History
The
Vacation Bible Club idea came from a block party on
Portage Avenue in 1998. Building relationships with the
parents on the street and the Block Captain, Ms. Betty
Weiner, we realized that the children on the street were
not getting any Bible training because there were no
Bible teaching churches that the parents could take
their children to. The parents asked if we could help
them with some type of program. After much discussion it
was decided that we would start a Bible Club the
following summer. We enlisted the help of the Macedonia
Western Reserve Grace Brethren youth group and they were
very enthusiastic about having the chance to minister to
the youth in the city of Cleveland. We held the first
Bible Club for one week and we used a vacant lot that
once held a drug house. It was so great reclaiming that
piece of land for God. The first year we had an average
of 28 children per day enjoy games, stories, crafts and
food. At the end of the week 14 children accepted Christ
as their Savior. In 2002 we expanded the program to two
locations.
Results
1999
Portage Avenue Daily attendance 28 Personal decisions 14
2000
Portage Avenue Daily attendance 31 Personal decisions 13
2001
Portage Avenue Daily attendance 32
Personal decisions 11
2002
Portage Avenue Daily attendance 25 Personal decisions 0
2002
Grace Mission Center -Daily attendance 40 Personal decisions 8
|
