Tots On A Mission to…Zimbabwe!

Are you ready for a new Tots On A Mission adventure? Today we are headed to Zimbabwe! Isn’t that fun to say?

The Setting

Zimbabwe is located in southern Africa and is completely surrounded by land. Zimbabwe lies on a high plateau, and its terrain consists primarily of grasslands bordered on the east by mountains. The northeastern border of the country is marked by the mighty Zambezi River, along which is located the beautiful Victoria Falls and Lake Kariba. The Zambezi has become one of the world's best water adventure travel destinations where whitewater rafting ,canoeing and kayaking are popular.

Family Life

The family is the foundation of Zimbabwean society. Marriage is an important rite of passage and a sacred practice. Through marriages the living are connected with their ancestors. Gender roles are defined within the family. Most ethnic groups have patriarchal (male-headed) families. In these, women play a subordinate role. They are expected to serve their husbands, work for them, and bear them children. However, women do have certain rights.

A typical family today is made up of a husband and wife and at least two children. Traditional families are big, including five or more children, plus grandparents and the children of relatives. Some men have more than one wife. It is not unusual to find a man with ten wives. Zimbabwean families, especially in the rural parts of the country, keep animals. Most animals are not just pets but serve other purposes. For instance, cats are kept to kill pests such as mice and rats. Dogs are used for protection and for hunting.

Zimbabwe is one of the very fortunate countries in southern Africa to have basic education, especially for young people. While there are still some people who cannot read or write, most people have at least three years of elementary education. Education is seen as valuable since it can be the way to a good job. Parents are usually willing to spend money on the education of their children as an investment in the future. Children are a form of social security system; they are expected to look after their parents in old age.

Children have their own forms of entertainment and hobbies. They watch television and listen to "top forty" radio. Most of the television programs, videotapes, and films come from Great Britain and the United States. As a result, young people dress like musicians and actors from these two countries and try to imitate their lifestyles. They also listen to local and regional pop artists, especially those from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Religion

History has altered traditional African life. Because of colonization, most Zimbabwean families live in two worlds: the African and the European (or Western). However, in their daily lives, Zimbabweans blend these two. So, while ancestor worship is the most common religious practice, Christianity and Islam are also observed. In fact, about 75 percent of the population observes either Christianity or Islam.

http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Tajikistan-to-Zimbabwe/Zimbabweans.html#ixzz1O8dxU8bs

Prayers for Zimbabwe

You can thank God for:

*every Christian in Zimbabwe

*Christians who help the poor and care for those who are sick, unemployed or orphans

You can ask God:

*that He will be with missionaries, evangelists and church workers as they tell others the good news about Jesus

*that Christians will reach out to the many orphans, giving them love, care and hope in Jesus

*to give Christians hope and courage to trust Him even when they are sick, homeless or have no money

*to use Christian books, leaflets, radio and TV programs to help the people of Zimbabwe learn more about Jesus

Get Involved!

Find out more about:

~ Zimbabwe

~ Sponsor a child with World Vision

We’ve put together a printable about Zimbabwe for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country. Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page.

There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book Window on the World!

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to Zimbabwe!

Tots On A Mission to…Albania!

Have you recovered from jetlag from our last adventure? I sure hope so because we are off again and this time, we are visiting Albania! Don’t forget to pack a jacket!

The Setting

The country of Albania is located in southeastern Europe with the Adriatic and Ionian Seas on the western border and the countries of Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece on the eastern border. Albania is roughly the same size as our state of Maryland. The land is mostly made of mountains and hills. The weather in Albania isn’t too extreme: it is cool and wet in the winter and hot and dry in the summer. Albania occasionally endures natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and drought.

Family Life

Albanian families tend to be small, with the average being two children. The Albanian husband does not generally do housework. Both husband and wife believe that the household is the wife's responsibility. Elderly parents often live with their children, where they are treated with honor and respect. From the time he is born, the oldest son is trained to become the head of family when his father dies.

Under communist rule from 1946 to 1992, many Albanians were forced to live in large, poorly constructed apartment buildings that provided only a couple of rooms for a family of four or more people. Many dwellings still lack central heating. There is a shortage of water, and there are frequent electric power outages in the larger cities. There is no regular rubbish collection, and cities are littered with trash.

