Who says Vacation Bible School (VBS) is only for children and teens? Janice Foshee certainly doesn’t think so.
And that’s why she knew a nursing home VBS would be a great idea.
“It was time for Bible school, and I was just driving down the road one day, and the idea popped into my head,” said Foshee, director of the nursing home ministry of East Cullman Baptist Association.
And after mentioning the idea to activity directors at Cullman Health Care Center, Woodland Village Health Care Center, Woodland Haus and Folsom Center, Foshee was told “it was an answer to prayer.”
And so the ball was set in motion.
Armed with new motivation, Foshee began gathering volunteers from 12 East Cullman Association churches for a weeklong event, July 13–17.
And since many churches’ VBS activities had recently ended, members were eager to donate leftover craft supplies and snacks to be used in the nursing homes.
Keeping in mind residents’ varying energy levels and mental capacities, Foshee decided to keep the sessions about an hour long.
“At first, some of [the residents] were thinking, ‘VBS is for little kids,’” Foshee said. “But after the first day, they loved it.”
And they have a lot to show for it, having made wind chimes to hang in their rooms as well as train-themed place mats, pillowcases and flower pots decorated like they wanted and picture frames personalized just for them.
Still Foshee said the residents’ highlight of the week was interacting with the children who volunteered.
“We had kids bring out the American flag and the Christian flag to say the pledge, and the first day those kids walked into the room, I could hear all the residents say, ‘Awww!’” Foshee said.
And the children’s experiences were equally positive. Seven-year-old Emma Gardner of Center Grove Baptist Church, Cullman, said she loved getting to feel “like a grown-up” by helping with VBS.
“We got to talk to them, and we got to help them make crafts, and we got to have fun with them,” Gardner said of the residents. “They would tell me they were having a great time.”
And the week wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without the children’s help, Foshee added.
“The kids were so well-behaved, and they were so sweet to the residents,” she said. “They would hug them and talk to them and push [their wheelchairs] back to their rooms — even though some of the kids were barely as big as the wheelchairs.”
By the final day, even the most resistant residents had come to really enjoy the activities, which included distribution of about 90 certificates of participation signed by Director of Missions Randy Makemson and special entertainment with two children visiting the nursing homes dressed as June Carter and Johnny Cash.
“On the last day, one of the ladies said the first day had been a bust but then she came back and it was wonderful,” Foshee said. “She was a very outspoken Church of Christ lady, and she said, ‘Even though I’m Church of Christ, those Baptists did good.’”
Foshee said plans are already in the works for a similar event next year.
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