Not Recovery Related But Need Ideas

[Amber]

Sorry this isn't recovery related :(

Anyone have any ideas for things to give the Lakota kids at the end of each VBS day next year??

Last year we did:

Backpacks full of school supplies
Plastic bags full of candy
Super Soaker Water Guns

We were going to give them all their Super Soakers and have a huge water fight with them but the missionary, an old man with little patience for kids, didn't think that was a great idea. Some people thought it was because we were giving out "guns" ... you know, white people ... Indians ... guns .... shooting ... not good. But they were WATER guns ... it was fun ... and they got that. It was the missionary who didn't want to deal with the chaos that would ensue. :rolleyes: We didn't have the water fight, but we did give all the kids water guns when they left and they DID surround our van with them as we drove through the village. :D Hmm .... maybe we should have had the water fight in the village??? We were told we would not be welcome in the village but I never saw any indication of that. I'm sure some would not welcome us, but many did.

This year one of our team members were telling me about a marshmello shooter which sunded like GREAT fun :D but I'm sure the missionary wouldn't think so. :\ So, unless he retires and moves to Fla. soon ... we'll probably not do that one either.

They LOVED the backpacks. So did the parents. And we will be doing that again next year. But I need 3 more ideas of what to give out at the end of each day. Any suggestions???

Thanks!

[Velveteen Rabbit]

Some ideas off the top of my head:

- books
- a CD
- gift certificates
- a VeggieTales video
- a set of some cheap but fun toys such as yoyos, a skipping rope, a frisbee, etc.


Here's something that would take a bit more work... On the first day, take a group photo. On the last day, give each kid a framed copy of the photo as a souvenir, perhaps with a message to them underneath.

Hope that gets your ideas rolling. :)

[Jerry]

Kids like to have fun,,,,,,,,,Some missionary that guy is!!!!,,,,,,,I bet you couldn't pull a needle out of his ass with a tractor!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,,,just ignore the old fart!!!!
Love Jerry,,,,,,,,,a big water fight sounds like great summer fun :D

[Velveteen Rabbit]

Jerry,

That's rude. Just because this missionary doesn't have the same idea of "fun" as others do, it's no reason to disrespect him. I'm really shocked at your remarks. :mad:

[Jerry]

...

[Jerry]

...

[Amber]

Hi Jerry,

I have to agree with VR that your comments are inappropriate. That said however, they DO reflect my own feelings about the matter. :D He really isn't very good with the kids - at all. Most of our team was very frustrated with him last year. The thing that really made me angry was the day that 3 boys around the ages of 12 - 13 came to VBS an hour early. The missionary told me to take them home when I picked up the other kids - that was their punishment for coming early. :mad: I did not take them home. When you have 150 kids they all kind of blend in and I don't think he ever noticed that they were still there. On the hottest day he also would not allow us to give them cups of water because "too many cups were ending up on the ground". Its not like we weren't going to pick them up. Many of those kids have no running water in their homes and it was at least 95 degrees out. The NEEDED water. I was pretty angry that day too. Our cook came over and said, "How far do you want to push this - I have popsicles". I told him to break them out. :D

He's old and has no patience with kids and really doesn't need to be working with them. But he IS the missionary there and we DO have to work with him so ..... I bite my tongue a lot. :cool:

[Jerry]

Dear Amber,,
According to your post this so called "Missonary" is abusive and dangerous...Anyone who would deny a child a drink of water in 95 degree heat should be taken behind the barn and horsewhipped!!!!!!! I wonder about his state of mind because his elevator isn't going to the top floor....A child can suffer "Heat Stroke" in a matter of minutes under those conditions,especially if involved in physical activity!!!!!!!!,,,,,,JUST BECAUSE HE DOESN"T LIKE PICKING UP A FEW PAPER CUPS ?????????????? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!! ,,,,,,Your cutting this guy too much slack!!!!!!! Amber I thank God you were there to midagate the situation.....I have been thinking about VR's post about rudeness,and was going to post an apology,,,,,,,,,,,,,but based on your further information,,,,,,Naw!!!!!!!,,,this guy deserves "Rude" ....Further:I suggest that you report this behavior to higher authority if possable...This "Missonary" is incapable of making a significant contribution ,spiritual or otherwise, to the well being of children..............selah!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,Amber you did a wonderful job!!!!!
Love Jerry

[Emerging]

...I have been thinking about VR's post about rudeness,and was going to post an apology,,,,,,,,,,,,,but based on your further information,,,,,,Naw!!!!!!!,,,this guy deserves "Rude" ....

I hear your point, Jerry ... but it's us who gets hit between the eyes with this "rudeness" ... sooooooo .... ummmmmm ..... could you maybe write out your righteous indignation somewhere else ... and then post with ummmm less "rudeness" here? Pppppllllleeeeeaaaaassssseeeee???

