(Handle It) (Share It) (Love It) (END IT) (Own It)

Stop Hunger Now

Vacation Bible School Curriculum

[Insert Church name here]

[Church location]

Summer [year]

Table of Contents

Introduction to Stop Hunger Now

3

Day 1: Love It

4

Day 2: Own It

6

Day 3: Handle It

9

Day 4: Share It

11

Day 5: End It

14

Song Book

15

Introduction to Stop Hunger Now

Our Vision: A world without hunger.

Our Mission: To end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable and by creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources.

History:

Stop Hunger Now is an international hunger relief agency that has been fulfilling its commitment to end hunger for more than 16 years. Since 1998, the organization has coordinated the distribution of food and other lifesaving aid to children and families in countries all over the world.

Stop Hunger Now created its meal packaging program in late 2005. The program perfected the assembly process that combines rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavoring mix including 21 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packets. Each meal costs only 29 cents. The food stores easily, has a shelf life of two years and transports quickly. Stop Hunger Now works with international partners that ship and distribute the meals in-country.

The packaging operation is mobile enough to go wherever volunteers are located, and can be adapted to accommodate as few as 25 and as many as 500 volunteers at a time. One SHN packaging event can result in the packaging of more than 1,000,000 meals. The use of volunteers for product packaging has resulted in an extremely cost-effective operation while, at the same time, increasing awareness of global hunger and food insecurity issues across the world.

Stop Hunger Now provides over 70% of its meals to support transformational development programs such as school feeding programs, vocational training programs, early childhood development programs, orphanages, and medical clinics. Working with these programs helps enhance lives by giving beneficiaries the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty through education, skills development, and health care while also receiving much needed nutrition. Stop Hunger Now’s goal is to allocate 80% of its meals to transformational development programs by 2015.

Every year, Stop Hunger Now reserves 10% of its projected meals to respond right away to crisis situations including natural disasters, conflict and famine. In addition to providing food for crisis relief, Stop Hunger Now also works to meet the immediate needs of those suffering from hunger. Stop Hunger Now’s meal packaging program operates throughout the US and internationally.

Thank you for choosing our Vacation Bible Study curriculum. We look forward to partnering with your church for the duration of your summer program and beyond. Please contact Rev Steve Hickle, Faith Outreach Director, shickle@stophungernow.org, if you have any questions or concerns – or ideas to strengthen this curriculum!

(This curriculum uses the NRSV translation of the Bible.)

For more information, please visit our site: www.stophungernow.orgDay 1: Love It

God showed us the ultimate love by sending us his son, Jesus. Therefore, today’s theme is focused on loving one another the way that God has taught us – we love because God first loved us, a love demonstrated by Jesus. This means showing compassion to one another, practicing forgiveness, and living by the Golden Rule: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you…” (Matthew 7:12)

Songs: Jesus Loves You, Deep and Wide

Daily Bible verse: He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself’ (Luke 10:27).

Stop Hunger Now Success Story: Elmer, from El Salvador

Elmer was ready to begin kindergarten but his mother was hesitant to send him to public school because he was weak and frail. The principal of a local school heard of Elmer’s situation and knew the school would be a good place for him. Elmer began attending the private school and quickly became a star student in his class and a happy, active young boy. According to his principal, Elmer eats more than any child in his class.

Daily Bible story: The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats- Matthew 25:31-46.

During the three years that Jesus traveled and taught, he used parables to help people understand important truths about God. Who remembers what a parable is? A parable is a short story, a story that has more than one meaning, a story that seems simple, but isn’t. In today’s parable- The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats–Jesus will describe himself as a shepherd who divides his flock into two groups, with sheep on one side and goats on the other. As we will see, one of these groups is rewarded by the shepherd, and the other group is sent away from the shepherd.

Let’s read the parable that Jesus tells together:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.”

Let’s pause for a moment. Did you know that throughout the Bible, we are called God’s own sheep? For example, Psalm 95:7 says, “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand...” Now listen as the story continues:

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

Activities

Collecting Compassion - From construction paper, cut out the letters C-O-M-P-A-S-S-I-O-N. Make them approximately 6” in length. Using tape, make a hopscotch board on the floor. Make sure the squares are large enough for them to jump into with both feet. Put the construction paper letters in the corners of the squares, one letter to each square. Do not put them in any order. Give each child a penny. Explain that the letters on the hopscotch board, when collected, will spell a special word from the lesson. It is a long word, but an important word that every person should know about. Each child takes a turn tossing their penny and trying to land it in one of the hopscotch squares. When they land in one, they hop in all the squares to where their penny is, pick up the penny and the construction paper letter, and finish hopping the rest of the way to the end of the board. When all the letters have been collected, arrange the children in the correct order so the word, compassion, is spelled. Tell them what the word is and explain that it means love in action. It means your heart feels so much love and sympathy for someone that you want to show it by kind acts and words. Only Jesus can give us this compassion.

