Resources for Youth and Children
All God's Children - VBS curriculum
In this Vacation Bible School curriculum by Global Ministries, kids will learn about how we are All God’s Children no matter who we are, where we may come from, or what we believe. Students will have the opportunity to hear Bible stories about people who had may have been different from one another, but were still able to learn from one another, help one another, or find beauty in their diversity. Kids will also have the opportunity to learn about different places, cultures, and faith traditions present in Southern Asia.
Click here for All God's Children!
Embrace the Fruits of the Spirit - VBS curriculum
Embrace the Fruits of the Spirit is a children’s curriculum designed to help children discover the fruits of the spirit and how to apply them in their daily lives while exploring the Caribbean. In this material you will meet the children of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. See how the children of these countries live out their values in their daily lives.
Each lesson contains a letter from a child in that country, a story from the Bible that demonstrates a fruit of the spirit, a craft, a game, and a song. Connect your children to Global Ministries’ Caribbean Initiative and help them see how their faith is connected to real children and real places in the world today. The Bible stories are paired with children today, encouraging children to consider how these lessons apply to their own lives.
Ahlan Wa Sahlan! Welcome - Exploring the Holy Land
Ahlan wa Sahlan: Welcome! is a 10-session children’s curriculum designed to help children connect the stories in the Bible to real children who live in those places today. In this material you will meet the children of Israel/Palestine as you visit Nazareth, Ein Karem, Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Bethany, Jericho, Nablus, Taybeh/Ephraim, Cana, and Jerusalem. See how the children of these cities find meaning in the stories from the Bible that happened in their hometowns!
Each lesson contains a letter from a child in that city as well as a game, craft, activity, and other supplementary elements such as snacks and storybooks. Connect your children to Global Ministries’ Middle East Initiative and help them see how their faith is connected to real children and real places in the world today. The Bible stories are explained in their historical context and encourage children to consider what these stories mean for them.
Click here for Ahlan Wa Sahlan!
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“Are My Hands Clean?” Fair Trade Activity
Written by Derek Duncan, Global Ministries Associate for Global Advocacy and Education
Whether we mean to or not, when we purchase goods and services we support the businesses that produce, deliver, and sell them. As a consumer our choices directly or indirectly sustain the industries and practices that go into making the products we buy. Wrapped up in every product are the materials used in manufacturing the goods, the energy inputs and environmental impacts of producing and transporting the goods, and the human labor used in making, packaging, and bringing products to market. We may not know the whole source map, supply-chain history, or all the labor and environmental practices for the companies and industries we support through our pocket-book, but in many cases we can find out if we look beyond the label.
Kids-to-Kids VBS Curriculum
The best VBS (Vacation Bible School) are ones that use a learning center model and that are flexible. The following list of VBS materials are free downloads. All of them are directly related to Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). All of the "Journey" VBS programs relate to Kids to Kids because they are opportunities for children to learn about and contribute to global mission projects that serve children.
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Kids-to-Kids Border Project
Youth and children can learn more about children and teenagers from Mexico and Central America who have made long journeys to come and live in the United States.
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God's Love is Everywhere - VBS Resource
God’s Love is Everywhere! is a multi-year VBS program, written by a former Global Ministries missionary, which helps children visit a different mission site each day. The last day of VBS is a study of the local congregation and their mission and outreach projects. This will need to be personalized for your congregation and town.
Read moreYouth and Children Links from Other Organizations
Links to activities and resources for youth and children from other organizations
Read moreSing in Chinese
Jesus Loves Me and Joyful, Joyful in phonetic Chinese
Read moreThe Chopsticks Game
Children in China (and Japan and Korea and many other places) use them all the time. Here's a chopstick game from Global Ministries missionaries, the Searles, who live in China. This is a very exciting game and will teach you to use those chopsticks fast!
Read moreWorld's Resources Simulation Game
Supplies
- Bread (or other food easily counted)
27 pieces (plus one extra loaf for the World Bank to use) - Pennies
106 (plus 50 for World Bank to use) = Total 156