This week, travel with us to the second-smallest country on the continent of Africa: São Tomé and Príncipe. Not many people have heard of this place. So when Maranatha announced we were going to São Tomé to build churches and a school, some people on the island didn't believe it. Like church member Iselda Semedo. She had prayed that Maranatha would one day come to build a church for her congregation. But when she heard that Maranatha was actually there, she couldn't believe it. Why would they come to such a small place like São Tomé?

As your kids watch this story of transformation, they’ll be challenged to think about their own faith and the power of prayer in all situations.

Pre-video Discussion Questions
Have you ever felt like you weren’t important? What happened, and how did it feel?
Have you ever heard something so amazing, it was hard to believe? What was it?

Video
In today’s video, see how one woman's forgotten prayer surprised her years later.

Watch Video

Post-video Discussion Questions
Why was it hard for Iselda to believe that Maranatha was actually coming to build her congregation a church?
There’s a story in the Bible about a time when Peter was arrested for telling people about Jesus. While in prison, Peter prayed that God would get him out. God answered his prayer and after Peter escaped, he went to a house where other Christians he knew were praying. Let’s read it straight from Acts 12:13-16: “Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, ‘Peter is at the door!’ ‘You’re out of your mind,’ they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, ‘It must be his angel.’ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” Like these Christians and Iselda, sometimes we miss God’s answers to prayer, even when they are right in front of us! Can you remember something you prayed for that God answered?
How can you keep track of your prayers so you don’t miss God’s answers?

Prayer Points
Anything that is bothering us.
Thanking God for answered prayers.
Ask kids what they would add to the prayer list.

Did You Know?
More than 100 years ago, the small country of São Tomé and Príncipe was the largest grower of cocoa in the world. Cocoa is used to make chocolate. Today, they still send cocoa around the globe.