Sharing AnChrist’s Love

Advent Resource for Grades K-8

This educational resource was produced by World Vision Canada and adapted by World Vision
Resources, World Vision United States, 2009.

World Vision United States is grateful to World Vision Canada for allowing this resource to be
adapted for use in the U.S.

Copyright © 2009 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716;
e-mail wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved.

Editorial Director: Milana McLead

Editor-in-Chief: Jane Sutton-Redner
Project Editor: Laurie Delgatto
Design: Matthew Ip
Copyeditor: Sandra Boedecker
Sales and Distribution Manager: Jojo Palmer

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 cited
information 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.

Cover photo: Andrea Laska, 8, participates in World Vision’s Youth Bible Curriculum project in Tirana, Albania. Photo by Jon Warren.

PAIR091473_0909 © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

Introduction

This resource helps young people in kindergarten through 8th grade to learn more about global issues
during Advent. Advent, which means “coming,” marks a season of preparation for the Church—preparation
for Christmas and the celebration of the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World.

For each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas, you will find lessons designed to help young people
understand that today’s world and the world into which Jesus was born 2,000 years ago are not that
distant from each other. Through stories—from the Bible and the present day—and through creative
and engaging activities, participants will learn how poverty and injustice affected people in the Christmas
story and how they continue to affect people today. Participants will also consider ways that they can act
as Jesus’s hands and feet by sharing His light and hope this Christmas with people who struggle under the
burden of poverty and injustice.

Each of the four lessons includes:

• an Advent candlelighting activity

• a Christmas Bible story
• a story illustrating how gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog benefit
children, families, and whole communities
• a creative, hands-on activity to help participants respond to the stories

Preparing Yourself

Read each lesson before you facilitate it. You can choose activities to incorporate into each weekly lesson.
Knowing your audience will help you determine which strategies will work best. Some activities require
preparation. Allow yourself adequate time to prepare. Most lessons include a presentation of key concepts.
Preparing for these presentations is vital to the success of each lesson.

To participate in the giving opportunities in this resource, please request free copies of World Vision’s
Gift Catalog. Ideally, you’ll want one catalog for each participant. To order copies, go to
www.worldvisiongifts.org, call 1.888.511.6511, or e-mail giftcatalog@worldvision.org. You may also
view the catalog online at www.worldvisiongifts.org.

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 week one
Family Matters
This lesson helps participants understand that families who love them and people who care for them are
an expression of God’s love. Participants also consider how they can show God’s love to others who may
have lost the love and support of family members.

Materials

• four candles arranged in a circle

• matches
• a Bible
• a wrapped Christmas gift with a picture of a goat (or a toy goat) inside
• copies of the World Vision Gift Catalog, one for each participant
(order at www.worldvisiongifts.org, or by calling 1.888.511.6511
or e-mailing giftcatalog@worldvision.org)
• legal size envelopes, one for each participant

• copies of handout 1, “Nativity Scene,” found on pages 9 and 10, one for each participant
grades
K-2 • farm animal stickers, 24 stickers for each participant
• large sheets of construction paper, one for each participant
• crayons or markers, several for each participant
• scissors, one pair for each participant
• glue sticks, one for each participant

• a wrapped Christmas gift with a picture of a goat (or a toy goat) inside
grades
3-5 • copies of handout 2, “Comic Book Adventures,” found on pages 11 and 12,
one for each participant
• thin markers or colored pencils, a few for each participant

• copies of handout 3, “Between Here and There,” found on page 13, one for each participant
grades
6-8 • pens or pencils, one for each participant

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week one: Family Matters, cont.

12 Lesson Steps
3
1. Discuss the idea of waiting. Ask participants what they wait for. Why do they wait? Do they like
to wait? Allow for a few responses to each question.

2. Introduce the season of Advent to the group as a time when Christians set aside four weeks to
await and prepare for the important celebration of Christmas—Jesus’s birth. Let them know this is the
first week of Advent.

3. Discuss families. Why are their families important? What special things do they do with family
members? Allow for a few responses to each question. Tell participants that the stories they will be
hearing are about families.

4. Offer the following comments:

• In the Bible, Jesus says that whatever we do for those who are forgotten, mistreated, or in need,
we do for Him (Matthew 25:40).

• Today we’re going to learn about children in our world who are forgotten, mistreated, or in need.

• As Jesus’s followers, we’re going to think of ways that we can reach out to them. Jesus says, “What
you do for them, you do for me.”

5. Discuss Jesus’s words in Matthew 25:40. What does His statement mean? How should we
respond? Allow for a few responses to each question. Encourage participants to begin thinking about
ways they can show Jesus’s love to the world by helping people in need.

6. Invite participants to focus on the Advent candles. Share the following:

• We will light a candle each week of Advent to help us wait and prepare for Christmas, when we
celebrate Jesus coming as the Light of the World. (Light first candle.)

• Today, we light the first candle—the candle that stands for love, to remind us that Jesus came to
show us that God’s love is for all people.

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 week one: Family Matters, cont.

7. For younger children, tell the following Bible story. For older children, read the story of
how the birth of Jesus was foretold, found in Luke 1:26-38.

read God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth to pay a visit to a young woman
aloud named Mary. She was going to be married to a man named Joseph.

The angel said, “Greetings, Mary! God loves you very much. He is with you all the time.”

The angel and his words frightened Mary. She wondered what this strange greeting
could mean.

But the angel said, “Don’t be frightened, Mary. You are very special to God. He wants you to
know that you are going to have a baby. You must name him Jesus. He will be God’s own Son.
He will be the greatest king that ever was. And He will care for His people forever.”

“But how can this happen,” asked Mary, “when I don’t have a husband yet?” Gabriel
answered, “God’s spirit will come over you. Nothing is impossible for God.”

“All right,” Mary said to the angel Gabriel. “I know that God will look after me no matter
what happens. Let your words come true exactly as you told me.”

8. Introduce George’s story:

• God gave Mary and Joseph to Jesus to be His mother and father, and to love and care for Him.
God gives us families to love and care for us. Today we’ll be hearing how a boy named George,
who didn’t have a mother or a father, was cared for—and how one day, George got a most
unusual present from some caring people who lived far away. Can you guess what it was?

9. Pass around the wrapped Christmas gift with the goat picture (or toy goat) inside and have
participants guess what the present might be. You may give hints (e.g., number of legs, the sound it
makes, etc.). When all have had a chance to guess, unwrap the gift. Then ask the question: What might
George use a goat for? Allow for a few responses to the question.

10. Read George’s story:

read Meet George. George lives in a country in Africa called Uganda. He is 8 years old and
aloud
lives with his grandmother because his parents have both died.

George shares his home with 10 other children and teenagers—Mary, Rebecca, Sam,
Moses, Joanita, Judith, Rita, Racheal, Benjamin, and Jane. None of these children are his
brothers or sisters. Some are his cousins. All of them live in George’s grandmother’s small
mud hut.
(continued)

4
week one: Family Matters, cont.

read George dreams of becoming a science teacher, but first he’ll have to go to school for
aloud many years.

The government pays for George’s school fees, but his grandma has to earn money to
pay for his books. She does this by selling bananas—but her bananas are very small and
many people don’t want to buy them.

This has caused George’s grandma more than a few worries. But thanks to a wonderful
gift from some caring people, things are looking up in the banana sales department.
When the caring people donated 450 goats and 100 chickens for families in Uganda,
George’s family got two of the goats.

11. Stop to ask for ideas on how goats might improve banana sales. Then continue on:

read Goats produce manure—lots of wonderful, smelly manure. And manure, which contains
aloud
nutrients and minerals that plants need, fertilizes the soil. That in turn helps to produce
large, delicious bananas.

