09/01/2026
The sweltering August heat pressed down like a warm Mexican blanket. But inside the Spirit and Truth church, no one seemed to notice. Instead, a steady banter from jubilant children, singing and worshipping God, spilled out through the open doors and down the dusty streets of the colonia: the kind of unrestrained excitement that makes neighbors pause in their doorways just to listen.
This year’s VBS theme, Animales Emocionantes, (Exciting Animals) transformed the church into a vibrant habitat of imagination. Paper parrots swung from strings, cardboard giraffes and palm trees towered over the rainforest stage set, and wide‑eyed children marched in like miniature explorers ready for a week of wonder. For years, we have watched VBS become a spiritual oasis for the children of the communities in which we do mission work, and this year was no exception. They flocked to the Escuela Biblica de Verano, (VBS) a place where hope is fed and faith is formed.
Philippians 4:6-7 served as the anchor of every lesson: “Do not be anxious… and the peace of God… will guard your hearts.” How fitting for peace to be taught through creatures of the animal kingdom. The children learned that though each of the animal species are very different, they all exist together in nature, built on instinct, survival and trust: living metaphors for the kind of peace only Christ can give.
And of course, VBS in Mexico wouldn’t be complete without food, and this year’s menu was a fiesta of delight. The fave turned out to be the cupcakes: one of those sweet delicacies that they seldom get to enjoy. (The teachers really liked them, too!) Sticky fingers became proof that joy can be tasted.
Games erupted into bursts of laughter. Lessons settled into young minds like seeds waiting for rain. And somewhere between all the fun and the finale, something beautiful happened: children began to understand that God’s peace isn’t quiet or fragile — it’s bold, protective, and alive!
The last session brought a big surprise: thanks to your giving, each child was presented with a new backpack and supplies for the upcoming school year!
As they departed the church and began walking back to their houses with full tummies and fuller hearts, the familiar swell of gratitude made the sultry evening seem not so hot. The shuffle of little feet headed down a dusty road into the night reminded us of at least two things that make us most grateful: the life-changing impact that God made in those little lives, and for your generous support of this ministry to make it all happen.