Wednesday, I introduced the topic of raising mission-minded
kids. We talked about exciting their spirits and equipping them to share. Today
we’ll dive into a third element: Elevating their global awareness. This
encompasses both education and action. Below you’ll find a number of resources
for teaching your kids about missions and global cultures and concerns, but
you’ll also find practical ideas for getting personally involved in missions,
right where you are.
Educational Resources
You can raise cultural awareness in many ways. Geography and
language study are obvious choices, but they’re only two avenues. Consider
taking field trips to cultural fairs, ethnic celebrations and museums. Invite
multi-cultural friends over for an international potluck or explore exoticflavors with your own culinary experiments. The possibilities are endless! Here
are a few of my favorite books and websites to get you started:
Target Age: 9-12
·
A Faith Like Mine {book} : This is
not a Christian book, but it is an excellent resource for teaching children
about major world religions. Vibrant photographs, maps and symbols help
introduce 11 different faiths, including Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Islam. It discusses their basic tenets, major holidays, traditions and unique
characteristics.
Target age: 8 and up
·
My
Passport to India {website} : This is my absolute favorite! I wish one
existed for every country. This site features high quality videos with
excellent content. Families follow an American guy as he explores India: the
culture, the people and what God is doing there. It also includes family
devotionals and activities for further exploration and involvement.
Target age: 6 and up
Target age: 6-10
·
The Caravan
{website} : Hosted by IMB, this site explores the continent of Asia with all
sorts of activities! Photographs, maps, stories, printables, coloring pages …
seriously, a ton of stuff. There is also a tab with helps for parents and
teachers.
Target age: Preschool – 6th grade
Ideas for At-Home
Missions
Continuing our pattern of concentric circles, let’s start at
home. Before children can care what happens on the other side of the planet,
they need to care about what happens near home. What can they see that might
increase their compassions and awareness? Here are some activities to initiate
service and conversations:
·
Neighborhood Prayer Walks: A prayer walk is
exactly what it sounds like – you walk around a neighborhood praying for each
person you see and home you pass. It’s easy to do with your children and need
not be conspicuous. Simply go for a walk. The benefits include exercise, prayer
training, community awareness, and possible interactions with neighbors that
could lead to opportunities to share the Gospel or serve in tangible ways.
Extend Invitations: Kids love inviting friends
to anything – VBS, Sunday School, church clubs … whatever! Encourage them to do
just that. It’s simple, friendly and free of pressure.
·
Participate in Service Projects: Every community
offers abundant opportunities to serve, regardless of your children’s ages.
When my kids were toddlers, we would prepare and deliver meals for shut-ins or
new mothers. We still do that, but now we also help by shoveling snow, raking
leaves or weeding gardens for our neighbors. We’ve participated in mural
painting projects, food banks and coat drives. My kids’ favorite activities,
however, involve hosting garage sales or lemonade and cookie stands to raise
money for orphanages or our local crisis pregnancy center.
·
Donations: Got clutter? Use it as an opportunity
to teach your kids about poverty and missions!
 |
| ©Sipaphoto/StockFreeImages.com |
You don’t have to leave your home to make an impact
overseas, but you do need to be intentional and take the initiative. Here are
some reasons to do that and tips on how to start.
Most missionaries say feeling isolated is their greatest
struggle. They don’t fit in there and they don’t fit in here; they feel
nomadic. By building relationships with these families already on the field,
you’ll encourage them while gaining an indispensable education for yourself and
your children. Relationships are the foundation to healthy partnerships – and
that’s exactly what missions should be!
·
Adopt a Child: For a monthly donation, you can
adopt a child through Compassion
International, World Vision or a
number of similar organizations. You can correspond with these children and
their families; learn about their lives and what struggles they face. If
sponsoring a child is too much, consider a one-time gift of farm animals,
medications or other necessities.
·
Adopt a Missionary: Select one or two families
that you know or that your church supports and get to know them. Post their
picture in your home. Talk about them with your kids. PRAY for them regularly.
Try to reach out to them consistently. Once every couple months is fine. Let
them know that you care and are interested in what they’re doing. Thanks to the
internet, this is much easier than it used to be. Imagine having your kids
Skype with someone in Kenya or Tibet! How fun (and educational) could that be?
·
Send Care Packages: Little things from home can
make a big impact. When I lived in Bosnia, we couldn’t find ketchup or peanut
butter. One day a box arrived with two bottles of Heinz57 and a jar of Jiffy.
You would have thought we’d won the lottery! Due to customs regulations, be
sure to check with the missionaries or mission agencies before sending
anything. Some countries get a bit tricky.
·
Champion Specific Projects: Perhaps your family
could sponsor
a well in Africa or help build a school for girls in India. You could host
a shoe drive in your community or partner with your adopted missionary family
on something specific they need.
·
Visit or Participate in Short-Term Trips: Most
recommend that your kids be at least thirteen before joining a team mission
trip, but there are no specific limits to visits. If you build a good
relationship with a missionary family, why not spend your family vacation in
service to them? You’ll get to see first-hand the people and ministries you’ve
actively prayed for.
Armed with three ridiculous French phrases, Tanya Dennis taught ESL to
Chinese students in German-speaking Switzerland. This after working as a
church planter in urban Philadelphia and a humanitarian worker in
war-torn Bosnia. Her current role, as mother of two, has proven to be
the most challenging. Learn more about her and what she's doing now at www.TanyaDennisBooks.com.
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