Kids Alive! 6 April 2024

Subscribe* to for £4.33 a month

Hey there, readers! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this issue of Kids Alive! If you would like to get your own copy of Kids Alive! delivered to your home every week, why not ask your parents or carers to take out a subscription* for you? Every week, Kids Alive! includes a cartoon Bible story, a competition, puzzles, jokes, comic strips and topical activities and articles for you to enjoy. Ask your parents or carers to go to sps-shop.com/kids-alive, call 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email subscriptions@satcol.org to set up a

*A subscription costs just £4.33 a month (or a one-off payment of £52). This subscription offer applies in the

EDITOR Cara Mott

DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jacob Adams

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Philippa Martin

PROOFREADER Chris Horne

CONTACT US

Phone Office – 020 7367 4910

Territorial Headquarters Switchboard – 0845 634 0101 Email kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk Post 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ

FOUNDERS William and Catherine Booth

GENERAL Lyndon Buckingham

TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Julian Watchorn

ave you seen the picture of Jackline on the cover of this week’s issue? Jackline lives in Uganda with her family and she’s a survivor of a crime called human trafficking. She shared her story:

‘Things were not going well. I needed work so I could pay for my children to go to school ... so we could live a better life and find a new place to live.’

When a man visited Jackline’s village with the promise of well-paid housework in Kenya, it seemed like the answer to the family’s problems. So Jackline left her children with her husband and set off. But the job was not what she hoped for. ‘I worked for three months and I didn’t get a single penny. At night I had to sleep on the floor. They were really hard on me.’

Thankfully, Jackline was able to escape and travel home to Uganda where The Salvation Army were working to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking. They were also supporting those who had returned home and helping people to find ways to stop trafficking happening in their communities.

MEET JACKLINE HELPING HAND APPEAL

Reading Jackline’s story made me feel so sad. It’s not right that some people are treated so badly. I’m so glad Jackline managed to escape and that The Salvation Army are working so hard to hopefully stop other people ending up in Jackline’s situation.

When we hear stories like Jackline’s it can make us feel helpless –what can we do for such a big problem? Well, there are two things we can start with. The first is taking part in The Salvation Arm Helping-Hand Appeal – this appeal raises money to help people like Jackline. You can find out more at salvationist.org.uk/helpinghand.

The other thing we can do is pray. It could be praying for an end to horrible things, such as human trafficking, or praying that The Salvation Army’s work in places like Uganda will help support many more people just like Jackline. Why don’t you say a prayer to God now?

Read more of Jackline’s story on pages 12 and 13! You can also learn more about what human trafficking is and how you can help people like Jackline by taking part in The Salvation Army’s Helping-Hand Appeal.

God Knows What’s Best

Some recipes don’t make any sense. If I want to bake a birthday cake, then why does one recipe have 500 steps and want me to use a flamethrower? I’m joking, obviously, but it’s not just recipes that can be hard to understand. God might do things that we struggle to understand too. The story of the first Passover is a great example of that.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 430 years and Moses had been sent by God to convince Pharaoh to free them. God had tried so many things but Pharaoh still wasn’t listening – so God gave the Israelites some instructions to follow.

It was the kind of recipe that might have had the Israelites scratching their heads. Why would

says Jacob Adams

they have to paint the blood of a lamb on their door frames? However, even though it sounded silly, the Israelites followed these instructions and were freed from slavery!

The Israelites followed God’s recipe because they trusted that God was going to look after them, and we can follow God knowing that he’s going to look after us too. That doesn’t mean that things are always going to be easy, but we can trust that God knows what is best for us even when it doesn’t look like that’s the case.

God loves you and me as much as he loved the Israelites. Jesus is proof of that! A lamb was a sacrifice that saved the Israelites, and Jesus is a sacrifice that saves us from our sins. So have faith in God, just like the Israelites did.

Food for Thought

Use the lamb drawings below to write down reasons why we can have faith in God. We’ve written one for you to help you get started. Remember, these can be really simple things.

God is kind!

Check out your Bible –Exodus 12:1-14, 21-28,31

Bumper Bible Breakdown

Did you know the Bible isn’t one big book? It’s actually 66 books put together to tell one big story of God’s great love. Join us as we look at each Bible book and discover why God made the world, what went wrong and how in the end God saved the world through his son, Jesus.

Jacob’s family grew into a large group of people, just as God had promised his grandfather, Abraham. But the new king of Egypt didn’t like this and made an evil law. All the Hebrew baby boys were to be killed. However, one family didn’t listen to this and trusted God for a miracle.

They hid their baby, Moses, until he became too big. Then his mother placed him into a basket and left it by the River Nile. When Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river, she found Moses and decided to adopt him. Moses’ sister, Miriam, had been keeping watch from a distance. She bravely went up to the princess and offered to get her help. Miriam brought back her mum, who became Moses’ nurse. As Moses grew, his mum always reminded him of his real family history. Moses

Name:

Address:

KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox, which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won! To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam. Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.

To join KA! JAM just fill in the application form and send it – along with two first-class stamps – to: KA! JAM, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.

Date of birth:

Postcode:

Boy or girl:

I, (signature)

Do you attend a church, and if so, which one?

apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday t to You!

To see your name and birthday printed in a future issue of KA! email your full name, address and date of birth to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to type ‘Happy Birthday to You!’ in the email’s subject box.

6 April

Daniel Copland – age 12

8 April

Ellissa Blake – age 9

Ruby Gau – age 9

10 April

Olly Porter – age 11

7 April

Sophie Boor – age 7

9 April

Imogen Beattie – age 12

Seòras MacLean – age 11

Leah Pearce – age 8

11 April

Noah Pinhey – age 12

Pick Out Patch

I’ve been reading the pet fact file on page 11 and it’s inspired me to dress up as a cat today! See if you can spot this version of me on another PAGE IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE.

Optical illusions use colour, light or patterns to confuse our brains – that means the illusions look different to what is actually there.

Hold your finger out in front of your face. Close your left eye, then open your left and close your right. It looks like your finger’s moving because your left and right eyes see things from different angles. But when both eyes are open, your brain combines what each eye sees to give you the full picture.

What animal makes the best pet?

A cat because it’s purrr-fect!

What do you get when you cross a parrot with a centipede? A walkie-talkie!

He he, he he!

Ho

Crossword Clues

by Neil Locker

across:

1 Centre of the solar system. 3 Twilight. 6 Traffic light colour. 7 Historical period. 8 Body part with toes. 10 Top part of your body. 12 Group of games in a tennis match. 13 Italian meal with a bread base. 15 Small biting insect. 16 The smallest whole number.

down:

Crossword Clues

Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!

1 Five-armed sea creature. 2 Pen point. 3 Like night or not light. 4 Type of root vegetable. 5 Go fish or snap, for example (4,4). 9 Quite frequently. 11 Dot or catch sight of. 14 Park where visitors can see wild animals.

Answers on Page 2

Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!

What time is it when a lion walks into the room? Time to leave!

What do you call a dog with a fever? A hot dog!

He he, he he!

What did one flea say to the other?

‘Should we walk or take the dog?’

What game do mice love to play? Hide and squeak!

Ho ho, ho ho!

What day do fish hate? Fry-day!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

He he, he he!

When is it bad luck to see a black cat?

When you’re a mouse!

Where do hamsters come from? Hamsterdam!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

What’s a cat’s favourite dessert? Chocolate mouse!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

ho, ho ho!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he! He he, he he!

t h q t i b b a r y z g

x a k z d y s c h f x b

l m r p t o r r a p s n

m s q a r b g h e t N j

f t b p n o n r M l a k

i e q u r t i w v u k x

s r v p d t u r t l e t

h z o c r g d l f g y e

j n k e n p i q a t v r

y k c z b h j e n m u r

g i p a e n i u g p q e

m c f l h o r s e i z f

Find the different types of pet listed below in the grid pet W

Using the clues provided, fill in each step of the ladder with a new word, changing one letter at a time

2

Identify the mystery item in the magnifying glass by Neil Locker

If you love films, then you may have seen tonnes of cuddly creatures and magical monsters that would be great to snuggle up with. However, there’s no movie menace that looks cuter or fluffier than everyone’s favourite alien –Disney Stitch!

You can now have your very own Disney Stitch because Simba Toys UK have brought one of your favourite Disney characters to life! Standing at 25cm tall, this super soft Disney Stitch plushie is ready to join you on any adventures the day throws your way. He’s great for snuggles too! With his soft fur, squishy feet and cute face, he’s the perfect addition to your ohana (that means ‘family’). For your opportunity to win a Disney Stitch plushie, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk Remember to put ‘Disney Stitch Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 3 May when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Disney Stitch Competition, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.

DISNEY STITCH COMPETITION

PET FACT FILE

BRAINY DOGS

Dogs are smarter than they look. They can understand about 165 words. Some super clever dogs can even learn to understand up to 250 words, which makes them about as smart as a two-year-old.

National Pet Month began last week, so we thought you might like to know some fab facts about your favourite furry (and sometimes scaly) friends.

BITING BUNNIES

Rabbits have open-rooted teeth, which means that their teeth never stop growing. Chewing helps to keep their teeth short and they’ll chew on anything, even wires. They don’t even care about smelly feet because they’ll chew on your slippers!

GIANT GOLDFISH

MEOW-MMIES

Cats were very popular pets in ancient Egypt. Most Egyptian households kept at least one cat and many households had even more. Some cats were even turned into mummies after they died.

Despite what you might think, goldfish aren’t always little. The largest goldfish ever found, called Carrot, weighed a whopping 30 kilograms. That’s about as heavy as a bear cub!

TAILLESS LIZARDS

HAWAIIAN HAMSTERS?

When a lizard is surprised, its tail will sometimes fall off. This isn’t an accident –it’s a lizard’s way of surprising you, so that it can scurry away without you noticing. It can take up to a year for its tail to grow back.

Hawaii has beautiful beaches, giant waves and fiery volcanoes – but it doesn’t have any hamsters. You’re not allowed to keep hamsters as pets in Hawaii. This is because the habitat is so perfect for them that if they escaped they would completely take over the land.

SHEDDING SNAKESSS

Unlike humans who are constantly shedding their skin, older snakes only shed their skin two to four times a year. This is called ecdysis and the skin often comes off in one big layer and looks a bit like a tube.

WE HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED THESE FASCINATING FACTS. REMEMBER TO MAKE AN EXTRA FUSS OF YOUR PET PALS DURING APRIL’S

Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Helping-Hand 2024

Sometimes it’s hard for people to find work that pays a fair wage, but they still have bills to pay, food to buy and family members to look after. This can lead people to lose hope and they can become vulnerable to human trafficking.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is a crime. It involves moving or transporting people who are then tricked or forced to do things that are not safe and that they didn’t choose to do. This could include working for little or no money or stealing for other people.

Human trafficking happens all over the world. People can be trafficked within a country, or they can be trafficked across international borders to another country.

How Can The Salvation Army Help?

Uganda

The Salvation Army’s International Development UK unit is working with The Salvation Army in Uganda on a project which aims to raise awareness about human trafficking. It also aims to support those who have returned home after being trafficked and help people to find ways to stop trafficking in their communities.

Human trafficking is a global crime. There are people and organisations all over the world who are trying to stop it and it’s important that they work together. The Salvation Army is an international church and charity. This means it has a network of people living in different parts of the world who can work together to bring human trafficking to an end – each using their own unique skills, resources and knowledge.

Remember Jackline

Have you read Jackline’s story on page 3 in this week’s issue? When Jackline returned home she found The Salvation Army was already running a group in the village. Group members were telling people about the dangers of human trafficking and supporting survivors who had returned. The group heard about Jackline’s story and offered to help.

As well as raising awareness about human trafficking, the group also runs a savings project. Members add a little of their money to a shared pot. They can then take loans from the pot when they need to pay for important things. Jackline is one of the treasurers, so is responsible for keeping track of how much money the group has saved and giving loans to the members. Jackline said:

‘I feel so happy about this project. The group has given me so much knowledge – about avoiding human trafficking –and they’ve also helped me save some money.’

