Leader s Guide Four missions experiences on sharing your personal faith story Location: Lima, Peru Focus verse: Then the LORD said to me: Do not say, I am only a youth, for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Jeremiah 1:7 (HCSB) Overall message: Kids are excellent storytellers. Need proof? Ask one about her toys, her pesky siblings, her favorite pet or her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad experience at school. You ll hear plenty! The aim of these missions experiences is to grab kids let-me-tell-you enthusiasm and attach it to stories about Jesus at work in their lives. To do so, we ll introduce Kids On Mission to two skateboarding buddies (one pro, one rookie) who share their faith with confidence in Lima, Peru. Before you begin: This resource is a collection of experiences to plug your kids into global missions. We hope you will take the ideas included here and expand your children s view of missions and their role in God s kingdom. KOM writer: G.G. Mathis is a veteran children s Bible study, missions and VBS writer, testing her teaching ideas on boys and girls at Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin, Missouri. When she s not working or writing, there s either a cat, a book or a cup of tea in her lap. This is a product of IMB, 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23230. For comments or questions, contact Kids On Mission at IMB by calling (800) 999-3113 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture referenced is from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Experience 1 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Skatepark sharing video. Download and print the South America map, the Buddies on Boards photos, the Buddies on Board focus verse and the Peru facts cards. Cut the cards apart. Seal each one inside a mailing envelope. Number the envelopes 1-12. Bring two numbered cubes. Provide markers or pens. Introduction Show the South America map and lead kids to find Peru. Invite kids to share anything they might already know about Peru, or any conclusions they might draw based on the country s location. Scatter the numbered envelopes on a table. Allow kids to take turns tossing the numbered cubes, add the numbers together, open the corresponding envelope and read the quick fact aloud. If the envelope matching the number has already been opened, challenge kids to recall and repeat the fact. For a competitive option: Make two sets of envelopes. Form two teams. Each player will take a turn tossing the cubes and opening a corresponding envelope. If the matching envelope has already been opened, his turn is over and he passes the cubes to a teammate. The first team to open and read all twelve envelopes wins. Tell kids that Jackson Barger s parents are IMB missionaries. His family lives in the big city of Lima, Peru, where there are plenty of people to tell about Jesus! Skatepark missions Show kids the Skatepark sharing video. Call attention to Jackson s observation that Lima offers more skateboarding opportunities than where he lived in the United States. Display the Buddies on Boards photos and invite kids to discuss what they see. Ask for volunteers to read the captions Ask: What activities or hobbies do you like? How could those things provide an opportunity for you to tell others about Jesus? Display the Buddies on Boards focus verse and read it together as you transition to a time of prayer. continued on next page
Experience 1 continued from previous page Pray Allow everyone to choose a fact card from the introductory game. Guide kids to write Jackson Barger s name on the reverse side of the card. Invite a volunteer to pray for Jackson and his family. Encourage kids to take the fact cards home, to share with their families, and to prompt them to pray for the Bargers and their ministry in Lima.
Experience 2 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Freddy s story video. Download and print the Skateboard stunts handout. Recap Two skateboarding buddies (Freddy, a former pro skater and Jackson, a missionary kid in Peru) share their faith with confidence at the skate park and wherever they go. Skateboard stunts Display the Skateboard stunts handout. Talk through the descriptions of each stunt with kids. Encourage them to attempt each one on an imaginary skateboard. For older kids, play a charades-style game: volunteers will choose and demonstrate one of the stunts. The audience will guess which stunt is being performed. Tell kids to watch carefully: some of the stunts they just learned may appear in the Freddy s story video! Freddy s story Play the Freddy s story video. Explain that Freddy learned English because he wanted to communicate with his fellow boarders from the United States. Ask: How does Freddy use his language skills now? Comment that Freddy learned the difference between telling a story about Jesus and telling his own story about trusting Jesus as his Lord. Pray Invite kids to suggest ways they can pray for Freddy and the people he tells about Jesus. Incorporate kids suggestions into a prayer of your own.
Experience 3 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show the Freddy s story video. Print a copy of My story for your own reference. Copy onto a poster or dry erase board. The blanks should be big enough to accommodate a 3-inch sticky note. Provide 3-inch sticky note pads and pencils or pens. Recap Two skateboarding buddies (Freddy, a former pro skater, and Jackson, a missionary kid in Peru) share their faith with confidence at the skate park and wherever they go. My story matters Replay the Freddy s story video. As you debrief, emphasize that Freddy s friend Arturo challenged Freddy to share his personal story about Jesus. Arturo said, Freddy, you ve got to share God s story. God s story is also your story. Everything that happened in the Bible is part of your story. Tell kids that their testimonies stories about God s work in their own lives can show people how God can help them, too! Story time Distribute small stacks of sticky notes and pens. Call attention to the My story outline you prepared. Guide kids to write, on separate sticky notes, phrases to complete each blank. Invite volunteers to take turns sticking the notes on the poster and reading their personal stories to the group. For non-readers or writers, read each statement aloud. Toss a paper wad or foam ball to one of the kids and prompt her to complete the statement. Special teaching note: Not all your Kids On Mission may have accepted Jesus as Savior. That s OK! Help them understand that they can confidently share what they do know about Jesus with others. Pray Pray for kids by name. Ask God to give them the opportunity and the courage to share their stories about Him with others.
