Show the children a map where they can see a river that has many tributaries feeding into it. Have the children follow smaller streams and rivers with their fingers until they join the big river. Point out that all those rivers join together to make a big river. Ask the children to imagine what those smaller streams and rivers pass by as they travel to join the big river (fields, trees, towns). What kinds of things do those streams and rivers help to grow? (trees, plants, flowers, crops, gardens, people) They help all kinds of things live.

Point out that big rivers don't just spring out of nowhere; they become big because lots of small rivers and streams feed into them. Ask: How do big lakes get formed? (Small streams and springs feed into a lake to make a bigger body of water.) Explain how the same thing happens when it rains: Many drops join together to create a lot of water. All of those tiny drops, put together, give millions of people water. (Perhaps use a dropper as a visual aid: single drops aren't a lot of water, but millions of those drops together are.) Ask: What do we use that water for? (for drinking, washing, cooking, growing vegetables and flowers)

The pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters that we put in our Week of Compassion banks may seem like a little bit of money. But people in many different churches all over the United States are collecting money in their banks, too. In fact, millions of people collect money for Week of Compassion. What happens when you put those millions of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters together? They make a lot of money-millions of dollars-just like tiny streams and raindrops come together to make big rivers and lakes.

That money will help people in many parts of the world to live a better life. It will help them to grow food and to learn to read and write. It will help them build places to live and give them the tools they need to earn a living for their families. It will help people who have no clean water drill wells. It will provide food, blankets and shelter to people who have lived through hurricanes and earthquakes.

We may not have very much money to give, but Jesus taught us that even small gifts were important. One day, Jesus and his disciples were watching people give money at the temple. Very rich people gave gifts, and a poor widow gave only two copper coins. Jesus said to his disciples, "This poor widow has given more than anyone else, because she gave everything she had." (Luke 21:1-4)

Even if we can only give a few coins, our gifts are important. God knows they come from our hearts, and when we put them together with lots of other coins, God uses our gifts to help millions of people all around the world.

Prayer: Thank you God for giving us water, food, a home to live in, our families and friends. Thank you for Jesus who taught us that every single person is important and that every gift matters. We pray that the pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters we give to the One Great Hour of Sharing will help people to live a better life. Amen.