Why is it important for children to learn to care for other people in the community? We believe it is because the Bible teaches us to love others well. Loving others without practical action is hardly love at all. This is why all the Presbyterian Community Services’ Childcare Centres are participating in SSDB this year with Project Good Sam! We hope to teach the children to be like the good Samaritan who went out of the way to care for others.
First, the children participated in a Gift Pack distribution exercise to the elderly under Dorcas Home Care Service. You can read all about our experience here:
https://www.presbypreschool.sg/holland-v/project-good-sam-2021
Then, we had our launch activity! During the launch, we taught the children to think about ways we can be the good Samaritan! Collectively, we thought 2 words would sum up how we can care for the community well: love and light!
LOVE
The children discussed what caring for others meant. The children saw that whatever acts of kindness and help carried out has to be borne out of love. If we did something kind, or helpful but without being loving, are our acts kind, or helpful at all? The children also realised that loving (and giving) means we have to bear the cost of it. Just as the community and community heroes (e.g. frontliners such as healthcare workers, cleaners and migrant workers) have been giving selflessly during the pandemic, what are some things we can do to go out of the way to show that we care for them?
LIGHT
The children were also led in a discussion on how to be the light! Just as the good Samaritan became a role model and provided hope for the man he helped, how can we do the same for the ones in our community? At the end of the discussion, the children realised that small actions can go a long way! We do not need grand acts of love and care. The elderly, the marginalised and those in need can feel valued, honoured and seen when we show them genuine acts of love and care.
To help the children not lose sight of the kind of impact they can make, the Kindergarten 1s and 2s expressed what they think they can do to embody the qualities of the good Samaritan in order to share the love and be the light! When they were done writing and drawing, the created a banner out of all their ideas!
Indeed, “no one can do everything but everyone can do something.” Join us as we continue to on this journey to help the children be like the good Samaritan!
