Lesson nine - pages 18/19 Refugees queue for help

Aim for the book

To explore real and visionary journeys encountered in life.

Learning objectives

• To know that refugees are people who have been forced to leave their homes to escape from impossible situations caused by other people's actions.
• To be able to empathize with the feelings and emotions of refugees.
• To understand that some things are necessary and others unnecessary for survival.

Background

The picture is of a line of refugees, homeless, hungry, ignored. Their journey has taken them from their place of safety, their houses, towns and villages, and seen them flee in fear into the unknown. They are separated from those they love, they have seen some die and they have no hope. Some may feel forsaken by God; others that only God can help them. Christians believe that God will respond to those in need. God's son, Jesus, also experienced abandonment and pain on the cross, and so God understands what it is to feel alone and forsaken.

Bible reference

Psalm 22.1-2

Key words

• Refugee
• Homeless
• Survival

Activity one - leaving home

• You will need
  The picture of refugees from In Journeys.
  A suitcase or a picture of a suitcase.
  Blank labels.
  Marker pens.
• Start
  Show the picture of the refugees.
  Ask children what is happening in the picture.
• Develop
  Discuss people's faces and body positions.
  Why are they there?
  Explain that these people have had to leave their own homes, perhaps because of war, and are queuing up for food provided by other people.
  They have not had any time to pack and so have very little indeed.
  How would you feel if you had to leave people and a place that you love?
  What do you think you would be able to take with you?
  Children are to suggest items that a refugee could take.
  Would be able to carry it?
  Would you have time to pack it?
  Would it be small enough to fit in the suitcase?
  How important is it for you to take?
  Collect the children's suggestions and write or draw them on labels and put them in the suitcase.
• End
  Ask the children to draw a picture of a refugee and surround it with words that describe their feelings.

Activity two - at home

• You will need
  A template of a house.
  Blank labels.
  'Blu-tack'.
  Pens.
• Start
  Ask the children to think for a few moments of all the things in their house that are important to them. Then ask them to explain why they are important.
• Develop
  Discuss what is important at home, and as they make their suggestions, write or draw the items on the labels and stick them onto the house shape in the right place. (Include objects, people pets and so on.) Then discuss what is actually necessary if they found themselves in to the position of a refugee. (Is the television absolutely essential in their lives? What about Mum, Dad, baby sister - are they more important? Would you need warm clothes and hot food more than a Gameboy?
  Are there things which are very precious to them such as photos and things that remind them of home? Get children to de-select items from the house template and see what they are left with.
• End
  Encourage each child to write down or draw things which are vital to them.
• Assessment opportunities
  Can the children think carefully about their own home, and rationalize their thoughts and emotions about how they fit into their own family situation?

Activity three - being a refugee

• You will need
  The picture from the book
• Start
  Have the picture displayed for the class to see. These people are queuing up together. When do you have to queue up? (In the dinner line, in the playground after play, at a bus stop...)
• Develop
  How do you feel when you have to wait in a queue? Is it usually as crowded in your queue as in the picture? What could they be thinking? Are they comfortable? Do you think they'll be waiting a long time? Remind the children that refugees have to queue up as they are waiting for their food.
  Try this role-play:
  Imagine you are in a queue. It is very squashed and uncomfortable, and there is not much room for moving about, but you are determined to stay to get your ration. Organize the children into several tight lines, encouraging them to huddle. The teacher might role-play the job of the queue organizer by ordering them around. Then discuss how the children felt, or choose a few to 'hot seat'.
• End
  After the discussion, select children's words to describe their feelings. Pose the questions: Is anyone helping the people in the queue? Who is doing the helping?

Web site links

http://www.refugeecamp.org/

Learn about the basic needs in a refugee camp, including food, shelter, water and health care. Find out how millions of people are forced to live today

Activity checklist

Activity one - leaving home

The picture of refugees from In Journeys.
A suitcase or a picture of a suitcase.
Blank labels.
Marker pens.

Activity two - at home

A template of a house.
Blank labels.
'Blu-tack'.
Pens.

Activity three - being a refugee

The picture from the book

© Graham Owen