Lessons
The complete curriculum runs over three years. A separate training manual is used at the initial training.
Below is an example from year 1 curriculum: Table of Contents & Lesson 33
TABLE OF CONTENTS – ‘TODAY FOR TOMORROW LESSONS’
PROGRAMME OUTLINE – YEAR 1
Lesson 1 Life is a journey
Lesson 2 Dreams for my future
Lesson 3 Planning for my journey
Lesson 4 Different people
Lesson 5 Different relationships
Lesson 6 Different ways of working together – team work
Lesson 7 Teams in action
Lesson 8 I am special
Lesson 9 I accept myself
Lesson 10 I understand myself
Lesson 11 I set goals for myself
Lesson 12 I have rights
END OF TERM
Lesson 13 Our families
Lesson 14 Different families
Lesson 15 Good friends
Lesson 16 Peer pressure and learning to say No
Lesson 17 Who is your hero? Having a role model
Lesson 18 Good communication
Lesson 19 Good character
Lesson 20 Good decisions
Lesson 21 Daily difficulties I face
Lesson 22 How am I affected by HIV/AIDS?
Gospel & Growth
END OF TERM
Lesson 23 Boys are boys, girls are girls
Lesson 24 Spoiled sex/special sex
Lesson 25 How do I feel about HIV/AIDS?
Lesson 26 HIV and AIDS – the Basics
Lesson 27 How is HIV spread?
Lesson 28 Prevention of HIV/AIDS
Lesson 29 Safety and child abuse
Lesson 30 Caring for those living with HIV/AIDS
Lesson 31 Sick parents or relatives needing care
Lesson 32 Someone I love has died
Lesson 33 Orphan issues
Lesson 34 So, what do I do now?
Gospel/growth
END OF TERM
GOSPEL AND GROWTH LESSONS
seven of these lessons (Lessons A-G) are included for volunteers to select one per term:
GOSPEL: Lesson A: The Gospel Hand
Lesson B: The Wordless Book
Lesson C: Four Spiritual Laws
GROWTH Lesson D: Spiritual Growth – Reading the Word
Lesson E: Spiritual Growth – Reading the Bible
Lesson F: Spiritual Growth – Witnessing
Lesson G: Spiritual Growth – Prayer
LESSON 33: ORPHAN ISSUES
- Sport
- Welcome and Songs 15 min
- Lesson 20-25 min
- Game & Activities 20 min
- Songs/Prayer/Close 10-15 min
LESSON FOCUS
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The focus of this lesson is that children know:
That in all situations they should ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?” |
THEME VERSE
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Colossians 3:12 says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people (as Christians)… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Galatians 6:12 says that we should, “Carry each other’s burdens…” Psalm 68:5 says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” Deuteronomy 10:18 tells us that, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.” |
LOOKING INTO OUR LESSON: ORPHAN ISSUES
Today we will be looking at various scenarios relating to orphans. The purpose of these lessons is two-fold:
- To challenge the children to think about and be aware of some of the issues orphans are facing and how they can and should respond to this
- To identify with orphans who may be in the group and encourage them from Scripture.
Please be sensitive to the fact that there may be orphans in your group dealing with these very painful issues.
LET’S TALK:
Many children are being orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS – this is because people who become infected with HIV die at a much younger age than they should and it is often at a time when they are still raising their children. This is a very difficult thing for children to cope with, as some of you may already know.
- Who of you know someone who has lost 1 or both parents? (You should be able to comment on the extent of the problem and how many children are affected in this way)
Today we are going to spend some time thinking about some of the things that orphans face and how we can be of more help to them.
LET’S ACT:
Divide the children into groups for dramas. Give each group one of the scenarios to make into a short drama.
The leaders must spread themselves amongst the groups as effectively as possible and help the children to identify with the scenarios. Encourage them to think about the reality of the situation and the issues being faced. The dramas must be short – limit time according to the number of groups you have.
