Welcome to this opportunity to explore the Caribbean island country of Cuba with elementary-school children. These materials are designed to involve children six to eleven in the ecumenical mission study of Cuba. They consist of two parts:

• A one-session study plan. This session is designed to take approximately ninety minutes. You can choose fewer activities to adapt it to a shorter time frame or use all the activities to expand the time.
• Activity pages. A variety of activity pages (AP) provide two stories, a song, a game, historical and geographical information, prayers, and detailed instructions for other activities. All the pages may be downloaded. Some are an integral part of the study. Some are optional.

The goal of the study is to enable children in Canada and the United States to

• explore life for boys and girls in Cuba today
• learn about some of the hard choices children who live in Cuba must make if they are Christians

• Map & Facts: Cuba (Friendship Press, 1999)
• World Map: Peters Projection (or other map of the world)
• Cuba: Three Faith Perspectives. 28.47 minute video
• Perspectives on Cuba and Its People by Theodore A. Braun (Friendship Press, 1999)

 

 
 
 

• Bibles
• name tags
• copies of a U.S. passport (AP 1)
• small table
• stamp pad and stamp
• copies of "Basic Facts-Cuba" (AP 2)
• index cards
• masking tape
• one copy of "Lightning" (AP 3)
• copies of whichever optional activities you choose and the materials needed to do them (AP 4 AP 11)
• copies of the litany and prayer (AP 12)

 

 
 
 

• See the video Cuba: Three Faith Perspectives to learn more about the church in Cuba.
• Read in Perspectives on Cuba and Its People for helpful background information.
• Read Acts 9:1 19 and "Biblical Background" (below).
• Post the two maps.
• Set up a customs table with stamp pad and stamp.
• Download the activity pages you decide to use and gather the needed materials. If you will be doing small-group activities at centers, you should prepare the following:
• art center to make maracas and tropical birds (AP 4 and 5)
• food center to learn the Spanish names for foods (AP 6)
• cooking center to make flan (AP 11)
• music center to learn the song (AP 9)
• story center to hear "Eloísa's Story" (AP 10)
• history center to make a time line (AP 8)

The account of Saul's conversion on the Damascus road is part of a larger picture of conversionexperiences. Beginning with the account of the conversion of the Samaritans in chapter 8, Luke moves to the story of the Ethiopian, then to Saul s life-transforming experience.

Saul, a devout Jew, was a violent persecutor of the Christian community, an enemy of the young church. He initiated the trip to Damascus to extend his persecution beyond Jerusalem. But on the road, something extraordinary happened. Just as in other stories of divine intervention, a voice calls Saul s name twice: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Just as in the story of Samuel in the Old Testament, Saul's answer was the biblical response, "Here I am."

Helpless and dependent as a result of his experience, the blind Saul was ministered to by Annanias, who laid his hands on him and addressed him as brother. With his sight now restored, Saul rose, was baptized, and took food.

Once an enemy who persecuted the followers of the Way, as the first Christians were called, Saul found his life literally turned around as he journeyed along the road to Damascus. While every conversion is not as dramatic as Saul's, each one involves a response to God's call and a turning around of one's life. Reflect on how God has called you into a covenant. In what ways have you experienced the transforming love of God in your life?

God continues to call people, but each of us has a choice to reject or accept that call. If we accept, we become new creations with a new purpose in life. Many Christians in Cuba today believe that the whole people of God need to work together-all religions, all nations, and allcultures. People need to be in relationship with God and with one another.

The church in Cuba today includes many different denominations. Check with your own denomination to find out what churches are your partners in mission. Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church support the liberation theology movement that is prevalent in other Latin American countries. Not surprisingly in the socialist nation of Cuba, the large majority of the population considers itself nonreligious. Nevertheless, there is an active Cuban Ecumenical Council, a number of seminaries, and many congregations attracting perhaps half a million people.

In 1990, President Castro invited fifty Cuban Protestant leaders to a forum, which was taped and shown on prime-time television. Leaders feel that this move legitimized once again the Christian churches. Believers are returning to the churches in large numbers. In 1993 the government permitted Cuban churches to accept foreign funds for church repairs. The visit of Pope John Paul II in 1998 evoked great interest. Protestant church leaders of the National Council of Churches visited Castro later that year.
 
