Team 2 made it through day 4 of vbs in Sisseton! This is actually our first day of vbs as a group but day 4 for the Dakota Alliance Church with our CCC team. This was a new experience for about half of our CCC families.
We had over 20 kids from Sisseton and it went really well. We had a bit of rain and since our gym is the outdoors we just have to go with the flow. We got a few sprinkles on us but it felt good.
We had great songs for the kids, and great crafts, and tshirts to tie Dye for those that still needed to get a shirt and a drama of the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. The little kids had their own storyline too and did a great job adjusting to strangers. We ended our morning with lunch for everyone. (thanks to everyone making and planning the meals... Big job for all these people!)
A few things that stood out for me today were simple things but also observations of the lifestyle that the kids in this community have and are living.
First, the kids were welcomed today with fruit being held on a tray by one of the leaders. Some of the kids were pretty shy and timid when they were dropped off and just weren't too sure of us. Food is a great way to help kids to feel comfortable and there may have been a few that were hungry. This detail wasn't on any plan but was just done and was such a great idea.
Second was the attitude and lifestyle of some of the kids. I am not really sure if I can describe this well with words but you would recognize this distinct "attitude"that some of the kids have. Deep down I don't think that the kids that are acting up really want to be that waybut are truly craving attention. Example... Two girls who had already gotten their free shirt last week said they didn't get one and needed a shirt (although one was wearing hers). They went back and forth with me and then in the end was going to throw the nice clean shirt in the dirt rather than gently hand the shirt back. Not a big deal to me either way how I got the shirt back but I knew the girls were lying and couldn't let them get away with that. We had a brief and direct chat which indicated the expectations I had for them that day and then they listened and handed me the shirt. Now, I can't say that they listened to the rest of the leaders that morning because I know they didn't. I did find the girls trying to steal shirts just as they were getting picked up today and had another brief conversation with them. They knew what they did was wrong because if they thought it was right they wouldn't have run with the shirts in their hand. Once they saw that I knew what they did, and they handed the shirts over without much else to say to me. I did make a connection though because one of the of the girls did talk to me about how her moms car was almost stolen yesterday by a guy that was drunk who went into her car. I wasn't sure what my response was supposed to be to that but she felt comfortable telling me something that happened to her and her family.
Example 2 is of a 4 and 5 year old I met at the park on Saturday. The kids were having a tough time keeping away from the band as they were practicing and even spit on me a few times. I don't think they did it because they didn't like me but because they wanted to see what I would do. The kids hung around me for about 3 hours without being far from my side. I learned about where they lived, and where they were going to kindergarten or preschool, and what they did all day, who was in their family, and etc. While we chatted or played the kids were great! I turn my back to give my own kids some attention and the kids were back with the drummer messing around or trying to get into the rooms I said were off limits. No one came to check on these kids, see who these strangers were hanging around their kids, and who was giving them piggy back rides and pushes on the swings. Nobody! And these kids were 4& 5years old. One of the CCC kids said it best to summarize what she saw, "these kids are just out here by themselves? Don't they have rules? Even in my neighborhood I have boundaries. "
I reminded my kids today that during VBS on Tuesday they should find a new friend that lives in Sisseton. they can help show that Jesus loves them just by being their friend. The adults are doing the same thing... Just being available to listen to anything that the kids want to tell us along with some guided direction :)
JESSICA
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