Home Away From Home: How Children Find Hope When They Lose Their Homes - An Educational Curriculum

How Children Find Hope When They Lose Their Homes

A teaching guide for grades 1-3

Copyright © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Editorial Director: Milana McLeadEditor-in-Chief: Jane Sutton-RednerProject Editor: Laurie DelgattoProject Coordinator: Ryan SmithCopyediting and Design: Creative SolutionsSales and Distribution Manager: Jojo Palmer

Home Away From Home may be reproduced only with the written permission of World Vision United States, Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716. Fax: 253.815.3340 • E-mail: [email protected]

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-09819235-5-0

The Scripture in this resource is from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

During the preparation of this resource, all citations, facts, figures, names, addresses, telephone numbers, Internet URLs, and other pieces of information cited within were verified for accuracy. World Vision Resources has made every attempt to reference current and valid sources, but we cannot guarantee the content of any source and we are not responsible for any changes that may have occurred since our verification. If you find an error in, or have a question or concern about, any of the information or sources listed within, please contact World Vision Resources.

The characters of Hope A. Potamus and Binja are owned by World Vision and cannot be reporduced without permission.

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Getting StartedAs young disciples of Christ, Christian children can make a difference in the lives of people who are poor and in need both in their own communities and around the world. This curriculum introduces various ways that those who are poor can become homeless. At the same time, participants will learn some of the basic factors in poverty, including contaminated water and lack of food, healthcare, and education. Not surprisingly, these are the same issues that impact refugee children.

These materials are intended to provide hands-on opportunities for participants tounderstand the issues surrounding homelessness. Since this is not a “happy” subject, we encourage you to remind participants each week that God loves all people and that God uses us to take care of others, even people we do not know.

To make this study flexible, we designed the curriculum so you can integrate individual parts into a regular Sunday school or Bible class curriculum, or use the entire lesson to fill a complete hour. Each session will take approximately 55 minutes, leaving five minutes for start-up and dismissal. A map or globe will be useful for each session; other items needed are listed at the beginning of each session. Also, optional completion certificates are included at the end of this study.

Your group will get the most from this curriculum if you incorporate a giving component into the activities. A suggestion for creating “giving jars” is included in the first lesson.

May you and the young people you serve be blessed as you learn about and care for children in need!

• Understand the realities of how millions

of children who are homeless live

• See God’s heart for people who are poor

and hurting

• Identify ways they can make a difference

for people in need, especially refugees

This four-session curriculum is designed to equip young people to:

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Overview

In the disaster-prone South Asian country of Pakistan, families have struggled for years to recover from the effects of frequent floods and earthquakes. Nearly one in every four people in this country lives below the poverty line, and for many families, survival is a daily challenge. In May 2009, when tensions between Pakistani forces and insurgents escalated into open conflict, hundreds of thousands of families were forced to flee their homes. Leaving what little they have is particularly difficult for people who are already poor. But this is the reality in dozens of countries like Pakistan, where people are forced to leave their homes and countries due to wars or natural disasters. In this session, students will be introduced to what it is like to be a displaced person.

Far From Homesession one

Objectives

Participants will understand that some people are forced to live as refugees, and will be challenged to find new ways to show love and compassion for refugee children and families.

Needed materials Two medium-sized clear glass bowls filled

with water

Food coloring mixed to look brown

Small jars or containers (large enough to decorate), one for each participant; another option is small paper lunch bags

Colored permanent markers, enough for each participant to have a few

Copies of “Meet Hope A. Potamus” and “Meet Binja,” found on pages 7-8

Copies of Handout 1, “Life in a Refugee Camp,” found on page 9, one for each participant

Copy of “Causes of Dirty Water,” found on page 10 (you will need to photocopy and trim the cards)

Copies of Lesson One coloring page, found on page 11, one for each participant

Preparation To better simulate the experience of a refugee

or displaced person, consider setting up small tents using sticks and tarps. As participants arrive, invite them to sit inside the tents and think about what it would be like if this were “home.”

Post the images of Hope A. Potamus and Binja somewhere in the front of the room.

Teacher advisement

Due to the intense nature of the material, please review the story on page 9 prior to sharing it with your class.

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1 Open with prayer.

2 As the participants arrive for class, allow them to sit inside the tents and think about what it would be like if this were ”home.”

Once they have spent a few minutes in the tents, invite them to come out and be seated. Then pose the following questions:

• How would you feel if this was where you lived?

• What would you like about it?

• What would you not like about it?

3 Say It: When people are forced to flee their homes and their countries, we call them refugees; if they are homeless but stay in their own country, we

call them displaced people. Let’s read about a real family from a country called Pakistan who were forced to leave their home.