 

WELCOME TO THE SESSION

As the children enter, greet them with the common Spanish phrase, Buenos dias. Como esta? (BUEN-os DEE-as, Co-mo es-TA?). Tell them that this is Spanish for Good morning, how are you? Invite the children to repeat the phrase to you. Give each child a name tag and a passport (AP 1). As others arrive, children can sign their names on page 2 of the passport, print their names and birth dates on page 3, and draw a picture of themselves in the space.

PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

Using the Map to Learn About Cuba

Older Children Give children copies of "Basic Facts-Cuba" (AP 2) and index cards. Suggest they read over the facts and then print the facts they find interesting on the cards. They can tape these along the edge of the map of Cuba. Suggest that the children study the insert on the map that shows Cuba's location in the Caribbean and then find Cuba on the world map.

Younger Children Help children to locate the United States on the large world map. Point out the approximate location of the state in which they live. Ask a child to tape to the map an index card with an arrow and the words "You Are Here." Then ask someone to locate Cuba on the world map and mark it with another index card. Tell them that Cuba is just ninety miles south of the tip of Florida. As a point of reference, name two or three cities that are ninety miles from where the children live. Tell them that Cuba is about as far from the tip of Florida as those cities are from where they live.

Clearing Customs

When the children have completed the map activities, invite them to visit the customs table with their passports. Tell the children that when they visit another country, they must carry a passport and have it stamped as they enter the country, and they must carry the passport with them wherever they go to identify themselves as visitors. Explain to the children that because of mutual unfriendly relations between the United States and Cuba, U.S. citizens who want to visit Cuba must enter through another country. Canadians can visit Cuba directly. Have one child stamp their passports for "entry" into Cuba.

Learning About Saul and Mario

Tell the children that the first activity of their visit will be a time of studying the Bible as CubanChristians do. Read aloud, or ask a volunteer to read, Acts 9:1­19. Have the children follow along in their Bibles. After the reading, ask the children why Saul was going to Damascus. Point out to them that he was persecuting Christians, threatening to kill them. Ask what happened to Saul while he was traveling on the road? Be sure the children realize that Saul was later known as Paul and that he was one of the first missionaries of the early church.

Tell the children that they will now hear the story of a young Cuban named Mario, who also had a life-changing experience. Read, or ask an invited guest to read," The Lightning" (AP 3). Let the children discuss whether they think it was God who changed Mario's attitude. Remind them that God continues to be with us, guiding us in what we do and calling us to help people in need. Ask the children to name ways that the experiences of Saul and Mario are similar. Ask how the children know when God is present. Tell them that many good things are happening in churches in Cuba today because some Cubans have responded to God s call.

"VISITING" CUBA

For your "visit" you can choose two or three activities to do with the whole group, or you can setup activity centers and let the children choose from among them.

Make Maracas

Let the children make maracas (AP 4) to accompany the music in the closing worship.

Make Tropical Birds

Let the children make tropical birds (AP 5) to hang around the room.

Guess the Food

Let the children try to match the Spanish name of the food with a sample of the food (AP 6).

Play a Game

Let the children play "The Hawk and the Chickens" (AP 7).

Make a Time Line

Let older children use the "History of Cuba" to make a time line to show events in Cuba's history (AP 8).

Learn a Song

If possible, teach all the children "Edifiquemos Juntos" (AP 9) so that they can sing it at the closing worship. This simple tune can be sung in a round with accompanying actions.

What Would You Do?

Older children can listen to "Eloísa's Story"(AP 10) and discuss a relevant situation in its light.

Make Flan

Have the children make flan (AP 11), which they can eat at the closing worship or take home with them.

CELEBRATING IN WORSHIP

Close the session by celebrating your trip with a short time of worship.

Sing a Song

Sing "Edifiquemos Juntos" (AP 9) using the suggested actions. If the children made maracas,they can accompany the song with them.

Pray a Litany

Divide the children into two groups to pray a litany using psalm 16 (AP 12).

Hold the Christians in Cuba in Prayer

Using the map of Cuba, pray together for the Cuban Christians (AP 12). Point to cities on the map as you say the appropriate words.
 
 

Sources
Infopedia 2.0 (Encyclopedia plus 7 reference books on CD-ROM)
Dominquez, Jorge I. Cuba, Order and Revolution. Cambridge, Mass.:Harvard University, Belknap Press. 1978
Ramos, Marcos A. Protestantism and Revolution in Cuba. Miami: University of Miami North-South Center for the Research Institute for Cuban Studies.1989
Rudolph, James D. Cuba. A Country Study. 3rd ed. Washington D.C.: American University. 1987

FROM MAP & FACTS: CUBA. OXFORD CARTOGRAPHERS. TEXT BY JOSEPH A. PEREZ. © 1999 BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS. USED BYPERMISSION.

