9 Ways to Encourage Your Missionary Over the Holidays

NOV  6,  2019    |    2  MINUTE  READ    |    ANGELA OLSEN

The holidays often bring a mix of emotions for missionaries around the world. While it’s fun to celebrate and create traditions with friends and family on the field, it can also be a time of longing for family and traditions in one’s sending country. As a follow-up to a piece we posted a year ago, these are ways to encourage the missionaries in your life over the holiday season.

1. Pray for them. Place their prayer card in a spot you’ll see it often and pray for them each time it catches your eye, especially through the holidays. Let them know you’ve prayed for them with a quick message through Facebook or email.

2. Send a Christmas card—early. International mail can take a while to arrive. Consider sending cards to missionaries at the beginning of December so they get it close to Christmas.

3. Make a short video saying Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas. Record a short, unedited message of you or your family saying hi and that you’re thinking of them. You can even make the video in one of your favorite holiday locations. They’ll love knowing you thought of them in a place that’s special to you! If your missionary doesn’t have a strong internet connection, take a picture and send it through email or regular mail.

4. Give an e-gift card so they can purchase online holiday music or movies. Who doesn’t like a good holiday album or cheery Christmas movie? They’ll be able to keep these in their collection for years to come.

5. Send a package. Consider the timing of your package and fill it with things to fit the holiday! Thanksgiving decorations, Christmas crafts, New Year’s party supplies. Be sure you’re aware of the rules or limitations for sending packages, as not all countries allow all things through the mail.

6. Share links to inspiring holiday podcasts or music. They may not have time to search for these or know quite where to look. Help from someone who knows them can save a lot of time.

7. Reply to their holiday newsletter. They likely put a lot of time into putting together their holiday newsletter, whether it was through email or in print. Let them know you read it and that you’re praying for them.

8. Send messages or pictures from your kids. Kids love feeling like they’re doing something important, so invite them to write a message or color a picture to the kids in your missionary’s family or to your missionary. Everyone involved will be thrilled!

9. Ask how you can bless them this holiday. We’re not always aware of the best ways to bless our missionaries, so simply asking them can provide great ideas. If they could really use something more than you can offer on your own, ask your Bible study or other friends to pitch in. It could make a big impact!

We encourage you to try a few of these ideas out this holiday season! If you don’t personally support a missionary, ask your church whom they support or visit this page for a list of all the missionaries currently serving through WGM. It’s never too early to start encouraging those working around the world to share the life-changing news of Jesus!

Angela Olsen is a WGM missionary currently serving in Duluth, Minnesota with her husband, Pete, and their two kids until they return to Kenya. You can follow their journeys at TheMangoMemoirs.com, on Instagram, and on Facebook.