Across and Down
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Across and Down
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Across and Down
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Arabic is the official language of many Muslim countries. Muslims believe that Arabic is the language of Allah. The majority of Muslims in the world do not speak Arabic as their first language. But it is customary for all Muslims to say their daily prayers in Arabic, even if they do not understand the language well.
Unlike English, Arabic is written from left to right. Here is how to pronounce some words and phrases in Arabic. (Pronunciations are approximate.)
Praise the Lord. [MAHG-duh lah rahp]
Jesus saves. [Yah-SOO-ah yoo-KHAH-liss]
Yes [nahm]
No [lah]
Jesus loves you. [Yah-SOO-ah yoh HEH-back]
Do you know Jesus? [Hahl-tah-reef yah-SOO-ah]
My name is ___. [IS-mih ___.]
Thank you [SHOO-krahn]
Torchlighters DVDs tell stories of real-life Christian heroes from the past. Click here to see part of an Arabic version of the Torchlighters DVD The Gladys Aylward Story.
Click the image to open the coloring page
In the past, girls in Uzbekistan prepared for marriage by making decorations for their future home. Families encouraged their sons to marry a girl who could sew well and work hard.
Suzanis are one kind of embroidered decoration girls learned to make. One suzani could take as long as 18 months to finish. The design on the suzani identified the part of Uzbekistan where it was made. Today more girls go to school and do not have as much time to sew. Shops in Uzbekistan sell suzanis made by both men and women.
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. — Hebrews 13:3
You can make a paper quilt to help you remember Christian kids of courage who have been mistreated.
Needed
*12-inch by 12-inch piece of cardstock
*Two different coordinating patterns of craft (scrapbook) paper
*Ruler
*Double-sided tape
*Five 2- to 2 ½- inch photos of children cut from VOM publications or calendars, or printed and cut out from VOM/Kids of Courage websites
Instructions
1. Cut nine 3 ½- inch squares from craft paper, five from one pattern and four from the other.
2. Center your photos on the five craft paper squares and attach them with double-sided tape.
3. Leaving a ½- inch border, arrange the nine 3 ½ – squares on the cardstock and tape them in place. (See the photo above.)
Optional
*Add more pictures to make a bigger quilt.
*Add strips of craft paper to decorate the border.
Pastor Wurmbrand’s prison
“Jail is no hindrance to a useful Christian life” — Pastor Richard Wurmbrand
Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was arrested in the mid-20th century in Romania for his Christian witness and activities. The story below tells about something that happened when he was in prison. Read the story, then tell how your name would be tapped in the improved code used by the prisoners. (For example, if your name is John, the first letter of your name would be signaled by 2 taps, then 5 taps.)
The Code
Tap. Tap. Tap. One day Pastor Wurmbrand heard a faint tapping on the damp concrete wall of his solitary cell. “What could it mean?” he wondered.
Tap. Tap. Tap. The noise continued. Pastor Wurmbrand tapped back. Suddenly a burst of taps erupted by his bed. He realized that the prisoner in the next cell was trying to teach him a code.
A = 1 tap
B = 2 taps
C = 3 taps
And so on.
“Who are you?” was the first message Pastor Wurmbrand’s neighbor sent him. “A pastor,” Pastor Wurmbrand replied.
It took a long time to send a message. The prisoners improved the code so it wouldn’t take so long. In the new code, one tap stood for the first five letters of the alphabet, two taps for the second group of five, and so on. Another tap told whether the letter was the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth letter in its group. So “B” was a single tap, followed by a pause, then two more taps.
The Improved Code
A = 1 tap, pause, 1 tap
B = 1 tap, pause, 2 taps
C = 1 tap, pause, 3 taps
D = 1 tap, pause, 4 taps
E = 1 tap, pause, 5 taps
F = 2 taps, pause, 1 tap
G = 2 taps, pause, 2 taps
And so on.
Morse Code
Then his neighbor, who had been a radio engineer, used this code to teach Pastor Wurmbrand Morse code. After that, they used Morse code to tell jokes, spread news, and even share chess moves. (Pastor Wurmbrand sometimes played chess with himself using tiny bits of bread as chess pieces.) Pastor Wurmbrand also taught prisoners Bible verses and shared the gospel with unbelievers using the code.