In her spare time, Jackline now tells people about her story to raise awareness.

‘We go door-to-door telling people about human trafficking and we support each other sharing this information in our communities. We have really seen a difference.’

Helping-Hand 2024

Have you heard of the Helping-Hand Appeal? It’s an annual fundraising project run by The Salvation Army’s International Development UK and Family Ministries units aimed at encouraging people to look beyond their own communities and help others around the world. This year the focus is anti-trafficking.

Find out more at salvationist.org.uk/helpinghand

Prayer Time!

This year’s appeal highlights the importance of working together and we can use the different appeal actions to help us pray for an end to human trafficking.

Together, we can raise awareness.

Dear God. We pray that more people will learn about human trafficking and how it is hurting people around the world. Help us find ways to keep each other safe.

Together, we can support survivors.

We pray for those people who have survived trafficking. We pray that they will be able to recover from their painful experiences and get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Together, we can strengthen resilience. We pray for communities who are working hard to stop trafficking, that the laws will protect people and that it will become impossible for people to be trafficked.

Together, we can stop human trafficking!

We pray that those who lie and trick people will see how harmful their actions have been and that they will stop. We pray that this awful crime will come to an end.

Helping-Hand 2024

Kyra

Favourite colour? Blue, purple and orange.

Favourite food? Duck pancakes.

Favourite sport? Football.

Favourite Bible story and why?

Noah, because I like animals and Noah thought saving them was important to help the world.

Favourite TV programme?

YouTube make-up and fashion. What do you want to be when you’re older? Teacher.

Pets? None.

Hobbies? Dancing, shopping.

Tell us a joke. Why did the banana go to the hospital? Because it wasn’t peeling well!

New Junior Soldiers

A junior soldier is a young member of The Salvation Army

Bethany, Henry, Imogen, Joshua, Nylah, Oliver, Bristol Easton; Ruby, Herne Bay; Emily, Oscar, Leigh-on-Sea; Charlie, Edie, Joshua, Martin, Maya, Long Eaton.

What special skill or talent do you have? Looking after younger children. Tell us something interesting about yourself. I’m in year seven and I like going to school.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I was in Kids Alive! when I was six years old. The things I liked then to now are very different!

The Kids Alive! team loves to hear from its readers. And guess what –other readers love reading your news! So why not get in touch?

You can email or post your own colourings, drawings and letters.

Or you could ask your Sunday school, church or corps leaders to email us or write to us with any news about the fun stuff you’ve been doing at your church or corps.

Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk

Post: Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ

Jacob Joins Kids Alive! Cool Colourings

Here’s a fabulously colourful Football Colouring from Abigail, aged 5. Great job!

Siblings Phoebe, aged 8, and Harry, aged 5, worked together on this Children’s Mental Health Week Colouring. Awesome teamwork!

Welcome to Jacob – the newest member of the Kids Alive! team! Jacob joined us recently to work as an editorial assistant.

Two amazing things happened to Jacob when he was six years old –he wrote a little book about lions and decided he wanted to write lots and lots of stories and then he became a Christian! Although it’s been a long time since Jacob was six, he still absolutely loves writing and still absolutely loves telling everyone about Jesus. When Jacob’s not working, he spends as much time as he can with his nephew, Miles, and his niece, Riley. Riley loves to chase Jacob around the house for hours on end, so he’s getting about as fit as a footballer.

Jacob’s a new fan of Kids Alive!, but he already has a favourite section – the Bible comic strip. He’s super excited to have joined the team, and he can’t wait to see all your amazing colouring pages and competition entries.

I’M NOT FEELING TOO GOOD, PATCH. I THINK I NEED TO SEE THE DOCTOR.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU, PERCY?

I GOT HIT ON THE HEAD BY SOME HUGE HAILSTONES…

…I CAUGHT A COLD AFTER GETTING DRENCHED IN A RAINSTORM…

…AND I GOT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING!

so what do you think the doctor will say is wrong with you?

I EXPECT HE’LL SAY I’M JUST feeling A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER!