The VBS mission emphasis provides a unique and practical opportunity for children to learn about and participate in the work of gospel-centered ministries that serve the poor. 
This year, we’ve partnered with Children’s Hunger Fund to provide food and the hope of the gospel to hungry children through Mission: Hope Excursion.
We have also partnered with the Wild Brothers to produce daily videos that show practical applications of the teaching points on the mission field. This section is not a fundraiser for the Wild family but is an opportunity for your kids to connect with other children who are missionaries overseas.
Each day's segment will take 15–20 minutes.
Note that the Children's Hunger Fund scripts are also provided in the Assembly Guide for those who would like to offer a mission time then. Coordinate with your director and assembly leader on who is doing what concerning the mission time. 
Mission: Hope Excursion
This week, we’re exploring the wonderful depths of the Bible, God’s living Word! Scripture is full of life-giving truth, and it’s how we learn to live like Jesus. In many ways, it’s our map to God’s plan for our lives and a manual for us to learn how to serve and obey Him the way He deserves. 
We’ll take a moment each day to hear from children in different parts of the world and how God is working through the local church to deliver hope to them. During the Mission Moment, your class will receive a new Hope Excursion Report, where we’ll meet a little girl or boy and learn about their life in a different part of the world.  
Living in Peru, Zambia, Nepal, Ukraine, and the Middle East, each of these children has a unique story of poverty and struggle. They, and kids just like them all over the world, are faced with questions of where their next meal will come from nearly every day. Not only that, they don’t know the truth of the gospel and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.
There’s something you and your kids can do to help!
The Bible tells us that we should give to the poor because when we do, it is an act of love and obedience to God (Proverbs 14:31).Together, we are going to do just that by delivering hope to children all over the world! 
Setting Off! 
During mission time, you and your kids will set off on Hope Excursions to support local churches delivering hope and food to children in need all over the world.  Your mission is to collect coins for meals that will be delivered in Children’s Hunger Fund Food Paks. 
A Food Pak is a 20-pound box of nutritious food that is hand-delivered to the home of a needy family by a trained volunteer from a local church in their community. 
Rally your kids to raise funds for the meals that go in every Food Pak. Each meal costs only 25 cents! So, every dollar that’s raised provides four meals for hungry kids—and each meal represents an opportunity to proclaim the gospel!
EVANGELISM OPPORTUNITY: Answers in Genesis, Slavic Gospel Association, and Children’s Hunger Fund have joined forces to create gospel tracts—available in English, Thai, Russian, Spanish, and French—which are included with each Food Pak! Samples of these colorful, kid-friendly tracts are in your Starter Kit. Purchasing the English versions of these tracts in bulk helps to fund the distribution of these tracts. See the VBS Resource Catalog for ordering information.
The following items are available on the Resource DVD-ROM or for download from AnswersVBS.com/CHF2017. 
Printable Child Profiles—Five days of true stories about hungry kids in other countries. These exciting and educational prayer briefings will help your kids connect with the real needs of suffering children. 
Printable "Map of the World" activity sheet, featuring our excursion routes and locations of the children from our Hope Excursion Reports.
Printable Mission: Hope Excursion banner artwork.
Printable Mission: Hope Excursion artwork to help your kids track their fundraising progress.
Printable Mission: Hope Excursion fold-up coin bank for collecting coins.
The following items are available on the Children's Hunger Fund DVD-ROM that comes with your kit or to download from AnswersVBS.com/CHF2017.
Daily Mission: Hope Excursion videos
Purchasing Items
Included in your starter kit is a sample of the sturdy, pop-up Coin Pak bank made for your kids to use as they collect quarters for meals. Check with your Director for this sample. After VBS, these will be fun souvenirs that can be kept as reminders to always care for the needs of others. Coin Paks are available for purchase from Children’s Hunger Fund (order info below).
Also included in your starter kit is a beautiful, handmade bracelet from Uganda. This is Children’s Hunger Fund’s gift to you in thanks for your participation in Mission: Hope Excursion. The beads on these bracelets are rolled by hand out of magazine paper by Ugandan men and women who have been trained and given fair-wage employment through one of our trusted ministry partners in Africa. A limited number of these bracelets are available for purchase to give as prizes, souvenirs, or thank-you gifts for your volunteers. 
To order Coin Paks or bracelets, please visit ChildrensHungerFund.org/AnswersVBS. To place an order over the phone, call Children’s Hunger Fund at 800-708-7589. 
For questions regarding your Mission Moment resources, please call 800-708-7589 x 2110 or email VBS@ChildrensHungerFund.org.
