Scripture: Exodus 7-10
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the ten plagues and how they effected the Egyptian community.
- Students will learn about the challenges natural disaster victims face even after the weather has passed.
- Students will participate in a service project to collect items for natural disaster victims and assemble the items in buckets to donate.
Guiding Question: How do natural disaster effect a community and what can people do to help clean up after them?
Materials: paper, markers, plastic buckets, large green garbage bags, rags, work gloves, small first aid kits, soaps cleaning fluids, etc.
Procedure: Review the story of the ten plagues focusing on how they adversely impacted all Egyptians and made it difficult to get relief due to how wide spread the plagues were. Discuss how victims of natural disasters have a difficult time getting help because the whole community is affected. This is much different than if one person was affected and could rely on their neighbors. Unlike the Egyptians, who were warned, most disaster victims do not know when such a disaster will occur or how long it will last.
Have students conduct a collection drive for people who have experienced a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane, flood, tsunami, earthquake etc. Then students can assemble the goods in plastic buckets to donate. Collect items such as large green garbage bags, rags, work gloves, small first aid kits, soaps cleaning fluids, etc. Attach a card with Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made to God.” As students assemble the buckets, discuss how each item is useful for the recipient’s situation. Lead a prayer for those receiving the gifts and have students pray too.
Additional Questions:
- What do you think are the biggest challenges for people who experience a natural disaster?
- Many people think that the hardest part of the hurricane is the storm itself. However some homes are built to withstand the storm and so the roughest part is in the clean-up and being cut off from supplies, stores, food sources, and utilities such as running water. It can take a long time for flood waters to recede and roads to clear. What would people’s needs be after the storm?
- How can God use bad situations such as natural disasters to do good and bring people together?
Supplemental Activity: Have students research a type of severe weather (tornado, drought, hurricane, etc.) that could potentially affect their geographic community. What are ways to prepare such an event? Students can create pamphlets and posters to help educate the community on ways to prepare and show caution.
Written by: Savannah Negas