For the first time in many years the Kalispell Church put on a Vacation Bible School this summer. There were a total of 16 volunteers helping from the youth group. On average, 13 children were in attendance for each of the three days that the VBS ran. This event provided an opportunity for the youth to learn more about serving as well as taking on leadership roles that exemplified the importance of Jesus in all that they do.
A few weeks later in July, part of the youth group traveled seven hours to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and put on a two-day intensive VBS for the Native American children there. Most of the children have heard of God but have little if any knowledge of the Bible. Being prominently Catholic as established by a Jesuit mission, most on the reservation are devout generational Catholics. However, the children were so happy to learn about Jesus and just how much He loves us.
While things started out slowly, more than 20 children ended up attending. The Kalispell youth came through with willing spirits and demonstrated the love of Jesus to the children. There were fun songs, clever crafts, and wholesome and delicious food. By the end of VBS, the children were begging the youth group to come back next year.
The amazing response shows just how much the Holy Spirit had been working those two days. When the children were asked to tell one thing they learned, a somber young man of 12 said, “Jesus will love me forever.” The testimony of this young man made those who participated realize the impact of this outreach on individual lives.
Also running this summer was an Eight Weeks to Wellness seminar hosted by the Kalispell Church during June, July and August. Jessica Chon presented the health lectures, which advocated following the eight natural laws of health. These presentations included on-screen presentations and informational handouts that contained a personal wellness log with which the participants could track their individual progress.
After the lectures, there was a vegan, whole-foods cooking class put on by Yun Chon assisted by Jessica and her brother Amos. This provided the participants an opportunity to ask questions as well as taste and take home a copy of the delicious recipes. These classes gave the attendees an opportunity to learn about and make better lifestyle choices.