This film is about a man who lives underneath a wishing fountain. He uses a computer to grant the wishes of the people who throw coins into the fountain. One day, things go wrong and two coins get stuck. The man has to do his utmost to grant the wishes after all.

Why does this film fit in with today's Bible story?

Hagar discovers that God is someone who sees you and listens to you. But how does that work? In today's YouTube film we see someone who grants people's wishes through a computer. God, however, works very differently. But how does that work - praying?

Important questions:

It’s important to always watch the film yourself beforehand and to ask yourself:
- do I want to show this to the children?
- does this film work in the context and age-range of the children I am working with?

If you choose to show this YouTube video, we suggest you use the following steps:

Tell:
As humans, we have invented many different times when you can make a wish. For example, when you see a falling star.

Ask:
- Who know when else people think that you're allowed to make a wish?
(When you blow out the candles on a cake in one go, when you peel a tangerine, apple or potato in one go, when you blow all the seeds off a dead dandelion in one go, when you remove an eyelash (which has come off your eyelid) from your cheek and blow it away, when you throw a coin into a fountain).
- Do you think this really works? That wishing helps?

Tell:
Of course, this is all superstition. Who night have thought up all these rules for making wishes? Probably someone with a lot of imagination. Or someone who was just terribly bored...
In our Bible story today, Hagar also has a wish: to get as far away as possible from Sarai who makes her life miserable.

Ask:
But did her wish come true?

Tell:
We are about to watch a video about wishes. I am very curious to know if you think this has anything to do with the story of Hagar.

Make sure that you download the video on your laptop or pc before you show it to the children / teenagers. If you rely on the wifi in the premises, there is chance that the internet connection won't work.

You can download any YouTube video using:

www.safefrom.net
www.keepvid.com

Ask:
What does this video have to do with the Bible story of Hagar?
- Hagar is also at a well
- God answers her prayer

Tell:
In today's Bible story, Hagar sits by a well. Here an angel comes to her to tell her that God has seen her and heard her.

Ask:
Does God grant Hagar's wish?

Tell:
No, God does not answer her wish. He tells Hagar to go back to Sarai, where she might have a difficult time again.

Ask:
- Why is God not a wish granter?
- Why doesn't He give her a palace of her own where she can live with her son?

Do:
Give each child a red and green card and let them react to the following statements. Ask several children for an explanation after raising their card:
- This video has nothing to do with prayer.
- Praying is like throwing a coin into a fountain.
- God is like a wish fulfiller. He works very hard to grant all our wishes.
- God answers our needs, but not our wishes.