We are filled with much gratefulness to the Lord for moving the hearts of so many members of the church to come forward to offer their service unto the Lord in the VBS, in one way or another. There were about 50 volunteers who signed up to serve in various areas such as assisting the teachers during lesson time, song leading, playing the guitar, helping to serve food during meal time, driving the children to and from VBS, leading in games, taking photographs, and helping in administration matters.

Besides these, there were many others who laboured lovingly for the Lord behind the scenes. Thank God for those who gave out the VBS registration forms during evangelism sessions and others who slotted the forms in letterboxes at their own time. Some who were unable to be present on the actual days of the VBS, signed up to serve in the preparation of handicraft materials prior to the VBS. There were also warm-hearted ladies in the church who gladly and readily availed themselves to serve the Lord with their hands by making sandwiches and buying buns for the children’s snack time. Thank God for Mrs Tow who got a number of FEBC students to help out in logistics. We truly thank the Lord for sending these students who were a great blessing and help to us, ever ready to lend a helping hand joyfully, wherever it was needed.

Exactly one week before the start of VBS, there were only about 40 children who had signed up to attend VBS. But the committee continued to pray and trust that the Lord would send more children if it be His will. By the grace and mercy of God, a total of 74 children attended VBS over the three days in the end! The Lord is indeed good! The children were divided into three departments, the Juniors, Lower Primary, and Upper Primary, with the biggest number of children in the Lower Primary Department.

Each day started with the VBS volunteers gathering together for prayer to seek the Lord’s blessing for the day’s activities. The Boys’ Brigade Campus would then begin to buzz with activity once the first VBS van, full of eager and excited children, pulled in. The children, after being screened for fever and registering for the day, would then go to their respective classrooms for a time of singspiration, where they learnt choruses teaching them many truths from God’s Word. Thank God for faithful song leaders who recognise that singspiration time is not just a time to have fun, but is actually a good means to reinforce the Bible lessons taught. This was followed by the actual Bible lesson, and some of the lessons the children learnt included the parables of the lost sheep, the prodigal son, and the rich fool who built bigger barns to store his goods. Thank God for teachers who love God’s Word and who gave faithful renditions of God’s precious truths, made plain and simple that the children might understand.

After replenishing their energy with snacks, the children would continue with activity time, working on worksheets that are based on the lessons, as well as crafts that served as good reminders for the children on what they had learnt and experienced in VBS. Some of the crafts done by the children included gospel bracelets, which the children immediately put to good use at the end of the day, using them as they practised sharing the gospel with one another, and photo frames for their group photos, beautifully decorated with sand art and seashells. The children also enjoyed themselves when they had games on Thursday morning. The older ones played captain’s ball with sponge, while the younger ones took part in station games where they recited memory verses before starting each station.

The three days of VBS culminated in the Gospel Night on Friday evening, where the children’s parents were invited to attend to watch their children put up song items, but most importantly, to hear the gospel being preached. Thank God for the Rev Stephen Khoo, who faithfully preached God’s Word from Matthew 13:45-50, exhorting all to heed the gospel call to salvation. Thank God for the children who all put up wonderful song items praising the Lord, showing their parents a little of what they had learnt in VBS, and also for all the teachers and helpers who had guided the children patiently.

Thank and praise God for a number of children who had said the sinner’s prayer during VBS. Indeed, the teachers and helpers have been used by the Lord to plant the gospel seed, but it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Seeing all the children leave VBS at the end of three days with much joy on their faces, and hearing them say that they want to join VBS again the next year (God willing), is confirmation from the Lord that the good old-fashioned teaching of God’s Word is all sufficient, for salvation is truly only of the Lord (Jonah 2:9). Surely that is a wonderful testimony to the almighty power of God and His Word! All praise and glory be to God!