A Story for the Story Lady

by Ann Beard

When I first saw the list of helpers assigned to me during story time at VBS, I was puzzled. While I recognized my three youth helpers’ names, the fourth, an adult volunteer, was unknown to me.

The first day of VBS arrived and I introduced myself, thinking that surely this lady must attend the 11am service or maybe the Monday night service, which is probably why I hadn’t seen her before. It was obvious that she had not been in the US long because her accent was thick. She told me this was her very first time. I mistakenly thought at first that she meant it was the first time helping with VBS. She corrected me, saying it was her first time at Trinity.

I was touched that she wanted to help. Mrs. Lin went on to explain to me that she and her family attended a local Chinese Christian church, but that she wanted her children to learn the Bible stories in English. They had only been in the US a total of four years and had moved from the Houston area to Baton Rouge last year because of her husband’s job. They are from mainland China, she explained, where they have to meet for worship in secret. I had goose bumps as I recognized her as a sister in Christ, recently from the persecuted church.

Mrs. Lin was a wonderful helper and thoroughly enjoyed our VBS. I am so
grateful that we had a few opportunities to talk during the week. There is so much we take for granted here in the United States. We should never fail to thank God for the freedom to worship. I hope they will come back next year. I attended VBS as the “story lady,” but it was Mrs. Lin who had the story for me this year.

Ann wrote this story at the request of Trinity Communications. We wanted the congregation to know how our VBS had the honor of being a part of this family’s faith journey and allowed them to experience celebrating of the love of Christ boldly and publicly.