Session Background
The Salvation Army is a global Christian movement that supports community development programmes around the world. Programmes aim to help people to overcome the poverty and injustice they are experiencing, and to build a better life and future. The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory partners with other territories and supports international development projects which fall within five focus areas: food security, clean water, anti-trafficking, emergency response and gender justice.
The Helping-Hand Appeal exists to raise awareness about and funds for international community-based projects. Each year the appeal focuses on a different area of work. This year’s focus is anti-trafficking.
In almost every community around the world the risk of human trafficking is a daily reality, and in many places The Salvation Army is at the front line reaching out to victims, providing sanctuary, and supporting survivors’ rehabilitation. Escape is just the beginning. The journey of healing and recovery takes time, and strengthening resilience, not only of individuals but their families and communities too, requires long-term work and commitment. Traffickers trick people with their promises of a better life, and the overwhelming challenges of material poverty often push people to desperately take up risky opportunities in the hope that they might transform their lives.
Together, we can raise awareness.
Together, we can support survivors.
Together, we can strengthen resilience.
Together, we can stop human trafficking!
Additional information and resources can be found at Helping-Hand Appeal 2024 Resources | Salvationist
Story
The Singing Mermaid, Julia Donaldson https://youtu.be/t_uCy24thkw
Bible Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ERV:
‘Two people are better than one. When two people work together, they get more work done. If one person falls, the other person can reach out to help. But those who are alone when they fall have no one to help them.’
Read or watch the story of The Singing Mermaid.
Talk about the Singing Mermaid and how her friends loved to hear her sing.
When Sam Sly came with his circus, he promised to make her rich and famous. But what did he do instead? How did this make the Singing Mermaid feel?
How did the Singing Mermaid escape? Who helped her? What happened when she got home?
Sadly, some people – like Sam Sly – trick ordinary people with their promises of a better life, and make them work for little or no money. The Salvation Army seeks to help rescue people all over the world from being treated this way and return them to their family. The Salvation Army also teaches people not to believe these false promises and instead helps them work through their problems with people they can trust.
The Bible tells us that it is better when we work together; and by fundraising for the Helping-Hand Appeal we can show people around the world that we want to help and support them.
Song Suggestions
1. Theme Song
Tune: ‘There was a Princess Long Ago’
There was a mermaid who could sing, who could sing, who could sing,
There was a mermaid who could sing, ‘Tra, la, la, la!’
Her friends all loved to hear her voice, hear her voice, hear her voice,
Her friends all loved to hear her voice, ‘Tra, la, la, la!’
One day the circus came to town, came to town, came to town,
One day the circus came to town and heard her sing.
Sam Sly said he would make her rich, make her rich, make her rich,
Sam Sly said he would make her rich, so off she went.
He kept her in a small fish tank, small fish tank, small fish tank,
He kept her in a small fish tank, so she was sad.
Her friends all helped her to escape, to escape, to escape,
Her friends all helped her to escape, so she went home.
So everyone is happy now, happy now, happy now,
So everyone is happy now, ‘Tra, la, la, la!’
2. ‘He's Got the Whole World in His Hands’.
Add a verse, ‘He's got everyone together in his hands’
Watch the video by The Salvation Army International Development UK, (no lyrics) https://youtu.be/QyGH-iWWHr4 or use a brass instrumental video by Salvation Army Music Index (no lyrics) https://youtu.be/JKuI7SB_1ck.
3. ‘The More We Get Together’ https://youtu.be/SpzLA-w1I8s
4. ‘We’re all in this together’ (High School Musical)
You could use pom poms and instruments to play and dance along to this. https://youtu.be/DykVJl6wr_4
5. ‘We All Stand Together’ (The Frog Song) https://youtu.be/gVfaf43W9cM
Craft/Activity Ideas
Help the children to draw or print an image of their hands and cut them out. Use a paper plate to create an image of the Earth with green, blue and brown fingerprints. Attach the hands to the bottom and add the words ‘He’s got the whole world in his hands’ by adding a printed sticky label or writing on them.
Parachute play is all about teamwork. Lifting the parachute up and down is a great way to illustrate how good it is to work together.
Sensory Play
Prayer
Dear God,
We thank you that when we work together, we can do amazing things.
We pray for people all around the world who are being helped by The Salvation Army. Please keep them all safe.
Help us to work together to raise some money to support all that The Salvation Army is doing to care for others.
Amen.
Fundraising Ideas
Organise a fundraising activity that the group can do to raise money for the Helping-Hand Appeal.
- Sponsored ‘Singing Mermaid Sing-Song’ – This can be a fun group activity that everyone does together. Tell the story and sing songs all about the sea, seaside etc. Get families to collect sponsors in aid of the Helping-Hand Appeal. You could organise a fish finger lunch too!
- Use the Helping-Hand moneybox wrapper (available to download at salvationist.org.uk/resources/key-dates/helping-hand-appeal-2024-resources), wrap it around a 2-litre milk carton and put it out at your group each week for people to donate any change.
- Hold a special coffee morning, bake sale, or bacon sandwich morning, either as part of your group or on a Saturday.
- Collect and clean empty baby food jars – your group will be a good source – and fill them with sweets or raisins. Ask families to wash out the jars and return them one month later filled with coins.
For further fundraising ideas see Helping-Hand 2024 Fundraising Ideas (salvationist.org.uk)
