Charity Water


Scripture: Acts 8:1-40, Matthew 25:34-40

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will review the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.
  • Students will learn what is important to share to help people learn about God.
  • Students will learn what it means to share God to others.
  • Students will learn why God wants us to provide “a drink to those who are thirsty” as a way to share God’s love and message while collecting money to build a well in a town through Charity Water.

Guiding Question: What are some basic needs that Christians can meet that will encourage to listen to what they want to share about God?

Materials: enough reusable clear water bottles for each student to have one, large blank mailing labels to write their name on (with adhesive on back), markers, examples of water people could drink, bottled water, water jugs (at least one filled with water)

Procedure: Review the theme verses for this lesson (Matthew 25:34-40). Discuss why Jesus would think it was so important that we give someone a glass of water to drink. Is there more we can do when giving someone clean water to drink that would help them know more about God? Ask the students if they know of anyone who might need water to drink or cannot turn on water at home to use. Read one or more of the true stories from the Charity Water website of what life is like for those who do not have easy access to water.

Show the children four jars of water and ask them which are clean enough to drink. How do they know? Explain that one is tap water, one is bottled water, one is water that looks clean but is full of germs, and one is dirty with mud and some germs. Now how confident are they in knowing which are safe to drink? If you have time, the children can try to pick up and carry a water jug for some distance. Ask them follow up questions: How difficult was it? Could they carry it for a mile or more several times a day? What do you do with water now that you may not be able to do if you had to carry water to your house?

Introduce the activity. The students are going to collect money for a period of time for Charity Water. At the end of the chosen time period, all money collected will be sent to Charity Water to build a well. Once the well is built, the students will find their well on Google Maps. If possible, try to find a local missionary to go to the town where the well was built and share the students’ story of raising money for the well and the story of Jesus. The students will decorate large reusable water bottles which will serve as collection cans for their well money.

Additional Questions:

  • How can the students begin fundraising money at their church?

Supplemental Activity:

Have the students work together to come up with a plan for a fundraiser to be held at church to raise money for Charity Water. Students can collaborate with church leaders to determine when to hold the fundraiser and what support they can receive from the church congregation.

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