Meeting children from other parts of the world Learning about their struggles to build a better life Recalling God's call to serve our global family Discovering how we can build a better world for all through Church World Service (CWS) Read teachers' comments about our materials!
	Settings for Use 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! include: Vacation Bible School Sunday Church School mid-week program camping program scouting program 4-H meetings any group of children you lead Outline Imani means "hope" in Swahili (a language of Africa). Build a Better World! tells four hope-filled stories about children assisted though the work of CWS that you can read to your children. (Make copies for each child to take home.) With the story you'll find: a related Bible study several activities, including ways to raise funds for CWS a black and white, reproducible take-home sheet to involve the whole family or to use as a bulletin insert a poster to display in your learning area. NOTE: Make copies of sections of the back of the poster for a coloring project. Giraffes have one of the largest hearts in the animal kingdom. Use these journeys to encourage your children to be big-hearted, too!

Getting Ready

Plan ahead! Gather the materials needed and copy take-home and story pages for each child. Use a globe or map to locate the countries mentioned. Additional materials (maps, activities, suggested snacks, etc.) related to the curriculum are available on our website. You may want to purchase a stuffed-toy giraffe for a prop. Tasks requiring the most preparation are listed below:

Journey to Ghana

• Gather one-quart berry baskets, one for each child.
• Get information about local food programs.

Journey Around the Block

• Invite a worker from a homeless shelter to talk with the children or plan a field trip to a shelter.
• Order a sample blanket for $8 from CWS, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515, 1-800-297-1516, or borrow one from your CWS Regional Office, 1-888-CWS-CROP, that's 1-888-297-2767.

Journey to Honduras

• Ask older children or adults to sew the cloth school bags or purchase them.
• Plan a way to gather the items for the kits from the children and/or the congregation.

Journey to Cambodia

• Order Cambodian bells made from landmines for the children from CWS for 30¢ each. See address and phone above.

Supplemental Materials

• Here are a few other ideas suggested by teachers who have used the Build a Better World! curriculum.

Be sure to let the parents know their children will be bringing home activity and story sheets that involve them. Encourage parents to ask their children about the sheets.

Invite older children to visit the CWS Website (www.churchworldservice.org) to learn more about our work and the countries mentioned.

For Additional Resources

Visit the CWS Website for up-to-date information on our work: www.churchworldservice.org or call 1-888-CWS-CROP (297-2767) to connect with your CWS Regional Office. Use one of our free-loan videos as part of your activities: CWS Video/Film Library, 1-800-297-1516. Recommended videos: Remember Me and Modupe and the Flood.

Involving Your Congregation

At the end of your event, plan a brief presentation during worship or create a display using one of the activities below. Invite everyone to join the children in building a better world through Church World Service.

Journey to Ghana

• Display the stuffed rabbits and tell the audience about the project.
• Display the rabbit poster(s).

Journey Around the Block

• Adapt the Charades game to have each child show one use for a blanket.
• Display the blanket, showing the amount collected.

Journey to Honduras

• Dress children as items in the kits they have been preparing. For example, the "comb" might wear a cap with combs hanging from it. Ask other children to bring them forward to "assemble" the kit, explaining why each item is necessary.
• Distribute "thank-you" buttons or put together a "thank-you" wall.
• Make a display of completed bags.

Journey to Cambodia

• Act out the story about Aam and his family.
• Set up a letter-writing table to urge the U.S. to sign the treaty banning landmines.

Writer: Carol Wehrheim Produced by Church World Service (CWS), a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Additional copies available from: CWS, 28606 Phillips St., P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515, 1-800-297-1516.