“Please Stretch Our Supply”
T “May I Tell You a Story?” BY DICK DUERKSEN
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he village was small and poor, nestled between sugarcane fields high in the mountains of Honduras. A village overflowing with bored children. “This would be a perfect place for a Vacation Bible School [VBS],” the pastor said. “We have a small church and an open area where children can play games. Our children need to learn about God’s love. Could you come to our village?” The mission trip VBS leader stood in the open area, imagining 50 kids playing Bible games and making crafts. The little adobe church would provide an ideal stage where her group of teenage volunteers could teach the kids songs and act out Bible stories. “I think it will work,” she told the pastor. “See if your members like the idea, and tell us how many kids will come so we can plan for the crafts and gifts.” *** The leader had led scores of Vacation Bible Schools for thousands of children all around the world, and this VBS would be like the others, she thought. This was going to be a family mission trip, so it would be easy to recruit a dozen teenagers for five days of VBS. The pastor told her to expect 75 to 100 kids, so she began planning for 150. Crayons, Popsicle sticks, craft paper, silver crowns, paper angels, paper cups,
January 2021 AdventistWorld.org
and plates. Bible costumes for the teenagers. Spanish song sheets for the teens. And hundreds of other things she knew they would need for the program to be a success. “Don’t forget the gifts,” she kept telling herself, imagining the bags of goodies the teenagers would hand to each Honduran child on the last day of VBS. Giving those gifts away was always the highlight of the mission trip VBS programs. Special goodies for the girls would include a doll, a stuffed animal, a Bible, a Spanish coloring book, and candy. The boys would get some of the same, but also a toy car or truck, a ball, a funny mask, and more candy. *** “God performed a miracle,” the VBS director told me as the crew drove up to the mountain village Sunday afternoon. “The customs officers asked why we were bringing so much stuff. When I explained about the VBS program and the gifts, they laughed and waved us through.” The teenagers checked out the church acoustics and the outdoor playground, then distributed invitations to every house in the village. Everything was ready for Monday afternoon. The VBS leader, and her 12 teenage assistants, were ready at 1:00 p.m. Music practiced. Bible costumes adjusted to fit. Felt board ready. Photo: Dick Duerksen
