tangible Prayer for Tsunami tragedy...

there are many of us who either work with kids, or have kids of our own and we are looking for ways to process this tragedy with them, (not to mention, processing this for ourselves)
here are a few tangible ideas you can try over the next few days/weeks...
i believe it is important to keep reminding ourselves that it is an on going situation, not just a tragedy for a couple of weeks...but folks in this part of the world will be rebuilding for decades...so keeping tangible prayer around helps keep us reminded to actually PRAY!

1. find a map of the region or a map of the world and look at the places hit by the waves and earthquake...post the map on the wall or lay it out on a table or the floor and light tea lights or place glow in the dark stars on the places that need the light of jesus in these dark days....glow in the dark stars can be found at world market, hobby lobby, etc. (this is a great epiphany prayer station too)
keep a star in your pocket to remind you to pray everytime you reach in your pocket and feel the star.

2. have an asian food night..go out for thai or indian food or get take out and pray for families, friends, aid workers, missionaries, orphans etc as you eat together.

3. have a bowl of rice night ...cook the rice together and thank jesus for your food, send the money you saved on going out, or not eating "large" to world vision or another relief organization. you could do this once a week as a family during epiphany or lent.

4. check out what local organizations or restaurants might be doing ...the asian student group at our local university is hosting a dinner (at music hall jan.15th...the food is donated and all proceeds will go to tsunami relief) and a thai restaurant is giving an entire day's profits for the relief effort.

5. make a collage of photos from newspapers, magazines, the internet and post it on the fridge or somewhere where you pray, to remind you to keep these people close to god.

6. youth specialities and my friend steve case has a great worship service from his book "the book of uncommon prayer" that you could use with your family or youth group. http://www.youthspecialties.com/ Download home_youth_specialties.html

7. use a roll of brown package wrapping paper or butcher paper...write or draw prayers, poems, laments for the victims, families, etc. roll it out on the floor or keep it posted on a wall that can be added to over the weeks as a memorial.

8. do an outreach project as a family or group for some one or some group who is "in need" in your own neck of the woods. or find a missionary in the region of the tsunami and pray and support him/her.

would love to hear more of what you are doing with your family or your students...
hope some of these ideas help and encourage! lilly

Comments

[jen lemen]

lilly, this is great! glad you're back from your blog sabbatical.
we will try this out and let you know how it goes.

[Phil]

hello

found your sight through a comment you made on jonny bakers site. im a youth worker in sheffield, england. we did a v similar map and candles thing to what you suggest.

i found that the young people i worked with just wanted to talk about what had happened. i know i enjoyed just listening to what they had to say, and i think they enjoyed the opportunity just to vent their opinions.

i was given 'the book of uncommon prayer' for christmas. admittedly i had stuck it on my wishlist. its a great resource, we're using parts of the service for dealing with a tragedy this coming sunday.