George’s grandma explains, “I used to have a hard time selling my bananas because people
did not want to buy my small bananas, but now the manure from the goats has made a huge
difference.”

Plants raised on goat manure are at least one-third bigger than they’d otherwise be.

The children and teens in George’s family work hard at feeding the animals and taking
care of the vegetables on their little farm to make sure their family has enough money
to survive.

George, who loves the goats, says, “It’s easy to raise a goat. It eats less than a cow.”

The children don’t have video games or Internet access, but they do know how to make
their own fun. They go exploring together, play games, and make their own toys.

George’s grandma hopes the goats will have kids (baby goats) someday, to help pay for
the many things her growing family needs, but for now the $2.50 she gets from selling a
large bunch of bananas provides her with enough money to pay for food, medicine, and
school supplies for her grandchildren.

With the extra money that the larger bananas bring in, George can stay in school and
keep working toward his dream of becoming a science teacher. And maybe then he’ll
teach his students about goats, bananas, and the wonders of manure.

5
 week one: Family Matters, cont.

12. Engage participants in a large-group discussion using the following questions:

grades
• God shows His love for us by putting other people in our lives who love and care for us.
K-2 Whom has God put in your life to care for you?

• Whom did God give to Jesus to care for Him?

• Whom did God give to George to care for him?

• How did George’s grandma show that she loves George?

• How do your parents show that they love you?

• Jesus asks us to show His love to others by caring for them. What are some ways you can
show Jesus’s love to people who need help?

• How could buying a goat for a boy or girl in Uganda help them?

• If you had the opportunity to buy an animal for a child in need, what animal would you
buy? Why?

grades
• God shows His love for us by putting other people in our lives who love and care for us.
3-8 Whom has God put in your life to care for you?

• What are some ways that Mary’s situation and George’s grandma’s situation are the same?

• Did anything about George’s life surprise you?

• George keeps busy growing vegetables, going to school, and tending his goats. What chores
do you do? How do your chores compare with George’s?

• What are some ways that you can show Jesus’s love to other people?

• How could buying a goat for a boy or girl in Uganda help them?

13. Activity Time:

grades
• G
 ive each participant a copy of handout 1, “Nativity Scene,” a sheet of construction paper,
K-2 several crayons or markers, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick. Invite them to create a nativity
scene with Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and a manger. They can do so by cutting, coloring,
and pasting the figures and stable onto the construction paper.

• Give each participant an envelope and a set of 24 animal stickers. Ask them to glue the
envelope to the construction paper below the stable scene and place the animal stickers
in the envelope.

6
week one: Family Matters, cont.

• Give participants a copy of the World Vision Gift Catalog and invite them to flip through a
few pages as you highlight some of the items featured.

• Remind participants of the Bible verse shared at the beginning of the lesson: “Whatever
you did for one of … these … you did for me.” Invite the participants to take their finished
nativity scenes home and “fill” the stable with animals by adding one of the animal stickers
to the stable scene each day until Christmas. Ask them to put money into the envelope
each time they stick an animal into the stable scene, using earnings from chores or their
allowance. Suggest that they invite other family members to contribute as well.

• Give each participant a copy of handout 2, “Comic Book Adventures,” and a few markers
grades
3-5 or colored pencils. Ask them to choose one of the scenarios noted on the handout and
create a comic strip about it. Allow plenty of time for them to complete the task.

• Invite participants to divide into small groups of three or four and share their comic strips
with the other group members. Once the groups have had time to share, gather everyone
back together and invite a few participants to share their strips with the large group.

• Give participants a copy of the World Vision Gift Catalog and invite them to flip through
a few pages as you highlight some of the items featured.

• Remind participants of the Bible verse shared at the beginning of the lesson: “Whatever
you did for one of … these … you did for me.” Give an envelope to each participant. Invite
them to take the envelope home and put money in it each day leading up to Christmas.
They can use earnings from chores or their allowance and invite other family members to
contribute as well. Their goal should be to put some amount of money into the envelope
each day.

• Give each participant a copy of handout 3, “Between Here and There,” and a pen or pencil.
grades
6-8 Then offer the following instructions:

Write or draw things about your own life and community in the circle on the left.
Write or draw things about the life and community of George, the boy in the story, in
the other circle.
In the middle space, where the circles overlap, write or draw things that you share in
common with the boy in the story. While there are many things that are different, you
might be surprised by how much you share in common with young people in other
parts of the world.

7
 week one: Family Matters, cont.

• Invite participants to divide into small groups of three or four and share their responses to
the handout. Once the groups have had time to share, gather everyone back together and
talk about some of the differences and similarities discussed in the small groups.

• Give participants a copy of the World Vision Gift Catalog and invite them to flip through a
few pages as you highlight some of the items featured.

• Remind participants of the Bible verse shared at the beginning of the lesson: “Whatever
you did for one of … these … you did for me.” Give an envelope to each participant. Invite
them to take the envelope home and put money in it each day leading up to Christmas.
They can use earnings from chores or their allowance and invite other family members to
contribute as well. Their goal should be to put some amount of money into the envelope
each day.

14. Tell participants that at the end of the four weeks of Advent, they will have the chance to
use their collected money to purchase an item from the Gift Catalog. You might even suggest that
they choose an item ahead of time and work toward collecting the money for that item. (Note:
Another approach is to let the group “pool” their money and choose items together.)

15. Close your time in prayer by thanking God for loving families. Pray for children around the world
like George who have lost family members; pray that they will receive love and support from other
caring people.

8
 Handout 1 - Nativity Scene week 1

Advent
Fill aChristmas Stable
stable in time for Countdown
baby Jesus Activity Sheet K-2
1. Color the figures below and the stable on the next page.
2. Cut out each figure.
3. P
FILL Aaste figures IN
STABLE inside the FOR
TIME stableBABY
and attach
JESUSthis to the top half of a large piece of
1. Useconstruction paper.
crayons or markers to colour the figures of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and the stable.
4. Pasteeach
2. Cut-out an figure.
envelope below the stable on the construction paper.
5. Place
3. Paste Mary,allJoseph,
24 animal stickers
and Jesus inside inside theonto
the stable envelope.
the top half of a large piece of construction paper.
4. Paste an envelope below the stable scene on the construction paper.
Now,alltake
5. Place yourstickers
24 animal nativityinside
scenethehome and hang it where you
envelope. will see it every day. Each day through-
outtake
Now, Advent, put anscene
your nativity animal
home inand
thehang
stable scene.
it where youAnd each
will see time day.
it every you do, put some money you’ve
Each
earned into the envelope. That money will be used to purchaseyou
day throughout advent, put an animal in the stable scene. And each time do, putfrom
animals some the
money you'veVision Gift
World
earned into the envelope.That money will be used to purchase animals from the World Vision Gift Catalogue
to Catalog to help
help children children
and families and families in need.
in need.
AndHave fun! have fun!
remember,

1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 1

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

9
 Handout
Advent 1 - Nativity
Christmas Scene,
Stable Countdown
cont. Activity Sheet K-2
week 1

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc. 1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 2

10
Handout 2 - Comic Book Adventures week 1

Choose one of the stories below for your comic strip.

Story 1:
After some time (and lots of goat manure!), the bananas are ready to be picked for sale at the local
market. When George goes to pick the bunches of bananas, he notices a banana bigger than any
banana he has ever seen before! Create a comic strip about what George decides to do with this
enormous banana.

Story 2:
A few weeks ago, one of George’s goats had twin kids—baby goats! George and his family decide
to give both goats to a nearby family who don’t have any animals. Create a comic strip about
George giving the goats to the family and how he trains one of the young boys in the family to
take care of them.