Orders must be received 14 days prior to your VBS date. Available while supplies last. 
Collecting Donations
Give children their own Coin Pak bank for collecting donations. Work with your director to set up a fun area (e.g., treasure boxes) for kids to deposit their money each day as they begin VBS. Encourage your kids in the weeks leading up to VBS to save their money and then begin collecting the first day. Or plan on passing out the Coin Paks on Day 1 and begin collecting on Day 2.  
Once you’ve totaled your donations, please make out a check to Children’s Hunger Fund and indicate “Mission: Hope Excursion” in the memo area to ensure proper recognition, and fill out the Return Form (on the Resource DVD-ROM). Send your check with the Return Form (on the Resource DVD-ROM or online) to:
Children’s Hunger Fund
Attn: Mission: Hope Excursion
DEPT LA 24373
Pasadena, CA 91185-4373
Learn more about the gospel-centered mercy ministry of Children’s Hunger Fund at ChildrensHungerFund.org. 
Tracking Your Progress
To help your kids maintain their excitement for Mission: Hope Excursion, announce how many meals they provided each day. Check with your director to find out when to do this: either during this time or during the opening or closing assembly time.
Here are two fun ways to help your kids see their progress as they fundraise. 
Make your own goal tracker and update it throughout the week. Print your copy of Ryker’s Thermometer and markers (cut into five pieces). Each day, fill in the thermometer using one of the markers and write the total number of meals raised so far on the corresponding line. 
Show progress with the Mission: Hope Excursion PowerPoint slides. Update the thermometer temperature with the total number of meals raised so far.
Consider having a contest between boys and girls, or between teams, to see which group can bring in the most money. Printable artwork and PowerPoint slides for your own goal tracker are on the Resource DVD-ROM and your Mission: Hope Excursion DVD-ROM.
The Wild Brothers
Mike and Libby Wild, along with their four sons (Morgan,  Hudson, Kian, and Asher), are a missionary family with New Tribes Mission, ministering to an unreached people group in Asia Pacific. Their four sons have produced five high-quality videos about their adventures living in a remote area and exploring the jungle around them. Find out more about the Wild Brothers at TheWildBrothers.com. 
In partnership with Answers VBS, they have also produced five short videos for you to share with your kids during this time. These videos are available on the Resource DVD-ROM and on AnswersVBS.com. 
Materials needed
Every Day
Slides for Mission: Hope Excursion for each day (Hope Excursion DVD-ROM)
Video for Mission: Hope Excursion for each day (Hope Excursion DVD-ROM)
Wild Brothers video for each day (Resource DVD-ROM)
"Map of the World" activity sheet, 1 per child (Hope Excursion DVD-ROM)
Prayer journal for each day, 1 per child (Hope Excursion DVD-ROM)
Glue 
Child safety scissors
Day 1
Coin bank, 1 per child
Chairs, for playing musical chairs
 CD
Music player device
Day 2
25–50 pennies
Day 3
A bag of various coins
Day 5
White paper, 1 piece per child
Coloring supplies: pencils, crayons, markers 
Backpack or duffle bag
Daily Scripts
Day 1: Bedelia
Today at , we’re learning that the Bible is the Book of books! It’s unique and full of treasures that can’t be found anywhere else. The Bible, the Word of God, tells us that one way to show we love God is to serve those who are hungry and in need. 
All over the world, and even in our own neighborhoods, there are kids just like us whose families don’t have enough to eat every day. Jesus tells us that the poor will always be among us and that we should always be generous to give whatever we can to help them—it doesn’t matter how much we can do, only that we love our neighbor just as Jesus has loved us. 
We’re learning all about how exciting the Bible is and that it really is one of a kind. But, to get the real treasure out of the Bible, we don’t just read what it says—we actually do what it says!
Jesus loved us by giving up His life for us so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life with Him in Heaven. He gave His life without asking for anything back from us. The Bible tells us to give to others because we have received, and that when we give to the poor, it is an act of love to Jesus. 
Every day this week, we’re going to take a few minutes to learn more about how we can do what the Bible says and help those in need. But, we’re not going to just listen—we’re going to act on what the Bible says! So, we’re setting off on Hope Excursions to give meals to kids that don’t have enough to eat. 
SHOW: “Mission: Hope Excursion” slide
We’re teaming up with Children’s Hunger Fund to deliver food and hope to children all over the world! Each day, we’ll learn about a special girl or boy in a different part of the world and the unique problems they face. Then, after learning about them, we’re going to do something to help them! 