This photo of Albania is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Albanian cooking is influenced by the years of Turkish rule. Lamb, rather than beef or pork, is the most common meat. Lakror (LAHK-roar), a typical dish, is a mixture of eggs, vegetables or meat, and butter wrapped in thin, many-layered pastry sheets. Another popular food is fërgesë (FUHR-ges), a dish usually made with minced meat, eggs, and ricotta cheese. Bread is a major staple of the Albanian diet. 

About 88 percent of Albanians can read and write. This is one of the highest literacy rates in the Balkan region. School is mandatory from age seven through fifteen.

Albania's favorite sport is soccer (commonly called "football" in Europe). Second to football is volleyball, in which both men's and women's teams have become regional champions. Basketball and tennis are becoming more and more popular. Chess continues to gain favor, especially with children.

After a late afternoon nap, Albanians enjoy a leisurely stroll along their wide streets on their way to meet friends and relatives for a late dinner. Albanians love storytelling. In coffee shops throughout the country, men can be found entertaining each other with humorous stories or heroic tales. Television programs broadcast from Italy are also very popular. Classical music performances are well attended in Albania, and discos (dance clubs) are popular with teenagers and young adults.

Albanian women and girls are known for qëndisje (kuhn-DIS-jeh), elaborate embroidery created to decorate their dwellings. Using a small loom known as a vegël (VEH-guhl), they weave colorful rugs. Albanians produce sweaters, socks, gloves, and other items, using wool, cotton, acrylics, and fur. Lace-making, ounë me grep (WEE-nuh MEH-grehp), is another traditional folk art. Men usually work with metals such as copper, brass, and aluminum to craft decorative plates, wall hangings, and utensils. Women are increasingly involved with pottery, creating unique useful and sculptural pieces.

Religion

Albania has no official state religion. The communist government (in power from 1946 to 1992) outlawed religion in 1967, and confiscated (took away) all church property. Freedom of religion in Albania was not restored until 1989–90. More than 70 percent of Albanians are Muslims. Muslims are followers of the religion known as Islam.

Islam has five "pillars," or practices, that must be observed by all Muslims: (1) praying five times a day; (2) giving alms (money or food), or zakat, to the poor; (3) fasting from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan; (4) making the pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca; and (5) reciting the shahada ("ashhadu an la illah ila Allah wa ashhadu in Muhammadu rasul Allah" ). This phrase means "I witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah."

About 20 percent of Albanians follow Christianity as members of Evangelical, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches.

In 1998, war broke out in Kosovo in the nearby country of Yugoslavia. Thousands of people from Kosovo escaped to find refuge in Albania. Even though the people of Albania were poor and in need themselves, the Albanian Christians wanted to help these refugees. Albanian Christians were instrumental in providing food, water, clothing and Christ’s love to these refugees. This is a prime example of living out what the Apostle Paul described about the Macedonian church in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (ESV):

¹We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, ²for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, ⁴begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— ⁵and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God  to us.

Prayers for Albania

You can thank God for:

*each Albanian boy, girl and grownup who follows Jesus

*the way that Albanian Christians, even though they are poor themselves, showed His kindness and love to the refugees from Kosovo by helping and caring for them

You can ask God:

*to encourage all Christians to learn more about Him and to share His love with everyone

*to teach Christians that even though many of them are poor, He blesses all those who give to others

*to give His strength to leaders in the churches as they teach people from the Bible and encourage them to follow Jesus

*to bring peace and hope to the people of Albania and give them leaders who will rule the country wisely and fairly

Get Involved!

Find out more about:

~ Albania

~ Sponsor a child with World Vision

We’ve put together a printable about Albania for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country. Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page.

There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book Window on the World!

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to Albania!

Tots on a Mission to…Romania!

Let’s get our passports and hop on a plane to Romania!

The Setting

Romania is a mountainous country located in southeastern Europe along the Black Sea. Romania’s climate has been compared to Washington, DC in that it is cold and snowy with lots of fog in the winter and sunny with occasional storms in the summer.

Family Life

It isn’t uncommon for more than two generations to live in the same house. For instance, you might find grandparents, moms & dads and children living together. Romanian children are very much like American children in that they go to school, play with friends, read books, play on the computer, watch TV, spend time with family and do homework.

Children from poor families often lack the proper clothing or shoes to safely walk to school during bitter winters. Families live in simple brick and mud houses, and may move into a single room during the winters to conserve precious heat. Typical foods include potatoes, cabbage, onions, beans, grains, eggs, and cheese. But poverty makes it difficult for families to get enough nutrition.