4 Do It: Distribute a copy of “Life in a Refugee Camp” (page 9) to each participant and invite someone to read it aloud. (If your group is

too young to read well, read the handout aloud to them yourself.)

5 Say It: People leave their homes for different reasons. Manzar and his family left because of war. Other people leave their homes in search of food.

Sometimes, people leave because their country is having a drought, which means that they are not getting enough rain. Without the water from rain, many poor people cannot eat because they cannot grow food and they cannot afford to buy food. Without water, people also get thirsty. Think about how many faucets you have both inside and outside your house—in sinks, bathtubs, and your yard. Now think what it would be like if, when you turned on your faucets, no water came out in your house or in any house in your neighborhood. What would you do to find water?

Maybe you could go to a lake or stream near your house. But do you think that water is as clean as the water that comes out of your faucets? Why or why not?

Millions of people who are poor get their water from rivers, lakes, or even swamps. When people are forced to leave their homes, as Manzar did, they often have no choice but to drink whatever water they can find. Let’s see how drinking dirty water affects people.

6 Do It: Place the two bowls side by side where participants can see them. Ask for eight volun-teers to read, and give each volunteer a slip of

paper with one of the causes of dirty water listed on it (from “Causes of Dirty Water” on page 10). Tell participants that the food coloring represents what makes water dirty in many impoverished countries. As each cause is read, add food coloring to one bowl only; when the demonstration is finished, one bowl should still have clear water, the other brown water.

7 Say It: Which bowl would you rather drink from? People—especially children—who drink and wash with dirty water often

suffer from sickness and diseases. But it’s the only water they have, so the poor have no choice but to use the dirty water. When people are sick, they can’t do much to improve their lives. Can you think of ways people can get clean water?

Allow for a few responses.

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Millions of people around the world are forced to leave their homes. These people often have little food or clean water, and they can easily become sick.

8 Write the following verse on a sheet of poster paper or on a blackboard:

Love your neighbor as yourself. —Mark 12:31

9 Say It: God loves each of these people, and He asks us to love them, too. Jesus tells us in the Bible to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

We can show our love by caring for people in need.

Lead a large-group discussion using the following questions:

• Who is your neighbor?

• Who are people in need in your own community?

• What can you do to help them and show that you love them as Jesus said to?

10 Do It: Give each child a jar (or lunch bag) and a few permanent markers. Invite everyone to use the markers to decorate

their jar in whatever way they choose, instructing them to include the words “Giving Jar” somewhere in their design. Allow ample time for them to decorate. Invite participants to take their jars home and to put money in them each day for the next four weeks. They can use earnings from chores or their allowance and invite other family members to contribute as well. You might even suggest that they select a dollar amount (goal) to work toward.

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Say It: God loves all the people of the world, and He takes care of each of us. Sometimes He uses us to care for one another. That’s what He means when He tells us to love our neighbors. Remember Manzar and his family who left their home in Pakistan’s Swat Valley to live in a camp for displaced people? As you put money in your giving jar, you are help-ing people who are homeless, just like Manzar’s family. Your donations can help provide food, clean water, medi-cine, and other good things for hungry people in Pakistan and other parts of the world. God is taking care of these displaced people through you—because you are loving your neighbor, as Jesus told us to.

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Close with prayer. Thank God for using your group to answer prayers for those in need.

Give each participant a copy of the Lesson One coloring page to take home.

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meetHope A. Potamus

7Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

meetBinja

8 Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc. Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Pakistan

China

India

Indonesia

Philippines

Japan

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Manzar Khan is a 9-year-old boy who lives with his family in the country of Pakistan. (Locate Pakistan on a map or globe.) This country has a history of wars and natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes. Many people who live there are very poor.

In the spring of 2009, war broke out between the Pakistani government and rebel forces. The fight-ing took place in an area of Pakistan called the Swat Valley. It was very dangerous for families like Manzar’s who lived near the valley.

Manzar’s family could hear the fighting from their home and were afraid that it was moving closer. They did not want to leave, but they soon realized that they had no choice. “We decided to run away from our lovely village,” said Manzar’s father.

Manzar remembers being very scared. “All I did was to run,” he said. Along with his family, Manzar walked more than 20 miles through the mountains. Then they got in a vehicle that took them to a camp for people who had been displaced by the war.

In the camp, Manzar’s family lived in a tent. Conditions there were very crowded because so many people had to run from the fighting. Life was uncomfortable. The spring and summer are very hot in Pakistan; the temperature can get hotter than 100 degrees, and there was little shade in the camp. There was not enough clean drink-ing water to go around, and people were very thirsty.

The camp did not have sanitary toilets, which made it easy for germs to spread. Some people got sick, but there were very few doctors or medicines. Manzar’s baby brother was covered with mosquito bites

Life in a Refugee Camp

Where is Pakistan?

