Helping the Homeless


Scripture: Acts 16:16-40, Matthew 25:35

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn the story of Paul and Silas in jail.
  • Students will learn that missionaries and Christians can be persecuted for sharing their faith.
  • Students will learn how to trust God no matter what situation they are in.
  • Students will learn about the difficult lives that those who are homeless experience while learning how to best show them God’s love.

Guiding Question: How the you show God’s love by caring for the homeless?

Materials: 1 ½ – 2 yard pieces of fleece for fleece blankets (enough for each students to make a blanket), several large cardboard boxes, older rags, and garbage cans to set up homeless experience (preferably done outside)

Procedure: Read Matthew 25:35 to the students. Discuss with them why Jesus thought helping strangers find a place to stay was so important. Explain what some of the dangers are if you have to live on the street even for just one night. Tell the students that they are going to experience what life is like for a homeless person. Have the students try to “sleep” in cardboard boxes and see the trash cans where they may have to search for food or other necessities.

After asking the students how they felt having the experience, discuss the importance of soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Explain various ways to help people who are homeless and how helping them may lead them to God. Have the students make fleece blankets.

Additional Questions:

  • How can students provide basic needs for the homeless?

Supplemental Activity: Let the students come up with a list of items that those who are homeless may benefit from (hand sanitizer, water bottles, snacks, lotion, tissues, etc). Have the students plan how they want to gather the materials and find a shelter they could take the items to.

search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close