It was VBS (Vacation Bible School) time here in Teopisca 2 and 3 weeks ago and Lance and I were asked to help with two VBS. I have helped with so many VBS over the last 15 years that I can’t remember how many I have helped with. All I know is that I have been helping with VBS since I was about 13 years old so I knew what VBS was all about. But for Lance, this was his first time to experience the real joys of VBS.
So what is VBS? It is a time of about two hours or more of songs, Bible stories, puppets, arts and crafts, games and snacks for kids. It is a time of great fun, but most of all it is a time of learning about our great Lord.
It was amazing because when the pastor of a church of about twenty people (including children) told us that they were hoping for fifty children Lance and I thought that they were crazy. We said there is no way that they are going to have fifty kids there for VBS. But we didn’t want to tell him that there was no way. We just thought that the kids that lived right around the church would come because all that they had to advertise for VBS was a poster board sign pasted to the side of their church, and when it was time to start the pastor got on the microphone and started talking really loud and inviting the children to come to VBS. But Lance and I were so surprised because the first day we had about 35 kids. Is any thing impossible for God? NO!
Our VBS was about five days of prayer.
The first day was confession and we discussed how we need to confess our sins. We studied the Story of David after his great sin with Bathsheba and how he sinned greatly and how he needed to confess his sins. And when we sin we need to confess our sins to God. David prayed to God and confessed his sins and repented from them.
The second day was on giving thanks and we studied the story of Daniel who Gave thanks even when his life was threatened. If he continued to pray he would be thrown into a den of lions. But Daniel still gave thanks to God, no matter the obstacles. And oh how we need to give thanks to God for all that he has done.
The third day was on praise and how we need to praise to God. We studied the life of Simeon the priest and how he praised God when he saw baby Jesus in the temple before he died. We learned that we need to give God praise at all times and in every circumstance.
The forth day was about praying for others. We studied the life of Nehemiah and how he prayed for the people of Israel and helped them rebuild the walls of the city. We learned that we need to pray for others.
The fifth day was on praying for our selves. We studied the life of Jacob and how he tricked his brother and his father by deception. But how God convicted him of his sins and how he prayed for forgiveness from God. We learned how we need God’s forgiveness too.
Lance and I helped out with songs, puppets, we showed the kids flannel graph pictures of each day’s bible story. We also helped with arts and crafts and we taught the kids some games and helped with the snacks too. So you might be thinking that we have learned Spanish quickly. But the answer is no. But Lance and I feel like Paul when he said in 1Cor 1:27,29,and 31 “But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong. V.29. So that no one may boast before him. V.31. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
We started off the week with 35 kids and on the second day there were 40 kids; the third day there were 60 kids, then 70 kids and we ended the week with 72 kids.
We had six people including Lance and I to help out with all of these little ones. But there was not a grumble or complaint, just six happy workers who were so happy to see what God can do with only a little church and six happy workers. This was a great VBS for Lance and I. When Lance and I finished our first VBS we boasted in the Lord about how good he had been to us.
We were so surprised buy our second VBS as we had agreed to help another church so they told us to show up for a teacher training meeting in which we could talk about VBS and see who was going to help out.
So we showed up to talk to some people about VBS and we were expecting maybe ten or so people mostly ladies and people who were interested in VBS. When we arrived at the church it was full. Lance and I slipped in and sat on the last row. That is when the fun begun. The pastor called Lance and I to the front of the crowded church and then handed the microphone to Lance and told him to tell the people all about VBS. Lance and I just looked at the pastor and then Lance said pastor I can’t speak to them, pastor we don’t speak Spanish. But the pastor kept persisting so Lance asked for five more minutes to go to the back and prepare. The pastor said yes, so we walked to the back and Lance started praying and then we looked up words in our Spanish English dictionary. In five minutes we were back up in front of the whole church again, Lance stumbled through trying to tell the people about VBS. We tried to get people to help with different parts, but everyone stared at us with a blank look on their faces. The pastor told us that we would have help on Monday and that people would show up.
On Monday we started off with 52 kids and six helpers. Lance and I sprang into action again and we helped with every part of VBS. We ended the week with 102 kids and six happy helpers.
We were blessed to hear the testimony of Lance's friend Davy S. He said that when he was a kid that his family did not go to church, but that in the summer he went to a VBS and he learned verses from the Bible. He grew up and lived an ungodly life, but that one night God started convicting him of his sins. He said that God used the verses that he learned in VBS to change his life. This testimony really blessed us, because our prayer is that God will use these two weeks of VBS to change the lives of over 170 kids, maybe not today, but one day in the future.
Lance and I are thankful to God for letting us get to know so many kids here in out town and, we are thankful to our friends back home, for your prayers and support for us here.
Jeremiah 9:23,24 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, (24) but let him who boast, boast about this: that he understands and knows me that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
We love you all,
Sarita and Lance
First VBS with 70 something kids
The staff at our first VBS! Look at those handsome guys!!!
All the kiddies sitting and listening to the bible stories.
Now this is what I call dedication...rain or shine, these kids came to have fun and hear the word of God faithfully proclaimed!
We loved doing muppets since we didn't have to talk in Spanish. Sarita and I thought that this would just be the greatest...but after the first day of doing muppets we kind of dread doing it because our arms were killing us. Hold your hand up for about 5 minutes and see how you like it.Sarita handing out directions, kids doing crafts and last but not least....treats!
Our second VBS with over 100 kids
The crew for the second VBS...6 helpers must be the norm for VBS here south of the border.
Here is what the first day looked like, but by the end of VBS 5 days later, this church was packed out.Here we are doing crafts again.
Here it is my turn to give directions for games...Sarita had so many games picked out so all the kids had fun...and so did we.
Now this is one big circle. At the end of each day we would have everyone get in a circle and hand out food and candy. Needless to say, Sarita and I passed on the food...but Sarita sure did take a liking to those little heart shaped suckers.
Here is a picture of the outside of the church. It is the house with t he curved roof in the center of the photo.Well once again we thank you for all your prayers and for diligently sending us emails.
God bless everyone,
Lance and Sarita
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