by Carla Williams
We’ve been in a series exploring some ways to use your Thanksgiving season in an intentionally missional manner. In the other posts, we talked about ways to pray, serve, and include.
The focus of this post is to equip you as a sender – so you can encourage the missionaries you know on the field!
Imagine for a moment that you’re a missionary. You live in a nation where no one celebrates Thanksgiving, so there aren’t 25-pound turkeys in the local grocery store. You won’t be joining your extended family for warm hugs, commentary on how big the kids are getting, or grandma’s famous mashed potatoes.
Is it any wonder that the holidays are often a time of homesickness for missionaries? Not that they’re not still thankful for God’s faithfulness, or that they regret their decision to obey Christ in other areas of the world. It just gets a little lonely sometimes.
But you can help! Here are a few ways you can give your favorite missionaries a little something extra to be thankful for this year:
Write a Note
I am thinking of you. I am thankful for you. I’m praying for you.
It can be just a quick email or a full-blown hand-written letter. The medium is less important than the message.
In as many or as few words as you want to use, take the opportunity to communicate, “I’m thinking about you. I’m thankful for you. I’m praying for you.”
There’s no way to overstate how valuable intentional communication from home can be for the emotional well-being and sustainability of missionaries on the field. It’s really, really, really important.
Of course, if you’re sending a literal letter, or a whole box of American goodies, you’ll need to plan ahead far enough for your delivery to arrive on time.
Schedule a Skype Date
There’s something about face to face contact, however virtual.
There’s something about a face-to-face encounter, however virtual, that is just encouraging and fun. You might have to juggle around time differences and busy schedules, but seeing those smiles on your screen will make it all worthwhile.
Try to find a good time in the days around Thanksgiving. When you talk, be sure to tell them how thankful you are for them. Ask about what they’re doing there to make the holiday still special for their family or team. Talk about what you’re doing, too. Pray for them.
That’s it. Easy peasy, right? Again, something so simple and inclusive will make a big difference for those trying to celebrate a community holiday while thousands of miles from home.
Visit.
Have an especially memorable Thanksgiving!
Yes, I am suggesting you forego your own holiday celebration to travel across the world to be with a missionary instead. Don’t throw cranberry sauce at me.
Can you imagine the impact of that gesture? They know what it’s like to leave a family and the traditions you love behind for the sake of the Gospel. So if you do the same thing, even for just one holiday, it’s going to be huge.
While you’re there, you can pray with them for their nation. Celebrate the victories they’ve seen God accomplish, and celebrate Thanksgiving in a fresh new way.
Of course, you should probably include the missionaries in your plans to visit them, so that the timing and schedule works out. But even just your offer will be encouraging.
It’s a small sacrifice with a forever impact. Now that’s a memorable Thanksgiving.
Did you check out the other suggestions for living missionally this Thanksgiving? Include Outsiders | Grateful Prayers | Serve Instead
