I'm starting out with this great clip I got from fellow blogger Ellen Lafleche-Christian (Confessions of an Overworked Mom). She posted it last night on Facebook and I just had to share it. This is so me!! Anyone who knows me is aware that I am nothing like a morning person. In fact I can do my best work starting after 10 PM. I've always been like this. To this day I remember struggles with my Mom about going to bed. I'm pretty sure she still remembers them too! Poor Mom!! Now where is my first cup of coffee???
First I am going to our weekly Bible Study. It's taught by my dear friend Sharon. She's an amazing lady! I always learn something from her. We're studying I Peter. The lessons are designed to take a week or two, but we have had so many good discussions that they take anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks to finish. It's been good!
After that we have a work day planned. Our work days are for the group in our church called LMS (Ladies Missionary Society). We do all kinds of things to help out the missionaries we support financially from our church (and some we don't but just want to help). It's always such a blessing to provide special things for them and to encourage them in the work they do. I know from experience as a former missionary how much it means when you are on the field and people provide some of the little extras and creature comforts for you.
One of the neatest things we do is simply write letters. Seems so little and insignificant, but let me tell you it means the world to people out on the field day in and day out! It's a small dose of home and a big dose of knowing there are people who really care about you and your family and what you are doing. Our letters are simple in content, usually just chit-chat. We write anything that comes to mind from the weather to what a kid did in school that day or even a silly joke. My husband and I used to receive similar letters from a church that supported us (Thanks Argos Bible Church!) and it was always so neat to hear what was going on in people's lives. I even got some awesome recipes that I still use today from those letters!
Another and very significant thing we do for our missionaries is provide them with a home away from home. Our small church has a 4 bedroom apartment that is fully furnished and equipped and ready to move in to. It is such a joy to have our missionaries and their families stay with us. I love being a hostess for the "Bed & Breakfast"! We have had people from all over the world stay here and have had some sweet fellowship with them. All the ladies of the church help keep it clean and help make the beds up and stock the cupboard with food for the missionaries. We even try to provide some extra little things that are personal to them to make their stay even more enjoyable, anything from a favorite movie to watch to a toy box loaded with fun! Some of the countries these missionaries have come from are England, Japan, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, South Africa, France, Ethiopia, & Poland. What a joy it has been to spend time with them and to learn so much about the cultures they live in now. We often get to share meals with them since we live right next door, and I can't tell you how much fun that has been, especially fitting the one family who had 8 children in my small kitchen! What a fun day that was!
But something saddens me when I think about this. After talking to several other Pastor's Wives I have found out that many churches no longer have groups like our LMS. How very, very sad! The reason they give is because society has changed and missionaries don't need the things they used to in years past. True, society has changed, but there is still much we can do to encourage them and support them in more ways than just financially. It may take some creativity on our part but the end result of making the lives of people overseas doing such difficult and hard work a little easier in any way is worth the effort.All we have to do is speak up and ask the missionaries what it is we can do to help. Most are not afraid to tell you! And it shows them that you really care and that they are not out there feeling alone and forgotten (speaking from experience here!).
So my challenge to you today is to find some way, anyway you can to help out a missionary or even a local organization you support. Even a short note of thanks for what they do day in and day out means a lot. Gracious even a note to your child's teacher thanking them for what they do would mean the world!
What will you do today to encourage and support someone?
No comments:
Post a Comment