Faith Family Church’s Kids Ministry, in partnership with the Faith Family Foundation, recently held its first ever satellite Vacation Bible School (VBS) from May 19-21 2021. Operating within IATF guidelines, the Kids Ministry set up satellite VBS classrooms in 6 different communities, Ligaya, Martinez, Manalo, Fatima, Lote, and Silang. A total of 101 children attended the 3-day VBS under the theme Shield Squad, learning about both stories in the Bible and disaster risk reduction and management.
Similar to last year’s theme, Shield Squad 2021 sought to teach children about how to protect themselves from disaster by teaching children about how to stay safe during calamities. This year’s VBS incorporated relevant lessons about COVID-19 to ensure that students were well-informed about the new normal. The lessons were connected with stories in the Bible—the story of Noah and the ark was used in teaching the students about floods and typhoons. The relation of Bible stories and practical knowledge about natural disasters worked together to remind children that they were capable of becoming more than just victims. Throughout the 3-day VBS, the children displayed remarkable knowledge and absorbed the practical advice that was taught to them.
During the graduation ceremonies conducted on 22 May 2021, some students were selected to share some of their experiences during the VBS. The students shared heartfelt stories about what the lessons personally meant to them.
Despite the limitations of the current pandemic, Faith Family Foundation and FFC’s Kids Ministry endeavored to hold the Vacation Bible School so that these children could have access to information about disaster risk reduction and management, helping them face the world with confidence in both practical and spiritual knowledge.