. These conflictive situations are frequently an obstacle for these children to concentrate in class or to pay attention to what they are doing. They appear restless and a certain indifference can even be observed in their participation because they consider that nothing that is being done can be helpful to them to resolve the family problem. At times hostile and aggressive behavior can be observed on their part towards their peers, although it is not surprising that others will play the role of a “clown” in order to attract the attention of others.

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ALLOW THE LORD TO USE YOU TO SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE CHIDLREN.

In order to accomplish this very delicate task, we suggest some ideas that may be useful in the process of leading the children to the feet of Jesus.

• Plan your classes in such a way that Christ be the center of your program. While working with the children show them that to know Jesus and make Him our best friend is the start of a new life.

• Make each child feel welcomed and accepted in the group. Try to eliminate the feelings of rejection that any child may bring from home, creating an atmosphere of Christian love and fellowship. This is achieved by offering a big smile every day, speaking kind words with pats of esteem and acceptance on the shoulder. Allow the children to feel that you are happy with them in the classroom. Treat them with respect remem- bering that God does not base His relationship with us by the way we look or act, but for what we truly are for him.

You as a teacher will need the help of the Holy Spirit so you can have the discernment to find in your group those children who are going through serious family problems. Remem-ber that the needs of the children who live in these circumstances are more or less the same as those of any child, since they all need to feel loved, respected, accepted and encour-aged by love. As a teacher you play a very important role, as you may be the only person who can see those children not how they are now, but rather as how they can be in the future if they accept Jesus as their Savior. Pray asking for divine help for this great task and be sensitive to the warning signs.

•

•

Turn your room into a safe and friendly place. When a child lives in a troubled home he/she feels very good when he/she comes to an atmosphere of order, where the daily routine becomes an oasis. Seek God’s help to make your room a place of peace and daily joy.

Implement discipline in a positive and appropriate manner. Children who come from troubled homes suffer daily scorn and ridicule along with the abuse of their families. It is possible that some of these children come from homes where parents are overly permissive or indifferent; therefore establish disciplinary patterns that are firm but loving. Explain to the children that some disciplinary measures are needed to maintain an atmosphere of love in the classroom, but remember that success consists in showing kindness mixed with firmness. When you need to apply discipline, remember to criticize the improper behavior and not the child, ensuring that the child understands that you trust that his/her behavior will be better next time.

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•

•

•

Provide an interesting program with lots of challenges. Children enjoy participating in programs that allow them to exercise their faculties. Involve them in creative activities that make them feel successful. Spark the interest of the children and their desire to learn by leading them to the fountain of wisdom, which is the Word of God. Whenever possible plan activities that can be done outdoors so that in contact with nature the children can release some of their frustrations.

Try to gain the children’s trust. Show the children, through consistent behavior, that you are a trustworthy person. When the children commit a mistake, be sensitive to the problem and offer your unconditional help. Above all, reassure them that God is at their side and that you will not abandon them.

Pray for the children. Children who live with family suffering feel trapped, alone, and scared. Help them to trust in God who is always watching over them and wants to help them. Use every possible opportunity to affirm in those children the assurance that Jesus and His angels are always with them.

Taken from: Children´s Ministry Resource Bible (translation)

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RESPONSIBILITY CONTROL FORM

PERSONNEL

General Director _________________________________________________________

Person responsible for registration ____________________________________________

Persons responsible for the music

1. ______________________________________

2. ______________________________________

3. ______________________________________

Persons responsible for the Crafts

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

Persons responsible forthe activities in the Workbooks

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

Persons responsible for the Snacks

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

Persons responsible for the Games

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

Characters responsible for the Bible stories

Lesson 1: _______________________________________________________

Lesson 2: _______________________________________________________

Lesson 3: _______________________________________________________

Lesson 4: _______________________________________________________

Lesson 5: _______________________________________________________

GROUP LEADERS

1. ____________________________

2. ____________________________

3. ____________________________

4. ____________________________

5. ____________________________

6. ____________________________

7. ____________________________

8. ____________________________

9. ____________________________

10. ___________________________

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SOUND

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

LIST OF MATERIALS NEEDED:

GENERAL DECORATION (PLATFORM/CHURCH ENTRANCE)

Persons responsible: ____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

_______PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECORATION OF EACH STATION

1. ODYSSEY WALKING ON THE SEA

Persons responsible: _____________________________________________

2. ODYSSEY IN THE FISH’S MOUTH


3. ODYSSEY ON A BOAT


4. ODYSSEY ON THE HIGH SEAS


5. ODYSSEY ON THE SEASHORE


VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2015

ODYSSEY ON THE SEA WITH JESUS ALMIGHTY!REPORT FOR THE INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION

Union ______________________ Conference/Mission ____________________________

Church_______________________________ District ____________________________

Pastor___________________________ VBS Director_____________________________

Address VBS director _______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

For those of you who celebrate your VBS from July-September, this report must reach the IAD office no later

than October 15, 2015; and for those of you who celebrate it from October-December, February 13, 2016.

E-mail VBS director____________________________________________

Telephone VBS director__________________________________________

Date of VBS___________________________________________

Total attendance of Adventist children__________________________

Total attendance of non-Adventist children________________________

Total adult volunteers_________________________________

Total teen volunteers_____________________________

Did you conduct a seminar/training workshop?_____YES _____NO

Share a brief story of the victories obtained during the VBS, including the most outstanding case

or of most growth in the life of a child. Send the corresponding photographs.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

How organized are you with the follow-up plan Friends of the Community Club?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Send a copy of this form to the Children’s Ministry Department of your Conference/Mission/Union and to the Children’s Ministry Department of

the Inter-American Division by e-mail to ([email protected]). Thank you!

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