New Around the Mission

Baobab Blast VBS Yields Dollars for Bikes

July 19, 2010

Coffee Bikes: before and after

On the remote hillside of Bukonya, Rwanda, a coffee farmer swerves through lush vegetation on his wooden bike, pedaling down the rocky path to get his precious coffee cherries safely to the washing station for sorting.

“A day in the life of a coffee farmer” was just one activity 134 children engaged in at the recent Baobab Blast VBS held at All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina: What would it be like to ride a bike with wooden wheels down a steep hill? Why are the coffee beans so important to Rwandans? All Saints’ partnership with Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company also gave the eager learners an opportunity to put their faith into action.

While the VBS students learned about the exploits of Abraham and Joseph and bopped to lively songs of worship, they dropped quarters and dimes into the offering plate each morning. The coins added up, totaling $264 — enough to help purchase a custom-designed “coffee bike” specifically for African coffee farmers.

“Now the children think about their own bikes differently, knowing some Rwandans have had to use unsafe, wooden bikes to transport their coffee harvest,” explains Carol Schumacher, Children’s Ministry Coordinator.

The Baobab Tree

Seventy-five volunteers of all ages helped to coordinate the African-themed VBS, transforming church classrooms into a vibrant gathering place for the children. This year’s Augsburg Fortress curriculum is based on Psalm 50:1 and uses the impressive Baobab tree as the centerpiece. Known as the Tree of Life, the Baobab was popularized by the Disney movie Lion King. It reaches heights of 98 feet with a diameter of up to 52 feet — so large it provides shelter, food and water for its inhabitants.

The All Saints VBS took the children’s imaginations and faith to new heights. “We are able to teach the truth in an atmosphere that meets the children on their level and provides an opportunity for them to think about other people living in different countries,” Carol shared.

Send us your congregation’s summer outreach story here.

Posted By: Cynthia P. Brust
Categories: Faith in Action