Journal Offering wisdom and encouraging words

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Journal entries focus on the heart and motivation for World Christian parenting. Monthly articles written by key authors and ministry leaders offer wisdom and inspiration as you disciple your children and pursue intentionality in the midst of family life. Additional thoughts and devotionals written by Weave team members encourage you to draw near to Jesus for wisdom, strength, and grace as you navigate everyday realities and encounter situations you don’t feel equipped to deal with. Enlarge your vision for what God can do with ordinary families whose hearts and lives are yielded to Him.

Connect With God’s World:

Bhil Children at Play

Catherine Owen on

In the last journal, you watched a video about the Bhil, an unreached tribal (animistic) people group in northern India (if you missed the video, find it here).  With your family, learn to play a game popular among Bhil children–Sitolia (sih-tohl-ee-yah)!

Cultural Activity:

Although Bhil children work very hard around the house and in the fields, they love to play when chores are finished. Before playing Sitolia, they grab a ball, stack broken roof tiles or flat rocks in a pile, and divide into two teams. To play a version of Sitolia, you will need:

-a small ball
-light-weight objects that that can be easily stacked (blocks, loose Legos, dominoes, empty soda cans/water bottles)

Directions:

  1. Stack seven similar objects on top of one other. For very young children, use five.
  2. Divide into two teams. With your team, stand 1.5-2.5 m (5-8 ft) away from the stack.
  3. Choose one person to be the “marksman” for your team. 
  4. Team 1 starts. Their marksman throws or rolls the ball at the stack. He keeps trying until he knocks the pile down.
  5. As soon as the pile falls, the marksman stands still near the objects while his teammates quickly try to pile them up again. (The marksman cannot help or move.)
  6. Meanwhile, Team 2 chases the ball. The person who gets the ball runs to tag Team 1’s marksman on the shoulder.
  7. If Team 1 can rebuild the pile BEFORE their marksman is tagged, they score one point. A new marksman is selected and Team 1 throws again.
  8. If the pile is NOT completely rebuilt when the marksman is tagged, it becomes Team 2’s turn.
  9. After Team 2 re-stacks the objects, their marksman will try to knock down the pile. Team 1 will chase after the ball.
  10. You score one point each time your team successfully piles up the objects before your marksman is tagged.

Afterwards, pray that many Bhil families will have the opportunity to learn about Jesus and find true joy that comes from knowing Him as their Lord and Savior.

About the Author: Catherine Owen has been happily married for over 30 years and has raised four imperfectly perfect children. She loves teaching her grandbabies about Jesus through songs, games, and giggles. She believes that learning about and sharing Jesus should be the most exciting adventure that life has to offer!

Photo: Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0 

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