World Hunger Campaign CHILDREN S DEVOTIONAL

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1 World Hunger Campaign CHILDREN S DEVOTIONAL

2 Follow the World Hunger campaign on social media fty worldrenew.net/worldhunger Devotionals written by Sonya Vanderveen Feddema, 2018

3 CHILDREN S DEVOTIONAL STORY BOOK INTRODUCTION In the following days as you read this devotional for children and their families, you ll meet Martha Marak and her children. Each day s devotion ends with a question that will be answered the next day. You ll learn about how God has changed their story with the help of World Renew s Free A Family program. This program helps people overcome poverty through community programs in agriculture, health, nutrition, literacy, and more. The end result is nutritious food, clean water, improved health, and increased income for community members. Free A Family chooses one family to represent a selected region, while at the same time helping the entire community. This keeps administrative costs low and allows financial donations to the program to go a long way in helping people in need. Supporters of Free A Family receive four updates each year about a family that World Renew is working with in their selected region. At church, you may have received a Peter Fish bank. You can use this bank to save your money over the next two weeks. Your gifts will help people like Martha Marak and her family learn new ways of farming, acquire new skills in order to earn more income, discover how to be leaders, find out how to work for peace between communities, and more. If you didn t receive a Peter Fish bank, you can use a recycled can or other container to save your gift money. As you put your coins into the Peter Fish each day, pray that God will use your gifts to help people continue to improve their lives with the help of World Renew. In two weeks, please return your Peter Fish bank to your church for the deacons to collect. Thanks for caring and sharing!

4 DAY 1 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17) In a tiny village by towering mountains, a strong woman named Martha Marak and her four children live in a good mud home with a thatched roof that they built. Martha loves her children. She wants Wanchy, Lenin, John, and Kritika to have enough food to eat each day. Martha is a farmer. She wakes up early and walks a long way to her fields. Then she works hard all day. She grows bananas, pineapples, corn, pumpkins, and watermelons. Still, she can t always grow enough food for her children. God loves Martha and her family. He loves all people. God wants all His children to have enough food to eat. God helped Martha and her family. What did God, our good, strong Provider, do for them? PRAYER Dear God, in every country in the world, You love women, men, boys and girls. As we read Martha s story, help us see Your power and glory. In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION How many meals has your family eaten in the last week? Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

7 DAY 2 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10) What did God, our good, strong Provider, do for Martha and her children? God sent them friends who care and share. Who are these friends? World Renew a group of Jesus followers who want people to have uzima which, in Swahili, means life. A joyful, wholesome, healthy, loving life! Martha wants her children to experience uzima, too she is joining with World Renew to grow plenty of food to eat, to provide a good education, to open a clinic to go to when they are sick, and a loving community in which to live. World Renew wants them to have these good gifts, not just for a day, or two days, or three, but for years and years. How is God using World Renew to help Martha, her children, and other people in their village in India taste uzima? PRAYER Dear God, thanks that You are using World Renew. Give all people a chance to thrive, we pray, with gifts You send each new day. In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION What gifts has God given you and your family? Make a list. Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for ten things on your list. Thank God that you can help others experience uzima through World Renew.

8 DAY 3 He makes plants for people to cultivate bringing forth food from the earth. (Psalm 104:14b) How is God using World Renew to help Martha, her children, and other people in their village experience uzima? World Renew is teaching new ways of farming that produce more food. Martha is a now a farmer-student. She is eager to learn from World Renew. She knows that discovering new ways to grow more food for her family will mean a better life uzima! for all of them. What did Martha learn? She discovered how to keep the soil healthy. She found out how to keep the soil from washing away. She heard about a better way to plant banana plants. Dig a big, deep hole! Set the plant in it! Fill the hole with soil! Watch the plant thrive! How else is God using World Renew in Martha s life? PRAYER Dear God, Thanks for wills to learn new skills. With Your loving care, bless farms and farmers everywhere. In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION What new discoveries did Martha make about farming? Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

