Miami, Florida, United States….[Libna Stevens/IAD]
As the growing number of Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) increases every summer throughout the vast territory of the Inter-American Division, a new workshop was held Jan. 27 for more than 40 children’s ministries leaders from the Spanish and French fields. The workshop, which took place at the Division’s headquarters in Miami, Florida, was part of a strategic plan begun earlier in the quinquennium to strengthen the Children’s Ministries Department.
The workshop was much like a regular VBS training session, with a new theme, “Celebrando con Jesus” (Celebrating with Jesus), according to Evelyn OmaZa, Children’s Ministries director for the church in Inter-America.
“This is the first time that we hold a workshop at the Division,” says OmaZa. “We happened to hold it here [at the IAD office] because of the convenience of having all children’s ministries directors present at the Women in Leadership Summit held during the previous days,” she added.
This new workshop, which is one of six workshops prepared by the IAD Children’s Ministries department, is designed to equip VBS leaders in presenting the Bible to reach the cultural community in their territory.
VBS is a two-week Bible program for children held during the summer in local Adventist churches. There is no charge for the course, and the children are given a set of free Bible lessons to take home. After VBS is Neighborhood Club, a follow-up program where church leaders go over the take-home lessons with the children and their families.
“It’s wonderful to see the impact that these VBS programs have in children, and our number keeps growing,” says OmaZa.
In 2004, there were 10,484 vacation Bible schools held with 115,457 children attending.
For now, the new workshops are being used by the Spanish fields and French fields. The English fields receive the VBS materials put out by the North American Division children’s department.
These workshops are regular workshops held throughout the territory along with certification programs for children’s ministries directors, which provides continuing education for those involved with children’s programs.
For more information on Children’s Ministries programs and more, email childrensministries@interamerica.org or call 305.403.4700.
