Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.   A small group of children drizzled glue onto their sheets of paper forming a labyrinth. They then covered the glue with strands of colored yarn, trying hard not to be messy.

A labyrinth has been historically defined as being synonymous with a maze, a path with confusing branches, with choices of direction that are difficult to egress; it is a puzzle that confounds the traveler.

The children were not creating a complex maze however, they were making a unicursal labyrinth with only one path to the center, a definite route, easy to navigate.

The labyrinth makers were one of four groups of kids in the Vacation Bible School. Each group was involved in an activity that involved hands-on creativity while learning the deeper significance of what they were doing.

The VBS is now taught by college students hired by the Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center, out of Allenspark, as a way of earning money while reaching out to children in communities all over the country. Ben Pashon is from Iowa and says he has the best job ever.

“Labyrinths are a tradition in big churches all over the world,” he tells them. “Their purpose is to achieve a spiritual calmness. As one approaches the middle of the labyrinth, he gets closer to God. It is a place to spend time before going back out and addressing the things of the world.”

The kids get it.

Lauren Dirr carefully presses her yarn onto the glue. She explains that there are no dead ends in a labyrinth like there are in a maze. When one reaches the end, it is a simple path back to the beginning.

Ben says this is the second year he has come to Nederland to work with the children. The camp is sponsored by the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church, St. Rita’s Catholic Church and Calvary Chapel and is open to Kindergarten through fifth grade students. It includes bible study with arts and crafts as well as games and songs.

This year 27 children participated in the week long camp, which was offered every morning last week. The children who weren’t working on labyrinths were making wind chimes or participating in outdoor games, giving them a chance to energize.

Before the morning ended, all of the children gathered together to sing fun worship songs and to do a bit of rock and rolling. They acted out the vow to find the courage to stand up and do justice.

As Ben joins the dancing and singing he grins at the children and says, “I love my job.”