Story 3:
George and the children he lives with are playing soccer, when all of a sudden, one of their goats
runs onto the field! It must have somehow escaped from its pen, and it is now kicking the soccer
ball toward the goal with its hooves! Can a goat really play soccer? Create a comic strip about the
goat playing soccer.

Story 4:
One morning, George wakes up late and has to rush to school. As he runs from the house, he
stumbles on a rock and falls right into a pile of goat manure! Eww! Write a comic strip about what
George decides to do about his dilemma.

Story 5:
George is leaving for school when he realizes he forgot his textbook. He puts his homework
down by the fence and runs to fetch it. But when he comes back, he is shocked to find a goat eating
his homework! Create a comic strip about what George does about his munched-on homework.

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

11
 Comic Book Adventures Activity Sheet 3-5

Handout 2 - Comic Book Adventures, cont.

GEORGE’S STORY:
week 1
GOATS, BANANAS AND USEFUL MANURE

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Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

12
 STUDENT WORKSHEET NAME:
Between Here and There and There
Handout 3 - Between Here Activity Sheet week
6-81

Between here and there,

there are HERE
BETWEEN things THEREshare
AND we AND THE THINGS WE SHARE
Between here and there and the things we share
Write or draw things about your own life and community in the circle labeled “me.” Write or draw
things about the life and about
community of the life
boy in the story in the other circle.In the middleWrite
space or draw
Write
whereorthe
Write drawcirclesthings
or draw things aboutyour
overlap,write or your
own ownand
draw things lifecommunity
that youand community
share
in the circle
in common with in theboy“me.”
labeled
the circle labeled
in story.While
“me.”things
Write
there about the
or things
are many life
drawthatand community
things of
about the
are different,you the boy in
lifebe and
might the story in
community
surprised the other
by how much circle.
ofyouthe In
boy
share the middle space in
in the story
in common
with a child in another part of the world!
where the circles overlap, write or draw things that you share in common with the boy in the story.
the other circle. In the middle space where the circles overlap, write or draw things
While there are many things that are different, you might be surprised by how much you share in
that you share in common with the boy in story.While there are many things that are
common with a child in another part of the world!
different, you might be surprised by how much you share in common with a child in
another part of the world!

ME THINGS WE SHARE BOY IN THE

IN COMMON STORY

Teacher Resources | World Vision Gift Catalogue Activities for Grades 2-5 19

1 800 714-3597 Permission

• WorldVision.ca
to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc. 2

13
 week two
Home Matters
This lesson helps participants appreciate homes and communities as an expression of God’s care for all. By
identifying with Mary and Joseph, as well as others in today’s world who find themselves separated from
the security and comfort of home, participants consider how they can show God’s love to those who may
need the hope and security of a home community.

Materials

• four candles arranged in a circle

• matches
• CD player
• Christmas CD
• a Bible
• a wrapped Christmas gift with a picture of a pig (or a toy pig) inside

• 10 copies of resource 1, “Pig Cut-Outs,” found on page 21

grades
K-2 • plain wrapping paper or envelopes of varying ascending sizes
• tape
• scissors
• copies of handout 1, “Sharing Christ’s Love,” found on page 22,
two to three for each participant
• crayons or markers, several for each participant

Preparation
Cut out the pictures found on resource 1, “Pig Cut-Outs.” Wrap the pig cut-outs in layers as
follows: Wrap the first pig cut-out in wrapping paper (or a small envelope) to make a “Piggy
Parcel.” Then wrap the next pig cut-out along with the first Piggy Parcel inside a second layer
of wrapping paper (or a larger envelope). Add a third pig cut-out and wrap it with the Piggy
Parcel inside another layer of wrapping paper (or a larger envelope), and so on, until all the pig
cut-outs are wrapped up. Draw a pig face on the outside of the final layer.

grades
• copies of handout 2, “Acrostic Puzzle,” found on page 23, one for each participant
3-5 • pens or pencils, one for each participant

grades
• newspapers, one for each participant
6-8 • news magazines, one for each participant
• copies of handout 3, “Looking for a Stranger,” found on page 24, one for each participant
• pens or pencils, one for each participant

14
week two: Home Matters, cont.

12 Lesson Steps
3
1. Take a paper with printed text on it and fold it in quarters as if preparing to cut a
paper snowflake. As you speak, cut holes in the folded paper. As you do so, share
the following comments:

• Last week we learned that in the Bible, Jesus says that whatever we do for those who are forgot-
ten, mistreated, or in need, we do for Him.

• We talked about how as we remember the first Christmas when Jesus came into the world, we’ll
also be thinking about how we can show our love for Him by caring for those who are forgotten,
mistreated, or in need.

• All through the Bible, we read about God’s love for those who are forgotten, mistreated, or in
need. And all through the Bible, there are words inviting us to join in God’s plan to love and care
for such people.

• In fact, if we were to cut all the words about those who are forgotten, mistreated, or in need out
of the Bible, the Bible would be full of holes, like this paper (unfold paper and show holes).

• If the Bible is so full of words from God about showing love to people who are forgotten, mis-
treated, or in need, how important do you think these people are to Him?

• Today we are going to talk some more about those who are forgotten or in need.

2. Invite participants to focus on the Advent candles. Then offer the following comments:

• Last week we lit the first Advent candle, which reminds us of God’s love for all people.
(Light first candle.)

• This week, we light another candle—the candle that stands for hope (light second candle), to
remind us that Jesus came to tell us about the hope we have in God and His promise to always
take care of us, no matter where we are.

3. Discuss homes. Ask participants what makes a home. Why is home important? What is one thing
they feel comfortable doing at home, but nowhere else? Have they ever felt at home somewhere else?
Why? Allow for a few responses to each question. Then note that today’s stories are about home and
community. Remind participants to listen for similarities.

15
 week two: Home Matters, cont.

4. For young children, read the following Bible story. For older children, read the story of
Jesus’s birth from Luke 2:1-7.

read When Jesus was born, the emperor, who was named Caesar Augustus, made a law.
aloud The law said that everybody’s name had to go on a list. It ordered everyone to go to
their hometown to be put on the list. Then they would have to pay money to Caesar
Augustus.

So Joseph went to a little town called Bethlehem, which had been his family’s town long,
long ago. He took Mary with him because they were going to get married. Mary was ex-
pecting a baby. The baby was going to be born very soon, so it was not a very good time
for a long trip. It would have been so much nicer if they could have just stayed home. But
they had to go so they could put their names on the list. Caesar Augustus had said so.

It was a long, dusty, and tiring journey to Bethlehem. When Joseph and Mary finally
got there, they hoped their troubles were over. But instead, they had new troubles.
There was no room for them anywhere in Bethlehem because everyone else had
arrived before them.

But they found a place to rest in a stable with the barn animals. And that’s where Mary’s
baby, Jesus, was born. She wrapped Him up snugly in cloths and laid Him in an animal’s
feeding box, a manger. What a strange place to put a baby to bed! But even though He
was in a feeding box, far from home, He wasn’t alone. Mary and Joseph were there to
care for Him. And God was in the stable, too.

5. Introduce Jonas’s story:

• God provided Mary and Joseph to Jesus to be His parents, and to love and protect Him.
They kept Jesus safe in Bethlehem, His home away from home. God gives us homes where
we can feel safe and cared for.

• Today we’ll be hearing how a boy named Jonas had to find a new home when his father died,
and how one day, Jonas got a strange gift from some people far away that made a huge
difference in his life. Can you guess what it was?

6. Pass around the wrapped Christmas gift with the pig picture (or toy pig) inside and have
participants guess what the present might be. You may offer hints (e.g., number of legs, sound
it makes, etc.). When all have had a chance to guess, unwrap the gift.

16
week two: Home Matters, cont.

