Vacation Bible School Outreaches

Vacation Bible School Orientation

Sunday and Wednesday evenings (Wednesday is optional), and Monday -Thursday afternoons, your mission team will do Vacation Bible School Outreaches at the specially chosen church you'll be serving with for the week. The children will range in age from 3-12. Often, the younger ones will be accompanied by their moms. Teenagers will often be involved as well or observe from a distance.

A Vacation Bible School is a great way to share the Gospel and disciple those who attend. We have carefully and prayerfully put together this VBS package and have seen it produce great results. It communicates what we believe is a clear, thorough, attractive presentation of the gospel that is fun and interesting at the same time.

Your Team Will Do 4 Full VBSs, and 2 Scaled Down VBSs

The full versions of the VBSs will take place Monday-Thursday afternoons and will last about two hours. The scaled-down versions of the VBSs will take place during the preaching time of the church outreaches Sunday and Wednesday evenings and will last about an hour.

The full VBSs will tend to reach more of the street, unsaved children. The scaled-down VBSs will tend to reach the children who attend church. Following is the schedule of the VBS's:

Sunday Evening - Scaled Down VBS (includes testimonies, Bible story, and craft & snacks)
Monday Afternoon - Full VBS
Tuesday Afternoon - Full VBS
Wednesday Afternoon - Full VBS
Wednesday Evening - Scaled Down VBS (includes testimonies and Bible story)
Thursday Afternoon - Full VBS

Note: Wednesday evening ministry is optional. Please advise us if you will not be doing this.

Style of VBS

VBS in Mexico is different than in the states. We have found the best method is to have all the children together rather than trying to divide them up into age groups. Following are the reasons why: (1) many of the older siblings are commanded by their parents to watch their younger siblings so these little family units cannot be broken up; (2) the children down here are harder to direct and work with (3) generally, there are inadequate facilities to accommodate a number of groups.

Full V.B.S. Outreach Schedule - Approximate time 2 hrs.

Game time outside with children (20 min.)
Song time (15 min.)
Two short testimonies geared towards children (10 min.)
Drama or skit if you have one (5-10 min.)
Memory verse (10 min.)
Bible story done by Go Missions to Mexico staff (20 min.)
Crafts & snacks (15 min.)

Following is more detail on each aspect of the VBS's:

Game Time - 20 min.

Your group will play outside games with the children such as jump rope, bean bag toss, ball tosses, duck-duck-goose, soccer, bubbles, face painting, frisbee games, baseball (with plastic bats and balls, etc.). You can organize your mission team into smaller groups who can be in charge of the various games happening. There won't be large group games where all the children will be involved in, but various, smaller games happening at the same time. The children usually will rotate and go from one game to the other as they please. After game time, make sure each group picks up their sports equipment as the children will often try to take it. This is a time to get to know the children and draw a crowd from the community. We would ask if you could, to bring some sports equipment with you for this time.

Song Time - 15 min.

We have selected upbeat, biblical songs with motions for your VBS's that we will play on a big screen TV. We will involve your mission team in the song time by asking those in your team who are willing to help us lead these songs by coming up front and doing the motions. However, if you want to do your own songs for the VBS's you are welcome to do so. Three to four upbeat songs with motions are best.

Following is a small sample of some songs we use in the VBS's:

Testimonies - 10 min.

Two short testimonies geared towards children (5 minutes each). Please try to share something about how you got saved and how God has changed you or something God has done in your life that brings Him glory. More on sharing your testimony

Memory Verses - 10 min.

This is a time to embed God's Word into the hearts of those attending the VBS's. These verses will follow the theme of the gospel message and will play a large part in a salvation opportunity we'll give the children on the last day of VBS.

These memory verses are done at just the main VBS's Monday-Thursday afternoons and not for the Sunday or Wednesday evening VBS's.

Bible Story - 20 min.

This is done by Go Missions to Mexico staff. Because the children are more unruly in Mexico and harder to control, we find a Bible Story told by us works best. We will tell the story utilizing pictures, video clips, verses shown on a big screen TV, by involving your mission team to act some of the stories out while we tell them, and by being involved in other ways for each story.

Craft & Snack Time - 20 min.

This is an important time where your team's participation is important. The children are divided into groups of ten, with one or two people from your team attending them. You will need to bring crafts and snacks for at least 100 children (we will notify you if you'll need to bring more). Package the crafts in bags of 10 (snacks do not need to be packaged in bags of 10). We have discovered that by forming groups of ten, and having them sit on the floor, works best for crowd control. Try to avoid candy and sweets for snacks.

Craft Ideas

Coloring books - You can photocopy pages, or purchase a Bible coloring book (preferably in Spanish) and have the children color them. Crayons needed.
Puppets - Use paper lunch sacks and provide pieces for their mouths, ears, etc. Crayons needed for this craft.
Paper plate half-masks - Beforehand, cut paper plates in half, punch holes by ears, and cut eye-holes and a slot for the nose. Let the kids color them and put rubber bands through the holes. They can wear the masks by putting the rubber bands around their ears.
Paper plate visors - Beforehand, cut paper plates in half and punch a hole near each corner. Have the kids decorate them and tie a piece of pre-cut elastic through the holes to make a visor.
Crowns - Trace a simple outline of the front of a crown onto tag board or other stiff paper. Cut them out and punch a hole at each end. Let the kids decorate them and put a piece of pre-cut yarn or elastic through each hole. To put the crown on, place it on the head and tie the strings in the back.
You can look on the Internet for other great ideas as well.

Snack Ideas

Single serving of canned fruit/applesauce, pudding (don't forget spoons.
Single-serving bags of chips.
Single-serving bags of peanuts.
Single-serving boxes of raisins.
Single-serving cookies, or animal crackers.
Granola bars individually wrapped Hostess/or similar treats.
Graham crackers.
Handi-Snacks (crackers and peanut butter, etc.)

It definitely works best if the snacks are individually wrapped and easily transported. It is often possible to get stores in your area to donate these types of items. Drinks for VBS are optional and up to the discretion and desire of each mission team.

Salvation Altar Call - Last Day of VBS

At the last VBS (Thursday), we’ll present a clear salvation invitation for children to receive Christ. This will be the culmination and goal for all that has been done in the VBSs. It's a special time, and many children will pray to receive Christ or recommit to Him.