Sometimes God sends help from the most unlikely people or places.  He has been faithful in doing so over the past ten years.  However this recent occurrence comes to mind so I will share it, but it is one of a hundred times that God has provided help in HIS way.

Our busiest time has always been our school break which is early November through mid-January when the children are out for their “summer” break.  We hold Vacation Bible Schools in six to seven communities during these months.  In some are areas we hold weekly Bible classes or hold community outreaches and share the Gospel on a weekend.  In others are areas we help church plants or a person starting ministry in a new community.  This year all of our regular volunteers have been in the university finishing up classes or taking final exams so we have been unusually short on volunteers for VBS.

While doing VBS in this particular community, on day one we had 16 children over the age of 3 plus one 2 years old.  On day 3 we had 32 children with eight needing their crafts made for them. This required a significant amount of help with the crafts as the little ones are not able to make their crafts independently and some not at all.

The night before I found out that our team traveling to this community would be down one of our regular volunteers, but would be picking up a woman with experience as a school teacher.  Normally I would start making phone calls trying to fill the gap, but this particular evening I had peace pour over me about this situation.  I prayed to God and actually left it in His hands.

What had been a very tranquil VBS was now bustling with double the amount of younger children including two new 3 year olds.  To my surprise the wife and daughter of the host family came and said they wanted to help.  I moved our elementary school teacher into teaching Bible verses and put our new volunteers to work in crafts.  After getting the first group started on their craft project that complimented our Bible lesson, four of us quickly worked on the craft project for the youngest group.  All I could do was smile inside and out because my help truly came from the Lord. Then I understood why I had so much peace the evening before, God knew, He cared and had it all under control!  Not only does God care about the big picture in our lives, but He cares about the little things that affect our big picture.  He cared that each of these little ones who has received a completed VBS craft!  The Lord is our Help in time of need.