Goal: to make real to us the world Jesus grew up in

Re-creating a marketplace from Bible times takes a lot of work and planning from a lot of people! Tents erected, the city wall constructed (and put back up after every thunderstorm passed by!), costumes designed and sewn, a well built, scripts written - the list is long! 

Tribes: Children were divided by ages into the 12 tribes of Israel, with each tribe having its own banner and costume. The teenagers were the tribe of Levi, helpers to all the other tribes. 

Each tribe had tribal elders who guided the tribe from their tribal tent to each activity and discussed with them what they learned.

Each child was given metal "coins" to spend at the marketplace each day. One must learn to choose between candy, bread, jewelry, and a hammer!

Bible People: Throughout VBS, Jesus and his disciples made appearances, portraying Bible events. Roman soldiers enforced their own rules and harassed the tribes. Beggars and lepers pleaded for alms.

The 11 Shops: Baker, basket weaver, brick-maker, candy, carpenter, rope-maker, potter, jeweler, herbs & spices, scribe, shepherd