[a] I may never march in the infantry (stomping), [b] ride in the cavalry (pretend horseback riding), shoot the artillery (pistol hands or slide one hand past and then up above the other). [c] And I may never 昀氀y o’er the enemy (airplane arms), [d] [e] but I’m in the Lord’s army. Yes, sir (salute)! [f] 8 Summers are for Vacation Bible School. Each year, a missionary and his family come to our church 2 to run the program. My mother drives me around town in the weeks before, and we put 昀氀iers on almost every house. 3 4 The theme is always cowboys. I want to know why there aren’t ever any cowgirls. 5 Each morning starts with the song: It’s bible round up, bible round up’s here. [a] Tell everybody join in with a cheer, ye-hah! (Wave an imaginary cowboy hat.) [b] [c] We’ll learn of Jesus, singing, laughing too! [d] It’s bible round up, just for you! (Point somewhere.) 6 We play outside, eat cookies, memorize verses, and 7 listen to a sermon. If a kid does something good (learns verses, brings visitors, collects the offering the fastest), they get Rodeo Bucks that can be spent at the carnival at the 8 end of the week. I am always 昀氀ush with bucks. 9 Before the sermon each day, church members act 10 out the lives of missionaries. Little kids and teenagers have their faces painted to represent the “unsaved.” 11 The missionaries win souls for Christ and are frequently martyred. 12 13 I decide I want to be a missionary’s wife. Girls can’t 14 be pastors, so it’s the next best thing. I like looking at the bulletin board at the church with all the missionaries’ 15 photos on a world map. Strands of yarn tie them to places 16 like Ghana or Papua New Guinea. Their wives are always 17 18 pretty. Always wearing dresses. Always holding children. PLAINS PARADOX ■ 28