Compassion

GOALS: To teach the members the value of compassion.
To encourage YFC members to be sensitive to the needs of others before their own that they would see how life-giving caring for others is.

DYNAMICS:

1. Scout for or prepare a picnic venue that is conducive for fellowship and sharing.
2. Inform the group that there will be a picnic for the next prayer meeting. Build up the activity to excite the members.
3. Ask them to bring food and drinks good for at least 2 people or just enough food to share. Consider the best way to minimize costs for everyone. Nothing should hinder the members from going!
4. Before the meeting, the service team should set up the picnic venue. They should set the picnic mats and the table.
5. After worship, the prayer meeting leader gives the opening exhortation.
6. The leader instructs the members to divide into their households and to put their food in one place.
7. The leader tells the group that there are only two instructions that they should follow:
• You are not allowed to get food for yourself.
• You can only get food for someone else in the group.
8. The leader now gives time for the members to eat their food. The members can play games, sing songs, and share amongst each other as they eat their food.
9. You may give them the following guide questions:
• Have you ever failed to care for others?
• Make concrete resolutions to reach out to others who may need you.
10. Gather the group together and give a closing exhortation and a closing prayer. The picnic can go on after you pray if the circumstances permit.

MATERIALS:

• Outdoor venue
• Picnic mats/sleeping bags
• Food
• Table

SUGGESTED SCHEDULE:

Opening Worship 15 to 20 minutes
Exhortation/Introduction 15 minutes
Picnic Proper and sharing no limit
Closing Prayer 5 minutes


INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTIVITY
(Tell this story in your own words. Reading it can make it boring for your audience. Also, you will have more freedom to tell it in your own style while keeping eye contact with them.)

Do you know the difference between heaven and hell?

There is a story about a man who was able to go to both heaven and hell and back. First, he went to hell and saw a banquet table full of delicious food. The table was surrounded with people gathered around but no one was eating. The spoons were too long that no matter how hard they tried they couldn’t get the food into their mouths. It was a sad sight. People were starving.

The man was surprised to see that in heaven, it was the same. There was a banquet table full of delicious food too. There were people gathered around as well. And the same long spoon! But he was surprised to see healthy, happy people. The people were feasting! Everyone was eating to their hearts’ delight!

The difference? In heaven, the people were feeding each other. The spoons could not reach their own mouths, but it could reach the other’s.

Just like in the story, our hearts were built to reach out to others like the spoon. We will starve if all we think of is ourselves. You may have more money than you can ever spend in your lifetime, you may even have the power and fame to match it, but you could still be the most miserable person in the world if all you ever care for is yourself.

Today, you will have a chance to care for others before yourself. You will see concretely that someone in your household will starve if you don’t. Many times we don’t know that people suffer from our lack of concern and care. Hopefully, this activity will help us realize and remember that in this community, we should watch out for each other.

So, enjoy the food and enjoy each other!

Give the instructions for the picnic here