Kids on a Mission, Part 4: India

Welcome to lesson 4 of “Kid’s on a Mission!”  This week we’re learning about the country of India by making real investigations into their religion, food, and culture.  My prayer is that your children hear the gospel again and again today while also becoming a little more confident in God’s truth as well as his deep love for all people groups.  Have fun!

Kids on a Mission: India

Lesson 4

Purpose:

By the end of this lesson students will be able to:

• List several foods eaten in India
• Summarize Hindu beliefs
• Compare and contrast Hinduism with Christianity
• Recall why elephants are an important animal
• Pray for the people of India

Materials:

• Bible
• Small samples of foods for children to try
• Plate
• paper and markers for comparing and contrasting activity
• passports
• crayons
• pencils
• Stickers, glitter, glue, markers, etc.
• elephant coloring page
• picture of a decorated elephant as an example

Helpful Hints:

• Have students’ passports ready
• Have sample food prepared and ready for students to try before beginning
• Have compare and contrast paper ready.  It is recommended to purchase a piece of poster board so you can put everything in one place.

Introduction:

Begin the lesson by reading Isaiah 46:5-7 to the kids.

“From the distant east and the farthest west I will bring [my] people home. I will tell the north to let them go  and the south not to hold them back. Let my people return from distant lands, from every part of the world. They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory.”

• “Wow, how beautiful!  These are words that God said himself.  Did you hear any words that tell you where God’s people are?  (the north, south, east, and west, distant lands, from every part of the world)
• “So, God’s loved ones are everywhere!  Not just in one place or one country!  He doesn’t just call Americans his loved ones but people from all over the place.”
• “That is so neat.  Let’s keep this scripture in mind today as we travel!”

Lesson:

Food:

Teacher says:

• “This week we are traveling to another special country in the world.  But, I’m not going to tell you which one at first.  Instead, we are going to explore a little to see if you can figure it out. Are you ready?”

Teacher sets a plate of food before the children; it can be covered or uncovered.  Food items on the plate can vary, but here are some suggestions:

Allow the kids to touch, taste, and even smell the food.  But try not to let them insult it.  Remind them that people in different places eat different food, and God made those people just as He has made us and loves us as He loves them.

After a few minutes allow the kids to try to guess the food they’re eating.  Reveal anything they cannot figure out.

Teacher says:

• “This plate of food is a sample of some of the daily foods the people eat in our mystery country. Did you see any meat on our plate of food?  Me either, but did you see a lot of fruits and vegetables?  What about dairy, or grains?”
• “Most people in this country eat very locally grown foods and spices, but some of the food they eat or choose not to eat is because of their beliefs. For example, cows are very important to this people group and their religion. Because they are seen as a source of life and food, cows are never killed, but instead are seen as very special, even worshipped and given gifts once a year. Most people in this country are vegetarians and never eat meat.”

(If time permits, allow students to contrast this with what we believe.  Do we worship an animal as a source of life?  Who is our source of life? Who provides everything for us, even our food?)

• “Okay, let’s get out our passports and you can either draw a picture of a food you tasted here, or you can write it.”
• “Does anyone want to take a guess where we are? We are in India! Let’s learn a little more about the country and people!”

Religion:

Once students have finished drawing their Indian food, gather them back around you.

Teacher says:

• “Okay, we’ve tasted some food from India, now it’s time to learn a little about what they believe.  I am going to read a paragraph about India and I want you to listen carefully.  Listen carefully for what they believe and how that might be different or similar from our beliefs.  Are you ready?:

Hinduism is the most important religion in India. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Hindus worship many gods: Braham (the creator of the universe) which has no form, Vishnu (the preserver of the universe), and Shiva (the destroyer of evil). Hindus believe a person can have many lives. The Hindus have a special book called the Rig Veda. It is made up of about one hundred hymns that praise the ancient gods and goddesses. One important belief of Hinduism is that people are born again in different bodies after they die. People who lead a good life are rewarded in the next life. People who were lazy or cruel may be born again as an outcast. In Hinduism, it is important to lead a good life.

After reading the paragraph get out a large piece of paper and post it on the wall.  As a class, create a list of Hindu beliefs from the paragraph that was read.  If you need to you can refer back to it and even read it again.  Once the Hindu beliefs are listed, make a list of countering Christian beliefs so that students are able to compare and contrast the two.

After you talk about these differing beliefs, have students draw or write one Hindu belief in their passport and draw the Christian countering belief next to it. If students need you to, ask what their drawing means, and write it in a sentence underneath their picture.

Activity:

Decorate a prayer elephant

• Teacher says: “Elephants are very important in Indian culture.  They are used in their religious ceremonies as well as for labor. It is not uncommon to see elephants walking around in cities all over the country.  There is even a festival once a year where elephants are decorated with paint and gold and paraded through the city with honor.  Today we will be decorating our own elephant.  But this elephant is special because when we’re done, we’re going to hang it on the wall, and once a day for the next several we’ll sit down next to our painted elephant and pray for the country of India.”

Pass out elephant coloring pages as well as stickers, glitter, yarn, crayons, markers, and anything else used to decorate.  Allow students to decorate their elephant.

Summary/ Conclusion:

Teacher says:

• Let’s read Isaiah 43:5-7 again:

“From the distant east and the farthest west     I will bring your people home. ⁶ I will tell the north to let them go     and the south not to hold them back. Let my people return from distant lands,     from every part of the world. ⁷ They are my own people,     and I created them to bring me glory.”

• What is the last thing this verse says?  Who’s people are we?
• Why did God create us?
• What are some ways that we can bring God glory through what we learned today about India?
• Wow!  Those are some encouraging and wonderful ideas.  Let’s pray for God to help us:

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us.  Thank you for sending your Son to die so that we might know you God.   Thank you for not only dying for us, but all people that you call your own all over the world.  God, we ask that you would give us hearts that long to please you and bring you glory.  Please make us more like your sweet son Jesus.  God, may we be known as men and women who chase after your heart.  In your precious name, Amen.

7 days of prayer

• Day 1: That God would finish the work he has started in India
• Day 2: That God would open up their eyes to see free grace
• Day 3: That God would send more missionaries to India
• Day 4: That God would feed the poor and outcast
• Day 5: That God would soften their hearts to hear his Word
• Day 6: That God would open their eyes to the wonders of his Word
• Day 7: That God would create in me a pure heart

Extension:

• Print out a list of India’s traditional customs and try to do them as a class.
• Download a readers theater on a favorite bible story.  Practice it at home, then go to a local park and invite kids to come watch you perform the story. http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/bible-games/documents/LukeParablesReadersTheater.pdf
• Day in the life of an Indian girl http://www.agoodtired.com/kids-on-a-mission-part-3-portugal/

If you’ve missed any of our previous lessons, they’re available right here!

Lesson 1: The World

Lesson 2: China

Lesson 3: Portugal

Katie Short

Hi, I’m Katie. I am new at this stay-at-home-mom thing, and I live in the deep HOT south. My days can be long and tiring at times, but I want to bring glory to God daily by loving my closest neighbors… my family. It is a calling, and I count it all joy. My days are spent playing outside with my son, sitting in a rocking chair with my “sweet potato” of a baby girl, and cooking yummy gut-healing food for my hubby. I am so excited to have the opportunity to write blog posts for AGoodTired and I hope you will find as much laughter and encouragement here as I have.