Jungle Jamboree
Wed 25th – Fri 27th August 2021
After a gap of 2 years, we were finally able to hold a holiday club in the Church, with fewer children booked in to allow plenty of space for everyone! Excitement started to build on Tuesday 24th, as jungle animals and huge plants began to arrive at HPC in preparation for holiday club!
Day One
Lyn and David were very pleased to be able to welcome more than 30 children to the Jungle Jamboree… The children boarded the plane, listened to the safety announcements and were whisked away to the Amazon…
The children listened to the story of the Jesus, the Good Shepherd, which included a dramatic narration, then David spent some time explaining how we are like the lost sheep – we wander away from Jesus but he is the good shepherd who comes to find us and save us. Chris led the children in a couple of well known songs, then introduced the Jungle Jamboree theme song “We’re going on a jungle, a jungle jamboree” (which no doubt the children will be singing for days!).
While having a drink and snack the children looked through their workbooks and discussed the story, then tables were cleared and everyone had great fun making paperchain snakes! Once the snakes were complete, the whole group walked around to the Vicarage garden for some fresh air, a run around and some garden games, we were so thankful for good weather!
When they returned to the church, it was time for more singing and the greatly anticipated drama… We met the Watt family as they set out on an adventure to the Amazon rainforest. But oh no! They were lost! What now!?
All too soon it was time to brings things to a close… but not before the children had to decided who should be “custard pied”, David or Lyn – poor Lyn, it was almost unanimous!
Day Two
As soon as the doors opened, excitied children piled in and were able to make a “love other” greetings card whilst last minute preparations were being made… then joined together so that they could once again jet off to the Amazon…
Today’s story was the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Sylvia (with the help of a lively narration) explained that Jesus says that to live forever we need to love God and love others. This is impossible for us to do on our own. We need Jesus’ help and he loved us so much that he came to rescue us. Lyn went over yesterdays memory verse and introduced a new one – the children remembered them so well! – and Chris (& the holiday club band) introduced another new song “In the jungle”.
Time for a break! The children, cadets (young leaders) and their leaders spent some time chatting about the stories, and answering some tricky questions while eating biscuits. Before long, feathers were flying as the children created some colourful parrots to sit on their shoulders or perch on their wrists.
Once more the youngsters were taken to the vicarage garden for some games (it was very quiet while they were gone!) but they came back in time to find that the Watt family were now back on track in the rainforest, thanks to a local Chief, until young Rick Watt got himself into trouble and was captured! Oh no! What would happen now? Would he escape?
The children persuaded Chris to sing “In the 16th verse of chapter 3” again – I think this is the children’s favourite song!
There was just time to decide who to “pie”, would it be David or Lyn? No, after a petition from some of the children… it was Sara – I think she still has shaving foam in her eyebrows!
Day Three
Our weary explorers returned for the final day of the Jungle Jamboree. Whilst waiting to board the plane to the Amazon, they made some jungle binoculars to help them on their adventures…
The children heard all about The Great Feast from Lyn – how Jesus invites us to be friends with him and invites us to the best party ever. Will we say ‘yes’ or ‘no’? They enjoyed another dramatic narration and Sylvia finally found the invitation she thought she had lost! Chris introduced a final song “Here I am!” – it was a little more tricky but the children did well with the help of the fantastic music team!
The final craft for the week was to make some elephants, time to get covered in glue and tissue paper! Then it was time to let off some steam with games in the vicarage garden. I’m not sure who was most competitive the children or the cadets?…. actually, I think it was the “older” leaders!
Time for a sit down and to be entertained by the cadets, sorry I meant the Watt family… Hooray! The Watt family were rescued again, thanks to a daring rescue by the Chief and made it to see their friends. You’ll have to wait until the Easter Holiday Club to find out Watt their next adventure will be!
Holiday club drew to a close with another song and run through of the memory verse. Lyn, David and the leaders said goodbye to the children but knew they would see some of them on Sunday for a yummy fish and chip lunch after the service on Sunday in the vicarage garden!
