Your Presence is Needed Crop Walk Launch   It's Your Move Work Zone and High Way  Set Up:  Label (with masking tape) lots of near to the edge cups on the drink table "Bad water," then turn them upside down. Hang the "big" bad water sign. Place the following sign in front of water at dinner. "This simulates the lack of safe drinking water for 1.1 billion people worldwide-about 16% or the world population" At 5 min. till start "It's My Life" - BON JOVI. When the song's done, welcome, & introductions, make announcements. Awards Dinner,  Crop Walk , Talent Show  Begin with a large group   Which Way Are We Moving Work Zone & High Way Say: It seems people rarely do something for nothing. As humans, we're big on watching out for our own interests. To combat this, we show you that Christians serve out of love for God. We ask you to volunteer. We encourage you to give money, time, and effort. We even go on mission trips. It's always appropriate to serve others through outreach events and service projects, but how often do we serve the body of Christ to which we belong? Surely other Christians could benefit from our service. If we follow God's instructions to serve the body of Christ, that body will become healthier and more effective. With out your presence the body of Christ becomes weaker. Tonight we are going to look at the difference your presence can make and show you how to lead your fellow Christians in serving others. Needed: Health in the Village exercise HEALTH IN THE VILLAGE Purpose: Illustrate health problems in developing nations Say: You are now a village in the so-called developing world. You live in Africa, Asia or Latin America. To show you the challenges that many face, I'm going to ask you some questions. Please stand. ASK: * Does anyone need glasses? If so, you would probably be illiterate, because glasses are rarely available. Put your hand over your eye. * Has anyone ever broken a bone in his or her hand or arm? If so, put that arm behind your back. You'd have restricted movement because skills to set the break were in short supply and the bone didn't heal right. * Has anyone ever broken a bone in his or her leg or foot? If so, you might also be physically limited because the skills to set the fracture were in short supply and the bone didn't heal right. Stand on one leg. * Has anyone needed a blood transfusion to stay alive? Sorry, none available due to the lack of refrigeration and equipment. It's a two-day walk to the nearest hospital. You will likely die. Sit down. * Does anyone know anyone with HIV or AIDS? 80% of HIV positive persons live in the developing world with little or no medical treatment available. You will probable die. You can sit down. * Is anyone here 64 years or older? In the developing world the average life expectancy is 63. In some countries it is much lower. You can sit down. * Are you female? In many parts of the world, women only eat after all the men and children are fed, leaving women weak and much more vulnerable to illness. Their weakness leads to mortality 18 times greater in the developing world than here. If you are a female, sit down. * Have you ever had mumps or measles? In the developing world, as often in our inner cities, what are for us fairly benign "childhood diseases" often kill those already weakened by malnutrition. You can sit down. * Has anyone had diarrhea? An inconvenient discomfort for us, it is deadly for many in the developing world (especially children) where over a billion people lack access to safe drinking water. You can sit down. Say: Tonight's lesson is titled Crop Walk, not only is crop concerned about hunger it also has to do with water. Clean sources of water are just as vital as basic nutrition. As you made your way from the kitchen to your table tonight you saw all the bad water that was available along with the good. Move to Fellowship Hall and Show DV8 Presence   Break into Journey Groups   Moving In Work Zone & High Way Walk a Mile in My Shoes Say: Many kids like you have to walk many miles a day carrying water jugs or wood to their homes. We are going to divide into teams of 7 and lift and hold one team member on an upside down table just to get a taste of their struggles. Get the teams to lift one member and hold them there for the next part of the lesson. Say: Most American teenagers are out of touch with world hunger. They sometimes hear about it, or see pictures of starving people on the news or in magazines, but can't relate with these people. Our society can't expect kids to understand poverty-stricken life. America is a wealthy society that indulges in almost everything, overeats and has the world's highest rate of obesity. Crop Walk is a way to help you think about your own privileges and freedom in light of world hunger. Ask (Each member of the team): * What's your favorite food? * What's your favorite soft drink? * What's your favorite dessert? * Who doesn't have a favorite food? * What's your most prized possession? Without sounding judgmental say: In the majority of the world young people have no choice about what they eat, most people could never dream of tasting the wonderful variety of foods that you have. Their most prized possessions are the tools that keep them fed and clothed. You have privileges beyond their dreams. You have things that are merely "wants"; your stuff is far beyond their "needs". Gently set the table down and have a seat on the floor.   Moving On Work Zone  (WZ stay split into smaller groups) Why So Picky? Say: Why do you eat the food you do? (Circle the most common answer.) It's healthy It's on the menu, and it's cheap I like it, and it tastes good It fits into my diet. It looked good on the commercial. It's what my family prepares It's in the cafeteria.   After the group has shared their responses ASK: * What answers do you think hungry youth from starving countries might have given? * What if food wasn't a convenience for you?   Moving Up Work Zone & High Way (W Z stay split into smaller groups) Do you agree or disagree? These statements should generate some debate. Let them share their opinions on each one and give reasons why they agree or not. ASK: * If I was hungry all the time, I wouldn't be worried about how I looked. *  It's their own fault if some people are hungry. * It's God's will for some people of the world to be hungry. * One shouldn't eat just for pleasure. It's a sin to overeat. * There's nothing I can do to help the hungry people of the world. Say: If you believe that hunger is your problem and if your faith is mature enough and if you are willing to do something you CAN ensure your own bountiful "faith crop" to share with others. Second Peter 1:5-8 is Peter's outline for faith growth: "To faith we add goodness, to goodness knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control patience, to patience service for God, to service for God kindness for brothers and sisters in Christ, and to kindness add love."   Moving Out Work Zone & High Way Skip, due to DV8 at the beginning   Come back together in The Family Life Center    Closing Work Zone & High Way The Leader Closes: Gather in a circle. Sum up the lesson. Ask: What did you learn tonight? Hand out the Crop info. Say: Christians can't be passive about others who have no food to eat. God loves every starving person in Somalia just as much as he loves us. Just because you don't know anyone in a starving country or get there doesn't mean you can't help. You can actually make a difference. Remember the story about the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6&ldots;) when Jesus used a small lunch to feed a multitude? In the same way, you can support Crop to feed the hungry-all it takes is for someone to offer up that first gift, then He will multiply it. Prayer Invite the youth to join hands and offer a repetitive prayer.  Say: Dear Lord we leave here tonight full of Your love and willing to make a difference. We leave here tonight knowing -I can make a difference. (Go around the circle and have the youth each say, "I can make a difference.") Amen.  Sing Sanctuary   UMYF Benediction    Gather these for the Lesson: Label cups"Bad water," big bad water sign, in front of water sign, "It's My Life" - BON JOVI, Health in the Village exercise, DV8 - Presence, Crop Stuff.