Living Waters for the World (LWW), a ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Synod of Living Waters, has produced a Vacation Bible School curriculum that repackages many of the key concepts from the ministry into child-friendly learning units and activities. “Water All Around the World” is the latest LWW effort at spreading the message that clean water is an essential component of health and human development.

“As the name suggests,” says curriculum director Joanie Lukins, “this Bible school takes our children around the world to visit children in other countries to see how they live and how they deal with limited access to safe water.”

Lukins has a long history with LWW, traveling to Mexico with the organization’s founder, Wil Howie, in 2002 to investigate the installation of a water system at a school she’d help construct the previous year. Since then, Lukins has been a key participant in curriculum development and “Clean Water U” instruction.

Each day of the 5-day curriculum focuses attention on a single country. The curriculum journeys to Honduras, Cuba, Mexico, Haiti and Ghana with stories of children in each country to set the stage for understanding the specific clean water needs they have. Bible study, mission stories, crafts, games and songs all combine to shed light on the mission needs and opportunities of the day’s country.

“At the end of the day, the children have a time for reflection,” says Lukins. “It’s not meant just to entertain, but it asks children to reflect on what they learned that day. Children are capable of deep thoughts, particularly as it relates to children in other cultures. 

Designed to be inexpensive and to use the creativity of the people in the church teaching Bible school, Lukins says the curriculum is “impactful and respectful of children.”

A music CD is included with the printed materials, along with a flash drive containing the entire VBS in electronic form in addition to several PowerPoint presentations with photos and maps.

Lukins says the group’s previous VBS curriculum, titled "Clean Water for All God's Children," will still be available and draws attention to the basics of the world water crisis where “Waters Around the World” focuses on the stories of children in other cultures affected by clean water insecurity.  

The curriculum costs $49 and is available for order at the Living Water for the World website and at this link.