What could a teenager do in a tiny room in the back of the church?

“Abigail,” I told her, “I can’t carry it. If you have this on your heart, you’ll have to do it.”  

We had been working with children from the neighborhood and church for a few months. It had been so tough to get the neighbors to come on a semi-regular basis. Each Sunday, my husband had to go across the street and escort the children to the church. Now that we had these contacts, Abigail hated to give up on the outreach.  

But now the summer was ending, and school was about to begin. I had agreed to teach the 5th and 6th grade class at Independence Bible School, and I was pouring myself into the endeavor—all my time, my emotional reserves, and energy. I barely had anything left to be a mother, much less to continue our Sunday evening Kids’ Hour. “I don’t want to stop!” Abigail said with determination. “I’ll do it.”  

What could a soon-to-be fourteen year old do in a tiny room in the back of the church? What can be done in a corner? Abigail was resolved to try.

Two years later, Abigail is still plugging away. Sometimes she has to fight off discouragement as the numbers are low, when children choose to stay home and play games on their phones, or she gets negative feedback. Today’s children have had so much entertainment that it is much harder to hold their attention than it was for my mother in the 1950s. My mom did vacation Bible School with 100 children basically by herself! Those days are over! Abigail has spent hours planning her lessons, scouring Pinterest and other sources for object lessons, stories, games, and snacks…And I have taken a back seat. I am in a support role.

But come this summer, I will be the one planning the vacation Bible schools, and she will take the support role. It is interesting to see our different styles. But the one thing we have in common, we like to brainstorm and glean ideas from different sources. How about you—there in your corner?