PLANTING FAITH A FAMILY GUIDE TO LENT

Transcription

1 PLANTING FAITH A FAMILY GUIDE TO LENT

2 INTRODUCTION A farmer tending to his fields in Trouin, Haiti Lent, the traditional journey towards Easter, is an opportunity to prepare our hearts to fully realize God s love sent to us through Jesus Christ. Lent creates space to pause and reflect on the ways in which God provides for all of us and to celebrate the new life made possible through Jesus. This season, we invite your family to come on a journey with us. We have prepared this short resource for you and your kids so you may experience Easter through the eyes of David, a farmer in Haiti, and his family. David and his family s story are fictional characters but reflect the real hardships of so many families all around the world. Like more than 70% of the rural poor, David s family relies on agriculture for their livelihood and source of food. Over the next seven weeks, you will follow David and his family as they begin planning for the harvest season, face the devastating aftermath of an unexpected hurricane and learn what it means to trust God and bless their neighbors. HERE S HOW THIS RESOURCE WORKS: Set aside one time each week where you and your family can journey through this resource together. We suggest giving yourselves at least 30 minutes before or after a meal. Each week begins with the provided Scripture. Take time to read the passage aloud and then discuss the questions as a family. Then follow the story of David and his family. Each week you will meet another family member. Encourage your kids to close their eyes and pretend they are that week s character. Then discuss the reflection questions as a family. Each week ends with a prayer and an activity. Feel free to adjust the activities to meet the needs of your family. We pray this resource is meaningful for you and your whole family as you journey towards Easter. INTRO PG. 1

3 WEEK 1 PREPARING FOR PLANTING A mother and daughter a mobile health clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti PARABLE OF THE SOWER Read Matthew 13: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. 10 The disciples came to him and asked, Why do you speak to the people in parables? 11 He replied, Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Discuss these questions with your family: 1. What are the three kinds of soil mentioned in the story? 2. Why do you think God tells us stories like this in the Bible? 3. How can you be like the seeds planted deeply in the soil? JOIN OUR STORY Jesus uses this parable to show how growing our faith is much like growing healthy food and crops. Although many of us may not depend on good seeds and soil, more than 70% of the world s rural poor still rely on agriculture for their food and livelihood. Sadly, often due to things out of their own control, many of these poor farmers aren t able to grow enough food to feed their families, much less sell crops for more income. In places like Haiti, natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, can make it difficult for a farmer to keep crops alive and still have enough food to eat. LENT WEEK 1 PG. 2

4 PRETEND YOU ARE DAVID You live in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti, where you are a farmer. Every morning you wake up before the sun rises to take care of your crops, because it s too hot to work outside in the middle of the day. Your hands are cracked and rough from digging, plowing, and planting. They show how hard you work to take care of your family. You and your wife, Marie have two children, your son Samuel and daughter Valencia. You whisper, Bondye bene ou, to your family as you leave. This is Creole, the main language spoken in Haiti, and means, God Bless you. When you step out the door, you stretch and look at your crops beginning to grow: eggplants, maize and peppers. These crops are your only source of income. You pray for rain to water them, but not too much rain because too much will wash your crops down the mountain. You pray for sun to help your plants grow, but not too much sun because then they may wither and die. So when you plant your seeds, you plant them deep in rich soil. This will protect the seeds from being washed away or eaten by birds, allowing them to flourish. Each seed is a seed of hope. ACTIVITY Try your hand at farming! Plant a seed as a family. Growing plants takes planning and preparation. You must prepare the soil, select the best place with light, and sustain it through watering and maybe even fertilizing the plant. Pick a plant of your choice then take turns watering it and checking on its growth. An Easter lily would be fun to watch during the season of Lent! QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Pretend you and your family are like David s family. Which jobs would you each want to do on the farm? 2. What things would you care about if you were a farmer that depended on your crops? 3. Lent is a time when we begin to prepare our hearts for Easter, recognizing Jesus love and sacrifice. What can you do this week to remember his love? Garden Project at Camp Isolé, Haiti PRAYER Lord, thank you for your love and thank you for keeping us close. Thank you for never leaving us. May our faith be deeply rooted in your love.we pray for families like David s and that their plants would grow tall and strong so that they will have enough food all year long. Please help us to be aware of the many blessings in our lives this week. Amen. LENT WEEK 1 PG. 3