SHOW: “Hope Excursion Report—Bedelia” slide
Today, we’re meeting a very special little girl in South America and we’ll see how someone’s obedience to the Bible has helped her family get the food they need. 
SHOW Video 1—Bedelia 
Child’s Name: Bedelia 
Country: Peru
Problem: Extreme Poverty, Hunger
Peru is a beautiful country where people from all over the world go on vacation to relax and enjoy the beaches and mountains. But many of those who actually live in Peru are poor and hungry like Bedelia. 
It would be very hard to go to bed hungry like Bedelia. But, like Ryker said, there’s something we can do to help. Are you ready to set off on your Hope Excursion and deliver hope to kids like Bedelia? Okay, explorers, here’s our plan. Thanks to Children’s Hunger Fund, churches deliver Food Paks to hungry kids and share the gospel with them—and we can help by raising meals to go in the Food Paks for only 25 cents for each meal!
We’re each going to take one of these Coin Paks home  and you’re going to show the coin boxes to your family and friends and tell them about kids like Bedelia! Ask them to help you on your Hope Excursion by donating coins for meals—remember, every 25 cents provides one meal for a hungry child! 
Starting tomorrow, bring back any coins you’ve collected. Then, each day we’ll count how many meals you’ve raised so far! Together, we can deliver hope to kids in need all over the world. Not only are we raising meals for them to eat, we’re also helping them hear about the good news of Jesus in the Bible! 
DO the "Map of the World" activity sheets. Pass out one per child and have them cut and paste the item for today on the map. Then collect maps when you're finished with the activity.
DO Missions Activity: Musical Chairs
This activity demonstrates the concept of scarcity. Set up chairs, facing outwards, in a circle. There should be one less chair than there are students. Play the "Operation Arctic" theme song as students walk in a circle around the chairs. When the music stops, everyone must find a seat. The student who does not find a seat is out of the game. Take away a chair from the circle and begin the music again. After each round, remove another chair until there is only one left. The last student to snag the chair is the winner! To finish the game faster with a large group, take away 2–3 chairs each round.  
Discuss the following with the children after playing the game. 
Musical chairs always leaves at least one person without a seat because there isn't enough for everyone in the game to sit down. This represents scarcity. What other important things can you think of that may be scarce?
In Peru, many people are hungry and poor. Not everyone always has something to eat. When poverty is rampant, basic necessities like food are scarce.  How did the children feel when chairs were scarce? How would a child feel when food is scarce? How can we help people who are hungry and poor? 
Read (or have a student read) the following passages and discuss as they pertain to helping the poor:Proverbs 122:9; Galatians 2:10. 
Collect map activity sheets and keep for tomorrow. Pass out a “Hope Excursion Report—Bedelia” prayer journal and a pop-up coin collection bank to each child. Tell them where to return the banks (or coins) the next day. 
Now we are going to watch a video about some young boys whose parents are missionaries to a group of people who had never read the Bible before. The Wild family is working on translating the Bible into this people group's language so they can share the truth of God's Word with them and tell them about Jesus. Mike and Libby are the parents, and the boys are Morgan, Hudson, Kian, and Asher. Let's see what the Wild brothers can share with us about the Book of books. 
Play the Day 1 Wild Brothers video.  
Day 2: Inez 
SHOW: “Mission: Hope Excursion” slide
Hey explorers, as we learned yesterday, our mission project for the week is called Mission: Hope Excursion. We’re working together to raise meals that cost 25 cents to help children who are hungry and hurting all over the world. 
Every quarter we raise for Children’s Hunger Fund will provide one meal for a kid just like you! These meals will be delivered to them by local church volunteers who care for them and want to share with them the good news of the Bible! 
How many of you have started out on your own Hope Excursions to raise meals already?  
Fantastic! We’re already off to an amazing start. I’m so proud of how many meals we’ve already raised—and we’ll hear that number . . . after we hear our next Hope Excursion Report for the day!
Remember yesterday’s report about Bedelia in Peru? Well, today we’re meeting another special little girl, this time from the African country of Zambia. Her name is Inez .
SHOW: “Hope Excursion Report—Inez” slide
Like Bedelia, Inez and her family don’t have enough food to eat and be healthy. What’s worse, Inez’s mother is very sick and the medicine she needs is very expensive. 
Let’s learn more about Inez and how we can help kids like her by watching our next Hope Excursion Report with Ryker!
