Kids of Courage

You can make a Christmas ornament to help you remember bold Christians around the world at Christmas.

Needed
*Glitter card stock or glitter poster board
*A piece of thick paper, card stock, or cardboard
*Photos of children from VOM publications or websites, or outdated VOM calendars. (Find small photos under “Key Chain Pictures” in the Downloads section.)
*Ribbon
*Hole punch
*Glue

Instructions
1. Make an ornament pattern out of thick paper, card stock, or cardboard. The ornament can be a star or other shape that you like.
2. Draw around the pattern on glitter card stock or glitter poster board.
3. Cut out the ornament. Glue a small photo of a child to the ornament.
4. Punch a hole in the top of the ornament and add ribbon so you can hang it up.

Needed
Two empty, clean, plastic, frozen juice cans
Scissors
Paper punch
Two bandanas, one red and one green
Two rubber bands
Double-sided tape
3 yards of 2-ply jute twine
Red and green colored craft sticks
Black fine-point felt-tip pen

Instructions
*Cut off about 1 inch from the top of the juice cans.

*Punch three holes near the top of each can at approximately equal intervals.

*Cut a 6.5- by 11-inch piece of cloth from each bandana. Cut another 1-inch by 14-inch piece from each one.

*Fold under the larger pieces to fit the cans, and crease or iron the seams. Wrap the pieces around the cans, attach them with double-sided tape, and hold each in place with a rubber band.

*Cover the rubber bands with the smaller strips of cloth, and tie the strips in place. Tie the green strip on the red-covered can and the red strip on the green-covered one.

*Cut the twine into six 18-inch strands. Thread the pieces through the punched holes in the cans, and knot them inside the cans to hold them in place. Knot the three strands on each can at the top of the strands.

*Choose several craft sticks for one can, and write the name of a country where Christians are persecuted on each one with a felt-tip pen. Select additional craft sticks for the remaining can. Label them with specific prayer points for Christians in those countries. Examples: Bibles, children, families, Christians in prison, peace, strength, daily needs, encouragement, government leaders.

Hang up the cans and every day during the Christmas season at mealtime or another time, draw a stick out of each can. Then pray with your family or class for the country and topic you picked. For example, if the country was China and the topic was Bibles, you can pray that Bibles will be available to everyone in China.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” — Hebrews 13:3