LIVING Fountain Ministries in Mahaica, on Wednesday, launched its annual three-day Vocational Bible School (VBS) with an interactive session aimed at sensitising children to the dangers associated with vaping, while encouraging them to embrace wisdom, faith, national unity and civic responsibility.
The programme, which concludes on Friday, attracted approximately 25 participants on its opening day, including children as young as three years old.
Secretary of Living Fountain Ministries, Sister Ira Daw, explained that the church sought to expose children to information about vaping through a healthcare visitor who provided firsthand knowledge of the practice and its potential dangers.
She said the session was designed to help children develop an understanding of the risks involved and equip them to make informed and healthy decisions as they grow.
“We are living in a real world, and the Bible says that we must have wisdom,” Sister Ira said. “We have to understand what is happening around us and help the children to understand it as well.”
She noted that while the Vocational Bible School focuses on teaching children about Jesus and God, the programme also recognises the importance of preparing young people to navigate the challenges and influences they may encounter in everyday life.
“Even though we know about Jesus and God, we want them to understand the dangers of the wicked plans of the devil, and vaping is one of those plans to destroy young people,” she said.
Sister Ira added that providing children with age-appropriate knowledge and guidance can help them recognise harmful influences and make choices that support their health and well-being.
Beyond the vaping awareness session, the church is also using the annual activity to encourage children to reflect on the values contained in Guyana’s national motto and national pledge.
She said the recent sinking of the MV Barima has affected the nation and serves as a reminder that Guyanese share a collective responsibility to support one another during times of tragedy.
“At this time, I am convinced that we are a nation, and we need to understand what our national motto means, even in a time like this when we have a national crisis like the sinking of the MV Barima,” Sister Ira said. “We are all Guyanese, and all Guyanese lives have been touched by that tragedy.”
She expressed concern that divisions along racial and political lines continue to affect national cohesion, stressing that such divisions weaken the collective spirit needed to support communities and move the country forward.
Through the VBS programme, Sister Ira said she hopes children will gain a deeper appreciation of the meaning behind Guyana’s motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny,” and understand the role they can play in building a more united society.
The programme also encourages participants to consider the meaning of the words contained in the national pledge and reflect on the responsibilities they undertake as citizens of Guyana.
“We should understand what our national pledge really means, what those words mean, what we pledge to do, and how we play our part as a nation of Guyana,” Sister Ira added.
The three-day Vacation Bible School forms part of Living Fountain Ministries’ annual outreach to children and combines biblical teachings with practical discussions intended to help young participants develop spiritually, socially and responsibly.