11 DAY 4 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3) How else is God using World Renew in Martha s life? World Renew is teaching Martha and others in her village how to grow kitchen gardens gardens close to homes where families can grow vegetables. Imagine Martha s kitchen garden: onions, potatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, spinach, carrots, radish, cabbage, and more! Sometimes Martha grows extra food her family doesn t need. She harvests it and sells it at a market. With the money she earns, Martha pays for her children s education. She hires tutors to help her sons, Lenin and John, who go to a free public school. She pays tuition fees for her daughters, Wanchy and Kritika, who go to private schools. Extra vegetables equal money for education. Uzima! But when storms blow in, what then? What can Martha do? PRAYER Dear God, how good You are to people near and far. Bless gardens, big and small. Prosper all! In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION Do you and your family grow vegetables in a garden each summer? If so, put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each kind of vegetable you grow. Otherwise, put 25 cents in your bank for each kind of vegetable that Martha grows.

12 DAY 5 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. (Psalm 28:7a) When storms come, what can Martha do? Once, a hail storm did strike Martha s village, damaging her kitchen garden. She worked hard to repair it. Martha was sad because she couldn t provide well for her children those days. But Martha was happy, too. The storm hadn t destroyed her house or the food she d stored for the future. With World Renew s help, Martha had become a leader of a self-help group. So, when she learned that one family had lost their house and all their stored food, she asked group members to provide food for them. Martha and her group usually don t have money to give. But they offer other gifts food, work, and friendship which help people experience uzima! What else did Martha learn from World Renew about being a leader? PRAYER Dear God, You give us true life and love, gifts from above! When trouble comes, teach us to care, to help others, and always share! In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION Martha and her self-help group members saw a need in their village and did something about it. Talk about ways in which you can help needy people where you live. Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one. Then choose one way you talked about and act on it.

14 WEEKEND ACTIVITY #1 CELEBRATE UZIMA AT HOME! During this past week, you ve been hearing about the lives of Martha Marak and her children. You ve also heard about Martha s relationship with World Renew. You ve learned that World Renew wants Martha, her children, and all people to experience uzima which, in Swahili, means life. A joyful, wholesome, healthy, loving life! This weekend, why not celebrate uzima with your family at home by having a uzima scavenger hunt? Start by clearing a space on the floor. Then get some blank paper and crayons or markers ready. Look at the list below. You ll see things and activities mentioned. Draw a picture of the activities on the list that bless your life and help you and others thrive. Hunt for the things on the list that give you a healthy, wholesome life, and then gather them in the space you ve cleared on the floor. If an item is too large to carry, draw a picture of it. Once you ve finished the scavenger hunt, talk about how each of the items or activities helps you and your family experience uzima. Thank God for each one and ask Him to help you appreciate more and more all that He has given you. Ready! Set! Go! Uzima scavenger hunt! LIST OF ITEMS AND ACTIVITIES Shoes Book Glasses Bible Shared meals together Bed Milk

15 Apple Banana Blanket Water Coat Shirt Socks Mittens Bathtub Boots Sleep Umbrella Roof Door Reading books together Playing board games together Television Computer Pencils Table Singing together Watching a movie together School notebook Gardening tools Washing machine Sharing stories of God s goodness

17 DAY 6 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. (Mark 9:35) What else did Martha learn from World Renew about leadership? Martha discovered that being a good leader means serving others. Martha learned how to be a peacemaker. She traveled far from her village to meet with people who had been fighting with her community. She was a servant-leader who showed others the importance of forgiveness. Martha also learned how to lead her self-help group s meetings, write reports, and collect the money the women are saving together. She records when a woman borrows money from the group to start a small business or for other needs. She helps the women understand that, by doing things this way, everyone wins! Uzima! Martha is a mother, farmer, and leader. But that s not all! What else is Martha doing? PRAYER Dear God, You teach us to serve You and others. Fill us with love for our worldwide sisters and brothers. In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION In what ways do you serve each other in your family? Put 10 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

18 DAY 7 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17) Martha is a mother, farmer, and leader. What else is she doing? She s learning to sew! Martha already makes money selling eggs and food from her garden. But sometimes she still doesn t have enough to pay for her family s needs. So, when World Renew offered a sewing class, Martha joined. She learned how to sew shirts, pants, dresses, and bags. She asked her neighbors about their clothing needs. Now she knows what people will order and buy from her. For now, Martha is borrowing the group s sewing machine. Once she s saved up enough money, she ll buy her own machine. Martha is grateful God has given her this chance to improve her life uzima! What else is Martha thankful for? PRAYER Dear God, thanks for giving Martha new skill and labor. Bless her and her children with Your favor! In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION What different kinds of work do you and your family do at home, school, church, on the job, or in your community? Put 10 cents in your Peter Fish bank for each one. Thank God for your work and ask Him to bless it.

