How One VBS Invitation Changed Everything

By Neat Randriamialison

Last year, a little girl named Francesca Irina Lopez attended Vacation Bible School at the Reno-Sparks Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church for the very first time. Her mother had heard about the event through a coworker who is a member of the church. That simple invitation became the start of something much bigger.

Francesca loved VBS so much that she joined the Adventurers Club that same year. Her family, though attending a different church on Sundays, began bringing her faithfully to Sabbath programs. This summer, one year later, Francesca stood proudly as she was invested as a Builder during the church’s investiture ceremony on July 19, 2025.

“It’s amazing to see how God worked through that one connection,” said Elder Hector Vasquez, who leads the church’s youth ministries. “Francesca stayed with us the whole year. Now her family attends our small groups and is part of the church community.”

And there is more. She started to invite her friends.

Pastor Benjamin Carballo, along with a team of dedicated volunteers, decided 2 years ago to bring back VBS and support the youth programs. And through the church’s second year of VBS, nearly 40 kids participated, and over 70% of them were from the community. Other families have since joined the Adventurers and Pathfinders Clubs, some even attending church more regularly because their children were invited by friends.

“We’re tired,” Vasquez said with a smile, “but there’s a mission here. And God is moving through it.”

What started as a simple VBS invite became a doorway to a new church family for Francesca and many others.