5 WEEK 2 FOOD IS LIFE School feeding program in Port au Prince JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE Read John 6: Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, I am the bread that came down from heaven. 42 They said, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, I came down from heaven? Discuss these questions with your family: 1. Who is the bread of life? 2. How does Jesus give us life on a daily basis? 3. How does Jesus as the Bread of Life give you hope for the future? NOTES & RESPONSES LENT WEEK 2 PG. 4

6 PRETEND YOU ARE SAMUEL You live in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti. Your father, David, is a farmer and you, your sister Valencia, and mother Marie depend on the crops he grows. You are 9 years old and love school. You are thankful for your father s hard work because the crops give you vegetables at least once a week, even if the portions are small. Your favorite dinner is eggplant or berejenn in Creole. The vibrant purple vegetable adds more flavor to your bowl of beans and rice, which is what you usually eat. Eggplant is only harvested once or twice a year so it s a treat when you get some. In between harvest seasons, food is scarce. Your family has enough crops for one meal a week. This makes concentrating in class very difficult. Some days, your hungry tummy is really distracting and you struggle to pay attention in school. Some days, you contemplate quitting because you are far behind in class. Thankfully, World Vision just started a feeding program at your school. Everyday, you are given a hot meal at school and a take home ration for you and your family to eat at home. You are happy you can give food to your family. Your parents now think school is important and encourage you to continue to go so you can continue to bring food home. Since getting food from the feeding program, concentrating in class is easier and your grades have gotten better. ACTIVITY Fasting from distractions When many people think of Lent, they often think of fasting from something to focus more on Jesus. Fast from watching TV or playing games on your tablet or phone. Want to take it a step further? Fast from social media. The point is to fast from whatever distracts you from the Lord, your friends and family. Instead, use that time to do something as a family like make dessert, play a boardgame, or read Bible stories together. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Food is important to our lives! Do you have a favorite food? 2. What would life be like if you never got to enjoy this food? How would you feel? 3. In the story, Samuel has a hard time paying attention in school because he is so hungry. Have you ever experienced this? Students finishing their schooling exercises in Haiti PRAYER Lord, thank you for your love and thank you for the ways you give us life. We pray for children like Samuel that are hungry in school. Please provide for them and their families like you have for Samuel and his family. Thank you for giving us what we need today and for providing what we need tomorrow. Amen LENT WEEK 2 PG. 5

7 SAMUEL A Special Parable by Dana Buck This week, we have a special bonus parable inspired by Samuel s story. Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking in his shoes. The morning sun reveals A well-walked path through rocky ground The baked earth is unforgiving Much more red than it is brown Bleating goats address the morning From a distant, rude stockade The stunted trees are stingy Offering thorns, denying shade Scattered homes of hand-made brick Are roofed with thatch or metal The walls, well-worn from wind and rain Contorting as they settle Through this stark Haitian horizon A boy personifies renewal His mother named him Samuel And he s walking to his school He starts his journey early Well before the sun has risen He knows in learning there is freedom And in ignorance, a prison He longs to free his mother From the burdens life has brought her He s already built the fire And also gone to fetch the water His determination guides him Through what we would see as trials As he walks to reach his classroom A trip just under seven miles He has very little paper In a pouch he has encased it He writes in such tiny letters Because he can t afford to waste it The other thing he carries As he passes hard worked farms A plastic food container Tucked up tight beneath his arm But this is not his lunch There was no meal for him to build His container travels empty He can only hope it will be filled For the teachers do their best To provide a single meal Because they know the power of hunger To discourage, rob and steal A simple bowl of porridge This makes up the children s diet And only is provided When they have the means to buy it Samuel s hope becomes his mainstay Binds his heart just like a suture He keeps one eye on the road And the other on his future PARABLE BY DANA BUCK PG. 6