7. Read Jonas’s story:

read Jonas is 9. He lives in Africa, in a country called Chad. Four years ago, something terrible
aloud happened to Jonas. His father died. That was sad for Jonas, his mother, and his three
brothers and sisters. Jonas’s mother knew that it wouldn’t be easy to look after four
children all by herself. They were poor. How would they manage?

They were worried, but they didn’t lose hope, because Jonas had an uncle, whose name
was Clement. Uncle Clement brought Jonas’s family to live with him and his family. Uncle
Clement will tell you that it wasn’t easy. His house was almost more crowded than the
inn in Bethlehem, but he welcomed Jonas’s family anyway because there was no one else
to take care of them.

Jonas and his family didn’t have a lot of money. Sometimes they didn’t even have enough
to eat. Sometimes Jonas felt hungry. But one day, with the help of World Vision, some
people on the other side of the world gave Jonas and his family a present. What do you
suppose it was? It was a big fat pig! A pig may not sound like much of a present. After all,
pigs love rolling in dirt and can be kind of smelly. But Jonas loved his pig. He knew that a
pig would help his family make money so they could buy medicine when they were sick
and books for school. Uncle Clement was happy, too.

So, with two big bags of cement, Jonas helped build a strong pen for his pig. He learned
how to look after his pig, and he took good care of her every day. One day, Jonas went
to the pigpen to feed his pig. What was that? He heard some strange squealing coming
from underneath the pig’s big belly. What could it be? He took a closer look. Piglets! He
counted, “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11!” Eleven teeny, weenie,
squirming, squealing little piglets.

What was Jonas going to do with all those squirming, squealing piglets? “I will sell some
of them to pay for school and notebooks,” said Jonas. And that is just what Jonas did.

Jonas thought about how much better his life had become because of his pigs. Jonas
thought about other families in his village who were also poor and needed money. And
then he remembered a promise he had made when he got his pig. He had promised
to give away four piglets to other families if his pig had babies. And that is just what
Jonas did.

Now four more families had pigs. Four more families had hope. And it was all because of
one big fat pig.

17
 week two: Home Matters, cont.

8. Engage participants in a large-group discussion using the following questions:

grades
• Mary and Joseph had to leave their home in Bethlehem to have their names put on a list
K-2 because Caesar Augustus said so. Why did Jonas’s family have to leave their home?

• Jonas’s family was poor. What does that mean?

• Mary and Joseph cared for Jesus when He was born in a stable and had to sleep in a feeding
box far from home. Who cared for Jonas’s family when they left their home?

• When Jonas’s pig had piglets, what did he decide to do with them? Why did Jonas give some
piglets away? How would this help other families?

• Jesus tells us that whatever we do for those who are forgotten, mistreated, or in need, we
do for Him. What does Jesus mean by that?

grades
• Mary and Joseph had to leave their home in Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus made a
3-5 law that required this. Why did Jonas’s family have to leave their home?

• What did Jesus’s family and Jonas’s family have in common?

• Jesus was born in a stable and had to sleep in a feeding box, but God made sure that He
was cared for. Who did God provide to give Jesus the care He needed?

• Who was there to care for Jonas when his family had to leave their home?

• Even though it wasn’t easy, Jonas’s uncle invited Jonas and his family to live with him. Why
do you suppose it was difficult for Jonas’s uncle to do this? Why do you think he did it?

grades
• Mary and Joseph had to leave their home in Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus made a
6-8 law that required this. Why did Jonas’s family have to leave their home?

• What did Jesus’s family and Jonas’s family have in common?

• Even though it wasn’t easy, Jonas’s uncle invited Jonas and his family to live with him. Why
do you suppose it was difficult for Jonas’s uncle to do this? Why do you think he did it?

• In the Bible, God’s people were called to care for strangers who were known as “alien
sojourners.” This means people who had come from other lands because of famine, war,
or persecution. As Jesus’s followers, we are called to care for “the stranger.” Who might
the strangers be among us today? And how can we help them feel at home?

18
week two: Home Matters, cont.

9. Activity Time

• Ask participants to sit in a circle. Tell them that the group has gotten a pig for a present, like
grades
K-2 Jonas, and it, too, is going to have piglets. They will find out how many by playing “Pass the
Piggy Parcel.” Explain that when you start the music, the Piggy Parcel will start being passed
around the circle. When the music stops, the person holding the Piggy Parcel may start
unwrapping it. When the music starts again, the parcel will be passed to the next person in
the circle. It will keep moving from one person to the next until the music stops again, for
further unwrapping.

• As the pig cut-outs emerge from the wrapping, place them in the center of the circle until
the final pig cut-out is unwrapped. Have the class count the pigs aloud together. Then have
them discuss what they would do with the piglets if they were a boy or girl who lived in
Jonas’s village.

• Distribute to each participant two or three copies of handout 1, “Sharing Christ’s Love,” and
a few crayons or markers. Ask them to create drawings about Jonas, George, or any chil-
dren who might benefit from a gift in the World Vision Gift Catalog. Make sure they have
enough time to complete at least two drawings. Ask them to sign their name on the bottom
of the handout.

• Invite participants to take their drawings home and give or send them to someone who
can help donate to their fundraising efforts, with an explanation of a gift they are hoping to
purchase from the Gift Catalog.

grades
• Distribute to each participant a copy of handout 2, “Acrostic Puzzle,” and a pen or pencil.
3-5 Ask them to complete the handout either on their own or with a partner.

• Once everyone has completed the handout, review the correct answers with the group.
The answers are as follows:
1. home 4. books 7. Africa 10. pigpen
2. hungry 5. pig 8. Chad 11. medicine
3. nine 6. piglets 9. water 12. give

• Divide participants into groups of four or five. Tell the groups that they will be creating a
short TV commercial for a product related to Jonas’s story. Introduce the purpose of a TV
commercial (trying to sell viewers a product or service, giving information). Also review with
them things to consider when making a TV commercial (e.g., how will you grab the viewers’
attention? What are the selling features of the product?). Provide the following suggestion to
get the groups started:

19
 week two: Home Matters, cont.

“Promote the Pigs.” Explain why pigs are such great gifts, and how they can be gifts
that keep on giving.
“The Perfect Pigpen.” Come up with a unique pigpen and convince viewers why it’s
so special.
Allow ample time for the groups to create their commercials. If you have access to a video
camera, consider taping the skits. Or consider providing each group with a video camera to
create their own video.

• Invite each group to come forward and make their commercial presentation. When the
presentations are complete, thank everyone for their good work.

grades
• Divide participants into pairs. Provide each pair with a newspaper, a news magazine, a pen
6-8 or pencil, and a copy of handout 3, “Looking for a Stranger.” Invite the pairs to find stories of
people who do not have the security of a home. Once they have found a story or two, they
should answer the questions listed on the handout.

• Invite the pairs to join another pair to create a group of four. Ask the pairs to share their
stories with one another.

• Now invite each group to write a prayer for the person or people they have read and heard
about. Note that everyone should contribute to the prayer. They can write the prayer on
the back of the handout.

• Invite one person from each small group to stand and read their group’s prayer.

10. Revisit the conversation you began last week about the World Vision Gift Catalog. Ask
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. If your group is pooling
their donations for one or more items, consider beginning a discussion on what those items might be.

11. Close in prayer by thanking God for hope—our hope that God will take care of us even when
we are away from home. Pray for children in our world like Jonas who have had to leave their homes
and communities and find new ones. Pray that they will experience hope, safety, and comfort.