Mario, my father's younger brother, was a teacher in the Cuban countryside. To get to his school he needed to take the train and then ride for a few hours on horseback.

The school was a bohio, the typical country hut made of royal palm boards and thatched with royal palm leaves. The students sat on benches - three, four, or in the days when attendance was good, even five at a bench. But attendance was seldom good. Girls stayed home to help with their little brothers and sisters, to do the washing, to gather wood for the stove. And boys missed school because they had to help in the fields, planting, weeding, gathering. Mostly no one believed school would improve their lives and saw not much reason to go.

My uncle, himself, would cut class whenever possible. He came back to the city every Friday night, tired, exhausted and somewhat depressed. "What's the use?" he would say.

So many times on Monday morning he procrastinated and missed the train. An upset stomach, a small cold, were reasons enough not to travel. Many times he'd go on Tuesday and the week would only be four days long. Other times he'd come back Thursday night. "The attendance was poor this week," he'd say. "It always gets worse on Friday, so I just came home."

My father never criticized him. Because my grandfather died when my father was fifteen and my uncle only ten, my father had always looked after Mario. I think the memory of the pain of their loss, the unhappiness at having been sent to boarding school, the loneliness they had felt, made my father always compassionate of my uncle. Although Mario was now in his twenties, my father kept protecting him. My mother, on the other hand, kept reminding my uncle, "How are the kids ever going to believe in their education, when you don't? You could do so much for them..."

My uncle was a person of few words. He never entered an argument. He never tried to defend himself. He never told stories. As a matter of fact, he seldom spoke very much.

I could see my uncle's predicament. He stayed in the city to be able to come to our house. We were his only family and, I suspect, his only friends. It must have been hard to have my mother always reprimand him, but he just kept silent and kept on staying.

Then one Friday night he did not make his appearance at dinner. More surprisingly yet, he was not there Saturday night, nor Sunday. My mother asked my father, my father asked my grandfather, but no one knew where he was.

All during the week we didn't see him. Everyone speculated. There had been heavy rains, so maybe the rivers had overflowed and he had not been able to cross them. He had used this pretext many times to skip school. Maybe after all it had really happened.

The weekend arrived, but there was no news of my uncle. And, of course, there was no telephone or telegraph that would reach that remote school.

When my uncle returned, three weeks later, he looked like a different man. His usually pale skin was tanned, his carefully polished nails were broken and dirty. He was in need of a hair cut. But for the first time ever he looked strong and pleased.

He said nothing about his absence, so no one else mentioned it either, and we all sat down to lunch.

We had been enjoying the black beans and rice, the sweet fried plantains, when I noticed the mark on my uncle s wrist, a dark yellow band, where he normally wore his wrist watch.

"Uncle, what is that?" I could not help but ask.

"Oh, that...it s from the lightning."

There was a moment of silence. My mother set down the pitcher of coconut water even though her glass was still empty. My father put down his fork and knife. Even my little sister stopped eating.

"That first week I was gone," said my uncle, slowly, "there was a very major storm." And then he stopped.

"And..." my father prompted him. "What about the lightning?"

"The lightning was strong," my uncle continued. "It was difficult to teach with the noises of thunder. They seemed to be all over and around us..." He went silent again.

"Were many children present?" my mother asked. As if this were the cue he needed, my uncle continued.

"Yes, for once, they were all present. It was crowded and hot in that small room. And the children were all excited, as if charged with electricity. And then it happened..."

No one said a word. No one moved. We all stayed waiting for his next words.

"I didn t even hear the thunder when the thunderbolt hit the large mango tree next to the school. I simply passed out. The effects of thunderbolts are unpredictable. When I awoke, there was the most unbearable pain in my arm, my watch had melted right on my wrist. But I didn t focus on it. All the children were lying around on the floor. Every one of them..."

"Were they dead?" There was panic in my mother's voice.

"That s what I thought when I saw them. I thought they were all dead. Here they are all dead, I said to myself. And all just to hear a teacher that doesn t even believe in their education. But little by little, they began to stir, to wake up. No one was hurt. They were not even scared. But me..."

