Seventy-four men and women declared Christ as Lord and Savior at the 2010 Migrant Vacation Bible School. For 47 years, churches of Savannah River Baptist Association have conducted the VBS and have experienced God moving in the lives of the migrant farm workers. This year was no exception!
2010 Migrant Vacation Bible School Touched Many Lives…Again
Seventy-four men and women declared Christ as Lord and Savior at the 2010 Migrant Vacation Bible School. For 47 years, churches of Savannah River Baptist Association have conducted the VBS and have experienced God moving in the lives of the migrant farm workers. This year was no exception!
Nearly four-hundred migrant farm workers attended the VBS June 14-17 and 21-24. These workers are native Spanish speakers who travel the U.S. under work Visas, many bringing their families. They stay in Beaufort County during June to help harvest tomatoes and melons on St. Helena Island.
Each evening, the workers are picked up by vans or buses by volunteers from SRBA churches and brought to St. Helena Baptist Church. They share a meal prepared by the St. Helena Baptist cooking crew. Then the kids go to classes and the adults enjoy an evening of good music from the musicians at Vida Nueva, the Spanish-speaking congregation at the Baptist Church of Beaufort, and stories and a Gospel presentation from Mario Vargas and guest speakers.
The attendance this year was a little more than half of the number last year. There were fewer migrant workers who traveled to St. Helena. Those who came had to work harder and longer to match the harvest production of prior years. The extreme heat also made it difficult for the farm workers. Many suffered from dehydration and heat exhaustion. One nurse at the clinic Beaufort County provides annually for the workers claimed their services this year were more like an emergency room than a medical check-up facility.
The highlight of the two weeks was Fiesta Night, the last night. It is always an exciting time and the workers come with great expectation. Dinner that night featured tacos, beans, and ice cream. The Link, SRBA’s newest congregation in Beaufort, brought their kids’ trailer equipped with a jumping castle and games. Several musicians came to sing of God’s love and mercy. Testimonies and Mario’s 
sermon all pointed to the new life offered through Jesus Christ. Twenty-nine people accepted Christ that night!
The VBS is supported financially by gifts given to the Hanshew Offering and by the Baptist Church of Beaufort, and through in-kind donations of food, health kits, and gifts for the kids. The Multi-Ethnic and the Disaster Relief Groups of the South Carolina Baptist Convention donated Spanish language Bibles to be given to the workers.
Although giving to the Hanshew Fund is down significantly, SRBA churches can still give to the offering to help alleviate the cost for this event that ushered 74 new believers into Christ’s Kingdom.
Thank you to all who worked and gave to make this event happen.
