Creating Compassionate Families Day 3

Making a Difference

Big Idea: Developing caring hearts for children living in extreme poverty.

Much of the world doesn’t live the way we do. The things we take for granted — clean water out of a faucet, food in the refrigerator, heat on a cold night — don’t come easily to everyone. How do we show our children these realities so they develop more caring hearts? Statistics and abstract ideas don’t connect with kids. They need to see the realities of poverty played out.

Spend this day with Elisabeth, a little girl in Guatemala who lives in extreme poverty.

Getting to Know Elisabeth

While Elisabeth is a kid who loves to run and play, poverty has taken much from her family.

When Elisabeth was 9 years old, her father was injured, and she had to take over many of the family chores.

• When your mom and dad are sick, how do you feel?
• What do you do to help around the house?

Elisabeth’s father is unable to work, and her mother died when Elisabeth was a little girl. She does all of the cooking and cleaning, as well as caring for her younger brothers and two sisters.

• What are the hardest chores that you have to do at home?
• Can you imagine what it would be like if you had to do ALL of the chores?

Elisabeth has a sponsor named Bizzy. Bizzy helps Elisabeth, and she also writes her letters to encourage her.

• Are there people in your life who help you?

Going to Elisabeth’s House

1. Mark out a 10’x10’ square on the floor with masking tape. Explain that this is a common size of a house for people who live in extreme poverty.
2. Gather your family in the “house.” Does it feel big or small? Do you feel crowded? Pretend to do activities — cooking, cleaning, homework, and all lying down to “sleep.”
3. Explain that as many as six to eight people typically live in a house this size — without electricity or running water. What things would be impossible to do without electricity and running water?
4. Consider having a meal of beans and rice in your “house,” while your family talks about the challenges Elisabeth faces.
5. Finish the evening by praying for Elisabeth, her family and other children in poverty.

Made Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2 NASB

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

11Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which isperformed in the flesh by human hands- 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; 18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.