VBS

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

I remember Vacation Bible School in Paraguay! VBS is where many families are introduced to Jesus. In addition to medical missions, my parents planted several churches in that beautiful country. I have great memories as a little girl, of the church at Fernando de la Mora after the actual church building was constructed. If my memory is correct, the small auditorium had smooth, burgundy tile floors. The benches were hand-made of wood. There was an organ with stops and pedals as well as a piano. I learned how to draw water from the well that was outside in the dirt patio, and I remember a small room adjacent to the main building where all the children went for Sunday School. One Sunday night during the church service I got in trouble for sneaking across the isle several times to visit my friends during the sermon!

This is an excerpt from my mother’s book where she speaks about one of the ways the Lord ministered through her. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit’s work, even when your labor in the Lord seems to be unfruitful. The seeds you plant in His love will surely grow! So, here’s Mom’s VBS story:

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VBS in Paraguay

I’m sure you know that a Vacation Bible School is the best way to reach adults, through their children, in a new work. That was the task that usually fell on me. During the first years we sent out fliers and advertised the VBS, but later we had to whisper it around to try to keep the attendance down a bit. It was overwhelming. Hordes of children showed up. It was a new work, and we had so few workers it was impossible to take care of all the children who came.

Meeting Again

Many, many years later before we retired we stopped by the pastors home in Fernando de la Mora. Bill had business with the pastor, so he parked the car outside on the sidewalk and went in. I stayed in the car. A young woman who was passing by our cars stopped, and very surprised said, “Doña Francisca! I bet you don’t remember me?”

“No,” I said, “tell me.”

“I’m Juana.” She then reminded me of a VBS many, many years before at the little ranchito, (That’s what we called the little building where we met.) She continued, “There were lots of children there, but my friend was terrible. I bet you remember Gloria, the blonde. She interrupted the whole class talking and acting up something awful.”

I remembered Gloria alright. How could I forget! I thought the whole VBS was a complete failure.

Introduced to Jesus

Juana continued, “Well, a few years ago I came to know the Lord here at the Fernando church, and the first thing I wanted to do was to find Gloria and witness to her. We had lost track of each other, but I found her address, caught a bus, traveled across town and located her house. I knocked on the door and Gloria opened it. Her eyes lightened up, she grabbed me and said, ‘Juana! Come in. I want to tell you what the Lord has done in my life.’ We had both become Christians. We sat down on the couch and began to talk about the first time we were introduced to Jesus. It was at the VBS in Fernando de la Mora. You might have thought we didn’t hear anything, but we were listening.”

God says, “My word will not return unto me void, but will accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 KJV

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To read more true stories about my parents, Dr. Bill & Fran Skinner, go to the Home Page, find “Categories” and click on “FRANCES SKINNER.”