Ray of Hope

Learning About Jesus Through Crafts and Bible Stories:

While our team was working with Ray of Hope ministries in Uganda we were asked to put on a kids camp for the kids who go to the local church. This wasn't a new thing for us. The week before we had run a kids camp and felt pretty confident and ready to teach these kids about Jesus. Each day we had a different topic, bible story, and craft. We would pick a bible story that went with the craft for the day and teach it to the different age groups. We told the bible story, explained it and asked questions, and for the application we would do the craft. This structure worked really well for the kids and they enjoyed every minute of it.  

For The Woman at the Well (which is found in John 4), we read the story and explained how Jesus gives us everything we need, and we can always trust Him. For the craft we made our own "wells". We had scraps of construction paper cut into rectangles, so they could be the "bricks" and had the child draw the top of the well. In each of the "bricks" the child wrote one thing that Jesus gives to them or does for them.  Then they would glue them on the paper finishing their "wells".

Proud of her work.

This young woman is blind so Brittany is helping her with her craft.

For Joseph's Coat of Many Colors (which is found in Genesis 37) we read the story, talked about how Joseph was very special and was his father's favorite child, so his brothers were jealous of him. Because of their jealousy they did a very bad thing to Joseph (they sold him into slavery) and lied to their father telling him that Joseph was dead. Even though all these bad things happened to Joseph God still used his circumstances for good in the end. We then explaind thata God will do that for us too, because we are His children and He loves us. For the craft we cut out little people from construction paper and had the kids make their own "Joseph". The colored in the coat with many colors. The kids worked really hard on this craft and were very creative with the designs. I think it's safe to say this was one of their favorite crafts of the week, because they carried them around all day and showed them off waiting for a "Good job" or "I like that!" It was so cute!

For The Creation Story (found in Genesis 1 and 2) we read the story and explained how God created everything in the world, even us! He made each of us special in our own way. We all look different, talk different, and even act different. God wanted us all to be different, and this shows just how great He is! So, we did a hand print craft with the kids. We had each of them write their name on the paper, trace their hand, and color it in or write words that describe them and how God sees them.

The adults helping the younger kids.

They really enjoyed this! I think it was a new thing for them.

Showing off her beautiful work.

The beauty of this idea is not only did the kids learn a lot from these bible stories and crafts, but they could take them home to their families and tell them what their learned. 

Watch these videos from our time at Ray of Hope.

Ray of Hope Children's Choir: