SCRANTON – The story of Moses being rescued from the Nile River is one that many children read in the Bible. At Mary Mother of God Parish’s Vacation Bible School, youngsters were able to watch a reenactment of it unfold before their eyes.
On the final day of the parish’s four-day Vacation Bible School, held June 22-25, children walked just a block from the Holy Rosary Church to Leggetts Creek, where volunteers reenacted the Old Testament story of the infant Moses being placed in a basket among the reeds and discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter.
The memorable lesson helped the young children better understand how God protected Moses, who would later lead the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt.
“We don’t have too many mountains around here, but we do have Leggetts Creek and it’s moving just enough that it can move the basket down the river,” Father Cyril Edwards, Pastor of Mary Mother of God Parish, said. “I’m not a teacher by trade but teachers say, ‘Teach me and I’ll get it, but involve me and I’ll understand.’”
Father Edwards said using the creek will hopefully help the children experience Scripture in a way that they will long remember.
“I hope they understand that God works in mysterious ways. The baby being in the river was a one in a million chance that it would be found by Pharaoh’s daughter,” Father Edwards reflected.
The reenactment complemented this year’s Vacation Bible School theme, “Jesus Loves Us.”
“God never abandons his people,” Father Edwards added.
The parish’s Vacation Bible School welcomed preschoolers through fourth-grade students for mornings filled with Bible lessons, music, crafts, games, and prayer, while teenage volunteers helped lead activities and mentor younger children.
“I love working with my church,” volunteer Molly Fenwick said. “I have such a strong faith, and I love getting to share my faith with the younger generation in hopes that their faith is very strong too.”
“I like being with the kids and just helping and giving back,” volunteer Anna Woody said.
For fourth-grader Annabelle Converse, the creek activity became one of the week’s highlights.
“People were down there and they showed examples to help people picture it,” she said.
Along with learning Bible stories, children also took home lessons that will last well beyond the summer.
“We’re learning kindness,” Annabelle said.
Her classmate, Anna Belle Mackey, agreed.
“Always be nice to everybody,” she said.