Build a Better World home • Supplemental materials • Order form • Teachers' comments

Our four journeys are designed for elementary school children. Depending on your program, you may use all four or supplement an existing program. (Other editions of Build a Better World with additional stories and activities can be ordered from the CWS website, or from your CWS Regional Office by calling 888-297-2767.)

Settings where you might use Build a Better World II include:

• Vacation Bible School
• Sunday Church School
• mid-week program
• camping program
• scouting program
• 4-H meetings
• any group of children you lead

Imani means "hope" in Swahili (a language of Africa). Build A Better World! tells four hope-filled stories about children assisted through the work of CWS that you can read to your children.

With each story you will find:

• Scripture: a related Bible study
• Map: geographic area where journey takes place
• Extend Yourself: includes a black and white, downloadable take-home sheet (PDF file) to involve the whole family or to use as a bulletin insert
• For Teachers: several activities, including ways to support the work of CWS
• Black and white map coloring activities (4 page PDF file) ready for duplication, and a poster to display in your learning area.

Giraffes have one of the largest hearts in the animal kingdom. Use these journeys to encourage your children to be big-hearted too!

Plan ahead! Gather the materials needed and copy take-home, coloring activities, and story pages for each child. Find a globe or map to locate the countries mentioned. You may also want to purchase a stuffed-toy giraffe or puppet as a prop. Consider using one of our free-loan videos as a part of your activities. Visit our website for a listing or call the CWS Film/Video Library at 1-800-297-1516.

Additional materials featuring Imani are available. For example, “Thank You” certificates ($1 per package of 10), Imani stickers ($5 per package of 50), and Imani T-shirts ($10 each) can be ordered from Church World Service at 1-800-297-1516. See our website for an order form and other supplemental materials: http://www.churchworldservice.org/betterworld2/supplements.html .

Tasks requiring the most preparation:

Journey To Bolivia

• Download the Extend Yourself take-home sheet (PDF file, 75kb)

Journey from Sudan

• Obtain oatmeal boxes and construction paper.
• Prepare the spaces for playing the "A Long Walk."
• Invite a refugee who has settled in your area to speak.
• Download the Extend Yourself take-home sheet (PDF file, 84kb)

Journey to the Border

• Order a sample blanket for $8 from CWS or borrow one from your CWS Regional Office.
• Invite someone from your local food pantry or shelter to speak.
• Download the Extend Yourself take-home sheet (PDF file, 77kb)

Journey to Pakistan

• Recruit people to make the School Kit bags.
• Distribute Kit information prior to the session.
• Download the Extend Yourself take-home sheet (PDF file, 44kb)

Let parents know that their children will be bringing home activity and story sheets that involve them. Encourage parents to ask their children about the sheets and what they are learning.

Create opportunities for your children to share their learning and enthusiasm with the entire congregation via Minutes for Mission, the children’s sermon, or displays. Invite the whole congregation to support the children in building a better world!

To cap their journey, the children might plan a “Build a Better World” congregational carnival. Instead of prizes, participants receive hand-made thank you notes from the children for the money they contribute. Include time in each session to prepare the carnival games that will be played.

Some suggestions:

Fishing for Funds: In a small wading pool, float “fish” cut from craft foam as in the Bolivia lesson, and write a dollar amount on the bottom side of each fish. Players use a small fishing net to pull out a fish and find out how much their donations will be! Place donations in the sample fishing net secured from your CWS/CROP Regional Office.

Can You Spot Imani? For a donation of their choice, let people “Pin a Spot on Imani” as you would play “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”

Walking With Sudanese Refugees: Sell tickets to play the "A Long Walk" from the Sudan lesson. This could be laid out on the church parking lot or in the center of a large fellowship area.

We Walk Because They Walk: Ask participants to collect pledges for the number of laps they will walk carrying two gallon jugs full of water around the church (or fellowship hall). Two jugs can be balanced on the ends of a pole carried across the shoulders.

Another Point of View: Sell tickets to a "film festival" of CWS videos.

Food booth: Serve international foods.

Sell Imani T-shirts: Available in adult and children's sizes.

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