Manzar and his family had to run from their home when war broke out in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Now they are living in a camp for displaced people.

because there were no fans or bug sprays to keep the mosquitoes away from him.

There was not enough food in the camp either, and people were very hungry. When the fighting started, most families left their homes in such a hurry that they did not have time to bring any supplies. Manzar’s family left everything behind. “We have abandoned our cattle, goats, belongings, and crops,” said Manzar’s father. Now, they had nothing, and it was difficult to find work in the camp.

Manzar and his family wanted to go home, but they could not even think about that until they knew it was safe. For now, they had to focus on getting by from day to day.

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handout 1

9Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

You can’t get water anywhere but a river or pond.

Bugs and germs live in the water.

Animals wade in the water to drink.

Animals drink from the same water jugs that people use.

Causes of Dirty Water

People bathe in the water.

People wash their clothes in the water.

Water jugs get dirty and are hard to keep clean.

Without restrooms, people use streams as toilets.

Print this page and trim out each card to use during the lesson.

10 Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

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Say hello to two new friends! Hope A. Potamus is a happy photographer hippo. Binja, her constant companion, is a news reporter. Together, these explorers will take you around the world to learn how you can help kids in need.

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Needed materials Copies of “Running from War,” found on page 16, one

for each participant

Bananas, one for each participant

A small plastic swimming pool

Six to eight empty one-gallon milk containers

Bunches of branches and twine, enough for each partici-pant to create a makeshift broom

If a small plot on the church grounds is available, you will need a couple of shovels and hoes. If not, you will need cups, dirt, and seeds for each participant.

Copies of Lesson Two coloring page, found on page 17, one for each participant

Preparation Before the participants arrive you will need to create

four “stations” as noted below. Spread the stations out as far as possible on the church grounds or in the church building.

Station One: Hang bananas from trees located on the church grounds; if you are indoors, improvise with artifi-cial trees or coat stands.

Station Two: Set up a small swimming pool (or use a large, deep container) and fill it with water.

Station Three: Arrange piles of small branches and straw.

Station Four: See if there is a small plot on the church grounds that participants can use to plant seeds like those grown in Africa, such as potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and corn. If there is no usable outdoor area, seeds can be started indoors.

Overview

This session will focus on how some people must leave their homes for long periods of time because of war. Sometimes when families have to leave quickly, they cannot take their belongings with them. As a result, families who are made homeless by war are less prepared to care for themselves and often suffer a great deal.

Objectives

Participants will see how people can become refugees for long periods of time due to war, and will see that God calls all of us to be “kind to those in need.”

Growing Up Without a Homesession two

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1Open with prayer.

2 Discuss the following with participants. Allow for several responses to each question.

Imagine that you and your family have left your home quickly because soldiers were coming to your neighbor-hood. You have no time to pack. You have to run with only the clothes you are wearing.

• How do you think you would find food?

• How would you take care of yourself?

Let’s look at what happened to Lovi from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country in Africa that has been at war for several years.

3 Do It: Distribute a copy of Handout 2, “Running From War,” to each participant. Invite someone to read the story aloud. (If your group

is too young to read well, read the handout aloud to them yourself.)


Basic needs such as food, water, and a house are things we sometimes take for granted. But they can be very hard to get for people who are poor, and even more difficult for poor people who are forced to leave their homes.

• If you had no money to buy food at a supermarket, how would you get food?

• If you had no house, how would you make one?

Now we’re going to play a game that will show you how much work people who are poor must do just to have water or a broom to sweep with.

5 Do It: Divide participants into four equal groups. The goal is for participants to under-stand what children who are poor often do

in their daily chores.

Assign each group an adult leader who will lead the group on a “hike” through each station. Tell the lead-ers to move sequentially, with the group at Station Four proceeding to Station One until all the groups have experienced each station. Ask each leader to identify a “home base” that will serve as the site of their refugee tent.

Instructions for each station:

Station One: Pick one banana. Then walk back to home base.

Station Two: Fill an empty milk container with water and carry it back to home base.

Station Four: Hoe the ground and plant the seeds. If you are planting indoors, have participants use the cups, dirt, and seeds you have provided.

Station Three: Gather enough branches and straw

to make a broom, then walk back to home base and make brooms. Using three or four

branches and 16 inches of twine for each broom, gather the branches in a bundle and secure the bundle by looping and knotting the twine about an inch from one end of the bundle. Then wrap the twine as many times as you can to further secure the bundle of branches and knot again (this is a

very rough broom with no handle).

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6 Once everyone has completed all four stations, gather participants back into one group.

