The content included in six pocket-sized children's booklets produced by Lutheran Hour Ministries is making a difference in the lives of children-not only in the United States, but around the world! In addition to the more than 800,000 copies that have been printed and shipped to individuals and congregations in the U.S., nearly 100,000 copies of the various booklets have been translated into Tamil, Sinhalese, Khmer, Vietnamese, Malay, Burmese, Portuguese, and Spanish for use in other countries.
The booklets have been especially popular with LHM's ministry centers throughout Latin America, who have recently used the content in creative ways to reach children:
- In Brazil, the ministry center staff decided to take The Easter Story and The Christmas Journey and present them through a different medium. The two booklets were reformatted as videos on YouTube including illustrations from the booklets and local children providing page-by-page narration of the content. The videos offer a different way to present the stories of God's expedition to earth as the Babe of Bethlehem and Jesus' life on earth as He enters Jerusalem, speaks with His disciples, is betrayed, arrested and, eventually, crucified. You can view the Christmas video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVCzIpPrgKk and the Easter video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PosaATN2HNo.
- In Uruguay, the content in Do You Know Who Jesus Is? provided inspiration for a mural on the wall of a room in its new ministry center. The mural was commissioned by three young artists who regularly participate in the youth group and includes biblical symbols and illustrations showing the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. The ministry center director says the mural serves as a great discussion-starter with visitors to lead into activities that allow them to share the work of Jesus.
To learn more about the booklets, and possibly determine a creative way that you and your children or grandchildren can put them to use, visit lhm.org/kids.