Family Resources For Lent: Welcoming the Stranger
by Leah Wall
Lead Catechist for Children
This past Sunday we, as a church, spent time praying for the stranger. I have found that, more often than we notice, the heavy things on our hearts are also on the hearts of our children. Story reaches out in a way that direct teaching often can't. If you would like to discuss this week's topic with your children and are looking for a way to open that conversation, here are some books that I have read and believe would be a help. These are also just great books with themes that resonate with the heart of God. Because of some of the themes presented, I recommend pre-reading, using your own discretion on the age-appropriateness of each book.
ONE GREEN APPLE by Eve Bunting and Ted Lewin. A girl that has moved to the US gains self-confidence on a field trip as she sees that her green apple is a perfect complement to the other red apples in the cider they make together. (Ages 5+)
TWO WHITE RABBITS by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng. In this moving and timely story, a young child describes what it is like to be a migrant as she and her father travel north toward the US border. (Ages 6+)
THE JOURNEY by Francesca Sanna. This beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. (Ages 8+)
LA FRONTERA by Deborah Mills & Alfredo Alva. Based on the true story of a young boy and his father on a journey from Mexico to the United States in the 1980s to find a new life. They’ll need courage to safely cross the border — la frontera — and to make a home for themselves in a new land. (Ages 4+)
