1. Make bells.

Many Cambodians have found a new use for defused landmines and unexploded weapons - selling them to foundries to be melted and recast into bells for their animals - tools of war changed into tools of hope! You can order these bells online (30¢ each) or by contacting Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515, 1-800-297-1516.

As a reminder of the story, have the children make a bell to take home.

Young children: Cut the bottom of a cardboard egg carton into sections or cups. Have the children decorate the outside of the cup with markers and stickers. Thread a jingle bell on a pipe cleaner or chenille stem. Poke a hole in the bottom of the egg carton cup with a pencil or a pointed object. Please do this for the child. Help the child thread the pipe cleaner with the bell through the hole so the bell is inside the cup and the pipe cleaner becomes the handle or hanger.
(Materials: paper egg cartons, scissors, markers, stickers, jingle bells, pipe cleaners or chenille stems, pointed object)

Older children: Decorate the outside of clay flower pots, whatever size you choose. The children can decorate them with stickers, markers specifically for clay pots (found in craft stores), or acrylic paint. Thread a wooden bead on a leather shoelace so the bead is in the middle of the shoelace. Tie a knot in the shoelace so the bell clapper (the wooden bead) will hang just inside the bottom of the bell. Pull the ends of the shoelace through the drainage hole in the bottom of the clay pot (this will be the top of the bell). Thread another bead onto the lace- ends so it is on the other side of the drainage hole. Tie a knot on the outside of the bead. The remainder of the shoelace will form the hanger or handle.
(Materials: clay flower pots, stickers, clay pottery markers or acrylic paint and brushes, leather shoelaces, wooden beads larger than the hole in the bottom of the clay pot)

2. Write letters supporting the landmine ban treaty.

A treaty banning landmines has been signed by 120 nations, but not the U.S. A treaty is an agreement between nations How might a treaty help people like Aam? Together with the children write a letter to your elected officials urging their support of the treaty. Include drawings by the children of a world at peace.

Send your letters to:
The Honorable _______________
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, DC 20515
or U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510
E-mail addresses are available at
http://capwiz.com/churchworld/dbq/officials/

President _____________
The White House,
Washington, DC 20500
Email: President@whitehouse.gov

Invite your congregation to advocate for a landmine ban. Make a display of the children's vision of a world at peace, with information about landmines in a prominent place. Give information about how they can reach their political officials.
(Materials: drawing paper, crayons or markers, masking tape, poster board, sample letter, writing paper, envelopes, postage stamps)

3. Play the De-miner Game.

Cut large footprints from paper grocery bags or construction paper. On some footprints (about one in every seven or eight), print "Danger" - representing a landmine. Tape the footprints to the floor, creating a large circle or a winding circular path, whichever fits your space best. To begin, have the children stand on a footprint, but not on one marked "Danger." Play a recorded march or clap your hands in a marching rhythm and have the children move from footprint to footprint, including those marked "danger," until you pause the recording or stop clapping. They are to stop on that footprint. If it is one with "Danger" on it, it is a landmine, and the child must carefully place that paper in a trash basket. Continue until no "Danger" footprints are left.
(Materials: paper grocery bags or construction paper, scissors, marker, masking tape, trash basket, recording of a march and player)

4. Find the landmines in the poster.

How many are there? Ask the children to mark the mines on their coloring page to warn the children in the drawing of the danger.

NOTE: When you are ready to send your donation to Church World Service, please send a single check made out to CWS TOOLS & Blanket Program to CWS, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.