Red heart nametags: Make nametags for each child in the shape of a red heart as a reminder to show compassion throughout the week.

Daily challenge: Learn more about a “soup kitchen” in your area and ask your parents if you can go with them to volunteer to serve a meal.

Daily offering: Collect canned food items for a local soup kitchen in today’s Vacation Bible School.

Day 2: Own It

Because God has blessed us with many different things, like food to eat, a loving family and a house to live in, it is our responsibility to give back to others. We are fortunate to have the things that we have, and God wants us to share them with other people. Therefore, today’s theme is “own it” as we own up to our responsibility.

Songs: This Little Light of Mine, Happy All the Time

Stop Hunger Now Success Story: John, from Kenya

John’s parents died in tribal clashes. With no place to live or food to eat, he wandered aimlessly for months through Kenya’s highlands. Now 15, John lives at Bethel Home children’s home outside of Nairobi.

At Bethel Home, Stop Hunger Now’s partner Convoy of Hope and its in-country partners provide nutritious meals. Because of that, John is now excelling in school and dreams of being a surgeon one day.

Daily Bible verse: “If you offer your food to the hungryand satisfy the needs of the afflicted,then your light shall rise in the darknessand your gloom be like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:10).

Daily Bible story:The Parable of the Good Samaritan- Luke 10:25-37

This parable starts with a man asking Jesus a question. He asked,

“‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’”

The story does not end there! Listen:

“But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”

Activity:

Helping Hands Book

We learned in the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus doesn't just want us to love him, he wants us to help others. Make a book that shows how you can be a Good Samaritan. The book is shaped just like your hands, to remind you that you can keep your hands busy doing good things!

Materials:

· Cover patterns - Front page and Back page

· Blank paper

· Crayons, markers, or colored pencils

· Stapler

· Scissors

Instructions:

1. Print cover patterns (on cardstock if able)

2. Carefully cut out front and back pages

3. Cut blank paper to fit size of hand patterns

4. Each book should contain one front page, at least two inside pages, and one back page.

5. On the front cover, write [insert name]’s Helping Hands

6. Have children list ways they can share or help others on inside pages. They can draw pictures to go with their examples.

7. Staple books together and have children check off the things they do throughout the week to help others.

Adaptations for each age group: You can adapt the goals written inside each Helping Hands book for each age group. Help Kindergarten through 2nd grade students think about what they can be doing at home to serve their family. Third and fourth graders can think about what they can do at home and what they can do for their friends. Fifth and sixth graders can set goals for serving their family, friends and community.

Questions by age group:

· Kindergarten-2nd Grade: What can I do at home?

· 3rd-4th Grade- What can I do at home? What can I do for my friends?

· 5th-6th Grade- What can I do at home? What can I do for my friends? What can I do for my community?

Daily challenge:With your family, set a goal for a small change you can make in your life to serve others. Write it down somewhere that you see daily.

Daily offering: As we continue to practice sacrificial living, learning that living for Jesus means giving our possessions for His glory, collect an offering for Stop Hunger Now meals. Just 29 cents pays for one meal.

Here’s a fun way to do it: arrange two dimes, a nickel and four pennies in the shape of a face (eyes, nose and mouth) – if the mouth is smiling, you’ve reached 29 cents!

** If your church has a “work team,” you might consider trying to be in contact with them during the week via Skype – a way to talk with them live and see where they are doing mission work –a neighboring church also might have such a team, or there may be pictures from previous teams that can be viewed.

Discuss idea before and after about “who are my brothers and sisters?”

Day 3: Handle It

While hunger seems like a big issue, we can each do our part to feed others. We can put our trust in God, praying for Him to use our hands and our feet to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. We know that God has a plan for us, and we can trust him to make us strong. That is why today we focus on “Handle It,” knowing that we are strengthened by God to do His will.

Songs: I’m in the Lord’s Army, The Wise Man Built His House

Daily Bible verse: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26).

Stop Hunger Now Success Story: Mili, from El Salvador

Mili, 9, is wide-eyed, smiling and talkative. She tells of jumping rope with her friends as easily as she does feeling hungry. As the children head back to class, Mili says, “I feel happy when I come to school because I know I’m going to eat here!”

Daily Bible story: The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? Look. See how tiny these seeds are? They are the smallest seeds I have ever seen. A mustard seed is so small that if you were holding one in your hand and dropped it on the ground, you might not be able to find it. Even though the mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds, when it is planted in the ground, it grows into a plant so large that birds can perch on its branches and can even build their nests in it. I have read that these tiny seeds can produce a plant that grows ten feet high or more!