8 Arriving now at school He spends the morning working hard At mid-day the teachers move the children Out into the yard For Samuel s prayer is answered The one he always seems to pray The teachers carry steaming pots There will be food today The students form a line There is no pushing, there s no shoving As each bowl is gently filled By calloused hands well-worn and loving Samuel sits upon the grass A bite or two which stills the pain Then resolutely takes the lid And covers up all that remains This extraordinary act Of selfless love that he has shown Is just another average day In the life he s always known For this is but a glimpse Just a momentary tease And a look into the eyes That Jesus called the least of these As this Lenten season dawns And we lift up a prayerful voice Can we remember those whose sacrifice Comes by life and not by choice? For the tribute to our savior Our offered faith displayed Is not defined by what we ve given up But by the love we give away For he will take this home And smiling, give it to his mother So she can have the means To feed his hungry little brother The little boy who inspired Samuel laughing while at a health training in Trouin, Haiti PARABLE BY DANA BUCK PG. 7

9 WEEK 3 GIVING FROM OUR ABUNDANCE A farmer in Trouin, Haiti collecting her crops WHATEVER YOU DID FOR THE LEAST OF ME... Read Matthew 25: Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. 37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? 40 The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Discuss these questions with your family: 1. Can you remember a time when you shared something with someone in need? What was it? 2. How do you think God feels when we share with one another? 3. Do you remember a time when somebody shared with you? How did you feel? NOTES & RESPONSES LENT WEEK 3 PG. 8

10 PRETEND YOU ARE MARIE You live in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti. Your husband David is a farmer. You often help him in the fields because of how important the crops are to you and your family. All of the help you give is appreciated since unexpected elements make growth challenging. Weather can be a blessing and a challenge. The rainy season can help your plants or destroy them. Unfortunately, Hurricane Matthew destroyed your crops and washed them down the mountain this year. Your family was devastated. Before the rains came you were able to harvest some maize, eggplant, and peppers, but only enough for a few weeks. Without enough food, you and your husband don t know how you are going to provide food for your children. One day, a white truck appeared in front of your home with an orange World Vision logo on the side. They greeted you with a smile and spoke in Creole. They explained that many other farms were destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. In fact, it wiped out 90% of crops in the affected areas. The people from World Vision say they want to help your family by providing food, water, and shelter, and training farmers to better tend to their fields and withstand future disasters. You and your husband are overwhelmed with joy and a sense of love. You know you have been seen. You are known. Bondye se bon, you whisper. Meaning, God is good. ACTIVITY Volunteer with friends and family Jesus tells us to go and serve the least of these so take your family and friends to do a volunteer project. Is there a neighbor across the street who could use an extra hand? Reach out to people who are different than you - feed the homeless, organize cans at your local food bank, take an elderly person for a walk, or babysit a couple s young children so they can go on a date! The ideas are endless but the memories and relationships built with others are priceless. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Have you ever lost something important to you? How did it make you feel? 2. Marie and David s family lost all of their food because of Hurricane Matthew. Have you ever had to worry about not having food? How do you think that would feel? 3. How can you give thanks during Lent for all of the things you and your family have? PRAYER A woman works on a community farm, which has helped the community diversify and produce more food so they can sell produce for income Lord, thank you for your love and thank you for being good to our family. We pray for families who were affected by Hurricane Matthew and similar natural disasters all over the world. Please send people to provide assistance and to help them rebuild their farms so they may have enough food to eat. Help us to be aware of ways we can love and share with others this week. Amen LENT WEEK 3 PG. 9

11 WEEK 4 FACING THE UNEXPECTED JESUS IS TESTED Ready Matthew 4: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. 4 Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 7 Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test. A young girl watches her sister and friend complete their homework on the island of La Gonave, Haiti *This week, find a way to do this devotional a little differently - maybe before dinner or in a new location in order to simulate the unexpected. If your kids expect the devotion to happen after dinner, adjust to the new time and possibility of being hungry during the devo. 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me. 10 Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Discuss these questions with your family: 1. Have you ever walked or driven for a very long time? How long? Where did you go? 2. Did anything unexpected happen during this long walk or drive? 3. How do you think Jesus felt after he walked around in the desert for 40 days? LENT WEEK 4 PG 10.

