7 Ways to Encourage Overseas Missionaries during the Holidays
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- Updated Dec 15, 2021
Missionaries give so much for the sake of the gospel! One of the most notable sacrifices they make is giving up the chance to celebrate the holidays with family and friends that they have left behind. Christmas is one of the hardest holidays to spend far away from loved ones. This year, take some time to let the ones that have given up so much know they are precious to you! Let your generosity be a reminder to them that they are not alone. You can be God’s hands and feet, showing them that they are loved through your thoughtful actions.
Thankfully, technology gives us so many more ways to remain connected to one another even when God calls us to serve in locations all over the globe. Utilize the resources you have to encourage those that have stepped out of their comfort zones in big ways to share their faith. Give them the gift of a warm conversation, laughs shared over the internet, and some kind words. Here are a few easy ways to encourage overseas missionaries during the holidays:
1. Send Them a Holiday Care Package
If there is a reliable way to send them goodies through the mail then take the time to send them some special treats from home. This is the time of year when you start craving nostalgic foods or have baking traditions that require special ingredients. Find out what some of their favorite foods or which ingredients they don’t have access to and send them some to enjoy!
Grab some local goodies that will help them connect a bit with home over the holidays. It could be a piece from a local artist, some locally roasted coffee, or a candle with the scents of the holidays. Don’t forget the kids and make sure you throw in toys that they will love too!
2. Boost Your Economic Support for Them Over the Holidays
Missionaries rely on the economic support of those back at home in order to do their work. The holidays come with extra expenses, such as gifts, decor, special events, and more! Send them some extra money to help them have the ability to love on their kids and local communities well without feeling the extra financial stress that can come with the holidays. Make sure they know that the extra funds you are sending are for Christmas enjoyment, so they don’t feel guilty spending the money on their families. Your generosity can relieve a huge financial burden for those serving across the world.
3. Set up Some FaceTime Dates
The holidays overseas can feel a little extra lonely. This is the time of year that they may be seeing your social media account filled with pictures of all the holiday get-togethers, services, and traditions. While it’s okay to enjoy the holidays at home, these social media updates may leave your friends feeling extra lonely this Christmas. Find ways to create virtual opportunities to connect with your friends overseas.
Setting up a themed Zoom party can be a fun way to connect over the holidays. You can get together online to watch a holiday classic together or to play some online games together. Just the time spent laughing, connecting, and making memories can be such a gift to your far-away friends.
4. Send them Holiday Cards and Updates
If at all possible don’t forget to send your friends holiday cards and updates. They will love getting the chance to hang up that adorable picture of your family on their fridge. These are good reminders that they are not alone even though they are spending their time overseas. If mail is not a good option, sending them a virtual holiday card and update is a great way to show them love too!
5. Allow Them to Share Their Testimony
Give a voice to those who are the boots on the ground across the globe. Invite them to tell the stories of how God is working and moving in their lives and in the communities they are serving. It is a privilege to get a glimpse into all that God is doing around the world in his church. Allowing missionaries the chance to share their experiences validates the work they are doing. It also helps us to be better prayerful supporters of what God is doing worldwide.
6. Send Them a Note of Encouragement
Our words have so much power! Taking time to speak words of life over missionaries is a great way to encourage them. It means so much to be seen by others, especially when engaging in oftentimes thankless work. Speak life into them, so they can not grow weary in doing God’s good work.
7. Plan a Visit
If you have the resources and they have the ability to host, why not plan a trip to physically see your friends who are working hard overseas. There is nothing more encouraging than receiving an actual hug and sharing an actual meal. While visiting, take some time to learn about their work but also to serve them. Figure out what their needs are and find ways to meet them. Maybe it's offering to babysit so they can get a date night in or it’s cooking some meals for them so they can rest while you are in town.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Let’s not neglect to build each other up! Serving God with our lives comes with so much joy but also God calls us to sacrifice ourselves for his sake. In order to not get burnt out in this sacrificial posture, we need the body of Christ to rally around us!
Our efforts to encourage those who are giving so much of their lives for the sake of the call are so valuable. Even if our loved ones are spending their time investing thousands of miles away, they should still feel covered in our prayers and so loved. Take time to love on them a little extra this holiday season.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Sophie Walster