"So that's why you didn t come all this time," said my father, more to himself than to my uncle.

"I have been working on the school. I got a couple of fathers to help me enlarge it. And we are building some more benches. We also made a larger blackboard. It will take a while before everything is in place. I have spoken to one of the families to rent me a room so that I can stay over. I am turning over my own room next to the classroom, for an art workshop. There is so much to be done, I ll probably be coming back only once a month to get supplies."

My mother poured herself a large glass of coconut water. As she lifted it to her lips, it was hit by the rays of light coming in through the dining room window, and it looked as if she were making an offering.
 
 
 
 

FROM CHOICES AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE CARIBBEAN BY ALMA FLOR ADA, JAN THORNE, AND PHILLIP WINGEIER-RAYO. © 1993BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS. USED BY PERMISSION.

Children can make maracas to shake in rhythm to the Cuban rumba or other music. In Cuba,maracas are made from gourds. These maracas are made with papier maché, but a simpler version can be made with small boxes such as those that contain individual servings of cereal. 

What You Need

• round balloons and string
• newspaper torn into strips
• paper towels
• wheat paste and water
• flat aluminum pie pans
• masking tape
• dowel sticks
• small pebbles or aquarium gravel
• tempera (water-based) paint in three bright colors
• brushes and water jars

1. In an aluminum pan, mix the wheat paste in water according to package directions.
2. Have the children inflate the balloons slightly and tie the end.
3. Show the children how to dip the strips of newspaper in the wheat paste, slide between their fingers to remove excess paste, and smooth over the balloons. Tell them to leave a space at the bottom, where the knot is, and at the top, where the dowel will be placed.
4. When the balloons are completely covered with strips of newspaper, have children add a final layer of strips of paper towels dipped in paste. Set the balloons aside to dry thoroughly.
5. When the papier maché is dry, you or the leader supervising the activity pierce the layers with a needle to burst the balloons inside their papier maché shells.
6. Have the children pour some small pebbles or aquarium gravel through the hole in the bottom of the shell. Help them slide in the dowel and tape securely at top and bottom.
7. Have the children paint the maracas one color and let dry. Then they can add designs using the other colors (see illustration).

ADAPTED FROM TEACHER'S GUIDE TO "CHOICES" BY DORIS LOU WILLIS. ©1993 BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS, INC. , P.15. USED BYPERMISSION.
 
 

What You Need

tropical bird patterns and dove pattern		glue or glue stick
lightweight cardboard or poster board		pencils and fine-lined black markers
pictures of tropical birds, if available		one-hole paper punch
scissors		heavy thread or yarn
construction paper and typing paper in bright colors

What You Do

In Advance

1. Trace the bird patterns (see illustration) onto lightweight cardboard and cut them out to make templates. Cut a slit in the dove pattern for the wings.
2. Cut construction paper into pieces roughly the size of the templates and into strips for feathers. Save the scraps.

1. Show the children pictures of tropical birds. Point out their bright colors and exotic shapes.
2. Give each child a template of a bird s body. Let the child trace around it onto a piece of construction paper and cut it out.
3. Have the children cut construction paper strips into tapering shapes of different lengths to make tail, wings, and crest to glue onto the bird s body. They can curl the strips around their pencils.
4. Children can use the hole punch to make eyes out of scraps to glue on their bird. They can also use scraps for the beak and feet.
5. Help the children punch a hole in the bird s head or back and run a thread or yarn through so that it can be hung from the ceiling or wall.

With Younger Children

1. Show the children how to pleat colored paper as if for a fan.
2. While they are making pleats, you trace the dove template on sheets of construction paper, cut out, and make a slit in each one, and distribute.
3. Show the children how to slide the pleated paper through the slit to make the dove's wings.
4. The children can use markers to add eyes.

ADAPTED FROM THINGS TO MAKE AND DO FOR PENTECOST, WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY MARTHA BETTIS GEE. © 1998 BY BRIDGE RESOURCES, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. USED BY PERMISSION.
 
 

What You Need

• list of Spanish and English names of foods (see list below)
• samples of foods on the list
• large index cards or cards made of poster board
• felt-tipped markers

What You Do

In Advance

1. Decide which foods you will use.
2. Allowing one card for each food, print the Spanish name for it and the pronunciation on one side. Print the English name on the other.
3. Display the foods on a table. Pile the cards on the table with the Spanish names facing up.