Jesus told a parable comparing the mustard seed to the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).

How is that a picture of the kingdom of God? Well, when Jesus first began his earthly ministry, he had no followers. The Bible tells us that Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee when he saw two fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, casting their nets. "Come, follow me," Jesus said to them. They immediately followed Jesus. As they continued on their way, they saw two other brothers, James and John, mending their nets. Jesus called them and they immediately left their nets and followed him. One by one, Jesus called his disciples until there were twelve of them. That is still a pretty small beginning, isn't it? Jesus sent out the twelve and they brought others to Jesus and the kingdom of God grew. From a very small beginning, the kingdom of God has grown and grown until it has spread over the entire earth.

To get a better understanding of what this story teaches, I took an apple, cut it open, and took out the seeds. There were five seeds in my apple. Now, imagine that we planted these seeds and each grew into an apple tree. How many apples do you think each tree might produce? Fifty? One hundred? Two hundred? I read that an apple tree can produce from 150 to 300 apples each year and that an apple tree will produce apples for about fifty years. Just think how many apples that is! It isn't hard to see how we have enough apples to feed the entire world, is it?

Jesus started growing the kingdom of God with a handful of disciples. Every follower of Jesus is a part of the kingdom and that means that you and I are a part of God's kingdom. Each time we tell someone about Jesus, we are helping to grow the kingdom. Isn't it great to know that we can have a part in growing God's kingdom?

Activities:

· Mustard Seed Relay: Children can divide into two teams and take turns running to a wall to add sections of a tree (that can have pieces of branches attached) to keep getting taller and taller until all the children have had a chance to tape a section of the tree on the wall for each team. If the teacher chooses to have a small 2-step ladder available, the children can make their mustard seed trees much taller. Let children write words about today's lesson later while the lesson is being told.

· Apple tree prints: Give children supplies to draw and cut out a tree trunk and branches and glue to a piece of construction paper. Children may then use red ink to make fingerprints in the tree to represent apples and tell the children today's story. Children can write: GREAT THINGS GROW FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS... and could add words on each apple, from Mark 4:30-32, if desired.

· Personal mini garden: Plant seeds in a personal garden using an egg container or a box—learn about growing food while also viewing how a small seed can grow to provide sustenance

Daily challenge: Pray for your church’s work team, or if your church doesn’t have one, try to discover one at a nearby church.

Daily offering: Collect another daily offering for a Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event. Remind the children and parents that they will be able to participate in this event, seeing the fruits of their donation.

Day 4: Share It

There is an old saying that says, “Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a person to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” As we share God’s love with our friends and family, we can also share the things with which God has blessed us. As we focus on applying the compassion that we learned about earlier this week, by sharing it with others, we can put compassion into action.

Songs: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, I’ve Got the Joy in my Heart

Daily Bible verse: And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people”(Matthew 4:19).

Stop Hunger Now Success Story: Trinta, from Kenya

Trinta is a happy faced girl who looks you straight in the eye if you engage her in conversation. Her happy face might be oblivious to the challenges her mother has go through to get Trinta an education. In 2012 Trinta’s mother was laid off and they no longer had money for food and other basic needs for life.

Trinta’s mother reached out to her pastor and he was able to help through Outreach Community Center and keep Trinta in school. Trinta wants to be a lawyer when she graduates from university.

Daily Bible story: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand –John 6:1-14.

This story is about a miracle.  If you don't know what a miracle is, you should by the end of this story. Just remember only God can do miracles, and He still does them today! Jesus had performed many “signs” among the people – that means he did things that showed the people his special connection with God.

All of that activity had made Jesus and the disciples very tired, so they looked for a place to rest – and thought they had found one, all the way on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The problem was, people followed them so they could see Jesus. They had seen the miracles he had done and wanted to see more. Who could blame them?

When Jesus and the disciples went up the mountain to sit down together, they looked up and saw the large crowd – that’s when they discovered they had been followed!  Jesus felt love for these people because he knew they needed a teacher and someone to show them the way to God.

It was starting to get late in the day and none of the people had supper yet.  Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ 

Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

Think of that - there were twelve baskets still full with some bread and fish from the little boy’s small lunch, and five thousand people had already eaten! Does your church have five thousand people in it? Does your school have five thousand people in it? They both have a lot, but maybe not that many – think of feeding your whole church or your whole school from that one boy’s lunch - five little loaves and two dried fish!

How did the food multiply? All we know for sure is that Jesus touched it and there was enough, with plenty left over.  And that is a miracle!  After the people realized what had happened they said to each other, "This must be an important person (a prophet) sent from God."  He was certainly that – and more!

