Starting this April, Sonlight will be starting a new series titled, Off the Rails. This
will include six lessons, all focused on the love God has for us and how we should
love Him and others in return. The kids will learn what it means to be valued
by God and that there’s nothing they can do to lessen or lose His love. They will
also acquire valuable lessons such as, loving others selflessly, learning more
about God through reading the Bible, being responsible with the money God
provides them with, coming to Him and others when they’re having a hard time,
and knowing their church can do great things when the body of people work
together. Throughout these lessons, the children will become better equipped to
love God and others, the way God loves them.
for
ORDINARY PEOPLE, HELPING ORDINARY PEOPLE
BY: RODRIGO DIAZ
The key verse for this series is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all
your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” – Mark 12:30 (ERV)
My wife, Paula, and I traveled to Honduras for the first time in
2012, with a disaster relief organization.
After getting out of our comfort zone, we learned as ordinary people
we can help other ordinary people. After seeing the level of poverty
and talking with the people in the villages, we understood as parents,
they want to provide food, clothes, clean water, and an education for
their kids, just like we do.
We decided to partner with Humanity and Hope United Foundation
(H&H), who help people with sustainable projects in the villages. I
had the opportunity to travel to Honduras on several occasions. I saw
first-hand how their lives are being changed. Through a relationship
with Christ, they have been encouraged and empowered to work and
provide for their families, instead of waiting for others to provide for
them.
After our trip, I thought it would be cool to bring our daughter,
Valeria, to Honduras so she could understand how the villagers live.
I wanted her to meet some of the people she had seen in pictures
from my prior trips. After a lot of prayer, Paula and I decided to bring
her last summer at the age of 9. She was the youngest volunteer
coming to Honduras with H&H. As parents, we had to let go of the
fears in traveling with our daughter to an underdeveloped country.
We were asking ourselves if we should keep sheltering her, how
would she handle the heat, or if she would remain healthy.
One of our first days in the village, we noticed Valeria was very
observant in watching how the kids were behaving. It did not take
long for her to leave our side and run to where the village kids were
playing soccer. She blended well with the group of kids playing ball.
After a well-deserved break for hydration and some shade (the
temperature was 98 º F), she started painting nails and playing
makeup with the other girls in the village, just like any girl would
play here in the United States.
We realized that our visit brought hope. Hope not only for the
people in Honduras, but for the people of the United States who
went with us. I know my daughter is now thinking and praying for
Hopefully your children will be “off the rails” with excitement as they learn more
about God’s great love!
Starting in March, Club 56 will be exploring a brand new series called, Are You
Amazed? This series deals with our views about who Jesus is and how we should
be amazed by the things that He did. It will be followed by another brand new
series titled, Victory. This series will take an in-depth look at what Jesus had to
say about victory and how it turns our normal understanding upside down.
No semester would be complete without an Extreme Event. On April 28, C56
will host an Extreme Game Night. We will be taking some classic games that we
all know and love, and cranking them up to an extreme level. It will be a great
night to suit up in your athletic gear and invite your friends. More details will be
available soon.
We also want to remind you about the Early Bird pricing for Camp With An
Impact. Save $25 by getting signed up before May 1. Camp With An Impact is an
amazing, multi-day and night experience at camp
that your student will never forget.
(L) Paula, Valeria, Juan Luis Ramos and Rodrigo Diaz during a trip to Honduras
with Humanity and Hope United Foundation. (R) Valeria helping demolish an
old building.
those kids that have only one meal a day and no shoes. She is actively
thinking of ways to raise money to help them go to school.
Upon our return from the trip, we asked her what impacted her most
from the trip. She said, “Daddy, the people in Honduras have nothing...
and they are so happy, I can’t wait to go back to Honduras.”
We pray that you would consider getting out of your comfort zone
and join a WCC mission trip. If you want to join a trip to Honduras –
visit www.humanityandhopeunited.org.
Think of the song "Do Something" from Matthew West:
"...I thought, "God why don't You do something?"
Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, "God, why don't You do something?"