1. Let the children take turns choosing a card and trying to pronounce the Spanish name.
2. Let them in turn place the card next to the appropriate food. They can turn over the cards to see if they guessed right.

 

 
 






The Hawk and the Chickens

In this game the mother hen leads her brood in one line. The hawk is after only the last chick inline. The object of the game for the mother hen and other chicks is to protect the last chick. The object for the hawk is to get that last chick. The hawk is not after any of the others.

To begin, the hawk does not move. The mother hen and chicks walk past the hawk watching constantly. The mother hen tells the chicks, "Stay close. Hang on to the one in front of you. Tell me what the hawk is doing. We must protect our last chick." The chicks answer as the hawk moves, "He's moving, smiling, sharpening his beak; he's coming closer, closer, closer..." The mother hen can use her arms to keep the hawk away. The chicks, in a chain, try to protect the last chick by winding in a coil. The hawk cannot touch the other chicks but can swoop to the shoulders of the last chick.

Once caught, the last chick becomes the hawk for the next game, the hawk becomes the mother hen, and the former mother hen stands behind the new mother hen. The next-to-last chick becomes the new last chick. In three or four games, players have an opportunity to be the mother hen, hawk, last chick, or protective chicks.

FROM A WORLD OF CHILDREN'S GAMES, EDITED BY MARY DUCKERT. ©1993 BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS. USED BY PERMISSION.
 
 


Make a Timeline

Older children can make a time line to help them understand the history of Cuba.

What You Need

• clothesline or heavy string
• index cards
• felt-tipped markers
• clothespins or masking tape
• copies of "History of Cuba" for each child (see below)
What You Do
1. Secure the clothesline or string to one side of a wall or chalkboard with a thumbtack or tape. Stretch it along the wall and secure at the other end.
2. Distribute the "History of Cuba" to each child. Have the children print the names of the six time periods from the "History of Cuba" on six cards. They can use clothespins or tape to attach the cards in chronological order leaving some space between them.
3. Then have any children choose events from the "History of Cuba" that interest them and print each event on a separate card. Explain that they can use short phrases rather than copying all the information given and that they need to choose a few events from each period of time. Have them clip or tape the cards to the line in the appropriate space.
For Younger Children

When the time line is finished, the older children can read from the cards to younger children, who have been at other activity centers. Together, older and younger children can make small illustrations of the events with markers on the index cards. Have them clip or tape the illustrations to the corresponding event.

