Children's Prayer Journal
From SPARK
One-sentence summary
Free internet download that helps children learn how to pray for twelve bibleless people groups.
Description
In 2002 Wycliffe published the book called From Akebu to Zapotec: A book of Bibleless Peoples. In the book, the focus is on twenty-six people groups who don't have the Bible in their own language. Each page gives a brief description of the people and a colorful illustration of how they live. In this children's prayer journal, twelve of the twenty-six groups are included. The text from the book, a portion of the illustration, a map and flag of the country, and a scripture verse and question are presented. The following page helps children write down prayer points using the acrostic ACTS Prayer:
- Adoration
- Confession
- Thanksgiving
- Supplication
The people groups represented for each month of the year are:
- January - Akebu (Togo)
- February - Elkei (Papua New Guinea)
- March - Gusilay (Senegal)
- April - Hrusso (India)
- May - Ica (Colombia)
- June - Melanau (Malaysia)
- July - Osing (Indonesia)
- August - Safwa (August)Italic text
- September - Umeda (Papua New Guinea)
- October - Woleai (Micronesia)
- November - Xibe (China)
- December - Zapotec (Mexico)
Following the final people group is a page helping the children to learn to pray for missionaries who are sharing the good news of Jesus with people who haven't heard the Good News of Salvation through Jesus. This is followed by learning to pray for God's will in their own lives. The final pages offer a craft project called "Bibleless Peoples Prayer Cube. Materials needed to make this project include.
- scissors
- glue sticks or glue
- colored markers
- copies of prayer cube pattern from master
Instructions for use of this journal are provided for teachers or leaders. Also instructions are given for doing the project.
The idea behind this Children's Prayer Journal is to make mission prayer an important part of a church or school's curriculum. The prayer ideas will help interest elementary age children in meaningful, regular prayer times for the world. It was designed as a twelve month program but can be adapted to fit a weekly or daily program.
It would be a good idea to purchase the book From Akebu to Zapotec to use with the prayer curriculum.
A companion to this prayer curriculum is also available as a free download from www.vernacularmedia.org. It is titled: Windows to Our World It is a curriculum to accompany the book From Akebu to Zapotec. It was written in simple English especially for children who do not have much, or any Christian material in their own language. It goes into more detail about the geography of the different countries and more facts about the twenty-six people groups in the book. It also includes information about animals important to the different people groups, colored pictures of the animals and coloring pages. Additional information on world religions and supplimentary topics are also included. This curriculum is also available on CD and can be obtained from contacting www.vernacularmedia.org
Considerations
- Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation.
- The curriculum was written for children ages 6-12 years.
- Beginning readers might need help to read the text.
- It can also be used as a read-aloud journal for preschool children.
- Prayer reminder tools can be made by cutting bookmarks from pages 43 and 45 and laminating them. Each month, or session, you can give the children the corresponding tag as a reminder of their commitment to pray.
- The prayer journal is forty-five pages long.
Limitations
- This curriculum is for children who can read and write. It could still be used as a listen to journal on audio cassette or CD.
- The maps of the countries are very small and would be impossible to see by a group of children.
- The pictures are small and will have the same problem as above.
- The curriculum takes a very long time to download.
- The colors are not very bright.
Guidelines for Use
- Use in schools, or Sunday schools.
- Use on audio cassette or CD.
Where to Obtain
Link to Producer or Source Organization
Cost
Free internet download (see http://www.wycliffe.org/kids/Free Curriculum/Prayer Lessons.aspx)
Producer/Owners
Author/Artist/Producer
Wycliffe personnel wrote the curriculum based on the book From Akebu to Zapotec.
- The text of this book was written by June Hathersmith and is used by permission.
- The People group illustrator is Alice Roder.
Current copyright owner
Wycliffe Bible Translators, 2008
Other Information
If you want to translate this prayer journal for children in minority languages you will need to contact Wycliffe Bible Translators. Together with them you will need to work out a Creative Commons License agreement.
Reviewed by
Vida,VMS
Date
August 11, 2008