Religion

Like America, there are many different religions practiced in Romania including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and Seventh-Day Adventists. The people of Romania have been free to practice their choice of religion since freed from communist rule in 1989.

Prayers for Romania

You can thank God for:

*the Christians from Romania and other countries who are showing Jesus' love and care to the thousands of destitute orphans and street children and to the homeless, sick and elderly

*all of the Romanians who are learning to follow Jesus

You can ask God:

*to give wisdom to church leaders in Romania as they teach the Bible and reach out to those who have no hope

*to help Christians in Romania learn to forgive, love and trust one another after the many years of persecution

*to give the government leaders wisdom as they rule the country, so that everyone in need will receive help

*to show people from other countries working with churches in Romania the best ways to help them grow and glorify God

Get Involved!

Find out more about:

Romania

Sponsor a child with World Vision

The HIV crisis among children in Romania

We’ve put together a printable about Romania for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country. Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page.

There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book Window on the World!

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to Romania!

Tots On A Mission to…North Korea!

Got your passports ready? Time to head to North Korea!

The Setting

North Korea is located on the northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea. The land is mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys and the interior is sparsely populated due to the fact that it is mostly made of mountains. North Korea has a population of about 23 million people.

Family Life

Not much is known about North Korea. This is due to the nation's strict government-enforced closed-country policy: not many outsiders have visited there and not many North Koreans have traveled to the outside world. We do know that there has been trouble in recent years with having enough food for the population causing North Koreans to try to escape to South Korea and other countries such as China. In fact, the United Nations reported in early 2011 that more than 6 million North Koreans are in need of urgent food aid.

See some rare pictures of the country and life in North Korea.

Religion

The people of North Korea are traditionally either Buddhist or Confucianist, although there are some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way). Freedom of religion is almost nonexistent. There are government-sponsored religious groups that exist to provide the illusion of religious freedom.

See “Tots on a Mission to Mongolia” for information about the difference between Christianity and Buddhism.

Confucianism isn’t technically a religion but more of a way to live (i.e. code of ethics) based on the teachings of Confucius, a traveling scholar. These teachings include standards of how to treat others, how to submit to authority and living a “good” life.

Christianity on the other hand is based on the fact that we can never be “good” enough on our own and that there is nothing good in us apart from Jesus Christ in us. Living a “good” life does not mean that we are good. We, as sinners, need Christ as our Savior as He is the only way to God. See Mommy Missions for more resources to teach your children about the Gospel.

Unfortunately, Christianity is not generally welcome in North Korea. Because of this, Christians have tried several ways to let the North Korean people know about Jesus including sending Christian books by balloon and in plastic enveloped thrown into the ocean! The vast majority of North Koreans need to hear about Jesus Christ.

This is a great kid-friendly resource from kidsofcourage.com about North Korea!

Prayers for North Korea

You can thank God for:

*the many secret believers in North Korea

You can ask God:

*that the Christians will know He is near them despite the threat of punishment or even death if they are betrayed

*to prepare the hearts of the North Koreans for the day when the good news about Jesus can once more be shared openly

*to work a miracle in the hearts of the government leaders so that they will know that He alone is God

*for Christians around the world to faithfully pray until people can once more share the Gospel in North Korea

Get Involved!

Find out ways you can help children all around the world in situations similar to North Koreans!

We’ve put together a printable about North Korea for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country. Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

We’ve put together a printable about North Korea for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country.

Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page.

There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book Window on the World!

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to North Korea! Please pray for everyone in this country!

Tots on a Mission to…New Zealand!

Let’s get our passports and hop on a plane to New Zealand!

The Setting

New Zealand is a country made up of several islands in the Pacific Ocean with the two biggest islands being North Island and South Island. The majority of the 4 million people that live in New Zealand live in the cities on the North Island. People in New Zealand refer to themselves as “kiwis” after a bird native to the islands. The majority of the land is mountainous with some volcanoes and some peaceful coastal plains used to raise over 40 million sheep. One of the most interesting facts about New Zealand is that there are several species of animals that you can only find in New Zealand and NO where else! How would you like to be walking along and come across this critter?

This is a giant wetapunga and they typically weigh about three times the amount as a typical mouse. Aren’t they, um, er….ADORABLE?! Ahem! Moving on…

Family Life

Because it’s not too hot and not too cold, families in New Zealand spend a lot of time outdoors. The ocean and mountains are never more than an hour or two away so you could hike, snow ski, sail and surf all in the same day! One of the most popular sports is rugby which is similar to what we know as soccer and football.

