I've often marvelled at how God has orchestrated my life in such a way that so many componants blend together and overlap: family, work, ministry and church. I work with my wife, have taught my daughters, juggle with my students, share my faith as both a performer and a teacher, and directed a summer camp where I frequently performed before, during and after my directorship, and where I employed (at one time or another) all of my family, and many of my former students. Training my middle school class to share the Gospel through the same means of juggling and illusion that I use as a solo act has been especially fulfilling. These young people, known as the LOL Vaudeville Show, have recently come to the end of another school year, and with that came their end of the year trip to Vermont where they spent four days performing and serving.
At first these trips varied in location. While the very first one, in 1997, was also to Vermont, trips varies a lot for a while: New Jersey, Boston, northern Maine, Rhode Island, Halifax Nova Scotia, and Connecticut to name a few. In recent years, the trip has been consistently to Vermont, as was the 2024 trip last month. Our team of 15 students (two were unable to attend) and four chaperones set out from Windham Christian Academy here in Maine on the Thursday before Memorial Day.
We stopped for a picnic lunch shortly after crossing the Vermont state line. From there we continued on to Burlington, where we did our first show even before arriving at our base. The show was at Birchwood Terrace, a nursing home where I have been performing - either solo or with the class- since at least 1991. The kids did a fantastic job not just in the show, but in the scramble to set up, in talking and praying with the residents, and in the chore of packing up the truck in order to continue on to our base in Vergennes. Caleb deserves a special shout out for his hard work in this job. As well as the show went, the most memorable moment for all of us was when Eva was supposed to throw a roll of toilet paper to disrupt Autumn's juggling pattern, but missed. Instead she hit me in a rather precarious body part!
Friday was different from what we've done before. As we often do, we started with a show at Champlain Valley Christian School in the same town where we stayed. The difference was, this time we spent the day at CVCS in order to teach workshops on juggling and balloon sculpture. This later skill was something we had to learn in a week's time, as we only learned about the workshops on short notice. Nonetheless, we all did well. We also had the chance to have lunch and recess with the students. When school was out, we had free time to shop for souveniers and take showers before returning to the base for dinner.
Saturday was the most exciting day of the trip. First, we went to my home town of Essex Junction to juggle in the annual Memorial Day parade. As fun as the parade itself was, the best time was prior to stepping off. We were right behind Miss Vermont and Miss Teen Vermont, which pleased the boys in our group. But the girls were equally blessed by the fact that the Vermont Ravens semi-pro football team was right behind us. Needless to say, there were lots of photos of LOL kids with the celebrities they met. Once stepping off, though, it was all business. The kids did great (juggling in parade formation is NOT easy) and at one point I heard a voice in the crowd call my name. I looked up to see a gentleman waving me over, so I went into the crowd to see who it was. After all these years, Jeff Panton, who played on the same basketball team as me and graduated with me recognized me. We only had a second to speak and shake hands because the parade, of course, was moving on.
After the parade, we traveled down to Tunbridge, a mountain town where Water Brooks retreat center is located. Founded by Sue Thomas, of Sue Thomas FBeye fame, it has, since Sue's passing, been operated by her long time assistant, Deb. We did some yard work around the enter before having some devotional and private prayer and reflection time in one of the most beautiful locations one could imagine.
Sunday morning we did our last show together as a ministry team. It was for the Assembly of God church in Vergennes, who hosted us for the three nights we stayed there. By the end, the kids were exhausted, but not before an outstanding final gig. Both Caleb and Alex did their 8th grade solos that morning. Caleb's was all about juggling, and Alex's was all balance board tricks, and both were spot on. After a generous cookut lunch at the church, we headed back to Maine with enough money left to stop for ice cream in a little shop in a small New England town along the way. And we were back at school for pick up only ten minutes off schedule!
It was a good trip, and the teens were excellent, not just at shows, but when cooking or cleaning on their work teams, and even settling in at lights out each night. And we all had a lot to talk about when school started up again after a restful Monday holiday.