VBS in Guatemala

The VBS theme for this year was Agency D3:  Discover, Decide, Defend.  It was apologetics based, with lessons, Bible verses and songs that helped the kids discover the answers to the following questions:  

• Monday--Is Jesus really God's Son?
• Tuesday--Was Jesus more than just a good man?
• Wednesday--Was Jesus' death real?
• Thursday--Is Jesus alive?
• Friday--What do I do with the evidence about Jesus?

As always, the church did an excellent job with theme-based decorations.  

The kids loved the songs:

Stephen made a new friend.  Her name was Nicole and on Monday she was inconsolable, crying for her mom.  Stephen happened to walk by and she said, "Papa."  Once he took her she settled down and was his shadow the rest of the week.  We asked the friend who brought her if Stephen looked like her dad and she told us that her dad is mostly "absent," so we don't know why she was so taken by him.  She warmed up to a few other people during the week, but only if Stephen wasn't there or was busy.

 

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The group of mom's met each day for crafts and Bible study.

It was an awesome week and such a blessing to serve with teams from Oakland Baptist, Decatur Baptist, Valley Baptist and First Baptist, Murrells Inlet.  

Two Full Days

It's been two very full days of VBS preparation and we're done with some things, but not others.  We've just printed some documents that we need for the orientation tomorrow and are heading to "Kinkos" to get the copies made.  

I spent most of the day cutting fabric for the crafts which will be made by the mom's and grandma's who have signed up for the adult VBS class.  They are making a different Christmas craft every day and the adult teachers are preparing a kit for each women each day.  

Stephen spent time making buttons, helping wrap the props and decorations and loading them in Javier's truck and then unloading everything at Javier's house.  We also finished up the translator/gringo assignments and made the maps/visual aids which will be posted at the registration desk.

Among other things, yesterday we did shopping for the snacks and for the prizes which will be given away during the closing session each day.   

Today there were 14 people here for lunch and 8 of us at dinner time. So in the midst of all the work, Rosemary stops and makes lunch for everyone.  

It's amazing to work along with the people from the church here.  They have a heart for kids and VBS is a great way to reach children and their parents.

The team from Bakersfield arrives tonight; the rest fly in tomorrow.  The Salvadorans are leaving from the church in San Salvador at 8:30 in the morning.  Everyone should be here in time for orientation before the evening campaign tomorrow afternoon.

Prayer requests:

1.  Kids and parents to respond to the gospel message presented in the music, Bible verses and Bible stories in VBS.

2.  Endurance for the workers--it will be a tiring week

3.  Divine appointments during the evening campaign and an overwhelming response to the gospel that can only be explained by God's unmerited favor.