Neat Ideas To Involve Children In Missions

"Here are some of the 150 children that attended a three-day Women's Conference with their mothers, in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, in April 2001. They are presenting a program after learning about missions and how they can be involved."

The following are some of the ideas we used - please feel free to use them in your ministry:

SONG

(An old favorite updated by Shirley Davis)

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN

Children are often very willing to share and give to those in need, and we want to encourage them to realize that even their small gifts can add up and make a difference. Working together to reach a goal teaches them teamwork and the satisfaction of accomplishing a vision.

We have found that offering races in teams, and special project giving can really inspire young believers.For example, after learning of the great scarcity of bibles in China, a group of children faithfully brought offerings of dimes and quarters to buy bibles that were taken by missionaries to China. The pennies of even small children can add up to buy tracts to be given to a missionary to help in his ministry.

POEM

Here is a poem that Shirley wrote many years ago that we have found really encourages everyone to give a little more:

"After teaching about life in Cuba (where the usual meal is often bananas and rice, and children have to live in schools often many miles from home in the countryside and also work hard in the fields) we asked the Mexican children to draw pictures and write Bible verses to encourage the children in Cuba."

GIFTS

The children's pictures and verses were combined to form a "Book of Love", that was later sent to a church in Cuba, along with photos and materials to help in children's ministry. On the cover of the book we used the logo for the missions teachings - "Operación Exitosa", which means "The Successful Generation" - the generation that will win the world for Jesus Christ!

We believe it is very important today to help children learn about what life is like, especially for other children, in other parts of the world. We send out every month or so, a special kids page, the World Kids PAL page, which includes interesting facts, a true story involving a child, and a puzzle, and encourages children to pray and become personally involved in missions. This page is available in English or Spanish and can be sent free of charge by e-mail, then easily printed out (on both sides of a single sheet) to be used in Sunday School or shared with others.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD KIDS PAL PAGE

Other ideas for sending letters or pictures to children in other parts of the world, include glueing the pages together to make a giant poster, making Christmas cards, and even putting together "care-packages" to arrive at Christmas time. Many missionary families, especially in countries where Christmas is not even celebrated, would be truly encouraged and blessed to receive a little box of "goodies" such as powdered drink mix, stickers, band-aids, Q-tips, trial-size toiletries, pretty soap, glue-sticks, and hard candy etc...

(Just remember not to include aerosols or anything that might melt or go mouldy if the package is left on a dock somewhere for several weeks because of a strike! - and remember to send it several MONTHS before Christmas if it is going by surface mail!)

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