Two VBS´s

We´re on the other side of two VBS´s, one at Dios es Amor and one at our house in Huejotzingo.  To see all the pictures from both VBS´s and some other pictures from summer, go here.  The Dios es Amor VBS was the last week of July.  In total, 450 kids attended, although not all at once on any give day.  Abraham and I were in charge of games, and we spent time brain-storming to create games that would coordinate with the year´s theme of Moses.  Some of the games went very well and some had to be modified on the spot.  As is true of every VBS in Dios es Amor, everyone had to be willing to move to wherever there was a vacancy at any time.  When we weren´t leading games, Abraham helped with the Powerpoints for the Bible stories and set up the pictures for each day.  I pitched in with the kitchen crew in spare moments.  Everyone participated in clean-up every day after the children had gone.

Two weeks later a very different VBS began in Huejotzingo.  Monday was the most attended day with 20 kids.  Each day the number dropped, until Friday when the number went up again to 15.  At first glance the numbers are discouraging.  Why so few when there are so many children in the neighborhood?  We pray to have more children come, but also the low numbers do not tell the whole story.  About half of the children who did come were new children who had not attended the Sunday afternoon Bible club or VBS before.  They were able to hear the stories of Moses and also hear of how Jesus is our only provision.  Each day that Abraham taught the Bible class, he emphasized that salvation is only through Jesus.  He told the children that they could talk with any one of the adults about how to receive Jesus into their lives.

Although no child talked with any of us, the seed has been planted.  Please pray that it grows in their hearts.  Pray that they will join us on Sunday afternoons to hear more of the Gospel.  Currently we are teaching out of Matthew.  Pray that through the children, their parents can also hear.  Although the invitation to attend Bible club on Sunday afternoons is open to everyone, only once in awhile do one or two adults visit.

Please pray also for the classes that we are teaching.  We hope to use them as a community outreach, but attendance is very low.  I have only three English students who attend regularly, even though others have visited, and one student for the drawing class.  Abraham had students only one time for tutoring, and Six has one sewing student.  We would love to have more students, but we also do not want to become fixated on  numbers.  Our hope is to serve well the students we have even as God brings more if it is his will.