42 days until Kenya 2012...or 42 reasons I love going to Kenya...#1

Reason #1 I love going to Kenya...Vacation Bible School. This will be the third year that I will help run VBS for kids in two countries, and it was the thing that led me to write my first post on Kenya and Me.
Each year when we hold Vacation Bible School at Covenant Church I get to see such a great side of the kids and volunteers involved. This year our theme was "Everything is possible with God". Let me tell you how much that has meant to me. This year it just felt like even up to the first day, things just weren't going the way I wanted them too. It wasn't anyone's fault, so many of my volunteers, and friends were going through some hard things and had to step down along with just many other little things. In the end, as always, it did all come together. God does always come through and I should know that after holding VBS in Kenya for 2 years now. What we do here with 70ish volunteers for 150 kids, we do with about 10 people for up to 300 kids in Kenya. Of course, people's expectations are different here, but not to the kids. Someone said to me, " just remember if you mess up it will still be perfect to the kids because they don't know what it's supposed to look like." That's what I love about kids. They really just want you to try. They will get excited about what you get excited about. For several years now the kids of our church have been excited about the kids in Kenya. I love it because I love those kids and I see the difference our kids are making in their lives. Since I have been a part of Victorious Children's Home and our kids and church have been giving to them, I have seen a wall of protection go up around their property. I have seen food for at least one meal every day. I have seen kids go to college so they can change their futures. I have seen transportation provided so they can get to schools, appointments and church. I've seen mosquito nets go around their bunk beds and blankets on each one. Year by year and penny by penny their lives are being changed. The really cool thing is, they aren't the only ones being changed. I've seen some adults come forward with some very generous gifts and I've seen kids give with the widow's might.
This year was no different. Each year we try to overflow the buckets that the VBS offering goes in. The kids bring it in change so that it takes up more space. Each year my dear friend (and our Children's Minister) Gail allows us to do something to her if it happens. The kids work for it all week, trying each night with empty buckets to overflow them. This year a young lady whom I adore gave up the money in her savings account to buy each of the 63 kids in Kenya a mosquito net. This girl has had her own hardship this year. She lost her Daddy at the young age of 13. Still, she saw that these kids had a need and instead of feeling sorry for herself she dug deep and gave all she could. I know her Daddy and our Father were both smiling down on her that night. I know they were proud. I'm proud. I'm proud of these kids for not ever forgetting their friends in Kenya. I'm proud of them for knowing what sacrifice is and not being afraid of it. I can't wait to share their sacrifice with those beautiful kids in Kenya. I can't wait to put up new mosquito nets and stock their pantry with food that will last months.