A True Friend at VBS

School was out. Children gathered. More than 200 youngsters filled the hall. Smiling adults in bright orange shirts wove their way through the crowds. Vacation Bible School was about to begin.

For one week, these joyful ones sang songs, made crafts and watched skits, puppet shows and videos, all to help them learn about what it means to be a “true friend.” The theme verse of the year’s VBS program was John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Teachers prayed and hoped the children would be blessed by their time—a prayer God answered.

Learning About Friendship

Every day, after spending time together learning songs, stories and history, the children, ages 4–12, broke into small groups to make crafts and learn more important lessons from the Bible. Different days focused on different aspects of friendship, including helpfulness, joyfulness and faithfulness. In all this, the children learned how Jesus is the truest friend of all. “From this VBS, I learned that God is watching over me,” shared one boy named Anik. “So I don’t have to be afraid.”

Since that day, Anik has started living with the awareness that Jesus is with him always.

Be a True Friend

On the last day, parents gathered. Tables displayed the children’s crafts. Through songs and skits, the children shared what they had learned about friendship.

A local ministry leader addressed the crowd. He encouraged the parents and spoke to them about being good examples for their children to follow.

The children, some from Christian backgrounds and others from non-Christian backgrounds, walked away from the week with a greater sense of joy in their hearts. Many of them decided they wanted to be a better friend, and some became friends with Jesus, the truest Friend of all.