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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Daily LessonsThemes for the following lessons correspond to five principles of Christian mission: Evangelism, Hospitality, Prayer, Generosity and Action.

Each day’s lesson includes:• a story about a child we’ve helped at PCHAS• a related scripture verse and group discussion

question• an activity sheet that can be used in class or

taken home

4407BeeCaveRoad,Suite520•Austin,TX787461.800.888.1904•www.pchas.org

Trisha’s StoryDo you remember your first Vacation Bible School? What about your first visit to church?

Trisha had never been to church before she came to stay with Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services. She was one of five children, and her family moved around a lot because her mother and father were very sick and she needed temporary parents to take care of her.

She came to live at the safe and loving Presbyterian Chil-dren’sHomeinAustinwhenshewas6yearsold.Sheen-joyed attending church every Sunday and learning about God and Jesus, His son. When she turned 14 years old she was invited to be baptized and join the church as a young adult. She agreed and thanked her pastor and Sunday School teacher for teaching her about God’s love.

When Trisha graduated from high school, she went to col-lege and then became a nurse. Throughout her life, she remained a faithful child of God.

Now Trisha is a mom and has two children of her own. Tri-sha enjoys sharing stories with them about Jesus. She also shares the Word of God with others so they may find the same comfort.

DAY 1- EVANGELISM Share the good news of Jesus with others

Scripture Reading

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Discussion Question

At PCHAS, our kids – like Trisha – attend Bible study and church camps – just like you. What would you say to someone who wanted to know more about God?

MATTHEW28:18-20

DAY 2 - HOSPITALITYListen to others and welcome them

Discussion Question

If the church had not opened its doors and welcomed Karen and her brother and sister they wouldn’t have had anywhere to go. What are some things you do when people stay over with you?

Karen’s StoryIf you needed help, who would you ask? Where would you go?

For Karen and her little brother and sister, a Presbyterian church was the one place they knew they could get help. Karen was only 13 when her stepdad died. Her mother was so sad that she became very sick (for older children: she abused drugs).

When her mom became very sick, Karen tried to take care of her little brother and sister all by herself. One Wednesday evening her mom was so sick, she couldn’t cook dinner. Karen and her family lived near a Presbyterian church, and even though she had never attended the church, she knew they had supper there every Wednesday night. So she took her brother and sister and went to the church that night and every Wednesday night to get a hot meal.

The members of the church noticed the kids in their dirty clothes, and they called Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services to help. All three of the kids came to live at one of our homes. When the kids arrived at the home, they could fit every-thing they owned in one garbage bag. But soon they had every-thing they needed: clean clothes and shoes, school supplies, a warm bed to sleep in and plenty of food.

And now that she didn’t have to take care of her whole family, Karen could concentrate on important things like school. She was a very good student, and last year, she graduated near the top of her class. She earned a scholarship to a wonderful college and she’s now studying to be a doctor – all because someone reached out and offered her a helping hand.

Scripture Reading

“On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us. “

ACTS16:11-15

DAY 3 - PRAYERPray to connect yourself with God and others

Richard’s StoryMy parents divorced when I was 5 months old. My mother left me in my grandmother’s care when I was 2, so the only “mommy” I ever knew was my grandmother. She became ill when I was in second grade, I was taken to the safe and lov-ing Children’s Home. I entered the home six weeks before my eighth birthday. Shortly after I entered the home my grandmother died, and I felt very alone. I prayed every day that God would help me make new friends. And it hap-pened!

In time, I realized that with all the other kids at the home, I had 100 brothers and sisters! We went to school and did our chores – together. We also attended Sunday School and church on Sunday morning, youth fellowship and church in the evening, and said our prayers before break-fast each morning. This helped me develop a life-long faith in Jesus. I have so many memories about life at the home – riding horses, swimming, playing with the other kids. I remember sports, summer camp and reading Highlights magazines by flashlight under the covers after lights out. Most of all I remember my brothers and sisters, all 100 of them, who touched my life in many ways, offering friend-ship, love and understanding. I am grateful to them.

Scripture Reading

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…”

Discussion Question

Good communication includes both listening and speaking, even in prayer. We listen when we read God’s Word and when we hear His voice in our hearts, and we speak when we share our thoughts and our feelings with God. What do you pray for?

EPHESIANS1:15-19

DAY 4 - GENEROSITYGive cheerfully and share what God has given you

Maria’s StoryMaria’s mom dropped her off at school just like always. That afternoon, she was tragically killed in a car accident. Maria’s father was very poor and ill and couldn’t take care of her all by himself. So he asked Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services if they could help him take care of Maria. Maria came to live at Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services whenshewasjust9yearsoldandshehashadsomeprob-lems. She is afraid to be alone, and she gets sad and angry when her house parents have to leave, even for just a little while.

Maria was getting into more and more trouble when her house mom sat down with her to talk. She gave Maria one of her teddy bears, so that Maria would always have some-thing of hers to hold on to when she was away. This helped Maria feel safe.

It’s been three years now, and Maria still has that teddy bear. It’s a reminder to her that gifts from the heart – how-ever small they are – are treasures. She is now very happy to live at the Children’s Home with other children and en-joys riding her bike and going to school. During the sum-mers she is able to spend weekends with her father but lives at the Children’s Home the rest of the time.

Scripture Reading

(Paul says)”You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Discussion Question

What are some of the ways you can give to children who are less fortunate than you?

ACTS20:34-35

DAY 5 - ACTIONDo what is needed and what you can do best

Ruby’s StoryHow old do you think your grandparents are? Your great-grandparents?

Chances are, Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services has been helping boys and girls for longer than your grandpar-ents have been alive. We opened our first home for orphans in1903–that’smorethan100yearsago!

Sheis90yearsoldnow,butRubyrememberswhenshecametothehomein1926.Shewasonly6yearsoldwhenher mom died, and her dad needed help taking care of Ruby and her two sisters. At first, Ruby says it was hard to be away from the home where she was born. But as she got older, it became harder for her to remember having any other family than the “brothers and sisters” she lived with at the home.Ruby was one of the first kids to graduate from high school at the orphanage. Back then, it was uncommon for girls to go to college – especially a girl without parents to pay for her school. But with money she made working part-time and the financial support PCHAS gave her, Ruby was able to attend a Presbyterian college and become a teacher.

For her first teaching job, you won’t believe what Ruby did – she came back to the home to teach the children there!Ruby felt that PCHAS had given her so much, she wanted to give back to kids like her, who didn’t have anyone else to help them.

Scripture Reading

“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.”

Discussion Question

Ruby found a way to help others by doing something she was good at: teaching the other orphans at the home. What are some of the gifts God has given you, and how could you use them to honor Him?

2THESSALONIANS3:6-8