VBS is held year-round in the lake area, in Happy Tummies, and in churches. Originally, VBS was held for a week in November with Impacto hosting teams to lead VBS at Iglesias Adonai, a church Pastor Luis Martinez and his wife, Dinora, started in Guatemala City. The month of November was chosen because the children are out of school in Guatemala from mid-October until mid-January. After several years, VBS was expanded to churches in the Lake Atitlan area and Zacapa.
Realizing it was time for the churches to start flying on their own, Impacto began asking teams to come lead special "how to" training. Next, we began holding VBS training every-other-month and eventually the churches started holding their own VBS. We continually hold training each year teaching and giving examples of Bible stories, how to make a craft and relate it to the daily Bible study, and how to determine a theme and memory verses. Teaching the churches how to work within their own budget is vital.
The churches in Zacapa haven’t gotten to the point where they can hold VBS for an entire week yet so a special Zacapa VBS is held there in two churches in November. We try to provide a craft, a Bible story, songs, games, and nutrition drink with bread for those days and teams are welcomed to serve that week in Zacapa. Consider bringing a team to help during November VBS in Zacapa.
Teams coming to the lake area are encouraged to lead VBS as one of their projects. The great thing about VBS is that all the children whose lives are reached through this ministry are children that the churches are able to follow up on. For the time VBS lasts, the kids are excited and want to show up for the games, songs, prizes, and nutrition drink with bread. After VBS, the churches have a chance to visit the kids and their parents. This is how a lot of new people come to the churches.
You'll fall in love with the children and they will never forget your smiles, hugs, and kindness. You'll enjoy planting the seeds that may one day lead to a soul won for the Kingdom.