Get a colorful bird’s eye view of life in New Zealand!

Kids in New Zealand are very much like us! They go to school, do homework, play sports and help Mom and Dad! Few families in New Zealand are truly Christians so only a small percentage go to church or participate in other Christian activities. Doesn’t that make you want to pray for them?

Religion

About half of the population of New Zealand are Christian in name only as about one “Christian” in nine reads the Bible on a regular basis. Another 25% claims no religion at all. The good news is that there is no “official” religion so people can choose. This is an open door to reach people in New Zealand with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Current Crisis

On February 22, 2011, the city of Christchurch was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, causing widespread devastation to the city. The quake caused significant loss of life, injury, and damage to buildings, services and infrastructure. (source: RedCross.org.nz)

Prayers for New Zealand

You can thank God for:

*Freedom of religion so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can openly be shared

*The Christians in New Zealand that volunteer to teach Bible classes and run camps and clubs so that children in New Zealand learn about Jesus

You can ask God:

*To draw the hearts of New Zealanders to Himself so that they can truly be called Christians

*To move in Christian’s hearts to continue to support Bible schools in New Zealand so that missionaries and pastors can be trained to tell others about Jesus

*To strengthen and encourage those who are reaching out to the New Zealanders to tell them about God, Jesus and the Bible

*To bring comfort, peace and hope to those who have suffered from the recent earthquake

Get Involved!

Check out how World Vision is helping the people of New Zealand!

You can also find out more about:

New Zealand

Sponsor a child with World Vision

Help earthquake victims in New Zealand with CurrClick

We’ve put together a printable about New Zealand for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country.

Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page.

There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book Window on the World!

Hope you enjoyed our short trip to New Zealand!

Tots on a Mission to...Mongolia!

This month in Tots On A Mission, we are traveling to exotic...

M O N G O L I A

The Setting

Mongolia is a medium-sized country on the continent of Asia between China and Russia. The capital city of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar (län-bätär) which was founded as a monastery town and an important trading center on trading routes between China and Russia. There are almost 3 million people living in Mongolia with about 29% of those being age 0-14.

The country’s terrain is mostly desert (including the Gobi Desert in the south eastern part of the county) but does have some mountains as well. There are large temperature variations throughout the day and harsh winter conditions called “zud” can be quite dangerous.

Family Life

Many Mongolian families live in tents called “gers” and move around quite a bit.

Mongolian children do many things we like to do such as play games like checkers, eat cake (chikalabaya), schoolwork, ride horses and help parents and/or grandparents take care of their home. They celebrate holidays like Yule (similar to Christmas), Children’s Day and Tsagaan Sar (New Year’s Celebration).

There is the social issue of approximately 4000 children living or working on the streets of the cities of Mongolia – some without parents, homes or adequate resources.

Religion

The main religion in Mongolia is Buddhism. Buddhism is a complicated religion that is very different than Christianity.

“Since Buddhism in general does not believe in a personal God or divine being, it does not have worship, praying, or praising of a divine being. It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness, heavenly hope, or final judgment. Buddhism is, therefore, more of a moral philosophy, an ethical way of life.” –Patrick Zukeran, Probe Ministries

It is estimated that over 50% of the Mongolian people are Buddhists while less than 6% are Christian and 40% claim no religion at all. Clearly, much prayer is needed for the people of Mongolia.

Prayers for Mongolia

You can thank God for:

*Freedom of religion in Mongolia

*The establishing of Christian churches in Mongolia

*The translation of the New Testament into the Mongolian language

You can ask God for:

*Open hearts to receive the message about the gospel

*Spiritual understanding for those that read the newly translated New Testament

*Help for those working to translate the Old Testament into the Mongolian language

*Help for the poor and sick in Mongolia, especially the street children

Get Involved!

Check out how World Vision International is helping the people of Mongolia!

You can also find out more about:

Sponsoring a child in Mongolia

Helping the street children in Mongolia

Learn more about Mongolia and view pictures of the people and country!

We’ve put together a printable about Mongolia for you all to use with your little ones as you pray for the country.

Color in the flag, see where the country is located, and spell out the name of the country too. Keep it handy because it also has the things to thank God for about the country as well as prayer reminders.

See the rest of the countries that we've prayed for and download printables on the Tots on a Mission page. There are so many ways to impact the world for the kingdom of God! Find out more in the book “Window on the World”.