12 PRETEND YOU ARE VALENCIA. You live in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti. Your father, David, is a farmer and you, your brother Samuel, and your mother Marie depend on his crops. You are 5 years old. You haven t started school yet, but you will next year if your family s harvest is big and they don t need your help harvesting it. Your family s crops were destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. World Vision has helped your community repair itself with provided tools and seeds for your family to plant. You go to the planting classes with your father where he learns how to better plant and take care of seeds. You love walking the fields with your father. You love to sing. You tug your father s hand when you want him to join in. Beni Senye a, o nanm mwen. O nanm mwen. Loue sen non-i. Chante kom ou pa jame fe avan, o nanm mwen, M-ap loue sen non Ou Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, oh my soul, you sing, Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, oh my soul, I ll worship His holy name. ACTIVITY Encourage someone who isn t expecting it Surprise someone! Make a craft, food item or buy a small gift for someone who needs cheering up. We all need encouragement, and you could be that encouragement for someone in your life. It s a great way to show God s love by caring about those around you! You learned this song in church. Singing brings you hope and reminds you that though the unexpected may come, you know Jesus sees you and loves you. You have hope that seeds will begin to sprout again. Your singing inspires your father to sing and he is reminded to have hope. New life can come from ruin. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Do you like to sing? What is one of your favorite songs to sing in church? 2. What people do you look to when you are sad or in trouble? 3. When Jesus rose from the grave, he brought the hope of eternal life into the world. How can you remember this hope on days filled with sadness or difficulty? PRAYER School children plant trees at the opening of the new school built by World Vision in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti Lord, thank you for your love and for the people in our lives that surround us with your love whenever we feel discouraged. We pray for families like Valencia s, that they would always know you are taking care of them. Please help us to remember your love during difficult or sad times. Amen. LENT WEEK 4 PG. 11

13 WEEK 5 YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN NEW LIFE World Vision agronomist visits a farmer s successful crop in Haiti JESUS HAS RISEN Read Luke 24: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Discuss these questions with your family: 1. Can you think of a time when you had a hard time believing what someone said? 2. Why do you think the others had a hard time believing Jesus was alive? 3. How did Peter get to the tomb? What emotion does that convey? NOTES & RESPONSES LENT WEEK 5 PG. 12

14 PRETEND YOU ARE FREDERIC You work for World Vision in Haiti. You love your job. Every day you arrive at the office in Port-au-Prince just in time for devotions. After devotions, you drive to the mountains and meet with families affected by Hurricane Matthew. World Vision provided food, water and shelter. You re now focused on rebuilding farms in Trouin. Your team helps train farmers in sustainable agriculture to be able to better tend to their fields and withstand future disasters. The drive to Trouin is long. The road is windy and bumpy. You drive along the mountains for a long time before getting to the small village of Trouin. You have visited David and his family several times. David and his daughter, Valencia are always singing in the fields when you pull up. David is one of your favorite farmers because of his kind eyes and warm smile, much like your father s. He was also a farmer and spent extra hours in his fields to make money so you could go to school and get an education. On today s visit, you see maize, which is like corn, beginning to grow in the soil. This is why you work. You believe in new life because you have seen it. ACTIVITY Write a note to a friend or family member Share about what you ve learned throughout the Lent season by writing a note to a friend or family member. Send it in the mail, give it at Easter or put it in a surprise spot around the house as a gift to share what God has given us! QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Have you ever been surprised by something? What was it? 2. Why do you believe it s possible for things that seem impossible to happen? 3. Jesus rose from the grave. He came back to life! What do you think you would have done if you were the one to find the empty tomb? Along the hillsides of Haiti, near Calebasse PRAYER Lord, thank you for your love and for loving us so much that you sent your son to die for our sins. Thank you for providing for families like David s through people like Frederic and organizations like World Vision that help those in need. Please help us to show love to those around us this week. Amen. LENT WEEK 5 PG. 13

15 WEEK 6 EMPOWERED TO EMPOWER Mothers learn proper for their families in Mika, Haiti THE GREAT COMMISSION Read Matthew 28: Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Discuss these questions with your family: 1. Jesus had recently died on the cross and rose again three days later. Why do you think it was difficult for the disciples to believe Jesus was standing in front of them? 2. Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth. How does this make you feel? 3. How do you think you can follow the instructions to go and make disciples? NOTES & RESPONSES LENT WEEK 6 PG. 14