7 Say It: At the first station you picked a banana. For some children, this could be all they eat in an entire day.

At the second station you gathered some water out of a pool [or bucket]. Many people in poor countries have no running water in their homes. They must often walk between one and five miles every day to fetch water. Often children carry this water in large, heavy buckets balanced on their heads. At the third station you made a broom. In many places in the world, a broom made of branches is all that people have to keep their homes clean.

At the final station you did some planting. In some parts of the world, farmers do not have water for their crops and have to depend on the weather. If there is no rain, their crops will dry up and they won’t have enough food. If there is rain at the right time, their gardens will grow. Remember Lovi and his wife, who were taking care of Nyirere and Gabon because none of them could return to their homes? Life was difficult for them in the camp. They did not have money and could not grow food. Then World Vision came to the camp and gave food to families like Lovi’s. Simple things like corn, peas, vegetable oil, and salt helped them to survive so far from home. Though they still cannot return to their old village, Lovi and his family are working hard to create a new life. With the help of a nearby church, World Vision provided Lovi with a small plot of land where he can start a new farm. “I will now be able to grow food for myself and my family,” he said when he was given the land.

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Whoever is kind to the needy honors God. —Proverbs 14:31

9 Lead a large-group discussion using the following questions:

• What does ”honor” mean?

• How do you think being kind to the needy shows honor to God?

• What are ways you can be kind to someone in need and honor God?

10 Say It: Lovi has already planted corn, potatoes, cabbage, and a root called cassava. “I will not have to work on other

people’s land for small amounts of food,” he said. Lovi is thankful because this means that he will be able to provide food for Nyirere, Gabon, and his new baby. When you put money in your giving jar, you can help people like Lovi and his children have a better life!

Lovi’s story has a happy ending, but many children like Nyirere and Gabon will need help in the future when they are forced to leave their homes. Because God loves every-one, He takes care of people, and He asks us to care for those in need too. God’s Word tells us that when we care for others we are not only caring for people—we are showing God that we care for Him too.

11 Review It: Revisit the conversation you began last week about the giving jars. Ask the participants to share with one another

how things are going in their daily collection of money. Discuss some of the various items that can be provided to children in need.

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Close with prayer. Remember to thank God for using your group to care for those in need. Give each participant a copy of the Lesson Two coloring page to take home.

Lovi and his pregnant wife stand with Nyirere and Gabon outside their makeshift house in the camp for families displaced by the war. Land provided by World Vision is helping this family build a new life.

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DemocraticRepublic of the Congo

Sudan

Ethiopia

Kenya

Angola

South Africa

Nigeria


Lovi is a young father who lives in the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo, a country located in Central Africa (locate on a map or globe). For years, people in this country have been at war with one another. In September 2008, when rebel soldiers attacked his village, Lovi and his pregnant wife were forced to run from their home.

In the forest, they came across two young children who had lost their parents while running from the fighting. Lovi said, “I picked up one with one hand, and one with the other, and my wife carried our cargo.” All four of them ran until they were out of harm’s way.

Because of the fighting in their village, Nyirere and Gabon, the children that Lovi rescued, could not go home to look for their parents. Instead, they walked more than 15 miles with Lovi and his wife to a camp for families who have been displaced by the war.

Lovi agreed to take care of Nyirere and Gabon, but their new life was not easy. Nearly 1,000 other fami-lies had been forced to leave their homes and were already living in the camp. There was not enough space or food for everyone. People were hungry, and some were getting sick.

Back at home, Lovi had a large farm where he planted food to eat and sell. “In my village, I was living on the fruits of my farm,” he said. But his farm was a long way from the camp, and Lovi knew that it was not safe to return. “I can’t go home because I’m sure someone else is on my farm,” he said.

Running From War

Where is the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The children that Lovi rescued from the fighting are living with him in a camp for people who fled their homes. World Vision is helping to provide these families with necessities like food.

At the camp, it was hard to make enough money to survive. Some people sold firewood or carried bananas, but they usually didn’t make more than one dollar a day. Lovi was able to find work as a farmer on other people’s land, but he only made enough to feed his family one meal a day. “I cannot even afford food,” he said.

Without food to eat or a home to protect them, Lovi’s pregnant wife and new children would grow weak and get sick more easily.

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handout 2

16 Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Whoever is kind to the needy honors God. —Proverbs 14:31

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc. 17Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Needed materials Copies of “Sagur’s Home is Washed Away,” found on

page 22, one for each participant

Building blocks, enough for four groups to build some kind of “house”

Crackers, one for each participant

Small cups of water, one for each participant

Pens or pencils, one for each participant

Small bandages, one for each participant

Preparation Create four tent cards. Write one of the following

words on each card: earthquake, hurricane, drought, flood.