SHOW Video 2—Inez
Child’s Name: Inez 
Country: Zambia
Problem: Hunger, Disease
Inez and her family are very poor. Her father, who was a copper miner in the hills of Zambia, recently died of a disease called AIDS. Inez’s mother is also sick with the disease and needs a special medicine that is very expensive. This leaves little money for the family to buy food and other resources they need. 
Inez must be very sad to lose her father and scared that her mother is sick as well. She and her sisters are also in danger of becoming sick, especially if they are weak from hunger. The good news is that a local church heard about Inez’s family and is now helping them by delivering Food Paks to them regularly. Not only do they have enough to eat, but they’re also hearing about the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Bible, which is having an “incredible impact” on their lives! 
There are many other kids like Inez who need our help! Let’s set off on our Hope Excursions to raise more meals so that they, too, can hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and find hope in Him! But first, did I forget something? Was I supposed to tell you something? Oh, that’s right! Who’s ready to hear how many meals we’ve raised for kids like Inez so far? Well, we counted the coins you brought in and so far, we’ve raised ____ Food Pak meals! 
SHOW: Progress Tracker slide Day 2 and fill in current meal count. 
Awesome! Ready to set off on our Hope Excursions again and raise more meals?! Don’t forget to bring your coins in tomorrow so we can keep delivering hope to hungry kids around the world!
DO the "Map of the World" activity sheets. Pass out the maps from yesterday and have them cut and paste the item for today on the map. Then collect maps when you're finished with the activity. 
DO Missions Activity: Penny Mining
One student stands in the middle of the room with their eyes closed. Pass out pennies to the other children. Have the rest of the students hide pennies (in bunches!) around the room. Once the pennies have been hidden, the student in the middle opens his eyes and begins searching for the pennies. When the student is far away from a penny bunch's location, the other students say, “Cold!” As the student draws closer to a penny bunch's location, the other students shout, “Getting warmer!” When the student is very close to the penny bunch's location, students shout, “Hot!” This continues until the student finds and collects all of the hidden bunches of pennies. Play again with another child looking for the pennies. 
Discuss the following with the children after playing the game. 
Zambia is one of the world's top sources of copper, which is what pennies are coated with. Copper miners, like Inez's father, work underground pounding the copper out of the rocks and mountains of Zambia.
Also in Zambia, many people suffer from a disease called AIDS. The medicine for this disease is very expensive, so they don't have much left to buy food.
How many pennies did the students collect? 25–50 pennies would only provide 1–2 meals for the entire group. 
Read Psalm 72:12–14; Luke 14:12–14; Acts 20:35 (or have a student read). What do these verses teach us about helping those who are weak, like Inez and her family?
Pass out the “Hope Excursion Report—Inez” prayer journal, 1 per child.
Now let's check in with the Wild brothers and see how the Bible has made an incredible impact on the lives of their friends. 
Play the Day 2 Wild Brothers video.  
Day 3: Bishal
SHOW: “Mission: Hope Excursion” slide
Alright, explorers! Do you know what time it is? It’s time for our Mission Moment again! We’re halfway through our Hope Excursion Reports and just about ready to meet our third Hope Excursion buddy for the week. 
Every day this week, we’re working together to collect coins that will raise meals for children in need all over the world. These meals will be packed in Children’s Hunger Fund Food Paks and hand delivered by local church volunteers to the homes of kids across the globe. And, every meal is a chance for a child to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Okay, let’s get to our Hope Excursion Report. 
SHOW: “Hope Excursion Report—Bishal” slide 
Today, Ryker’s going to tell us about a little boy who lives all the way on the other side of the world, in Nepal! Nepal is a beautiful country with lots of mountains and forests—and it’s home to Bishal, a little boy who lives with his family in the capital city of Kathmandu. 
Ready for the full report? Okay!
SHOW: Video 3—Bishal 
Child’s Name: Bishal
Country: Nepal
Problem: Hunger, Injustice 
Poverty has led Bishal’s family to the brickyards of Kathmandu, where they have essentially become slaves to the factory owners. The room they live in, which is owned by the brickyard, costs more than they are able to make. Therefore, they can never leave. Not only that, all their money goes to rent, so there isn’t much left over for food. 
Bishal’s family can never leave the brickyard because they were tricked by the factory owners, who take all of their money even though they work very hard. That seems really unfair, right? But, like Ryker said, there is something we can do to help. The meals we raise this week can help kids like Bishal get the food they need to be healthy and grow. 
And, the meals will be delivered by local church volunteers who can care for these families and tell them that God is a good God who cares for them. 
