MK Expedition: Missionary kids from Asia taught children in India about the power of Jesus in Vacation Bible School lessons they prepared.

By Hannah Cargill*

KOLKATA, India–My trip to India was really amazing. I learned a lot!

I went with a group of 20 other teenagers and three adults. Our team split into two separate groups on the first day. One group would do work on a mountain and would live in a national’s house. The other group would be doing Vacation Bible School all day. I was chosen for the VBS. I was very happy about this.

We all rode an overnight train, which was fun. When we all got off the train, 10 of us went straight to the village and started teaching. The other group spent a few hours driving up the mountain.

The first day we split up into three different groups, so there were about three people to a team since we had so many kids to teach. Two other girls and I were going to teach 70 2- to 5-year-olds! We had only planned for 10, so it was quite a shock; but we made it through, even though our translator decided to take the day off.

When we were done teaching, we walked around the village and the kids showed us their houses and parents. It was a lot of fun!

Every time we saw a little group of people on the road, we would stop and sing a few songs and then someone would tell his testimony. It was a little embarrassing, just because we were singing all the songs with motions that make you look stupid in front of adults. They didn’t know what had happened to us, but we had fun and so did the kids!

The second day we did the same thing but at a different place. We didn’t have quite so many kids that day. It was definitely the most fun though, because we got to hang out with the kids more and we got really close to them.

The pastor who we were working with said that he went walking again the next day and he could hear the kids still talking about the stories and songs that they learned. This was just amazing because we didn’t know how much the kids were getting out of everything due to the language problem, but turns out they understood more than any of us thought, which was a great encouragement.

On the third day, we did three different Vacation Bible Schools at two different locations and that was busy! We had a few sick team members so we were down a few people, but it was still great!

We sang “If you’re happy and you know it” and “Itsy bitsy spider” many times. We also sang “Making melodies” and “Peel bananas.” The kids loved every minute from what we could tell!

The fourth day we went to this really tiny school on the side of a hill. We were expecting a few kids, and again we were surprised; but the Lord helped us get through it, and we all had a blast teaching the kids the different stories.

We got back on the overnight train that night and met up with the other half of the team.

God taught us as a team that we weren’t prepared for what He had planned, and even though we didn’t have enough crafts or glue or whatever, He provided.

The pastor we worked with during the week was always happy, and he was always offering us food or water even though he didn’t have much at all. It reminded me of how little I give when I have so much that could be given, so that was a good eye-opener!

I am so glad I had the opportunity to go.

–30–

*Name changed.

Hannah Cargill is an MK from South Carolina who serves with her family in South Asia.