CHILDREN & YOUTH

This idea can be adapted to suit different age groups from 7-16 years.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Guide young people to an understanding of what extreme poverty is
  • Help them consider their own relative position
  • Encourage them to care for and pray for the poor

BIBLE READING: MATTHEW 25: 34-40 [NIV]

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

1. Introduce

Get one of the group to read through thispoem. It was written by a child who lives in a poor country:

I WAS HUNGRY – Anonymous

I was hungry, and you fed your animals with my food

I was hungry, and your multinationals planted your winter tomatoes on our best land

I was hungry, and you wouldn’t give up your steak from South America

I was hungry, but they grow tea for you where rice might grow for my daily meal

I was hungry, but you turned sugar cane and manioc into fuel for your cars

I was hungry, but the waste from your factories is poisoning the fishing grounds of the earth

I was hungry, but with your money you bought up my food

I am hungry, while my land grows exotic fruits for your table

[Poem from We ask why they are hungry, Christian Aid and CAFOD]

2. Discuss

Who is this child writing to? What are they feeling? Why do youthink this? Who can do something about this and how?

3. Bible

Read through the Bible passage. Who are the righteous that the King

is talking to? Who is the King? What does the King say that the righteous have done for him? (Make a list together.)

4. Respond

Working individually, illustrate each example in this poem. Sharedrawings together at the end and talk through the illustrations.

Pray together for the poor and for God tohelp us love and serve others more.