21 DAY 8 Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39b) What else does Martha thank God for? Martha is grateful that World Renew taught her how to gather clean water and keep germs from spreading. She plans to buy a special toilet and build a wall around it to replace the family s pit latrine. Martha shares what she s learned with her neighbors. She encourages parents to take their children to the health center for vaccinations. She tells them she keeps her children safe from malaria by covering them with a mosquito net when they sleep. Martha loves her neighbors. She cares about their health. When she shares health tips with them, she improves the life of her community. Uzima! Martha is strong and does so much good. From whom does she receive her strength and help? PRAYER Dear God, thanks for Martha, who loves her neighbors by caring for their health. In all we do, help us share Your love the greatest wealth! In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION Martha took several steps to make her life healthier. Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

22 DAY 9 I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2) Martha is strong and does much good. From whom does she receive her strength and help? From God! Martha knows that she and her children belong to their loving Father. She trusts Jesus as their Savior. Martha wants her family to grow in love for Jesus. At bedtime, she reads the Bible to her younger children, Lenin, John, and Kritika, and prays with them. They attend Sunday School and are active in a church. Martha is praying that her oldest daughter, Wanchy, will be baptized soon. Martha knows that true life uzima! is a gift from God. Each day, she can face the future because she knows God is with her, also through her friends at World Renew. What hopes does Martha have for the future? PRAYER Dear God, thanks for growing people s faith in You! Your gift of life makes all things new! In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION How has Martha experienced uzima in the stories you ve read about the last few days? Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

25 DAY 10 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) What hopes does Martha have for the future? Martha has a long list of hopes for her family. Martha hopes that her children will continue to walk with Jesus. Martha hopes that her children will be healthy. Martha hopes that she can earn enough money to help her children continue to go to school. Martha hopes that her children will grow up to be adults who serve God, and their families, communities, and country. Martha hopes these things not only for her family, but for her neighbors and their children, too. Martha hopes that World Renew will continue to bless her community. Martha hopes for a full life uzima! for all people. PRAYER Dear God, we trust in You! You give people uzima and hope for the future, too. In Jesus name, amen. GIVING SUGGESTION Are Martha s hopes like your own? Talk about both her hopes and yours. Put 25 cents into your Peter Fish bank for each one.

26 WEEKEND ACTIVITY #2 CELEBRATE UZIMA IN YOUR COMMUNITY! Last weekend, after hearing stories about Martha Marak and her children, you celebrated uzima with your family at home by having a uzima scavenger hunt. This week, you ve learned even more about Martha and how she is experiencing uzima as she takes what she learns from World Renew and works to improve the lives of her children and community. In the community where you live, there are many places and services which contribute to uzima. a wholesome and blessed life for you and others. This weekend, why not celebrate uzima with your family by taking a uzima field trip in your community? In the list below, you ll see several places that you and your family can visit or drive past. Before you leave on your field trip, plan your outing, then talk together about how each place helps to give you a healthy, good life. When you ve completed your field trip, draw a picture of some of the places you visited. Hang up your picture as a reminder of all that God has blessed you with. PLACES THAT YOU COULD VISIT Library Church Pool Farmers market Grocery store Drug store Toy store Community center Medical clinic

27 Hospital Dentist Park Lakefront Playground Food bank Fire station Police station Museum Hiking trail Bank Post office School Soccer field Greenhouse Bus station Airport Bird sanctuary Book store Farm Roadside food stand Charity thrift store Hydro station Water treatment plant City hall Recycling plant Bakery.

29 ORIGAMI FISH BOOK MARK Here are directions for making a fish:

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Overview. for the past 50 years and will continue to be central as we move into the future.

Overview. for the past 50 years and will continue to be central as we move into the future. I m Blessed! I m Blessed! Overview World Renew is compelled by God s own deep passion for justice and mercy to respond on your behalf to people experiencing poverty, hunger, disaster and injustice around