20
 Resource 1 - Pig Cut-Outs week 2
ass the Piggy Parcel Activity Sheet K-2

PASS THE PIGGY PARCEL

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 8
21
 Handout 1 - Sharing Christ’s Love week 2

Dear family and friends,

I am learning about ways that I can show Jesus’s love to others this Christmas by sharing His light
and hope with children in our world who live in poverty. I am collecting money (including my own)
that will be used to purchase items from World Vision’s Gift Catalog (www.worldvisiongifts.org).
I would greatly appreciate if you would contribute to my efforts.

artist

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

22
Handout 2 - Acrostic Puzzle week 2

Fill in the blanks below based on the story you heard. Then, fill in the corresponding squares below
with your answers. Your answers will reveal what gift changed Jonas’s life.
Acrostic
1. Uncle ClementPuzzle
took Jonas and his family to live in his Activity
withSheet
him. 3-5
2. Sometimes Jonas did not have enough to eat and he was .
3. Jonas was years old.
4. JonasANSWER
needed
THE QUESTIONSfor
TOschool.
FIND OUT WHAT CHANGED JONAS’S LIFE.
5. Some children
Then, fill-in thebought a
corresponding squares below with for
yourJonas and his
answers.Your family.
answers will reveal what
gift changed Jonas’ life.
6. Jonas’s pig had 11 .
1. Uncle Clement took Jonas and his family to live in his ________with him.
7. Jonas lives on the continent
2. Sometimes Jonas did of
not . _________.
have enough to eat and he would be
3 Jonas was this old.
8. He lives in 4.
the country
Jonas of
needed _________ for school. .
9. Jonas gave 5.hisSome
pig children in Canada
grain and bought a _____ for Jonas and his family.
every day.
6. Jonas’s pig had eleven ____________.
10. Jonas helped buildlives
7. Jonas a strong
on the continent of __________. using two bags of cement.
8. He lives in the country of ________.
11. When Jonas sold some piglets, his family would be able to buy
9. Jonas gave his pig grain and _________ every day.
if somebody10.got
Jonassick.
helped build a strong ____________ using two bags of cement.
11.When Jonas sold some piglets, his family would be able to buy _________ if somebody got sick.
12. Jonas decided to four pigs to other families in his village.
12. Jonas decided to __________ four pigs to other families in his village.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

pig home Chad books pigpen nine

1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 7
hungry give water Africa piglets medicine Answers:

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

23
 Handout 3 - Looking for a Stranger week 2

Our homes are a source of security, comfort, and care. Mary and Joseph had to leave the comfort
of home when Mary was nearly ready to have a baby. As strangers in Bethlehem, they had no one
to rely on and found themselves taking shelter in the unpleasant surroundings of a stable. Yet God
took care of them. Away from home, strangers like Mary and Joseph can face hunger, discomfort,
loneliness, and danger. Today, the “stranger” is the refugee, the new immigrant, the homeless
person, and others who are forced out of their homes for various reasons.

Search the newspapers and magazines provided for a story about a person or a group who doesn’t
have the comfort and safety of a home. Answer the questions below.

Who is the person or people in the story you have chosen?

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Why don’t they have the security of a home?

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

List at least three things they need.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

24
 week three
Community Matters
This lesson helps participants understand that God’s love and acceptance are for all people. Participants
will also discuss why people may feel like outsiders and consider how they can show God’s acceptance to
others.

Materials

• four candles arranged in a circle

• matches
• a wrapped Christmas gift with a picture of a chicken and a picture of a goat
(or a toy chicken and goat) inside
• a Bible

• playdough or modeling clay of various colors, a handful for each participant

grades
K-2

• copies of handout 1, “Crack the Code,” found on pages 32 through 35, one for each participant
grades
3-5 • copies of handout 2, “Wheels of Fortune,” found on page 36, one for each group of three to
four participants
• paper clips, one for each participant
• pens or pencils, one for each participant
• scissors, one pair for each group of three or four participants

• newsprint or poster paper, one sheet for each group of four to five participants
grades
6-8 • markers, a few for each group of four to five participants

25
 week three: Community Matters, cont.

12 Lesson Steps
3
1. Review the meaning of Advent. Ask participants whether waiting is getting easier or harder,
the closer Christmas comes. Why? Allow for a few responses to each question. Let them know this
is the third week of Advent. Remind participants about Jonas’s story from last week’s lesson. Ask
them how they worked to make their homes and communities stronger this past week. Allow for
a few responses.

2. Discuss the concept of belonging. Ask participants what they belong to (clubs, schools, teams,
families, classes). How do they know they belong? How do they include others and let them know they
belong? Allow for a few responses to each question. Then note that today’s stories are about belonging.
Remind participants to listen for similarities.

3. Invite participants to focus on the Advent candles. Offer the following comments:

• The first week of Advent, we lit the candle that stands for love to remind us of God’s love for all
people. (Light first candle.)

• Last week, we lit the candle that stands for hope to remind us of the hope we have in God and
His promise to always take care of us. (Light second candle.)

• Today, we light the candle that stands for joy, because Jesus came to bring a message of great joy.
(Light third candle.) The message is that God welcomes everybody—rich and poor, young and old,
boys and girls. And that is a great reason for joy!

4. For younger children, read the following adaptation of the familiar Bible story. For
older children, read the story of the invitation to the shepherds as found in Luke 2:8-20.

read One dark night long ago, some shepherds were in a field, looking after their sheep.
aloud Out of nowhere, an angel appeared in a flash of light. The shepherds were scared. They
trembled with fear. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m bringing you good news of great
joy. Today in the town of Bethlehem, a special baby, God’s own Son, was born. Here’s how
you’ll know that what I’m telling you is the truth. You’ll find this special baby snugly wrapped
in cloths and lying in an animal’s feeding box.”

Just then, the sky filled with angels. They were singing, “Glory to God, and peace to all
people.” When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come
on! Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see if we can find this newborn baby that the angel was talk-
ing about.” So they hurried over to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph in the stable.
And they found the baby, wrapped snugly in cloths and lying in an animal’s feeding box,
just as the angel said he would be. (continued)

26
week three: Community Matters, cont.

read The shepherds were amazed. After they had seen the baby, they told everyone
aloud they met about their experience. They told them what the angel had said. When the
shepherds returned to their sheep, they were still praising God, because everything
had been exactly as the angel had said it would be.

5. Introduce Fikile’s story:

• In the time when Jesus was born, shepherds weren’t very important people. They were poor and
sometimes dirty from their work with the sheep. Sometimes, if something in the town was lost,
the shepherds would be the first to get blamed, whether they were responsible or not.

• No, people didn’t like shepherds much at all. But God loves everyone, simply because He created
them, and He loved the shepherds, too. And so He sent His angel to invite the shepherds to be
Jesus’s very first visitors.

• It was like God was saying, “I’m sending my Son Jesus for everyone—for the rich and poor, for
kings and queens, and for shepherds, too.” The angels really were bringing a message of great joy
to the shepherds.

• Today we’re going to hear about a girl name Fikile. Just like with the shepherds, people in Fikile’s
village didn’t think her family was very important because they were poor. But one day, they got
an unusual present. Then things started to change for Fikile’s family. Soon, the people in their
village started to act differently toward them. Fikile’s sadness turned to joy. Can you guess what
the present was?

6. Pass around the wrapped Christmas gift with the chicken and goat pictures (or toy chicken and
goat) inside and have participants guess what the present might be. You may give hints (e.g., number
of legs, sounds they make, etc.). When all the participants have had a chance to guess, unwrap the gift.
Ask: How might a goat and a chicken help Fikile’s family? Allow for a few responses.

7. Read Fikile’s story:

read Meet Fikile. She’s 11 years old and lives in Africa, in a country called Swaziland, in a small
aloud home with her mother and older brother. In Swaziland, if your family has lots of farm
animals, people will think you are very important. If you don’t have farm animals, they
will think your family is not important at all. Fikile’s family was poor. They did not have
any animals at all.

