Ballybeen kids get a taste of Egypt
St Mary's Ballybeen was transformed last week into an Egyptian odyssey as over 100 children each day were transported back to the days of the Pharaohs and walked through the Old Testament story of Joseph.
This year’s holiday club - 'Egypt : Prison to Palace’ saw primary school age children learn cool songs, play fun games and participate in a wonderful variety of activities in a realistic Egyptian Market Place, complete with brick making and basket-weaving shops, a bakers, a linen shop, a fruit and veg stall, a barbers’ shop, hieroglyphics shop, a toy shop and the embalmers!!
There was a key theme each day looking at the hope, abilities, wisdom, forgiveness and family that God gives us and children were invited to record their experiences (‘God-sightings’) on bricks as they used them to build an altar to ‘the One True God’. Memory verses rooted the story of Joseph in the New Testament and the life of Jesus as the children were helped to trace the story in their own lives as they discovered more of God’s purpose for them.
Visiting the club on the final day, Bishop Harold ‘mucked in’ in the Market Place, writing his name in hieroglyphics and making dough. He met and encouraged the large team of volunteers and at the closing celebration received a gift on behalf of Tearfund for the Pakistan appeal which the children contributed to each day.
You can find out and see more of ‘Egypt : Prison to Palace’ at
www.stmarysballybeen.com