But, before we set out to collect more meals, who wants to hear how many we’ve raised so far?! Okay, in just two days on your Hope Excursions, you’ve all raised ___ (number) meals! That’s incredible! These meals will go directly to kids all over the world who need food and hope. 
SHOW: Progress Tracker slide Day 3, and fill in current meal count.
We’re on track to make a huge impact on the lives of kids in need all over the world, so keep up the amazing work and set off on your Hope Excursions to collect more meals!
DO the "Map of the World" activity sheets. Pass out the maps from yesterday and have them cut and paste the item for today on the map. Then collect maps when you're finished with the activity.
DO Missions Activity: Four Corners
Separate students into corners based on random, arbitrary categories. For example, those wearing blue shirts go to corner 1, those in yellow to corner 2. Randomly assign a corner to receive all the “work” for the day. And then "pay" them from the bag of coins. Some may receive pennies, some quarters, etc. Continue playing with other categories. See who has the most money at the end (they can return the coins to you!). This will demonstrate injustice and unfairness, since whoever is in charge determines who receives work and how much each person is paid. 
Suggestions for separating corners: shirt color; eye color; favorite ice cream flavor (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookie dough); favorite breakfast food (pancakes, waffles, cereal, toast); favorite season (spring, summer, fall, winter). 
Discuss the following with the children after playing the game: 
Why were you split up into the groups you were in? 
Do you think it's fair that one group had to do all the "work" because of their shirt color (or whatever reason you choose)? Was the way they were paid fair?
People in poverty are often treated like they are less valuable than others. In work situations, the people in charge do not treat their employees well. This is unfair and unjust treatment—the amount of money people have shouldn't allow them to mistreat others. Receiving work from these unjust authorities may be the only way that people in poverty can earn money to provide for themselves and their families. 
Read (or have a student read) the following verses and discuss them as they apply to this topic: Psalm 35:10, 72:4; Proverbs 14:31, 31:8–9; Isaiah 10:1–3; 58:6–11.
Pass out the “Hope Excursion Report—Bishal” prayer journal, 1 per child.
Now let's check in with the Wild brothers and see how the Bible is a bedrock base for their family and friends. 
Play the Day 3 Wild Brothers video. 
Day 4: Lena
SHOW: "Mission: Hope Excursion" slide 
Alright, explorers. Who’s ready for our fourth Mission Moment for the week?  Me too! Let’s get ready to set off and hear another Hope Excursion Report from Ryker. 
It’s been such a blast exploring the Arctic and hearing Hope Excursion Reports from all over the world with you. Remember, we’re not just raising meals for these kids, we’re helping make a way for them to hear about the good news of Jesus and the truth of the Bible, the greatest book in the world. We have this incredible letter of love, and now we have a way to share it with kids all over the world! 
Before we move on to our next Hope Excursion Report, I have a little Excursion Pop Quiz for you. First question: How much does it cost to raise one meal? That’s right! 25 cents! Okay, second question: If you have five dollars, how many meals does that provide? Yes! 20 meals! That's amazing!
So, let’s get to our next Hope Excursion Report so that we can get out there and collect more coins! 
Today, Ryker is going to tell us about a little girl who lost so much but found hope because of the kindness of others and Food Paks raised by kids like you. Her name is Lena, and she lives in a country called Ukraine. 
SHOW: "Hope Excursion Report—Lena" slide
Are you guys ready to hear more about Lena? 
SHOW: Video 4—Lena 
Child’s Name: Lena
Country: Ukraine
Problem: Orphaned, War 
Lena lost her mother and father and is all alone. She didn’t have any family left until a pastor took her in and started to care for her. There are many children in Ukraine and all around the world who have lost their family to violence and war. 
I’m so thankful the pastor and his family are now caring for Lena like their own daughter. Not only that, the Food Paks we’re helping to fill with our coins this week are helping their family have enough food to feed everyone. 
Speaking of Food Paks, are you ready to hear how many meals for Food Paks we’ve raised so far? Okay, we have one more day of collecting coins, but so far, we’ve all collected enough coins to give ___ meals to kids in need! Praise God! 
SHOW: Progress Tracker slide Day 4, and fill in current meal count.
But like I said, we still have one more day, so let’s make it our biggest. Set off on your Hope Excursions and collect those coins! 
DO the "Map of the World" activity sheets. Pass out the maps from yesterday and have them cut and paste the item for today on the map. Then collect maps when you're finished with the activity.