Because Fikile’s family could not buy any farm animals, the people in their village were
rude to them. Some people ignored them completely. It made Fikile feel sad and lonely.
She didn’t like it when people treated her that way. Sometimes she felt like she didn’t
belong in her own village.
(continued)

27
 week three: Community Matters, cont.

read But one day, Fikile got a very special gift. It wasn’t a doll or a book or a game. It was a
aloud chicken and a goat. It was the best present Fikile could have dreamed of.

The chicken and goat would give her family eggs and milk for food. When the villagers
saw Fikile’s new farm animals, they started to treat Fikile’s family more respectfully. The
family began to feel like they belonged in their own village. Fikile was very happy. But
something else happened because of that chicken and goat. Can you guess what that
was? Fikile’s chicken had four baby chicks! And Fikile’s goat had five kids, or baby goats!
Now Fikile’s family had a barnyard full of animals.

Now the villagers treated Fikile’s family with even more respect. They were amazed at
how well Fikile and her family cared for their animals. Fikile’s family had so many animals
that they could even sell some of them to make money. With the money, they could
buy medicine and school supplies so Fikile and her brother could go to school.

Now Fikile was even happier. Her family had eggs and milk. They could buy medicine
and school supplies. Fikile and her family belonged in the village. And it was all because
of the gift of a chicken and a goat.

8. Engage participants in a large-group discussion using the following questions:

grades
• At the time of Jesus’s birth, most people didn’t respect shepherds. However, the angel
K-5 invited the shepherds to be the first people to visit Jesus. What does that show us about
whom God loves?

• Just as the shepherds were not respected by others, Fikile’s family in Swaziland was not
respected, either. Why was her family not respected?

• Fikile’s family was poor. What does that mean?

• Why did Fikile sometimes feel like she did not belong in her village?

• What happened that made the villagers start to respect Fikile and her family?

grades
• Shepherds were not respected by other people in the time when Jesus was born. Fikile’s
6-8 family in Swaziland wasn’t respected, either. Why was that?

• What made the chicken and the goat the best gifts Fikile could have dreamed of?

• Was there ever a time when you felt excluded? What was that like? What kind of help
would you have wanted most?

• As followers of Jesus, we are called to bring those who are on the outside into the
community. What kinds of people are often excluded in our communities?

• What steps could we take to welcome them and make them feel like they belong?

28
week three: Community Matters, cont.

9. Activity Time

grades
Individual activity
K-2 • Distribute to each participant a handful of playdough or modeling clay. Ask them to recall
the presents that helped Fikile and her family. Invite them to name all the things the family
got from the animals (e.g., eggs, milk, chicks, baby goats, and money for medicine and books).

• Invite participants to use the playdough or modeling clay to create the animals as well as the
things these animals provided for Fikile’s family. Allow ample time for them to complete their
works of art.

• Ask participants to share what they made with the group. As they share, be sure to comment
on how the simple gift of an animal or two can change someone’s life in many ways.

Group activity
• Explain that the group will be playing a circle game called “Fikile on the Farm,” in which Fikile
will get all the things that helped change her life. At first she will be lonely in the middle of the
circle, but soon she’ll get lots of company.

• Remind participants to be careful to make sure everyone is picked to be inside the circle, so
that all feel like they belong. If necessary, the group can play the game several times until every-
one has had a chance to be inside the circle.

• Pick a participant to be Fikile. Have the rest of the group form a circle around Fikile. Instruct
them to hold hands, march around Fikile and sing “Fikile on the Farm” to the tune of “The
Farmer in the Dell.” Sample verses are noted below:
Fikile on the farm … (circle dances around Fikile)
Fikile gets a goat … (“Fikile” picks a “goat” to join her inside the circle)
Next she gets a hen … (“goat” picks a “hen” to join the group inside the circle)
The hen lays an egg … (“hen” picks an “egg”)
The egg becomes a chick … (“egg” picks a “chick”)
Her goat has a kid … (“chick” picks a “kid”)
Fikile finds a friend … (“kid” picks a “friend for Fikile”)
We all shout “Hurrah,” We all shout “Hurrah,”
Hi-ho, the derry-o, we all shout “Hurrah!”

• Play the game once. Then ask those who weren’t picked in the first round how they felt about
not being chosen. Remind the class of Fikile and how she felt when the people in her village
ignored her. Ask the group to think of how they can make everyone feel like they belong. Play
the game again.

29
 week three: Community Matters, cont.

grades
• Distribute to each participant a copy of handout 1, “Crack the Code,” and a pen or pencil.
3-5 Ask them to complete the handout either on their own or in pairs. Once everyone has
completed the assignment, review the correct answers with the group.

• Divide participants into groups of four. Provide each group with four paper clips, four pens,
a pair of scissors, and a copy of handout 2, “Wheels of Fortune.” Ask for one person in each
group to cut out the four “wheels.”

• Have participants place the wheels on a table. Center the edge of a paper clip on each
wheel and hold in place with the tip of a pencil. This will allow the paper clip to spin freely
around the pencil tip.

• In the groups, have each person take a turn flicking the paper clip with their finger to
make it spin. When each person has had a turn, they should make up a short story
incorporating the animal, character, and adventure the paper clips landed on.

• Invite participants to use the blank wheel to add another element to the story and
include it in their adventure! Once the groups have created their stories, invite them to
come forward and share with everyone. Praise everyone for their creativity and good work.

grades • Divide participants into groups of four or five. Provide each group with a sheet of
6-8 newsprint or poster paper and a few markers. Tell them that this activity will encourage
them to think about what the future could hold for Fikile, her family, and her village.

• Instruct one person in each group to create a four-panel grid on the newsprint or poster
paper. Ask them to label each of the four boxes as follows: past, present, five years from
now, 25 years from now.

• Ask the groups to discuss each of the following scenarios and to write in each assigned
box words or phrases to describe the scenario.

A scene from the past (e.g., Fikile’s family has no animals)

A scene from the present (e.g., Fikile’s family receives a goat and a chicken)
A scene in five years (e.g., Fikile’s family’s farm is thriving with many animals)
A scene in 25 years (e.g., Fikile is an adult, with a family and a farm of her own,
who generously helps others who are poor, as she once was, by giving them kids
and chicks)

• Invite each group to come forward and share their scenarios. Invite comments after
each presentation.

30
week three: Community Matters, cont.

10. Revisit the conversation you began during week one about the World Vision Gift Catalog.
Ask 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. If your group is pooling
their donations for an item(s), continue discussing what the item(s) might be. If participants will be
choosing on their own or with their families, ask if anyone has decided which gift they would like to
choose from the catalog. Remind them that they have only one week left in their efforts. Be sure to
remind them to stay focused during these final days of Advent.

11. Close in prayer by thanking God that He accepts and welcomes everyone. Pray for children
around the world like Fikile, who are made to feel that they don’t belong. Pray that they may gain
acceptance, dignity, and respect.

31
 Handout 1 - Crack the Code week 3

Can you
Crack the crack
Code,the code the
Unpack to find out what special
Gifts gifts
Activity Sheet 3-5
Fikile received?
1. Find each letter from the gift boxes in the top row of the key code below.
CRACK THE CODE, UNPACK THE GIFTS
2. Then, choose the letter below it, and write that letter in Fikile’s packages (here and
Can you crack the code to find out what special gifts Filike received?
on the next three pages).
1. Find each letter from the gift boxes in the bottom row of the key code below.
3. Now, crack the code!
2.Then, choose the letter above it, and write it in Filike’s package.
3. Now, crack the code!

