Camp Zama hosts VBS; volunteers help empower curriculum

Photo By Candy Pafford | Youth members show off their arts and crafts made during Camp Zama's Religious Education Center and U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain Office Vacation Bible School, held for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade children Aug. 3 to Aug. 7 at the Camp Zama REC and CAC. The SonWest Roundup curriculum offered "a rip-roaring good time with Jesus" and was well-attended, with more than 80 volunteers and 120 children participating. This event strengthened children and families by addressing "spiritual resiliency," said Dr. Jeffrey W. Frick, the director of Religious Education USAG Japan. (Courtesy photos by Magdalena Woodberry)  

CAMP ZAMA, JAPAN

08.13.2015

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Japan

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – This year saw some firsts at Camp Zama’s annual Vacation Bible School held Aug. 3-7 at the Camp Zama Religious Education Center and Community Activity Center. The 2015 SonWest Roundup VBS set a high-water mark in participation, drawing more than 80 volunteers and 120 children that attended the week-long event, which offered “a rip-roaring good time with Jesus.”

This free event, which offered age-specific classes for children ranging from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade, didn’t just spring up overnight. According to event planners for VBS, the planning for the annual event usually starts early; this year, it began in January, with the selection of Gospel Light’s SonWest Roundup as the VBS curriculum.

Dr. Jeffrey W. Frick, the director of Religious Education for the U.S. Army Garrison Japan, said he arrived at Camp Zama on June 12, 2015, “right at the tail end of the planning.”

With a strong and vibrant volunteer base, Amy Litka, VBS lead coordinator, helped plan and achieve the goals set for VBS, said Frick.

These volunteers ranged from excited and energetic middle-school teens to dedicated adults, and often involved whole families, said Frick, and more than just another fun summer activity, he continued, the VBS experience offers something critically needed in the Army community.

“I see VBS as vital for children in their faith, spiritual and overall development,” said Frick.

“It strengthens the Army family in their spiritual resiliency as they face decisions, issues and problems unique to their military life.”

With the large numbers of volunteers that give their time, energy and service to provide this experience for enhancing children’s spiritual resiliency, said Frick, it also helps to make the Army community strong.

Where does all the information that provides a VBS curriculum come from?

The videos, T-shirts, decorations and props came from a variety of different sources, such as donations, internet resources and the local Japanese community, said Frick.

Volunteers visited stores and purchased many needed items, he continued. “It truly was ‘one team’ with our VBS family utilizing the Japanese local stores, said Frick.

One key leadership role new to this year’s VBS included volunteer training, which focused on the area of child abuse, said Frick, all volunteers attended training sessions that covered the following topics:

• Child abuse awareness
• Dynamics of child abuse
• Child abuse indicators
• Responding to child abuse
• Abuse prevention tools
• Appropriate interaction with children

This training connected with the overall Army concern for the protection of our children and youth focused within the Army Directive 2014-23, said Frick.

While the greatest challenge of this year’s VBS was implementing the new Army Directive 2014-23 requirements, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Thomas McCort, command chaplain of USAG Japan, wisely initiated applications with the Child Care National Agency Check and Inquiries for himself and all the garrison’s religious affairs specialists, said Frick.

Applying for and having this credential, Frick continued, allowed the Camp Zama REC the authority to provide line-of-sight supervision at this year’s VBS. This supervision is a requirement of AD2014-23, ensuring everyone who regularly interacts with children and youth are supervised. By doing this, the VBS met the AD2014-23 criteria in each session children and youth attended, said Frick.

Frick said he was most impressed by watching how the children grew in their drive and momentum during the opening and closing ceremonies.

“It was a delight to hear them sing and worship-dance to the VBS theme songs. It was exhilarating to see in their eyes the excitement of all they were experiencing and learning at VBS, and knowing they were bringing this (experience) home to their mothers and fathers to experience too,” said Frick.

“Another element which impressed me greatly were the volunteers themselves. Our VBS family of volunteers lived out the biblical message of ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive, (Acts 20:35),’” said Frick.

I know this will be a spiritual marker for the children, Frick continued by giving another biblical scripture, saying “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, (Mark 10:14).’”

“This is what our SonWest Roundup VBS 2015 was truly about,” concluded Frick.

• Date Taken: 08.13.2015
• Date Posted: 08.13.2015 02:47
• Story ID: 173010
• Location: CAMP ZAMA, JP