Experience 4 Prepare From the DVD-ROM or kidsonmission.org, prepare to show or replay the Skatepark sharing video. Download and print the Buddies on Boards focus verse. Download and print the labels on standard mailing label sheets. Provide half a sheet for each child or write the phrase, on blank stickers. Bring a squeaking toy, whistle or other noisemaker (such as a sound effects phone app). Recap Two skateboarding buddies (Freddy, a former pro skater, and Jackson, a missionary kid in Peru) share their faith with confidence at the skate park and wherever they go. Not too young! Call attention to the Buddies on Boards focus verse. Prompt kids to say it aloud together. Ask: What do you think God wants you to say about Him to others? Read the verse aloud, omitting one word at random and replacing it with a noise from your noisemaker. The first person to identify which word was omitted may step forward, read the verse and replace two words with noises. Repeat, omitting one additional word each round, until everyone has participated. About midway in the activity, conceal the focus verse and challenge kids to proceed from memory.? Remind kids that MK Jackson Barger doesn t let his age stop him from talking about his faith in Jesus. Show or replay the Skatepark sharing video. Provide everyone with several labels. Suggest that kids stick the labels on their school notebooks or other items that they carry daily. Role play with one or more volunteers what they might say about Jesus if somebody noticed the label and asked, What do you know? Pray Invite volunteers to pray for MK Jackson and his family, asking God to help them tell Jesus story in a way that makes people want to know more about Him. Tell kids that you will be praying that they find opportunities to tell people about their faith in Jesus.
Going Further More ideas using this theme Download and print the Buddies on Boards parent letter. Give to parents so they can help kids extend their missions experiences through family activities. No matter what kind of mission experiences you re leading, it s always appropriate to share with kids how to accept Jesus gift of salvation! This article from a veteran children s leader will help you do so clearly and effectively: http://www.lifeway.com/kidsministry/2013/10/01/try-this-not-that-3/ Find and bookmark some kid-friendly skateboarding tutorials for use with Experience 2. Better yet, book some live demo time with a great skater from your church or community! Share your testimony with kids. Invite high school students or other adults to do the same. This link provides additional photos and observations about life in Lima: http://stories.imb.org/americas/photos/view/diverse-people-cultures-neighborhoods-markmegacity-of-lima-peru/1 More about Freddy s faith story and ministry can be found here: http://stories.imb.org/americas/ stories/view/bible-storying-gives-former-pro-skateboarder-new-direction-in-peru Don t forget to visit kidsonmission.org for more activities and KOM experiences you might have missed. Also, like us on Facebook and see how other churches are using KOM.
Buddies on Boards South America Map Columbia Venezuela Ecuador PERU Brazil Bolivia Paraguay Chile Argentina Uruguay
Buddies on Boards Focus Verse Then the LORD said to me: Do not say, I am only a youth, for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Jeremiah 1:7 (HCSB)
Buddies on Boards photos Can you do this? Jackson Barger loves to skateboard where he lives in Lima, Peru. He s learned to use this sport to point people to Jesus.
Buddies on Boards photos Freddy Sinarahua Apuela is a former professional skateboarder from Peru. He encourages Christians to get to know skateboarders and tell them about their faith.
Buddies on Boards photos So many people in Peru need to know about Jesus. If they choose to follow Him when they are young, they can live the rest of their lives honoring Him!
Use Avery 5260 mailing labels
Skateboard Stunts Kickturn Ollie Lifting the skateboard s front wheels and turning on the back wheels. Boardslide Pushing down on the tail of the skateboard and jumping with both feet still on the board. Fakie trick Sliding down a rail using the center of the board, not the wheels. A trick done from the front of the board while rolling backward.
Buddies on Boards Peru Facts PERU In Peru, it s traditional to wear yellow clothes, socks and underwear on New Year s Day. About 9 million people live in Lima, Peru. PERU There are about 90 different micro-climates (regular weather patterns) in Peru. Photo by Stvabod Kennedy Park in Lima is also called the cat park and is home to hundreds of cats. PERU It s not uncommon for Peruvians to eat cuy that s their word for guinea pigs! Peruvians like to eat ceviche a dish made with raw fish soaked in citrus juice.
Buddies on Boards A Number of Facts PERU Table manners are important in Peru. Guests should eat everything offered to them. Lima is a desert city. No rain, just drizzle. PERU Lima, Peru, is divided into 43 districts. Each district has its own mayor. Experts say that Peru is where the world s first potatoes were grown and eaten. PERU Heavy traffic and air pollution are problems in Lima, Peru. The official languages of Peru are Spanish, Quechua and Aymara.
My Story One of the first things I learned about Jesus was. I know that Jesus. God sent Jesus to. Isn t that great? Because Jesus, I can. Because Jesus, you can.
Parent Letter Dear Parents, Kids are excellent storytellers. No doubt you ve heard good ones about your child s toys, pesky siblings, reasons to skip household chores or her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad experience at school. We re aiming to grab kids let-me-tell-you enthusiasm and attach it to stories about Jesus at work in their lives. To do so, we ve introduced Kids On Mission to two skateboarding buddies (one pro, one teen rookie) who share their faith with confidence in Lima, Peru. Fun fact: the origin of the potato has been traced to Peru. It is boasted that one can find as many as 4,000 unique potato varieties in the region. Use Peruvian potatoes as your search term and find a recipe that you and your child can try together. This month s focus verse is Jeremiah 1:7, which emphasizes that age should be no obstacle to sharing God s story with others! Help your child practice speaking comfortably about spiritual things by playing a word game in the car or while you re working together. Begin a sentence: I know that God will always and challenge your child to finish it. Prompt him to compose a similar sentence starter for you to complete. Check out the resources at kidsonmission.org Watch the Buddies on Boards video clips with your child. Invite him to share his learning experiences with you. Related articles, prayer guides, and photos for grown-ups can be found at http://stories.imb.org/ americas/photos/view/former-pro-skateboarder-starts-bible-study-for-skaters-in-peru/1 Don t underestimate the importance of your own faith story. Let your child know (often!) what God means to you, what questions you still have about Him, and why you have trusted Him as your leader and guide. We ll be praying that you and your child will both confidently share your faith stories with people who need to hear them!