Overview

This session will highlight how people’s lives are impacted by natural disasters. When these disasters occur in impoverished areas, the impact is especially devastating because those who are poor often lose all they own. Since their houses aren’t constructed as well as houses in wealthier parts of the world, they also are more likely to lose their homes.

Objectives

Participants will understand that natural disasters also cause people to become homeless, and will be challenged to “remember those who are poor.”

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Rebuilding a Homesession three

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1Open with prayer.


Sometimes things happen that we call “natural disas-ters.” A natural disaster is something destructive caused by nature, like a flood (when there is too much rain), a hurricane (a big storm with high winds), or an earthquake (when the ground shakes). When natural disasters hap-pen, they often destroy many people’s homes.

• Has anyone seen news about natural disasters on television? If so, what did you see?

• What do you think can happen to people who live where there is a natural disaster like a flood or an earthquake?

As you listen to this story, imagine what it would be like if you were Sagur.

3 Do It: Distribute a copy of Handout 3, “Sagur’s Home is Washed Away,” to each participant and invite someone to read it

aloud. (If your group is too young to read well, read the handout aloud to them yourself.)

4 Say It: Natural disasters happen all over the world. But countries that are rich, such as the United States, have an easier time getting back to

normal after these disasters. Countries that are poor have a much harder time after a disaster. Why do you think this is?

5 Do It: Divide the participants into four groups. Give each group one of the four tent cards you created earlier. Also give each group

the following: a cup of water, a bandage, a cracker, and a pen for each group member, plus enough building blocks for the group to build one “house.” Instruct the groups to create a “house” using only the building blocks they have been given. Let each group know they have only three minutes to build the best house they can with their blocks. Tell participants that the houses they built represent homes in an impoverished country. Ask the groups to imagine that they actually built these homes out of mud or wood they collected from a forest. The floors are dirt. The home has two rooms—a kitchen and a small living room that also is used as a bedroom.

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6 Do It: Offer the following instructions to each group as noted below:

Earthquake group: An earthquake has just done major damage to your community. The houses have fallen down. Take your house apart.

What little food you had is buried in your house. Take away the group’s crackers.

Your school has collapsed. Take away the group’s pencils.

More than half the people in your group are injured. Put bandages on the foreheads of half the group members.

Hurricane group: A hurricane has just swept through your community, leaving almost everything in ruin. Your water has been contaminated. Take away the group’s water.

Your houses have collapsed. Take your house apart.

Your schools have fallen down, too. Take away each person’s pencil.

Your food has been buried or contaminated. Take away the group’s crackers.

One of every three of you were hurt when buildings collapsed. Put bandages on one of every three participants in this group.

Drought group: Not enough rain is falling in your area. Wells, lakes, and rivers have dried up. You have no water. Take away the group’s water.

Without rain, your crops have failed and your cattle are dying. Take away the group’s crackers.

You are hungry and thirsty, so you leave your home to search for food and water. Take down your house.

Since you have left your community, you can no longer go to school. Take away the group’s pencils.

You have walked more than 80 miles but you have not found water and there is very little food. All of you are very hungry and getting weak. Put bandages on the foreheads of all the group members.

Flood group: Heavy rain has caused flooding in your area. Rivers have overflowed, and it keeps raining. You have run from your home to escape drowning; now the rushing water is destroying your house. Take your house apart.

Your cows and chickens didn’t make it out in time, so you have no food. Take away the group’s crackers.

There’s water everywhere—but it’s dirty. Take away the group’s water.

Your school also has been destroyed. Take away the group’s pencils.

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7 Allow the groups a few minutes to talk about how they are going to solve their specific problems:

• What do you need? • How can you help yourselves? • In what ways do you need help from others?

Ask one person from each group to share what his or her group decided.


All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor. —Galatians 2:10

9 Say It: In this verse, Paul isn’t saying just to think about those who are poor.

• What else might Paul mean when he says “remember the poor”?

• How can you ”remember the poor” the next time you hear about a natural disaster?

10 Say It: Remember Sagur, the boy in Bangladesh whose house was washed away by a flood? His family lost everything

and did not have money for simple things like food.

After the flood, World Vision gave basic supplies like food and blankets to families who were affected by the disaster. Sagur’s family received a package with food and other things they needed. “The quality of World Vision’s packages is very good,” said Sagur’s father, Bikesh. He was happy to have food to give his family.

Sagur and his family had to live in a temporary shelter after their home was destroyed in a flood. World Vision gave them food and supplies to help them survive and give them hope.

Because they have received help, Sagur’s family now has hope for the future. Bikash is making plans to build a new, stronger home. When you put money in your giving jar, you can help people like Sagur who are poor and trying to rebuild their lives after natural disasters.