HISTORY OF CUBA




Pre-Columbian Period		Three tribal groups: Tainos (part of the Arawak group), who migrated from the Amazon region; Ciboneys, who migrated from North America before the Tainos;Guanajatabeyes (the earliest group) of whom little is known; all were hunters and gatherers,the Tainos also farmed, made pottery, and lived in villages; population probably c. 60,000 (c.90% Taino) in 1500
Early Colonial Period (1492-1762)		Arrival of Columbus in search for gold and spices (29 Oct. 1492); cruel mistreatment of "Indians"
Establishment of Spanish Control		Conquest and settlement by Diego Velazquez leading 300 Spaniards and their African slaves from Hispaniola (1511­1514); imposition of Spanish rule and Roman Catholicism; defeat of Taino chief Hautey,a refugee from Hispaniola, who led resistance; last uprising crushed (1533); Indianpopulation c. 5,000; much intermarriage
		Population (1662): 13,500 Spaniards, 12,000 Africans, imported since 1522 to replace Indians killed from warfare, overwork, suicide, and disease
		Cuba a service colony for Spain and its fleets, not an export colony; trade controlled by Spain, hides chief export (to the end of the 17th cen), then tobacco (18th cen); revolt of tobacco growers for better trade conditions crushed (1717)
		British occupation of Havana (1762) for short period: economy stimulated by free trade
Middle Colonial Period (1763-1867) Prosperity and Turmoil		Sugar the chief export crop by 1800, following successful slave revolt in Saint Domingue (Haiti); increased importation of slaves to work sugar plantations; great profits for large plantation owners and slave traders
		Several attempts by U.S. to buy Cuba from Spain, supported by Cuban planters who feared Spain would succumb to British pressure to end the slave trade and slavery; rebuffed by Spain
		After abolition of slavery in U.S., Cuban efforts to gain more political control from Spain, unsuccessful
Late Colonial Period (1868-1902) Wars		First War of Independence, the Ten Years War (1868­1878); C. (1868­1902) M. Cespedes and other Eastern planters raised the "Cry of Yara," calling for independence; great destruction of property, loss of about 50,000 Cubans and 208,000 Spanish; truce (1878); reforms promised
		Few reforms instituted, insufficient to stem serious economic problems: war losses, competition of beet sugar, need for expensive imported machinery and large estates to make cane sugar competitive, many bankruptcies; end of slavery (1886) because costly and inefficient; arrival of first Protestant preachers (returned Cuban exiles, 1873)
		Second War of Independence (1895­1898) result of agitation for political, economic, and social reform by José Martí and others; entry of U.S. after sinking of the Maine (1898), occupation by U.S. military until 1902; returned 3 times(1906­1909, 1912, 1920)
The Republic (1902-1958) U.S. Domination		Political and economic dominance by U.S.; Platt Amendment to Cuban Constitution (1902­1934) gave U.S. right to approve Cuban treaties and loans and to intervene with force to "protect life, property, and individual liberty" in Cuba; U.S. the chief trade partner; U.S. business controlled and owned much Cuban land and industry; gradual spread of Protestantism, especially in education
		Regular elections for president and congress; corruption endemic; economic difficulties accompanied by civic unrest; dictatorship of President Gerardo Machado (1928); revolution (1933); rule by army led by former Sergeant Fulgencio Batista (1933­44; 1952­58)
		Armed rebellion (1953­59) led by Fidel Castro, Jesuit-trained lawyer; flight of Batista (Dec. 1958); entrance of victorious rebels into Havana (January 1959)
Revolutionary Era (1959- )		Sovereignty of new government; education universalized; private schools nationalized; Agrarian Reform Act (May 1959) to redistribute and nationalize land; free access to quality health care for all; racial and sexual discrimination outlawed; some church leaders called anti-revolutionary
		Flight of middle- and upper-class Cubans (c.260,000) as extent of change is seen (1959­71); departure of most Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy; migration of some working-class Cubans (1970); migration of about 125,000 poor (some from prisons and mental hospitals) from Mariel (1980); anti-Castro attitudes in U.S. strengthened by Cuban exiles in U.S.
		U.S. opposition to nationalization of property and industries; sugar quota canceled (1960); Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles (1961) supported by U.S.; Cuba excluded from the Organization of American States for supporting revolutionary groups; trade embargo announced by U.S. (1962); military support, sugar subsidies, trade relations, and cultural exchanges provided by USSR; collapse of USSR in 1989 the cause of serious economic problems for Cuba
		Freedom of worship but churches suspected of counterrevolutionary activities by atheist government; discrimination against church goers in education and jobs; petition by Cuban Council of Churches to end it; wide publicity for Castro's attendance at a Christian service with Jesse Jackson (1984); increase in church attendance; great interest in Pope John Paul II's visit (1998)

FROM MAP & FACTS: CUBA. OXFORD CARTOGRAPHERS. TEXT BY JOSEPH A. PEREZ. © 1999 BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS. USED BY PERMISSION.
 
 


Learn a Song

What You Need

• a copy of the song (see below)
• maracas, drums, tambourines, or other rhythm instruments
• large newsprint pad and felt marker
What You Do

In Advance

1. Print the English and Spanish words to the song on newsprint and post where everyone cansee it.
2. Collect the maracas, if you chose that activity, and other instruments.
With the Children
1. Tell the children that they are going to learn a song written by a U. S. missionary for the Reformed Church of Cuba. It is based on a story in Nehemiah 2:18 about rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.
2. Sing the song in English for the children. Then have them sing along with you.
3. When the children are familiar with the tune, tell them that it can be sung in a round, either with three parts or six. Divide the group into parts, with an older child who is a stronger singer in each part. Then try singing the song in a round.
4. Now sing the song to the children in Spanish. Point out that there are only three phrases in the song. The first two are almost the same, and the third is repeated three times. Invite the children to try singing with you in Spanish.
5. Teach the children the following actions:
• Join hands as you sing "Vengan, vengan todo" ("Come ev'rybody")
• Stand as you sing "Vengen, levantemonos" ("Come now, let us all rise up")
• Raise joined hands as you sing "Edifiquemos, juntos" ("Let us all build together")
6. Now have the children use rhythm instruments to accompany the song.
EDIFIQUEMOS JUNTOS
LET US ALL BUILD TOGETHER









Actions which can be used with singing:
Sit in a circle.
Join hands as you sing Vengan, vengan todo ( Come ev'rybody ).
Stand as you sing Vengen, levantemonos ( Come now, let us all rise up ).
Raise joined hands as you sing Edifiquemos, juntos ( Let us all build together ).
 