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
H M R V Z D I N P Q S U X F A C K G B Y O L T J E W
O S P F Y N R A G X Q V B H U I J C K W L D Z M T E

P
A
G
P
Q
Y
H

W
O
U
R

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 13

32
Handout 1 - Crack the Code, cont. week 3

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
H M R V Z D I N P Q S U X F A C K G B Y O L T J E W

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

33
 Handout 1 - Crack the Code, cont. week 3

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Crack the Code, Unpack the Gifts Activity Sheet 3-5
H M R V Z D I N P Q S U X F A C K G B Y O L T J E W

B U H Y T

Q
V
G
B

C Y
K
I
Y
P
W

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
O S P F Y N R A G X Q V B H U I J C K W L D Z M T E

1 800 714-3597 • WorldVision.ca 15

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

34
 Handout 1 - Crack the Code, cont. week 3

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Crack the Code, Unpack the Gifts Activity Sheet 3-5
H M R V Z D I N P Q S U X F A C K G B Y O L T J E W

A G P Q K
P

K
P
K A
L U
I U V
I
V G
Y
K

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.
O S P F Y N R A G X Q V B H U I J C K W L D Z M T E
35
 Handout 2 - Wheels of Fortune week 3

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

36
 week four
Peace Matters
This lesson helps participants understand the importance of peace for our well-being. They will also
consider why conflicts arise and specific ways we can answer Jesus’s call to be peacemakers.

Materials

• four candles arranged in a circle

• matches
• a wrapped Christmas gift with a picture of a cow (or a toy cow) inside
• a Bible

• crayons or markers, several for each participant

grades
K-2 • envelopes, one for each participant
• a picture of a cow or a toy cow
• a milk container
• coins
• books and pencils
• a picture of a calf or a toy calf
• a medicine bottle
• a container of dirt
• a plant or picture of plants/crops

Preparation
Before participants arrive, hide the following items throughout the room: picture of cow
or toy cow; milk container; coins; books and pencils; picture of calf or toy calf; medicine bottle;
container of dirt; plant or picture of plants.

• copies of handout 1, “Peace in Many Languages,” found on page 44, one for each participant
grades
3-5 • card stock or other heavy paper, two to three sheets for each participant
• craft supplies for decorating a card (e.g., markers, paints, ribbon, glue, stickers, magazines, etc.)

Preparation
A pronunciation guide for some languages is available at www.forvo.com. Search for the word as
it is spelled in each language (e.g. “paix” for French).

grades
• handout 2, “Peace Quotes,” found on pages 45 and 46, cut and trimmed to provide one-half
6-8 of a quote for each participant

37
 week four: Peace Matters, cont.

12 Lesson Steps
3
1. Ask participants if they are ready for Christmas. Ask them how they will be celebrating
Jesus’s birth. Allow for a few responses to each question. Remind participants that this is the last week
before Christmas. Review last week’s lesson. Ask participants where they experienced acceptance this
week. Ask them how they showed acceptance to others. Allow for a few responses to each question.

2. Discuss the concept of conflict. Ask participants how they know when people are angry with
others. Do they ever get angry with others? Who? Why? How does this make them feel? What helps
restore peace? Allow a few responses to each question. Then note that today’s stories teach about
anger, conflict, and peace. Ask them to listen for similarities.

3. Invite participants to focus on the Advent candles. Begin by saying:

• Three weeks ago, on the first week of Advent, we lit the “love” candle to remind us of God’s love
for all people. (Light first candle.)

• On the second week of Advent, we lit the “hope” candle to remind us of the hope we have in
God and His promise to always take care of us. (Light second candle.)

• Last week, we lit the “joy” candle, because God welcomes everybody—rich and poor, young and
old, boys and girls. And that’s a great reason for joy! (Light third candle.)

• Today, we light the “peace” candle (light fourth candle) to remind us of Jesus, who was born the
Prince of Peace so that we can have peace with God and with each other.

4. For younger children, read the following adaptation of the familiar Bible story.
For older children, read the story of the escape from Herod’s sword as found in
Matthew 2:13-18.

read Not everyone was happy when Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born. An evil king named
aloud Herod was furious when he heard the news about the baby king who had been born
in Bethlehem. King Herod didn’t want another king. He wanted to be the only king. So
he got an idea—a cruel idea. He ordered his soldiers to go to Bethlehem and kill every
little boy that was Jesus’s age to make sure that the new king would die.

But God had another plan. That night, when Joseph was sleeping, an angel came to him
in a dream. “Get up right now,” said the angel. “Take Jesus and Mary, and run to Egypt and
hide! King Herod is searching for Jesus because he wants to kill him! Stay in Egypt till I tell you
it’s safe to come back.” (continued)

38
week four: Peace Matters, cont.

read So Joseph got up in the middle of the night and left for Egypt with Mary and little Jesus.
aloud When the soldiers got to Bethlehem, they didn’t know that they were too late. Jesus was
already on his way to Egypt, safe and sound. But the soldiers killed all the other little boys
in Bethlehem. The mothers of Bethlehem cried and cried until they had no tears left. It
was a sad and terrible time. Joseph stayed in Egypt with Mary and Jesus until he heard
that King Herod was dead.

5. Pass around the wrapped Christmas gift with the cow picture (or toy cow) inside and have
participants guess what the present might be. You may give hints (e.g., number of legs, sound it makes,
etc.). When all have guessed, unwrap the gift together. Ask the question: How could a cow help bring
peace? Ask for a few responses.

6. Introduce Moses’s story:

read Soon it will be Christmas Day. We are glad at Christmas because we remember when
aloud Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born. But King Herod was not glad. No, King Herod was
afraid of Jesus. He didn’t want a Prince of Peace. Herod was worried that if there were
another king besides him, he wouldn’t be able to boss people around anymore. He was
worried that he wouldn’t be able to take their money. And when cruel King Herod was
worried, he had dangerous temper tantrums, like in today’s Bible story. And sadly, when
King Herod was angry, people—even little children who hadn’t done anything wrong at
all—would have to suffer and even die.

There are children in today’s world, in a place called Uganda, who are like the little boys
in Jesus’s day. They haven’t done anything wrong, but they suffer because of the violence
and fighting that has gone on in their country for many years. Some of the things that
the people of Uganda have experienced are too terrible to speak of. And not only have
thousands of people been hurt or killed because of the fighting, but many more have had
to run for their lives—much like Jesus and His family ran for safety long ago.

These people are left with no home, no job, no money, and no food. One Ugandan
boy named Moses found himself without parents, too. This is his story.

After his parents died, 4-year-old Moses went to live with his older brother, Daniel, a
hardworking farmer, and Daniel’s wife Lois and their four children.

When Moses was 12 years old, there was an outbreak of violence where he lived. It
spoiled everything for Moses again as he was forced to flee with Daniel and the family.
Homeless, and having lost all their crops, seeds, animals, and belongings, their life was
in ruins.
(continued)

39
 week four: Peace Matters, cont.

read Meanwhile, in another country, someone decided to buy a cow through the
aloud World Vision Gift Catalog. That cow found its way to Moses. And because of this one
cow, everything was about to change for Moses once again. Except this time, things
would change for the better.

Thrilled with the cow, Moses named her Alugambo, which means “gossip.” This was to
remind his neighbors not to spread stories about his family.

Why was Moses so thrilled with his cow named Gossip? Lots of reasons. Gossip gives
milk, of course. So now the children aren’t so hungry.

Gossip gives so much milk, in fact, that some of it can be sold to earn money. And with
the money, the children can buy school supplies so they can go to school.

But Gossip produces something else besides milk. What do you suppose it might be?
Calves! Calves can be sold for even more money, and with that money the family can
buy medicine when they are sick. And eventually, Gossip will help Moses get … a wife!
“In our culture the man must bring cows to the bride’s family in order to marry her,”
Daniel’s wife, Lois, explains.