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Ask the participants to share with one another how things are going in their daily collection of money. Discuss some of the various items that can be provided to children in need. Remind participants that they have only one week left in their efforts and encourage them to stay focused during these final days.

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Close with prayer. Give each participant a copy of the Lesson Three coloring page to take home.

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BangladeshBangladesh

China

India

Indonesia

Philippines

Japan


Sagur is a 6-year-old boy growing up in the country of Bangladesh (locate on a map or globe). On May 25, 2009, a big storm called a cyclone brought heavy rains and strong winds to his village.

Sagur’s father, Bikash, went to help men from the village build up the banks of the river so that it would not overflow from all the rain. But the storm was too strong. “Within five minutes, we realized [the wall] would break, because the water current had already started up, and the wind speed was massive,” said Bikash. As soon as he saw what was happening, Bikash ran to get his family.

Sagur was at home with his mother getting ready to have lunch when the floodwaters began rushing toward them. “It was a very fast wind making a huge roaring sound,” recalls his mother. She grabbed Sagur and his baby brother and began to run for safety. Sagur’s house was made of mud, and as soon as water hit the walls, it started to crumble.

When Sagur’s father caught up with them, the water was so deep that it nearly covered their bodies. Bikash grabbed Sagur and together, the family con-tinued to struggle toward a safe place. “There were many people with us, fighting to get to safety,” Bikash recalls.

Eventually, they arrived at a govern-ment shelter where other people who had escaped the disaster were staying. For the next sev-eral hours, they watched from a distance as the floodwaters continued to rise. Sagur was hungry, but all of their food had washed away in the flood. With nowhere else to go,

Sagur’s Home Is Washed Away

Where is Bangladesh?

In Bangladesh, floods often destroy homes, leaving families like Sagur’s with nowhere to live.

Sagur’s family slept at the government shelter with many other families who had left their homes.

When the storm was over, Sagur’s family found that their house was gone, and everything was destroyed. “We could not save anything from our house,” said Sagur. He lost his schoolbooks, clothes, bed, and food.

The flood also washed away the cart that Sagur’s father used for his business. Without this, he would not be able to make money. Now, Sagur’s family had nowhere to live and no way to buy the things they needed for survival, like food and warm blankets.

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22 Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor.

—Galatians 2:10

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc. 23Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.

Overview This session features a closer look at some of the essential issues that affect those who are poor, whether they have homes or not.

Objectives

Participants will understand the important roles that water, food, health, education, and a relationship with Jesus play in a child’s life, and will learn new ways they can continue to help those who are poor.

Needed materials A glass of water

A schoolbook

A bandage

Copies of Handout 4, “Earthquake in China,” found on page 27, one for each participant

Two baskets filled with fruit or vegetables

A roll of masking tape

Crayons, glitter, and other craft items for decorating

a bookmark

Yarn or string to make a “tassel” for each bookmark

Copies of Bookmarks, found on page 28, one book-mark for each participant (you will want to copy this page onto a heavy paper such as cardstock)

Copies of “Certificate of Completion,” found on page 29, one for each participant

Copies of “What You Can Do,” found on page 30, one for each participant. (You may wish to copy them on the back of the certificates.)

Preparation Using copies of the bookmarks, cut out enough so

that you have one for each participant. Fold them in half and adhere together so the children can decorate one side. Punch a hole in the top of each.

Fill out a “Certificate of Completion” for each participant.

Using the masking tape, mark four equal lines on the floor, two on each side of the room (they should be at least eight feet apart). Place the fruits or vegetables behind the lines on one side of the room.

Creating a Healthy Homesession four

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1Open with prayer.

2 Say It: For the past three sessions, we have talked about children who became homeless after they either had to leave their homes or their

homes were destroyed in a disaster.

• How do you think you would feel if you had no home? Why?

3 Say It: Many of these children already were poor before they lost their homes. The few things they owned were very special to them.

Millions of children who are poor may have houses made of mud or sticks, but they don’t have clean water to drink, enough food to keep them healthy, or a place to go to school. When children lose their homes, life is even harder. These items (show the glass of water, the piece of fruit, the schoolbook, and the bandage) represent water, food, health, and school. Listen to this story, and when you hear water, food, health, or school talked about, raise your hand. When I call on you, you can tell me what you heard that matches one of these four items I’ve shown you.

4 Do It: Give each participant a copy of Handout 4, “Earthquake in China,” and invite someone to read the story out loud.

(If your group is too young to read well, read the handout aloud to them yourself.)

