The Grandest Prize

It was the last day of Vacation Bible School, and we didn’t have enough grand prizes to give. Joseph was expected to win but came that Friday and did not say his Bible memory verse, so he tied in points with Leo and Enrique.

This VBS was held in the little community of Lochbuie, Colorado, where there is no church. We had gone around to homes, inviting the children, but were doubtful we would have any kids come. The first day, seven kids came; by the end of the week, we had twenty-two registered and an average attendance of thirteen. Leo and Enrique, who were best friends, came every day. Both accepted Christ as their Savior during that week.

Having planned on only one grand prize winner, I had brought only one prize on Friday. I had to think quickly. I gave the prize CD to Joseph and gave new Bibles to Leo and Enrique for their grand prizes. I do not think I have ever seen two boys as excited about receiving Bibles as these two were.

I showed them how to look things up and explained again the books of the Bible and what the large and small numbers were. I showed where to find the memory verses in the book of John and wrote down all the references for them in the front of their Bibles. They headed home.

As our team was packing all the gear into the car, the two boys came back. They asked if Sunday School Charlie (our missionary story) was in the Bible. I told them no, but the other stories we had that week were. I wrote down where to find these stories so they could read them for themselves.

Leo and Enrique thought it was incredibly cool to have their own Bibles. They reminded me that day how something I take for granted – God’s Word – really is the grandest prize of all.

Curtis and Rachel Rhoadarmer serve in Greeley, Colorado.