Silent night? Help others to help others!
Christmas 2022 / New Year’s Eve 2022-23… for many people a great time to celebrate with family and friends. To look back on the past year (and wow! What a year it has been on this side of the globe… just wow…). Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce on the table, great stories with friends, lots of fun!
But yeah…. the past year was not a “party” for everyone…. that also counts for our target groups we try to help, it is not always easy, on the contrary….
Here’s a special call, help someone else to help someone else! Here we go:
Do you know someone who also does development work, mission work or any other form of “helping others”? Then here’s a plan, come on and do it!
Take them virtually along with you during the holidays!
1: Add them to your Christmas party!
Stream or film a Christmas moment to share with them! Maybe even in a church service or at a party? Perhaps you have a moment for a Zoom / Skype / WhatsApp conversation? Get in contact!
2: Pray for them personally during these special days
Not only may missionaries find it difficult to be away from family and friends during Christmas, they may also find it difficult to celebrate it in a culture they are not yet (well) familiar with? Pray that they will find a beautiful way to celebrate it with others.
3: Pray for their Christmas actions
In many countries where Christmas is celebrated, often these days are used by them to reach people with The Good News or to help practically with things like food or shelter. Pray that they will have the energy to do it. Christmas is not a week off for many development workers, on the contrary. Most could use some energy during this time.
4: Who will be “home” for the first time this year?
Perhaps you have people around you who have returned from abroad in the past year. The first time back in your “own” country, which may not feel as “at home” as we often think… Be sure to invite them to your Christmas activities! Welcome them, don’t forget them. The first year back “home” is hard for many people….
5: Send a postcard.
Make sure every(!) development or mission worker you know gets a postcard. Happy New Year, we are thinking of you! Small effort, great pleasure.
6: Send them a personal gift.
Many people give extra at the end of the year. You may already support some missionaries / development workers, but the Christmas gifts are often focused on more personal needs of the “workers”. With your gift, they can do something special. Just something personal…. And yes, every month most of them have their shortfall… and that is sometimes just made up at the end of the year… It shouldn’t be that way, but in practice it often works that way.
7: Send a real gift!
You could maybe make them something small, buy something small in your own country and send it to them? It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. Perhaps something they can’t get locally, which might be typically from their home country? Or go crazy, see what kind of mail order company there is in “their” country, order something nice and send it to them that way.
Come on! Help them to help others!
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:37,38
