You don’t usually get to go camping in Vacation Bible School.

But children in Sunset Free Will Baptist Church’s Bible school have been doing that all week.

It was not your typical camping trip as children took a hike through the Bible each evening, visiting a variety of campsites.

The theme of the Vacation Bible School was Camp Courageous –a five-lesson course in helping children focus on growing God’s way. They visited Decision Divide, Prayer Pond, Fellowship Forest, Glorify Geyser, and Witness Waterfall. At each campsite, the children were instructed on a different tool for equipping them for life. The tools were: God’s plan of salvation, how to pray, to appreciate their church, to value true worship, and to share their faith.

A campsite partially made of cardboard and a tent and camping gear filled the front of the church sanctuary, providing a backdrop for each evening’s session.

Bible study was just one of many activities planned for the annual summer event at Sunset Free Will. An average of 100 children per night attended the Bible school. There was no age limit. The youngest child attending was 15 months and the oldest attendee was 89 years old.

Crafts, games, and snacks helped reinforce the theme for the Bible school. The teen class made wooden crosses and birdhouses, and the junior class made prayer rocks and t-shirts.

The younger children used foam stickers to make picture frames, sand buckets, flower pots and memory boards.

Kristi Smith, one of the VBS workers, said children benefit in various ways by attending Vacation Bible School. “I think they have a lot of fun while learning about God’s word and the formats makes the concepts that are taught more memorable. The children get to play and have fun with their friends and learn about God.”

Smith noted that the teacher volunteers and helpers contribute to making the VBS a success. “We’re able to serve so many kinds because of strong volunteer base,” she said.