He said, "I did, I created you"
March 14: Baptism Class, 7-8 pm (registration required)
March 18: 4th Grade Bowling Excursion at The Bowling Alley, 1:30-3:30pm
(this is for 4th graders and their Small Group Leaders only)
March 21: Baptism Class, 7-8 pm (registration required)
March 26: Winter Baptism, 4 pm
April 23: Salvation Sunday in Preschool-4th grade
April 28: C56 Extreme Game Night, more details coming soon
May 1: Early Bird deadline for Camp With An Impact
May 2: Parent-Child Dedication Class (registration required)
May 7: Parent-Child Dedication Service, 2:30-4 pm
May 12: 4th Grade Small Group Excursion – Movie Night, 6-9 pm
(more details coming soon)
May 21: 4th Grade Sneak Peek to C56
June 4: Graduation Sunday, summer programming starts – your child
will move up to the next grade level in Sonlight
This spring, Sonlight is partnering with 2nd Mile Missions in the Dominican
Republic. This is Sonlight’s seventh year to sponsor students to attend 2nd Mile
Missions Education Center. Each grade level – Early Childhood, Preschool, K-1,
2nd-4th, and C56 – will raise money to support a specific child from the DR
to attend the center. This is an elementary school that offers an education in a
Christian environment.
Each year, Sonlight sponsors five students. Obtaining an education literally
changes the lives of these students and gives them hope for a successful future.
The school also offers them the opportunity to learn about Jesus. Our goal is to
raise $480 per sponsored child, for a total of $2,400. You may give to this project
throughout the months of February, March, and April. Additional money that
is received will be used to provide lunch for the students. The Sonlight lobby
display, for 2nd Mile Missions, will show each week’s offering that is given,
reflecting God’s on-going provision for our sponsored students.
The kids in Sonlight have established a relationship with the child their age
group sponsors through letters, pictures and prayer. Prayer cards with the child’s
name and personal information will be coming home with your child. Please
keep this in a visible place in your home to remember to pray for this student
specifically.
If your family is interested in personally sponsoring a child to attend the 2nd
mile Missions Education Center, information can be found on the 2nd Mile
Missions website at 2ndmilemissions.org.
ITEMS NEEDED:
Fish bowl or similar bowl
Stick 2' long
String 1' long
Magnet
Paper fish shapes
Paper clips
Pencils
Scissors
Bibles
Trace a fish pattern on a piece of paper.
Cut out your fish. Have children trace
and cut five paper fish and print one of
the following on each fish:
HOW TO PLAY:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tie the end of the string to the
pole. Tie a magnet to the other
end of the string.
Fasten a paper clip to each fish.
Lead children to "catch" a fish.
The magnet will stick to the
paper clip.
Have children read the name of
the person who was a missionary.
Tell how the person was a
missionary. If the child doesn’t
know, lead him to look up
Scripture references to find out.
Lydia and Paul (Acts 16)
Philip and the eunuch (Acts 8)
Dorcas and the poor (Acts 9)
Peter and Andrew (John 1:40, 41)
Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10)
Most missionaries have prayer cards that
they hand out to remind people to pray for
them. Collect the cards from the missionaries
your church supports and place them on
your refrigerator.
Show your children a picture of the
map of the world. Take a few minutes
to talk about different countries and
the people who live there. Have the
children guess how many people live
in the world. Read John 3:16 aloud
and discuss the fact that God knows
the name of every single person in
the world and that He loves them all!
Make a list of the ways your family
can love people from different parts of
the world (praying for them, giving to
offering projects at church, sponsoring
a child, etc.). Finish your discussion by
baking a batch of “Earth Cupcakes.”
Instructions:
Prepare a white cake mix. Divide your
cake batter into two bowls. Color one
bowl of batter green, and the other blue.
Line your cupcake pan with baking cups.
Alternating colors, drop spoonfuls of
batter into the cups. Bake your cupcakes
and let them cool.
Keeping these cards on your refrigerator
is a little reminder that there are real
people in other countries that we
need to actively pray for.
Practical tip: Before dinner each night,
pray for your “refrigerator missionaries.”
When cupcakes are cool, cut off the
tops. Press a small heart-shaped cookie
cutter into the center of the cupcake
or use a knife and carve out the shape
of a heart. Use a spoon to scoop out
the cake inside the heart, and eat the
scraps. Fill the heart-shaped cavity
with red frosting. Replace the cupcake
top and before eating, pray that people
in other parts of the world will hear
the Good News of Jesus.