This is a practical project to help our kids have compassion for those who have to walk long ways for water and to be grateful for the simple gift of water. {Subscribe in the sidebar to receive once-a-week emails about faith & parenting.}
- Reading: I read the book, The Water Princess, to my kids. I looked up “read aloud for Water Princess.” Then I muted it and read it to them.
- Social Studies – Part 1: I shared a short video clip of a child in Zambia named Violet who has to walk one mile to get water, carry the bucket on her head, and walk the mile back. It was a great video because it doesn’t try to produce guilt from the viewers – instead it makes you aware, and shows the hope the organization is offering by offering wells and water purification systems.
- Social Studies – Part 2: Then, we walked almost 2 miles carrying our water bottles. While this didn’t compare to carrying a bucket on our heads, I wanted them to get a sense of walking with something for a long way. This was not meant to create guilt, but through gently sharing the reality around the world, I want them to be aware of what a lot of families deal with – to have compassion and be moved to help as Jesus tells us to. My kids were excited to participate.
- Geography: On our interactive globe, we looked up information about Zambia. If
you don’t have an interactive globe, you can look up information on the Internet. They also had to figure out the coordinates of where Zambia is located. - Art: They created a model of Zambia’s walk to water on a cardboard box I took apart using paint, cotton balls for clouds, play dough for hills, cut up straws for birds, pipe cleaners for the hut roof, cut up pieces of coffee filters for the path, puffy paint for the river, perler beads to create Violet and the bucket, and a pasta box they painted for the water filter.
Math: a) They created a scale on the map so her walk to the river could be measured and calculated as one mile. b) Violet walks one mile to the river each day and one mile back home, three times a day. They figured out how many miles that is each day, each week, and each month. c) In the video they saw, the organization said that every 30 seconds they reach someone with clean water. So, the kids figured out how many people they reach in one minute, 1 hour, and 3 hours.- Science: We talked about the parasites and other harmful things that can be in dirty water and how that can make the people very sick. We talked about how to filter water and what the process looks like. We watched a short clip on an organization filtering water. We also talked about why wells are very helpful to a village, save lives, and how they w
We spent one school day doing most of this project and spent a week I spurts creating the model of Violet’s walk to water.
My prayer is that when our kids and us turn the tap water on, we are in deep appreciation to the Lord for the gift of water, that we are moved to compassion as we think about what some people deal with around the world, that we pray for these people, and that we are moved to take action and help them however we can.
Lord, draw our hearts to care about the things You care about. We are deeply grateful for the gifts you’ve given us. Please provide for those who go without and show us specific ways we can help them. Please be with each of these people and bless them greatly. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A Church Service for Kids
If you’re looking for a “church service” for your kiddos, I just came across this one that’s about 15 minutes. There’s one for preschool, elementary, and older kids. We watched the elementary one and they loved it. It had a song, an entertaining talk about humility, and one more song. If your kids think the song/dance part is cheesy, just skip over it. My kiddos loved the part with Jake. 😊https://mailchi.mp/51fafe73f05a/gateway-kids-sunday-morning-worship-12447294
It Just Takes One
It takes one person to change someone’s world. One.
For my dad, it was Sister Mary Aloysius at his military school.
With his mother being married seven times and dying young, there wasn’t always someone right there to guide him.
He spent Saturdays in detention crossing and uncrossing his arms and failing classes.
Then, one person at the military school, a little old lady, noticed him.
Sister Mary Aloysius.
She asked my dad what subject he hated. That was easy – English.
She said, “It’s because you don’t understand it. We’re going to write a book together and you will grow to love it.”
I don’t know that it was the book that made the great difference, but that she noticed, cared, and invested.
He showed up in detention less and less – he saw there was another way.
His grades soared, he made wise choices, joined the Naval Airforce, and became a successful man.
Successful in the greatest way – loving Jesus, having integrity, loving others, and making a difference in their lives.
All because Sister Mary Aloysius noticed, cared, and invested.
Who can you notice?
Who can you care for?
Who can you invest in?
Who needs to know that even if they are in the darkest valley, there is always hope in Jesus?
Always.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
A Prayer from Psalms
Enjoy connecting with your kiddos this week with this project of awareness!
Linsey Driskill 