5 Say It: You can see how important clean water, food, health, and school are to people. Because they are small, children can get very sick

when they don’t have clean water or enough food. Adults can get sick too, and then they can’t work as well to take care of their families. Without education, people can’t read or do math—two skills they need to make their lives better. When people have clean water, enough food, health, and education, children are more likely to grow up into adults who can work at good jobs and have better lives than those who do not have clean water, enough food, health, and education.

People in Africa use baskets to carry many of their everyday items. They sometimes balance the baskets on their heads due to the long distances they walk. We’re going to play a relay game that will let you see what it is like to carry food like many African children do.

6 Do It: Divide the participants into two teams, and have them line up behind the strips of mask-ing tape facing the fruits and vegetables. Give a

basket to the first participant at the front of each line. Then give these instructions:

Each team member must walk to the other line with the basket on his or her head, fill the basket up with the fruits or vegetables, and walk back to the line with the basket balanced on his or her head. No hands allowed! Once each person has crossed the line, he or she can pass the basket on to the next team member. The next team member must then walk with the full basket on his or her head to the opposite line, empty the basket, walk back with the empty basket on his or her head, and pass it on to the next team member. Keep going until every team member has had a turn; the team finishing first wins.

If the teams are uneven in number, have some team members go twice so the game is fair.

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7 Say It: Remember Liang and Lian, the parents who had to move their family into a tent after their home fell down in the earthquake in China?

After the disaster, World Vision gave them food and blankets to keep them fed and warm. Then World Vision loaned them money to help them rebuild their house. Today, Liang is working hard to build his family a safe brick house. “We will no longer be afraid of the rain,” he said. Lian hopes that her children will have a better future. “People are so kind to help us, and so we [get] to live our [lives] well from now on,” she said. When you put money in your giving jar, God is using you to help families like Liang and Lian’s rebuild their lives after disasters. Now let’s spend a few minutes thinking of other ways God can use us to help people around the world who are poor. Here are a few ideas to get us started:

• Pray for those who are poor.

• Raise money to send a goat or other needed item to a family in a poor country.

• Sponsor a child.

• Continue to learn more about the needs of people who are poor and tell others about what you’re learning!

8 Do It: Give each participant one of the book-marks you created from the bookmark template. Also distribute the crayons, markers, glitter, paint,

and other decorating items. Invite participants to add their own artistic touches to these bookmarks. Finish the book-mark by attaching a piece of yarn or string to the hole at the top.

9 Write the following verse on a sheet of poster paper or on a blackboard.


10Review It: Today we’re reviewing the verse we learned in the first session—because it’s important to God and important for us! In this

study we’ve learned that to be physically healthy, children need a place to live, enough food to eat, clean water to drink, and a place to go for medical care when they’re sick. But do you know all people, including children, need spiritual health as well as physical health? To be spiritually healthy, children need to know about Jesus. When we think of loving our neighbors, sharing the gift of faith in Jesus also is part of showing people that we love them. Lead a group discussion using the following questions:

• Why do you think sharing about Jesus is important?

• What do you know about Jesus that you can share with others?

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Do It: Give each participant their certificate of completion, as well as a copy of “How You Can Help.” Ask them to take some time to fill out the action step part of the certificate. If time permits, invite participants to share what actions they plan to take.

Tell participants that the handout will give them informa-tion about what they can do with the money they have collected in their giving jars over the last four weeks. Encourage the participant to spend some time with a parent to determine how and where they wish to donate the funds they have collected.

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Close with prayer.

Liang is happy that World Vision loaned him money to build a new home after

everything his family had was destroyed in an earthquake. A safe place to live

will help keep them warm and healthy.

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ChinaIndia

Indonesia

Russia

Japan

Mongolia

Australia


Liang is a father of three who lives in China with his wife, Lian. The family works hard growing beans and corn so that they will have food to eat and sell. But there is still not enough money. “I am very poor,” says Liang. Liang’s son is studying away from home, but his two daughters spend their days working because he cannot afford to send them to school.

The family used to live high in the hills of Wayaopo village, in a house made of clay. But in May 2008, when a massive earthquake hit China, their poorly built home collapsed. The family’s food, furniture, clothes, and quilts were all buried in the rubble.

“The house was gone. Everything was gone,” said Liang. When disasters destroy homes and land, it is often difficult for families like Liang’s to find enough food and clean water to stay healthy. “What are we going to do?” Liang wondered. The family had no choice but to move into a small tent made out of plastic.

Life in the tent was uncomfortable and dangerous. When rain fell, water would cover everything. Preparing food was difficult, be-cause everything was wet. The family could not get dry or warm, and their health was at serious risk. Red and itchy spots kept appear-ing all over their bodies.

Earthquake in China

Where is China?

When homes are destroyed in earthquakes, families often lose everything. In China, World Vision is helping families whose homes are gone to build safe places to live.