DO Missions Activity: Lean On Me
Have each kid find a partner and sit on the floor back-to-back against each other with their arms folded across their chests or linked with their partner. On the countdown, have the kids attempt to stand up together without using their arms, only by equally pushing against each other for support.
Discuss the following with the children after playing the game: 
Emphasize that it was only possible to get up when they relied on their partner. We need support, community, and family. 
Orphans may have lost their families, but God can provide for them through the church community and the people who love and care for them. It is our job to love and care for orphans, just like the pastor did for Lena. 
Read (or have a student read) the following passages and discuss as they pertain to this topic: Psalm 82:1–4, 146:5–9; Isaiah 1:17; James 1:27.
Pass out the “Hope Excursion Report—Lena” prayer journal, 1 per child.
Now let's check in with the Wild brothers and see how they are sharing God's letter of love with their tribal friends. 
Play the Day 4 Wild Brothers video. 
Day 5: Elias
SHOW: “Mission: Hope Excursion” slide 
Wow, can you believe we’re on our last day of our Hope Excursions? You are the best explorers, and I’m so thankful we’ve gotten to explore the Arctic, learn about the Bible, and raise meals together all week. 
On our first day, we learned how the Bible tells us that if we love God, we will obey Him when He tells us to serve others. This week, we’ve been doing just that by collecting coins for Children’s Hunger Fund Food Paks, and I’m so proud of how everyone has joined in. 
But, it’s important to remember that we can always be serving others, both people we know and people we may not know, that are in need. Ask your family to help you find ways to help the poor even after VBS is over—you can still deliver hope from home! 
Okay, we still have one more Hope Excursion Report and I don’t know about you guys but I’m going to miss our friend Ryker! Today, he’s going to tell us about a little boy named Elias.
SHOW: "Hope Excursion Report—Elias" slide
Elias and his family had to leave their home and country because of a war. Now they are living at a camp in a new country. Let’s hear how we can help kids like Elias. 
SHOW: Video 5—Elias 
Child’s Name: Elias 
Country: The Middle East 
Problem: Refugee
Because of a terrible civil war that still rages on, Elias and his family had to flee their home and leave Syria. They, and millions of others, have left everything in order to find safety in a new home country. Sadly, they were not able to bring any of their belongings and are now in need of basic necessities like food and shelter.
Can you imagine having to leave your home and all of your things to go to a new country? Millions of kids just like Elias have also had to leave their homes for the same reason and are now living in tents and camps all over the world. Thankfully, there are churches and groups that are helping them through this time, just like the church that helped Elias. And WE can raise meals for them, too! 
But, before we learn how many meals we’ve raised, we’re going to do an activity that will help us imagine how Elias and kids like him must have felt when they had to leave their homes. 
DO the "Map of the World" activity sheets. Pass out the maps from yesterday and have them cut and paste the item for today on the map. Kids can take the maps home today.
DO Missions Activity: What Would You Take?
Pass out paper and coloring supplies. Students draw pictures of what they would take with them if they had to leave home. Challenge them to only take what is important to them. The items they choose must be able to fit inside a backpack or a duffle bag. Afterwards, collect the pictures and place them into the bag. Take out a few drawings and talk through them, asking students why they chose these items and why the items are important to them. 
Discuss the following with the children after playing the game.  
Refugees are people who must leave their homes because of war, persecution, or natural disasters.When they leave their homes, refugees can only take a few of their most important possessions. What possessions are most important to the students? Why are they important?
If the students’ parents asked them to take medicine in their backpack, what item would they sacrifice to make room for the medicine? Why would they sacrifice that item?
Read (or have a student read) the following passages and discuss as they pertain to this topic: Proverbs 3:27–28; Psalm 9:9; Zechariah 7:8-10; Matthew 25:34–46.
Okay, does anyone want to hear the number of meals we’ve raised so far? You’ve all been bringing so many coins in, it’s so exciting to see how incredible your Hope Excursions have been going. So far, all the quarters and coins and dollars you’ve brought in adds up to ___ meals to go in Children’s Hunger Fund Food Paks! 
SHOW Progress Tracker slide—Day 5, and fill in your meal count. 
Woohoo! That’s amazing! But, I know some of you are wondering what do to do with the coins you brought in today. Drop them off at the same place and tonight, at the final assembly, we’ll announce the GRAND TOTAL. 
Great work on your Hope Excursions everyone—you deliver hope! 
Pass out the “Hope Excursion Report—Elias” prayer journal, 1 per child.
Now let's check in with the Wild brothers and see how the Bible is exciting to explore in the jungle where the Wilds live! 
Play the Day 5 Wild Brothers video.