Book Celebration: A Long Walk to Water

A Long Walk to Water is a story of survival, hope, and courage.  We hope as you read with your family, you will be inspired by these amazing TRUE stories, sparking dialogue in your home about cultural awareness, empathy for hardship in other nations, perseverance and survival.

Our book club celebration will look a little different in that our key mission as we gather will be to remember the journeys the characters take, as well as pay tribute to these incredible journeys by walking to raise money for an incredible charity. 

As you read over the coming weeks, your family will be preparing for our walk-a-thon by gathering pledges and donations to support Water for South Sudan. Here is a link to find our more about this organization: https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/mission-and-values

During our book celebration, we will start by "walking for Sudan" around the lap route at the park. Then we will gather to share about the book, our experience, enjoy the picnic and see how much money we raised together. 

THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR  GROUP DONATION PAGE: http://secure.waterforsouthsudan.org/goto/All-good-things-book-club

As you gather donations alongside your child, sponsors can donate a flat rate, or donate according to your child's walking goals! We will collect money AT the book club celebration OR anytime before April 14th through our website dnation page as one group donation to Water for South Sudan! Our goal is to raise enough money to sponsor a well rehabilitation project in South Sudan in the amount of $3k. We believe this is a veru possible goal! Here is the link for our group donation page: http://secure.waterforsouthsudan.org/goto/All-good-things-book-club

What to bring for book celebration:

-Donation money and form (if using)

-wear a blue shirt and walking shoes

-picnic lunch for your family

-a copy of the book

-discussion question responses (see below)

We are eager to read this book and see how it will impact not only the lives of our children, but the lives of children across the world! 

Watch this video to hear more of Salva's story, https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/salvas-story after you finish the book!

Discussion Questions: 

1. What are your initial thoughts about the story as soon as you finish it? Write them down so that you can share them with the group. 

2. The book follows the stories of two children, both on difficult journeys. What do you think was the most difficult part of the journey? How did the journeys connect at the end of the book?

3. In what ways did a character inspire you or give you hope? 

4. In A Long Walk to Water, we see the themes of hardship & perseverance, friendship & selflessness, hope & survival. How do you see one or more of these themes at work in the story? What does the bible have to say about these things? 

5. Which part of the story stood out to you most? Did anything surprise you? Did you learn anything new?

6. For this book, we have an opportunity to raise money for Water for South Sudan--an organization that provides clean water options for communities in Africa. What do you think about doing this? Why is it important to help those in need? What are some ways you can continue to help others in need?