Scripture: 2 Kings 6:8-8:15
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn sometimes God is working in ways we can’t see yet.
- Students will learn God expects us to share the good news of what He has done for us with others.
- Students will learn God expects us to trust Him even when things aren’t going well.
- Students will participate in an activity to serve those who struggle with hunger and thirst today.
Guiding Question: How can we serve those who are struggling with hunger and thirst today, while also sharing our faith?
Materials: seeds, dirt, small pots, tube canister (tennis balls or Pringles), two clear cups, water, gravel, sand, terry cloth, coffee filter
Procedure: Tell students the story of Elisha and the Arameans (teachers of younger students may wish to omit some of the more graphic details). Point out that even though the King of Israel was evil (and many of the Israelites), God loved the Israelites.
Elisha told the king and his entourage God would provide food for the people the very next day. One of the king’s officers made fun of Elisha (and God) for promising how much food would be available the next day. He was later punished for his attitude.
God blesses many of us with plenty of food to eat. There are people around the world, who for a variety of reasons, don’t have enough food to eat or clean water to drink. As Christians we can serve them and teach them about what God wants for them and from them.
Sometimes, people need to be taught how to grow their own food and clean their water. Often, Christians have to learn special skills in order to serve the people who need to be taught these things so they can be healthy.
Explain that today, your students will learn how to plant container gardens. These gardens are great because they don’t require someone to own land in order to grow food. The garden of food can also move with them if they need to change locations.
Show students their mini containers for their garden. You may want to discuss information about container gardening for food from this website https://www.container-gardening-for-food.com/or others like it. Help students plant their food. Review what their seeds will need to grow into food their family can eat.
If time allows, you can also teach them about water filtration. It is extremely important for them to understand the method you are teaching them would only remover debris from the water. It would still need to be boiled or some other method used to remove invisible germs and bacteria.
Take one cup and fill it with water and dirt, leaves or other debris (Hint: this is best done outdoors!). Place some gravel and then sand in the canister. Pour the dirty water into the canister with an empty cup underneath it. See how clear this filter makes the water.
Repeat the experiment again. This time, secure the terry cloth around the empty cup. Pour the dirty water into the terry cloth filter. Have students observe if the water through this filter was clearer than through the other filter. If time allows, repeat a third time using a coffee filter.
Explain that as they serve others and share their faith, it is important to ask the people they serve what they need. Often we can learn things more easily because of the resources we have available to us. We can then teach them to others to help them with things like growing food and clean water. We must remember though, that while those things are very important, it is even more important that we teach them about what God wants for them and from them while we are serving them.