16 PRETEND YOU ARE DAVID You are a farmer in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti. Easter is next Sunday and you have been reflecting on everything you are thankful for. A few months ago, Hurricane Matthew destroyed your crops and you have been working to rebuild your livelihood. You weren t sure how you were going to keep sending your son Samuel to school. Since World Vision started coming to your village, everything has been getting better. They taught you better planting techniques and provided farming tools and seeds for you to revive your fields. After three months of hard work, planting seeds and singing with your daughter Valencia in the fields, your crops are thriving. It s almost time for you to harvest the maize and the eggplant. God has been faithful to you and your family and brought your fields back to life. Frederic from World Vision worked closely to train you with care. He even recommended that you start training other farmers in your community. Because of the care you received from Frederic and World Vision, you took his advice and began teaching other farmers the techniques. You encouraged your kids to share your crops with your neighbors to make sure there s enough food for the whole village. Because you were blessed, you want to be a blessing to others. You and your family can t express how grateful you are for the farming lessons from World Vision. Your lives were broken and were then rebuilt. Though you have faced many trials this year, you rest in the promises that Easter holds. Easter has reminded you that God is faithful. Every tall stalk of maize and bright purple eggplant are tiny reminders of this faithfulness. Because God has been faithful to you, you wish to be faithful with what you have been given. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Think of a time someone did something nice for you. How did this make you feel? 2. Think of a time you ve done something nice for someone else. How did this make you feel? 3. Jesus commands us to go and love those in the world. What are ways you can follow this command? How can you empower others to do this with you? ACTIVITY Journal and Reflect Jesus left us with The Great Commission, which is about going out and telling the world the good news about Him. Making disciples means empowering others and encouraging them to share the good news, too! Journal and reflect on what you have learned about the Good News of Jesus love. Take 10 minutes to write down your thoughts then discuss them together as a family. PRAYER Farmer in Trouin,Haiti Lord, thank you for your love and for sending people to tell us about that love. We pray for families like David s and that families in need will know your love. Please show us ways we can be a blessing to others because we have been blessed. Amen. LENT WEEK 6 PG. 15

17 WEEK 7 BREAKING BREAD A rural church for residents from scattered farms. PRETEND YOU ARE DAVID You live in the mountains of Trouin, Haiti. You and your family have had a successful harvest this year. In fact, you had more than enough. Today is Easter, and your church is having a celebration after the church service. You ve brought enough eggplant for the entire congregation. Joy fills the pews. Praises are loud and dancing fills every aisle. You and your family can t help but join in celebration. You are thankful for the ways the Lord has blessed you and your family, so you enjoy the extended worship session today. Today the pastor s message catches your attention. The message is always impactful, but today it s as if he is speaking directly to you. The pastor is sharing what it means to be a church family as modeled by the early church in Acts 2:42-47: 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in (Continued on next page) NOTES & RESPONSES LENT WEEK 7 PG. 16

18 common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Because you have faithfully tended to your fields, you have an abundance of produce. Your fields recovered from Hurricane Matthew but not everyone s have. You decide to open up your home to those in your church community that weren t as fortunate as you. Your home is becoming a place for your neighbors to come and break bread in community. A place for fellowship. A place for hope. QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON THIS WEEK: 1. Think of something that you try to faithfully do daily. Why is it important to do this everyday? 2. Have you ever been invited to someone s house for dinner? How did it make you feel? 3. Who could you invite over this next week that may be in need of encouragement? Discuss as a family. ACTIVITY Host a Meal David and his family have become a support system for their community. They provide extra food from their fields to those in need. Because they know God has blessed them, they desire to bless others. This week, invite another family over that you ve never invited over before or a family that may be in need of some encouragement, good food and love. Sunday worship at church in Haiti Mothers participate in a nutrition training program PRAYER Lord, thank you for your love and for providing us with abundantly more than we could ask or imagine. We pray for villages like David s, that families in need will find places to receive what they need. Please show us ways we can create fellowship and friendship with the community around us. Amen. LENT WEEK 7 PG. 18

19 2016 World Vision Canada Published by World Vision Canada, National Church Engagement 1 World Drive, Mississauga, ON L5T 2Y4 churches.worldvision.ca Written by Alissa Sandoval and Caroline Kolins. Designs by Staphanie Copenhaver. Special thanks to James Pedrick, Brad Saunders Katie Swift and Jillian Zieske. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means -- for example, electronic, photocopy or recording-- without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Printed in Canada

20 World Vision Canada National Church Engagement 1 World Drive, Mississauga ON, L5T 2Y4 churches.worldvision.ca For children, For change, For life