(challenge)
research a topic making appropriate use of reference resources
write a 500-word report select one of the following topics:

1. joshua: the book of conquest and division.
2. did the sun and moon stand still?
3. trace briefly the revelation of god's redemptive plan in genesis through joshua (the first six books of the bible).
4. israel in canaan: fulfillment or failure?
5. in the light of other scriptures, interpret joshua 11: 20.

There were a lot of reasons Joseph Girzone titled his book "Joshua and the Children".  I think the main reason for the title was because of Joshua’s purpose in the town.  The author explains how Joshua is there to fulfill "his Father’s" promise.  Joshua wants to teach all the children of the town to get along and be at peace with each other. Joshua says it is too late for the adults to learn the way, who have lived hateful lives.  Joshua must turn to the children if he wishes to change the future. He believes that if he teaches the children to not hate, and to respect others, regardless of racial or ethnic differences, then the world will improve when they become adults.  This new generation will then bring happiness to the world.  Joshua knows that these children were victims of their parents’ wrongdoings.  He knows that they were born into a society filled with hate. Hate for members of a different race.  Hate without reasoning.  He feels it is wrong what the adults are doing to the children.  They are being brought up to believe that it is OK to mistreat somebody who is "different" from you. This is why Joshua felt he should teach the children, and not the adults. Once Joshua started to communicate with the children, and got to know them better the adults were amazed at how Joshua related to the children so well.  He knew their names right from the second he met them, he played their games, and he even let himself lose at them too.  Eventually the adults in the town began to realize that whoever this Joshua really was, he was a role model for each and every one of them. The Muslim boy was a very important character in this book.  He and one of his friends went down to the square where Joshua met with the children every day.  His friend told Joshua that the boy was blind.  Everybody in the square watched in disbelief as Joshua cured the boy’s blindness with the touch of his hand.  The boy’s family were the weapons distributors.  After seeing that Joshua was able to fix their boy, they too became good people and thus, making the town a better place. This showed that all of the religions were finally united in peace.  Yet, there were still some people that didn’t want Joshua getting involved in the town.  Joshua was with a young girl when a gunman shot Joshua, and by mistake, the young girl.  The man was horrified when he discovered that the girl he shot was his own daughter. Nearing closer and closer to death, Joshua touched the girl on the forehead and healed her. Then he died.