And besides milk and calves, Gossip produces one other thing. Lots of wonderful,
stinky manure that can be worked into the soil of the fields so that Daniel can grow
better crops.

So you see, in Uganda, a cow is not just a cow. In this country, where many families’ lives
have been torn apart by war, cows mean milk, money, school supplies, calves, medicine,
manure for good crops, and even marriage! In Uganda, cows bring stability, life, and
hope to people longing for peace.

7. Engage participants in a large-group discussion using the following questions:

• In today’s Bible story, little boys who hadn’t done anything wrong suffered because of a
grades
K-8 cruel king. What caused people to suffer in the story of Moses in Uganda?

• Why was Moses taken into his older brother’s home to live?

• How did Moses, his brother, and his brother’s family end up homeless and without crops,
seeds, animals, or belongings?

• What are some problems created by violence, war, and conflict?

• How did one cow change things for Moses and his family?

• Jesus, the Prince of Peace, wants us to be peacemakers. What kinds of things can we do to
help peace grow in our world?

40
week four: Peace Matters, cont.

8. Activity Time

grades
• Ask participants to recall and list all the things Moses and his family received or will receive
K-2 as a result of the World Vision Gift Catalog. Make sure the list includes a cow, milk, money,
school supplies, a calf, medicine, manure for rich soil, and better crops.

• Divide participants into two teams. Tell them you’ve hidden eight items throughout the
room that represent many of the items on the list they just made. Tell the teams that their
task is to find as many of these items as possible. The team that finds the most will be
declared the winner. Make sure everyone understands the task and then send them on
their search.

• Gather the teams back together once all of the items have been located.

• Work with participants to come up with a list of actions that demonstrate or represent
peace and love. Introduce this activity by saying that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, calls us to
be peacemakers. Encourage participants to suggest peacebuilding solutions to the following
situations, and invite them to act out these peaceful endings.

Someone in your class says things about you that aren’t true, and now some of your
friends won’t talk to you.
Your brother or sister borrows something without asking, and it makes you mad.
You hear some children making fun of another boy or girl because they look different
than the other children.
Someone in your class is always bullying other children, and you are worried that he
might hurt someone.

• Have participants consider that Jesus calls us to be peacemakers and that peace is
grades
3-5 something all people ultimately want, including those on opposite sides of a conflict.
Note that all languages have a word for peace.

• Distribute to each participant a copy of handout 1, “Peace in Many Languages.” Review

the handout with them, noting the many ways the word “peace” is spoken throughout the
world. Have them practice each translation of the word (pronunciation help is available at
www.forvo.com).

• Ask participants to think of people who would appreciate a message of peace at Christmas
(e.g., those who are shut-ins, elderly, ill, or otherwise in need). Invite them to share their
ideas with a partner.

• Invite participants to make Christmas cards that celebrate peace. Provide participants
with card stock, envelopes, and the craft items you have gathered. Suggest that they write
a message of peace inside the cards.

• Once the cards have been completed, collect them and make arrangements to have them
delivered or mailed to some of the recipients the group identified earlier.

41
 week four: Peace Matters, cont.

• Distribute to each participant half a quote from handout 2, “Peace Quotes.” Tell them
grades
6-8 that this activity encourages them to reflect on peace and how it relates to the story they
just heard.

• Invite participants to read the quote on the slip they have been given, and to circulate
around the room to find the other half of the quote. An answer key is noted below so you
can check to make sure they have made the correct pairings:

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy.
Then he becomes your partner.” —Nelson Mandela

“Peace is a journey of a thousand miles, and it must be taken one step at a time.”
—Lyndon B. Johnson

“Peace is not the absence of war, it is the presence of justice and the absence
of fear.” —Dr. Ursula Franklin

“Anything war can do, peace can do better.” —Archbishop Desmond Tutu

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” —Mahatma Gandhi

“Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”
—John F. Kennedy

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough
to believe in it. One must work at it.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

“There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” —A.J. Muste

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. —Psalm 34:14

T
 here is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who
promote peace. —Proverbs 12:20

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” —John 14:27

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called [children] of God.”
—Matthew 5:9

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual
edification. —Romans 14:19
(continued)

42
week four: Peace Matters, cont.

For [Christ] himself is our peace. —Ephesians 2:14

L et the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you
were called to peace. —Colossians 3:15

H
 e will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations
far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train
for war anymore. —Micah 4:3

• Once participants have found the other half of their assigned quote, ask the pairs to
discuss how their quote relates to the story of Moses in Uganda.

• Now invite each pair to stand, read their quote, and share their discussion with the
large group.

8. Wrap up your conversation from the previous sessions about the World Vision Gift Catalog.
Ask participants to share how their fundraising went. If the group is pooling their funds, determine
which item(s) they would like to select from the catalog. Use the order form in your catalog or go
online to order the items. If participants are working on their own, remind them that they can choose
their item(s) with the assistance of their parents and place their order through the catalog or online.

9. Close in prayer by thanking God for the peace we experience in our country. Pray for children in
our world like Moses who have suffered many losses because of conflicts and war. Pray that trust may
continue to grow in places like Uganda, and that Jesus will help all people in the world to be peace-
makers.

43
 Handout 1 - Peace in Many Languages week 4

All
All languages
languages have
have a
a word
word for
for peace.
peace.

Arabic Italian
salam pace

Armenian Japanese
ashkharh heiwa

Bengali Korean
shanti pyong-hwa

Bosnian Latin
mir pax

Egyptian Lithuanian
hotep taika

Estonian Norwegian
rahu fred

Finnish Portuguese
rauha paz

French Punjabi
paix shanti

German Serbian
frieden mir

Greek Turkish
eirene baris

Hungarian Zulu
beke ukuthula

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

44
Handout 2 - Peace Quotes week 4

… you have to work with your

“If you want to make
enemy. Then he becomes your
peace with your enemy …
partner.” —Nelson Mandela

“Peace is a journey of a … and it must be taken one step at

thousand miles … a time.” —Lyndon B. Johnson

… it is the presence of justice and

“Peace is not the absence of war … the absence of fear.”
—Dr. Ursula Franklin

“Anything war can do … … peace can do better.”

—Archbishop Desmond Tutu

… makes the whole world blind.”

“An eye for an eye … —Mahatma Gandhi

“Mankind must put an end … or war will put an end to

to war … mankind.” —John F. Kennedy

… And it isn’t enough to believe in

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace.
One must believe in it.  … it. One must work at it.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt

“There is no way to peace.  … … Peace is the way.” —A.J. Muste

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

45
 Handout 2 - Peace Quotes, cont. week 4

Turn from evil and do good ; … … seek peace and pursue it.
—Psalm 34:14

There is deceit in the hearts of … but joy for those who

those who plot evil , … promote peace. —Proverbs 12:20

“Peace I leave with you; my peace … Do not let your hearts be
I give you. I do not give to you as troubled and do not be afraid.”
the world gives . … —John 14:27

… for they will be called [children]

“Blessed are the peacemakers , …
of God.” —Matthew 5:9

L et us therefore make every effort … and to mutual edification.

to do what leads to peace … —Romans 14:19

For [Christ] himself … … is our peace. —Ephesians 2:14

… since as members of one body

L et the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, … you were called to peace.
—Colossians 3:15

 e will judge between many peoples and will

H … Nation will not take up sword
settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and against nation, nor will they train
their spears into pruning hooks. … for war anymore. —Micah 4:3

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2009 World Vision, Inc.

46
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 where 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 nearly 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.

As 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 Resources
Mail Stop 321
P.O. Box 9716
Federal Way, WA 98063-9716
Fax: 253.815.3340
E-mail: wvresources@worldvision.org
Web: www.worldvisionresources.com