... I don't want to be afraid of reading your posts because in between the infrequent "rudenesses" you have SO MUCH to offer here!

... yep, I really trigger off of "rudeness" in this healing place because of all the names hurled at me and my children and at my job right now and ... and .... I haven't been able to get past it all yet, working at it ... but I could really use your help here... Thank you SO MUCH!!! :D

[Velveteen Rabbit]

(((((((((((( Emerging )))))))))))

You're precious. :)

[Learning to trust]

Hi Amber...

I am way overwhelmed and intimidated by this new format. Feeling really hard of seeing. Feel like there are concrete walls all around me and I can't get a handle on how this all works.

Now I am not sure of the ages of these kids but the paper cups and water got me thinking that they may enjoy some plastic cups that they can write their names on with permanent markers (kind of like you can get for birthday parties) ??

THis is probably a dumb idea but just a thought that came to me as I was reading your post.

May not find my way back here very soon ... hope you are well.

:) mary

[Velveteen Rabbit]

(((((((((((((((((( LTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )))))))))))))))))))))

You's here!! :)

[Learning to trust]

HI ((((((((((((((lil bunny))))))))))

I don't even know if I am really here ... lol i really am pretty intimidated by the changes.

i is scared ... :confused: :eek: :(

*hugs* mary

[Amber]

Great to see you here :) The new forum is a little intimidating at first but I actually like it better now that I've figured out what I'm doing ... sort of. ;) The spell checker is really nice for me since I can't spell my own name half the time. :)

I like your idea about the plastic cups. We actually did something like that for a craft project this year ... we had those cups that you can decorate for them. Unfortunately they had taken them home and didn't have them with them the day it was so hot and the missionary wouldn't let them have a drink. We DID use a "community cup" for them that day. Not the most sanitary but we couldn't let them go without water.

[Learning to trust]

Thanks Amber, It's good to see you too. It might not feel as overwhelming if my anxiety wasn't as elevated as it has been ever since May. I can't seem to shake it and it's very physical ... continual heart palpitations and all. :(

I really appreciate the spell checker too.

I really like your Rich Mullins quote ... I *so* wish I could understand it in my heart.

Maybe one day ...

Wish I had some great ideas. When my bro. in law and daughter went to Namibia(sp?), Africa this past summer, they took a lot of balls cause they traveled well when they were not blown up. The back pack with school supplies sounds like an awesome gift.

okay, playtime is over ... it's time for bed.

*hugs* mary

[Theodora]

((((Learning to Trust))))-- I was SO very thankful to see your name on the board here. I share your anxiety/frustration about learning to use this new format---I've not even figured out whether there is a way to respond to a "reply" within a thread as there was with the old forum software!---but then, I've also been overloaded enough that I couldn't face working through the official "FAQ!" HIGHLY unusual for me, since I have really LIKED having such clear-cut information in the past, but--sort of like "math anxiety," too much talk about technical "stuff" makes my eyes "glaze over!" :p

Anyway...that being said, I thought your idea about using plastic cups and writing the children's names on them was super! A further thought that occurred to me would be to use various "nature" stickers the children could add to these at the beginning of the week to personalize them and then perhaps go on "nature walks," encouraging them to find something special on each day which would remind them of what was happening. This could then be had as a personal souvenir of the entire week, which they could take home as "decoration" for their room. (I'm enough of a "visual" person---and also geared toward liturgical practices---so that I have found that just seeing a memento like that can do what is supposed to....e.g. trigger MEMORIES! I've also found that having reminders of positive experiences around also helps to offset any negative stuff that may be happening at the time.)

So now....

((((((AMBER))))))--- you AWESOME person, you!!! I am SO proud of you for what you've done to start and continue this program in outreach to such a needy area and will certainly be keeping you in mind through the year. As I told you, I have various craft possibilities ALWAYS at my "fingertips"---almost literally!---so might suggest some other things too by way of activities. Books too are a special love of mine...as you know, so I'd echo VR'S thought about having a special book available for them as a last-day treasure.

Do you know of the rhymed Bible stories for children published by a Lutheran agency. I think they're called "Arch" books. In any case, they're inexpensive, colorful, and REALLY readable. I think the "going-price" is less than $2. There are MANY in the series and you could pick one that would reinforce whatever your main lesson was of the week, or just choose one that covers the general message, e.g. a title that's coming to mind is "Jesus blesses the children."

Will be thinking......!!!

Keep up the good work, dear one! I was thankful to see that the church had agreed to pick up your medical expenses again....if I'm remembering that right.

Hang in there and do "remember to breathe!"

Love and prayers--

Theodora