 



What Would You Do?

What You Need

• a copy of Eloísa's Story (see below)
• two index cards
• felt-tipped marker
What You Do

In Advance

1. Recruit an adult or young person to be the storyteller.
2. On two index cards print the following two situations
• choosing between church and other functions

a. Cuban: On Sunday, will you go to school or to church?

 b. North American: What conflicts, such as soccer practice, do you have with attending church functions? How do you make the choice?
 
 

• treating people who are different from you

a. Cuban: Non-Christian children in Cuba often persecuted Christian children by throwing stones, calling them names, and refusing to play with them. What will you do?

 b. North American: Children in North America may go to school with children of different faiths. Some children make fun of those who do not believe as they do. What will you do?
 
 

With the Children
1. Have the storyteller tell or read Eloísa's Story.
2. Divide the children into two teams, North Americans and Cubans. Choose a situation card and read it aloud to the children. Allow each team time to discuss among themselves what their arguments will be.
3. Then have them present their arguments to the other team. Encourage the children really to think about how people would feel and to be ready to tell what Christian beliefs are guiding their arguments.
ELOÍSA'S STORY

Phillip Wingeier-Rayo

Eloísa was always a quiet girl, yet very strong-willed. She had learned to be, because people always were trying to make her like everybody else. Like the time her teacher announced that a math test would be given on Sunday morning.

"Sunday morning!" exclaimed Eloísa when she heard the announcement. I cannot miss church.

All the students came to school that Sunday, but Eloísa remained faithful to Jesus Christ and told the teacher why she could not go to the test.

The other students laughed at Eloísa for going to church, because they did not believe in God. "Why are you going to church?" they would cry. "God does not exist!"

One little boy, Pablo, was particularly cruel. He called Eloísa "stupid" and "crazy" for going to church. He thought it was a waste of time. He would round up some friends on Saturday and throw stones at the beautiful stained glass windows in the church. When he called Eloísa names, she tried to ignore him. Her parents had told her not to pay any attention to Pablo because Jesus would always be with those who believe in Him.

Eloísa had been a Christian since she was a little girl. Her parents were among the few people who stayed in church after the Revolution. That was thirty years ago and everybody thought all the churches would be closed. Because of those rumors most Christians either left the country or the church.

Eloísa s parents had to make a decision. At the time they were teenagers and there were many changes taking place in Cuba. Some people liked the new government because of the many new schools, day care centers and hospitals it built. Other people did not like the drastic changes in the country. Yet Eloísa had the rare opportunity of being raised in a Christian home. Most boys and girls in Cuba have never been to church.

At the beginning of the school year the teacher asked the class, "Who is going to be the president of the Martí Student Council this year?"

The students knew this was a big honor. They had learned about their Cuban hero José Martí. In front of their school was a statue of Martí which read, "My sling is that of David."

The students looked around at each other, wondering who might be a good president of the school. By the fifth grade Eloísa s hard work had paid off and all the students respected her. Her classmates had begun to notice her honesty and good attitude.

Karla raised her hand and enthusiastically announced, "I nominate Eloísa."

Everyone began to cheer, "Si! Si! Si!" to affirm the nomination.

Only Pablo was scornful and yelled, "Are you kidding? She s a Christian!"

Karla quickly responded, "I know, but she s smart, honest and she is the only person everybody likes."

The teacher, Mrs. Alicia Torres, interrupted. "All right, children, settle down. We always choose the school president with elections. So each person will have one vote to decide who the next president will be." She turned to Eloísa and asked, "Eloísa, do you accept the nomination?"

Eloísa answered thoughtfully, "There's never been a Christian president, but I like to help people and I would be proud to represent the school."

In the past Mrs. Torres did not like Christians, because she was told that they were against the Revolution. However, she thought to herself, "Eloísa is right. Christians just want to help people and that is the same as the Revolution." The teacher had seen that the Christian students were often among the best in her classroom. "The times are changing and Eloísa has the same right as anyone to be the president," Mrs. Torres silently concluded.