Activities:

· Fish nametags: make nametags shaped like fish to remind children of the need for teamwork

· Leftovers Acrostic: Write LEFT OVERS along the left side of a poster board or chalk board. Encourage children to think of words for each letter that would be things that children could share with others when they have much to share.

· Sharing Collage: Give each child a piece of paper and markers/crayons and stickers. Children will write their names on the top of the paper. Encourage the children to draw a picture of something they could share with someone else, or write words for sight and children will draw their picture again and continue to pass the papers around for each child to draw a picture of sharing. Continue until the original child has received their own paper back. There should be several/many pictures of sharing on each paper for the children to hang on the wall and to remember how important sharing and caring are!

Daily challenge:Share with your mom, dad, brother, or sister what you learned today! Pick something to share with a brother/sister or friend today like a snack, toy, or game.

Daily offering: Collect canned food items for a local soup kitchen in today’s Vacation Bible School.

Day 5: End It

There are many different things that can be done on day 5! We recommend that you take the time to put together all of the values that we have studied throughout the week (compassion, responsibility, trust, and sharing).

You could do this by a having a meal packaging event. Our events are very family friendly and we frequently work with children to package meals. A Stop Hunger Now staff member could also come speak with the children about hunger and the work that we are doing in more detail. Contact information can be found at stophungernow.org.

Another option on this final day (or soon after) might be to sample actual Stop Hunger Now meals through the “Dinner Party In a Box” program. Recipes and other ideas are provided – in the box! You can find that at stophungernow.org.

If your church has a team traveling to another country that we work with, you could connect with that team for some cross-cultural sharing. Ideas include singing songs to one another, sharing stories, dancing, etc.

Song Book

Jesus Loves You

Jesus Loves me, this I know For the Bible tells me so Little ones to Him belongs They are weak but He is strong 

Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me The Bible tells me so 

Jesus loves me, He who died Heaven’s gate to open wide He will wash away my sin Let His little child come in 

Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me The Bible tells me so 

Jesus, take this heart of mine Make it pure and holy Thine On the cross, You died for me I will try to live for Thee 

Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me Yes, Jesus loves me The Bible tells me so

Deep and Wide

Deep and wide,

Deep and wideThere’s a fountain flowing deep and wide.

Deep and wide,

Deep and wide

There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide.

Next verse replace “deep” with “hmmm” continuing all motions, and so on.

Hand motions:

Deep = one hand above the other with arms stretched up and down

Wide = arms stretched wide apart

Fountain = arms motion like a fountain

Happy All the Time

I'm inright [point in], outright [point out],

upright [point up], downright [point down]

Happy all the time [clap with each word]

I'm inright [point in], outright [point out],

upright [point up], downright [point down]

Happy all the time [clap with each word]

Since Jesus Christ came in

And took away my sin I'm…

I'm inright [point in], outright [point out],

upright [point up], downright [point down]

Happy all the time [clap with each word]

[Repeat faster and faster each time]

The Wise Man Built His House

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock

The wise man built his house upon the rock

And the rain came tumbling down

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

And the wise man's house stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

The foolish man built his house upon the sand

And the rain came tumbling down

Oh, the rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

The rain came down

And the floods came up

And the foolish man's house went "splat!" [clap hands once]

So, build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ

And the blessings will come down

Oh, the blessings come down

As your prayers go up

The blessings come down

As your prayers go up

The blessings come down

As your prayer go up

So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ.

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

He's got the whole world

In His hands

He's got the whole world

In His hands

He's got the whole world

In His hands

He's got the whole world in His hands

He's got the little bitty babies

In His hands

He's got the little bitty babies

In His hands

He's got the little bitty babies

In His hands

He's got the whole world in His hands

He's got the mommies and the daddies

In his hands

He's got the mommies and the daddies

In his hands

He's got the mommies and the daddies

In his hands

He's got the whole world in His hands

He's got the brothers and the sisters

In His hands

He's got the brothers and the sisters

In His hands

He's got the brothers and the sisters

In His hands

He's got the whole world in His hands

I’ve Got the Joy in my Heart

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart

Where?

Down in my heart!

Where?

Down in my heart!

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart

Down in my heart to stay

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart

Down in my heart

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus

Down in my heart

Where?

Down in my heart!

Where?

Down in my heart!

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus

Down in my heart

Where?

Down in my heart to stay.

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart

Down in my heart

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

I've got the peace that passes understanding

Way down in the depths of my heart!

Where?

Down in the depths of my heart!

Where?

Down in the depths of my heart!

I've got the peace that passes understanding

Way down in the depths of my heart!

Down in my heart to stay

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart

Down in my heart

And I'm so happy

So very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart.

3

Created by: Emily Bissett, Spring 2014

Prepared for: [insert name of church]