For five evenings, approximately 25 children, accompanied by their parents or chaperones, were transported back to the days of ancient Rome at a Vacation Bible School hosted by the Bonnerdale Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Their adventure began in a bustling marketplace, where children visited craft shops and created unique keepsakes to remind them of their journey.
One of the week's unforgettable moments was a visit with the Apostle Paul in the home where he was under house arrest. Though chained to two Roman soldiers, Paul greeted his visitors with joy and eagerly shared stories from his missionary journeys. He spoke of God's faithfulness, the lives transformed by the Gospel, and even the remarkable conversion of one of the very guards assigned to watch over him.
Another favorite experience for many of the children was gathering with the underground church in a dimly lit cave. As they worshipped together, they imagined what it must have been like for the early church to meet in secret to avoid persecution. Their fears soon gave way to excitement as they later had the opportunity to befriend some of the Roman soldiers they had earlier tried to avoid.
The Roman soldiers certainly looked the part, dressed in colorful uniforms and carrying long, intimidating spears that captured everyone's attention. Yet the children quickly discovered there was more to these soldiers than their imposing appearance.
After sharing supper together, everyone gathered in the Roman plaza for games, laughter, and plenty of fun. The week ended with smiles all around as the children delighted in pelting the soldiers with water balloons while parents and other guests cheered them on.
Throughout VBS, the children learned new songs, made lasting friendships, created memorable crafts and discovered how God faithfully works in the lives of ordinary people.