After two other students had been named candidates, Mrs. Torres said, "Okay class, if we have received all the nominations, put your heads down and raise your hand to vote for the candidate of your choice."

Meanwhile Eloísa began to wonder, "Do my classmates like me? Will they vote for me? Surely they will not vote for a Christian! Oh God, please be with me. I am scared."

"Time s up!" exclaimed Mrs. Torres as she turned to count the votes on the blackboard. "Three votes for Narcisa, two votes for Juan and eighteen for Eloísa."

"You won! You won!" shouted Karla. " I told you Pablo. Si!"

The other classmates joined in by chanting, "Eloísa! Eloísa! Eloísa!"

Mrs. Torres intervened to calm the class and officially declared, "Eloísa is the new president of the whole school."

After school Eloísa was excited to tell her parents. "They will be so proud," she thought to herself.

"That is wonderful! You are dawning a new day," responded Eloísa's mom when she heard the news. "You know, daughter, that we went through very hard times as Christians. But we are happy to have stayed in Cuba to serve God. Now the churches are filling up with many new people. Even your classmate Pablo may someday join the same church that he used to throw stones at. There are many changes in our country. You being elected president is one of the signs of the times!"

"But," she went one, "we only pray and hope that the changes can occur without losing all the good we have gained from the Revolution. You are blessed to have such a fine school. When I was a girl before the Revolution in the eastern part of the island, we did not have a school in the countryside."

As Eloísa went to bed that night, she remembered her mother's words and kneeled down to pray.

"Dear God," she whispered, "thank you for my school because many poor children before the Revolution did not have schools. Thank you for my classmates who respect me. Thank you for my church, and-"

Sensing that somebody was watching her, Eloísa stopped and saw her parents peeking through the door. "And thank you for my parents," she finished with the laugh. When she saw their smiles she knew that her parents were right. Jesus is always with those who are faithful to Him.

ORIGINALLY TITLED "A YOUNG CUBAN CHRISTIAN," IN CHOICES AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE CARIBBEAN BY ALMAFLOR ADA, JAN THORNE, AND PHILIP WINGEIER-RAYO. ©1993 BY FRIENDSHIP PRESS, INC. USED BY PERMISSION.
 
 


Make Flan

Flan is a custard dessert enjoyed in many Latin American countries. This recipe serves four to six. The melted brown sugar is very hot, so be sure you or another adult closely supervises this activity to be sure no one is burned.

What You Need

• electric skillet (be sure the room has an outlet)
• measuring cup
• large spoon
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 box vanilla pudding
• 3 cups milk
• custard cups or dessert dishes
• small plates and spoons
What You Do
1. Dissolve the brown sugar in water.
2. Cook the mixture in electric skillet at moderate heat until the sugar caramelizes. Spoon some of the caramelized sugar into each custard cup or dish.
3. Let the children stir the pudding mix and the milk in a large bowl according to package directions. Help them pour the mixture into the prepared cups or dishes.
4. Let the flans set for one hour to cool.
5. Unmold onto plates for serving. Enjoy!

 
 

Pray a Litany

Group 1: You Lord, are all I have,

Group 2: You give me all I need;
 
 

Group 1: My future is in your hands;

Group 2: You are my Lord.
 
 

Group 1: I keep the Lord always before me;

Group 2: Therefore my heart is glad.
 
 

Group 1: You show me the fullness of life;

Group 2: In your presence is joy.
 
 

Leader: Let all the people of God say amen!

All: Amen!

(ADAPTED FROM GOOD NEWS BIBLE, TEV)

Hold the Christians in Cuba in Prayer

On newsprint, print the first line of the prayer below. Let the children say it aloud. Then you pray aloud the petition for the Christians in each city, pointing to each city on the map as you mention it. You can add other cities. After each city, the children respond with thanksgiving by repeating the first line of the prayer.
 

Dios, te damos gracias		(God we thank you)
(DEE-os tay DAH-mos GRAH-see-as)
por los Cristianos en Matanzas		(for the Christians in Mantanzas)
por los Christianos en Bayamo		(for the Christians in Bayamo)
por los Christianos en Guantánamo		(for the Christians in Guantánamo)
por los Christianos en Holguín		(for the Christians in Holguín)
por los Christianos en Santiago de Cuba		(for the Christians in Santiago de Cuba)

Amen
 
 
 
 
 

Credits