Vacation Bible School is an arm of the church outreaching children. Usually it is a ten-day long child oriented teaching, making use of songs, stories, games, skit, crafts, audio-visual media, outing etc. conducive for learning.

History

Some people trace the beginning of VBS back to 1894, in a park in Hopedale, Illinois, USA. Mrs. D. T. Miles had been a public school teacher before her marriage and continued teaching Sunday school classes afterwards. Because she felt that the short time she had with the children on Sunday mornings was not nearly enough to teach them all they needed to know, she came up with the idea of organizing a daily school for teaching the Bible during the summer months.

Rev. Lester John Hamilton and Mrs. Mary Hamilton (American Missionaries) arrived in India in 1951 and was associated with the activities of the South India Bible Institute in Bangarapet, Kolar District, Karnataka. In 1952, Mrs. Mary Hamilton was requested to prepare materials for a model Vacation Bible School, and this was so well received that it has grown to become an annual event in many parts of India, and other countries in the world. Now millions of children are attending VBS classes in different countries in different languages.

VBS (Vacation Bible School) was first introduced at Mallappally, Kerala during 1956 by the CSI Church. The Kuwait United Vacation Bible School (KUVBS) was conducted jointly by the Mar Thoma and CSI Parishes in Kuwait during the summer holidays at the National Evangelical Church, Kuwait. It was conducted on all Fridays during the months June, July and August from the starting year 1984 till 1997 Parishes in Kuwait during the summer holidays at the National Evangelical Church, Kuwait. It was conducted on all Fridays during the months June, July and August from the starting year 1984 till 1997 except for the Iraqi invasion period. From 1998 onwards it is conducted at a stretch, on all days except Sundays due to non-availability of the Church, to facilitate the availability of the Director brought from India, to have continuity of classes and to enable the teachers to avail the rest of the summer holidays.

In our maiden attempt to conduct independent VBS in Kuwait, the first C.S.I VBS in Kuwait was
successfully carried out from 18th March to 1st April 2011.

Objectives

The VBS is one of our main evangelistic outreach programmes for children. It is our only desire to impact these little lives for Christ. It is truly a rewarding experience when these children, at some point in their
lives choose to place Christ in the centre of their life and come to know that He is always there for them.