Liang wanted to rebuild their home, but he did not think it was possible. He did not have enough money to buy supplies or pay workers. The government tried to help, but they could not do much. The earthquake had disrupted life for thousands of families in China, and there were many other homes and schools that needed to be rebuilt.

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handout 4


to prayI willremember

that all peoplewill have . . .

Clean water to drinkGood healthEnough food to eatA good educationA relationship with Jesus








Print and fold in half; adhere the halves together, then punch a hole and add a ribbon if desired.

Certificate

Certificate

of completion

of completion

_______________________________________________________________________ (name)

has completed World Vision’s “Home Away From Home” program and is now a partner-friend of children around the world. Together we have learned the following things are important for people to live full lives: Clean water to drink • Good health • Enough food to eat • A good education • A relationship with Jesus

To help those who are poor in my community and around the world, I will:

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ (name)

has completed World Vision’s “Home Away From Home” program and is now a partner-friend of children around the world. Together we have learned the following things are important for people to live full lives: Clean water to drink • Good health • Enough food to eat • A good education • A relationship with Jesus

To help those who are poor in my community and around the world, I will:

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________


Directions: Print two-sided with page 30 and cut out.

What you can do For the past few weeks, you and your

family have been collecting money for

those in need. Now you must decide

what to do with that money. Spend some

time with a parent discussing some of the

ideas below. These are various ways your

money can help those in need.

Give a giftWorld Vision’s Gift Catalog allows your family to give life-changing gifts to children and families in need—things like goats, clean-water wells, or seeds. You can even donate in the name of someone special.

Go to www.worldvisiongifts.org to see and order items from the catalog.

Sponsor a childThousands of children need help. You and your family can sponsor a child and help his or her whole family and community through World Vision’s child sponsorship program. You can choose the country, gender, age, and even birth date of your sponsored child. Think about sponsoring someone who shares your birthday!

Visit www.worldvision.org for more information.

Help others learnWorld Vision Resources provides wonderful educational books and tools to help children and families learn more about hunger and poverty. Use your giving jar money to order one of our books and donate it to your church, or present it to your teacher as a tool to help others learn how they too can reach out to those who are poor.

Go to www.worldvisionresources.com to see the growing number of books available.

What you can do For the past few weeks, you and your

family have been collecting money for

those in need. Now you must decide

what to do with that money. Spend some

time with a parent discussing some of the

ideas below. These are various ways your

money can help those in need.

Give a giftWorld Vision’s Gift Catalog allows your family to give life-changing gifts to children and families in need—things like goats, clean-water wells, or seeds. You can even donate in the name of someone special.

Go to www.worldvisiongifts.org to see and order items from the catalog.

Sponsor a childThousands of children need help. You and your family can sponsor a child and help his or her whole family and community through World Vision’s child sponsorship program. You can choose the country, gender, age, and even birth date of your sponsored child. Think about sponsoring someone who shares your birthday!

Visit www.worldvision.org for more information.

Help others learnWorld Vision Resources provides wonderful educational books and tools to help children and families learn more about hunger and poverty. Use your giving jar money to order one of our books and donate it to your church, or present it to your teacher as a tool to help others learn how they too can reach out to those who are poor.

Go to www.worldvisionresources.com to see the growing number of books available.


Directions: Print two-sided with page 29 and cut out.

About World Vision

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. We envision a world in which each child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can be achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World Vision is unique: We bring 60 years of experience in three key areas needed to help children and families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across many areas of expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care for children’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Partnering with World Vision provides tangible ways to honor God and put faith into action. By working together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families who are struggling to overcome poverty. To find out more about how you can help, visit www.worldvision.org.

About World Vision Resources

Ending global poverty and injustice begins with education: understanding the magnitude and causes of poverty, its impact on human dignity, and our connection to those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision. World Vision Resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to respond, and equips them with innovative resources to make a difference in the world.

For more information, contact:

World Vision ResourcesMail Stop 321P.O. Box 9716Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

Fax: 253.815.3340

[email protected]

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Home Away from Home: How Children Find Hope When They Lose Their Homes helps young people in grades 1-3 to grow in their understanding of poverty and see new ways they can help others.

This four-session curriculum is designed to equip young people to:

• Understand the realities of how millions of poor children, including refugees, live

• See God’s heart for people who are poor and hurting

• Identify ways they can make a difference for people in need, especially refugees

The study is designed so leaders can integrate individual parts into a regular Sunday school or Bible class curriculum or use an entire lesson to fill a full class hour.

34834 Weyerhaeuser Way S.P.O. Box 9716Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

www.worldvision.org


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Documents

Home Away From Home: How Children Find Hope When They Lose Their Homes - An Educational Curriculum