Scenarios:
- Thandi is a 14 year old girl. She has 2 younger brothers aged 8 and 4 years old. Thandi’s mother died a few months ago. Thandi’s father is out at work all day and she finds that she has a lot of extra responsibilities in the home. In fact, she feels as though she is expected to take the place of her mother – but she is still so young and she is trying to keep up with her school work as well. Create a drama about Thandi’s new life and some of her struggles.
- Tino is an 8 year old boy who grew up in Mutare. His father died 3 years ago and a few months ago his mother died. He was taken in by his mother’s sister, who lives in Chiredzi. She has 4 children of her own. Rumbi is her oldest child. Create a drama about Tino’s new life, some of his struggles and some of the things Rumbi and her brothers/sisters might be feeling.
- Steven is 12 years old and both his parents have died. He was living with his father’s brother’s family, but was unhappy and decided to run away and live on the streets. Create a drama about Steven’s new life, his decisions and his struggles.
- Chenai is 11 years old and has been caring for her sick mother. Her father died a few years ago. Her mother died a few days ago and now she and her brothers/sisters have been left orphaned. Create a drama about this family of children.
Get each group (if there is enough time – otherwise choose one group for each of the scenarios) to present their drama to the group.
Introduce the first scenario and then have the groups doing the first drama present their drama.
Then introduce the second scenario and let the groups present their dramas.
Do the same with the third and fourth scenarios.
LET’S DISCUSS:
Here are some suggested discussion points:
Thandi:
- How do you think Thandi was feeling?
- What was difficult for her?
- How could we or other people help her?
Tino:
- How do you think Tino was feeling?
- What was difficult for him?
- How do you think Rumbi and her brothers/sisters may have been feeling?
- What was difficult for them?
- How could they all help each other?
- How could we or other people help them?
Steven:
- How do you think Steven was feeling?
- What was difficult for him?
- How could we or other people help him?
Chenai:
- How do you think Chenai, and her brothers/sisters were feeling?
- What was difficult for them?
- How could they all help each other?
- How could we or other people help them?
LOOKING INTO THE WORD:
These are difficult situations to be in and yet there are many children in Zimbabwe who are facing these issues.
What can we learn from the Bible today?
What does the Bible say to:
1. Christians?
As Christians, we have a responsibility to love and care for those who have been orphaned.
Colossians 3:12 says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people (as Christians)… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Get the children to think about how they can apply this verse to the scenario’s they have been looking at. Encourage them to think of practical ways in which they can reach out to orphans.
Galatians 6:12 says that we should, “Carry each other’s burdens…”
What do you think it means to carry each other’s burdens?
Do you think it helps to share a burden?
Object lesson:
Have a heavy bag/packet/back-pack with you and get one of the younger children to come and carry it. Then get one of the children to come and help carry the load. Use this to demonstrate how we can carry each other’s burdens.
2. Orphans?
Psalm 68:5 says, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
Deuteronomy 10:18 tells us that, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”
Remind the children about how often the Bible refers to God as being our Heavenly Father. God is a Father to orphans, and even though we may lose our earthly parents, we will always have a Father in Heaven, who loves us and cares for us. Our Heavenly Father cares about orphans and is able to provide for them.
Matthew 6:25-34. You may not have time to read the whole passage but be familiar with it and share the truths of the passage with the children, how our Heavenly Father knows our needs and Jesus tells us that God is able to provide for us and that we must not worry but rather trust Him.
- Do you think it is easy to trust God and not worry in difficult situations?
It is not always easy, but if we are Christians, we must trust the Lord to provide for us and remember that He loves and cares for us.
LET’S PRAY:
Tell the group that you are going to have a prayer time especially for orphans.
Ask if there are any orphans present who would like special prayer – if they are brave enough get them to come and stand with you, otherwise assure them that as you pray you are praying specially for them
Encourage the children to pray for other orphans they may know.
Prayer focus:
- To ask the Lord to help and encourage those who have lost one or both parents.
- To thank the Lord that He is our heavenly Father, and He loves us and cares for us
- To ask the Lord to help us to carry one another’s burdens, especially those in the group or those we know who are orphans
- To ask the Lord to help us not to worry about the things we need but to put our trust in Him.
