Little Missionaries

Many yesteryears ago at the old white church, we had this silver coffee can.  Someone, I suspect my mother, had written "Mission Friends" on the side with black marker.  Each week we would learn about missionaries around the world and bring our offerings to plink into the little coffee can.

 

We were changing the world with our love through our offerings.  I cherish this part of my childhood.  This teaching about giving and true wealth, which cannot be measured.

 

I want this for my children, so I made my own missionary money jar.  It's no coffee can, but it still works.

 

 

Explaining to children about missions is such a refreshing thing for a sometimes complacent Christian like myself to tackle.

 

"Some people do not have Mommies and Daddies."

 

I stare into large shock-filled eyes.

 

"Some people do not have homes."

 

The questions start to flow.

 

"But the saddest of all is some people have never heard about Jesus."

 

They gasp.  Literally.  When is the last time that information shocked or moved me?

 

Then we talk about how we can help.  We talk about telling people about Jesus.  We talk about showing everyone the love of Jesus.  We talk about sending money to missionaries who serve where little feet cannot go just yet.

In August we committed as a class to pray for Luke and Karla Reddus with Compassion United in Conroe.  And then these nine Sunrise School children raised money all month for them.  (Also donated was one Euro cent, one British pence, and ten Disney play dollars.)

Laying little hands on the gift to bless the offering

Lifting prayers for our missionaries up to the ears of God.

Luke visited our class.  He was a bit of a celebrity with the children.  They hugged.  They jumped and shouted.  They showed him their desks and papers they had made.  It was precious.

In September they prayed and gave to Danny and Cherry Hill who are church planters in Springfield, Missouri.  Susannah went to visit them with her Mimi.  She called from their house, "Mommy I'm at the missionaries' house!  I'm on the mission field!" 

Love that child.

This month we are praying for a new missionary couple in Turkey.  They have already started giving.  It is beautiful.  It is challenging.

In other happenings, I found an old Daily News that I forgot to post.  It was the first uncensored news.