Mission VBS

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to give you all the ‘latest & greatest’ news regarding this year’s Mission VBS! Plans and decisions have been tedious and nerve-wrenchingly slow this year, but we now have a definite and amazing plan for moving beyond our walls to partner and minister with an often neglected group of children and staff! We will be providing a significantly modified VBS in the afternoons (3:00—5:15 p.m.) to the children at St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children, which is located just a few blocks from the church, off of Kempsville Road, across from Sentara Leigh hospital. There are in excess of 200 staff persons and 78 children at St. Mary’s and during our VBS week we will have the opportunity to positively interact, encourage, and share the love of Jesus with both residents and staff. This is a group of people who are frequently overlooked by the general population and they are both amazed and VERY excited that we want to come and minister to them.

Wednesday morning a team of us went and met with several of their staff persons and toured their facility. It and ‘they’ are amazing!!! I can assure you that to spend even a small amount of time with these people will deeply touch your heart!! These children are profoundly impacted by their disabilities and are residents at St. Mary’s because their family cannot (or will not) provide their care. Many of the children do not have verbal communication and most are in wheel chairs. Ministering to these precious people will take significant creativity and modifications on our part, but I KNOW the blessings will be great for all of us!!

Just a few very important facts about any one who wishes to participate with us, in any way whatsoever:

·EVERY person must have ( or have had) a TB test within the past year and be able to
provide the medical results;

·Their head nurse has graciously agreed to administer TB tests to all of us, free of
charge:

Ø TB tests are administered at St. Mary’s only on Tuesdays;

Ø Test times are 7:00—7:30 a.m. and 1:00—1:30 p.m.;

Ø Take test on a Tuesday and return that same week Thursday to have test’read;’

Ø We need to let them know in advance, when we are coming for testing.

·Every person must have a valid photo I.D., which will be run through a background
system by the on-site sheriff, before entering the actual resident areas;
·Daily persons will be asked to complete a simple health screening sheet, asking
questions, such as: have you experienced fever, coughing, etc. in the past 24 hours,
etc.
·ALL participants will be asked to attend a special training regarding confidentiality;
policies, etc.

Although these requirements may seem very strict, again, these children have profound disabilities; many of them have multiple tubes, machines, etc. that help support their life and it is of paramount importance to guard them from infections, etc., as these could become potentially fatal.

I am asking that YOU pray……about YOUR involvement in Mission VBS……pray for the children and staff to whom we will be ministering……pray for the team of our staff and VBS leaders who will serve these precious children during VBS. God has a mighty plan in store for us and I am excited to see what He and He alone will do through us!! To God be the glory!!!

Thanks for your prayers and support and I am hopeful that many of you will choose to serve with us during this very special experience!

For the children,

Beth Simpkins