Sometimes it is not possible for us to pack up and go on a mission trip, but we can still be a part of the mission trip by PRAYING! What better way to get your children excited about missions than making prayer for missions a regular part of your day.
Below are a couple of ideas for making praying for our New England Mission teams engaging for your family and also a list of things to pray for the missions team... Let me give a disclaimer...I am sure I have seen some of these ideas in some sort of way on Pinterest, but am giving them a twist for our mission trips!
1. Take a jar and fill with beans. Purchase a package of jumbo craft sticks. Write down on each craft stick a member of the missions team or a specific prayer request. Stick the craft sticks into the jar of beans. Each day have someone in your family choose a stick. Then pray for what is written on the stick.
2. Take a muffin tin. Then write down on small slips of paper prayer request or names of mission team members. Fold the slips of paper and place in each hole of the muffin tin. Then take pieces of tissue paper and cover the hole. Each day let your children punch open the tissue paper and pull out the piece of paper. Then pray for what is written on the piece of paper.
3. Insert prayer requests written on slips of paper into balloons. Blow up the balloons and then let a child pop the balloon to get the prayer request out.
4. Write prayer requests on mirrors around the house in magic marker. You could change them each morning or leave them up, so as family members are using the mirrors they are reminded of prayer requests
5. Check out the missions blog www.missionmaine.blogspot.com to get updates! What is more exciting than watching the team actually at work spreading the Gospel!
Hopefully these are some fun ways to get your younger children fired up about praying for our missions team! And sometimes getting our children excited can also re-ignite our fire too!
Here are some prayer requests, but check the www.missionmaine.blogspot.com for more prayer requests!
Prayer Requests for Manchester:
Team (12 total): Lois Callen, Dan/Leslie Edwards (Kolya, Christina), Burney Johnson (Roger), Carter/Monica Stewart (Elson, Bradford, Frances). Pray for spiritual renewal in each of our lives as we serve as a witness to what God has done for us through Christ.
Pray that our team might have unity of spirit, joy in serving, love abounding for the children.
Pray for families as they prepare to travel north.
Church: Church of the Redeemer established 8 years ago. 60-70 in attendance. Pray that they will prosper.
Pray for Team travel beginning July 5 - 7. Return July 14.
Expecting 40-50 campers. Pray that the camp will be effective in its witness.
Pray for our High Schoolers (as counselors) as they make close relationships with campers.
Pray for Monica, Carter, Burney & Dan as they teach Bible lessons each day.
Camp is held in a City Park that has strict use restrictions. Pray for no problems here.
Pray daily, Camp is held from 10am until 2pm. Dates: July 9-13 (Mon - Friday)
First year in Manchester, pray for children/families to be reached.
Thursday night is family night, pray for good connections & outreach to families.
Friday night the team will host an outing with church members. Pray that we will be an encouragement to them.
Sean/Susan/Bailey Doyle arriving Wednesday. They will arrive at the end of the Manchester camp & transition to the camp in Portland.
Pray for cool, dry weather.
Pray for Lois Callen for strength & stamina. She is working both camps.
Prayer Requests for Portland:
Team (31 total): Rebecca Acken (Colley, Allie, Marshall), Lois Callen, Sean/Susan Doyle (Bailey), Dan/Leslie Edwards (Jake, Kolya, Christina), Sissy Flynn, Phyllis Hamm, Ingram Link (Hank), Joe/Emily Lassiter (Mary Jane), Catherine Luke, Amelia Megginson, Michael Megginson, Ashley Mince (Emily, Sarah), Susan Ragland (Kate, Elizabeth), Simon Yendle (Hayden). Like Manchester, pray for spiritual renewal in each of our lives as we serve as a witness to what God has done for us through Christ.
Pray that our team might have unity of spirit, joy in serving, love abounding for the children.
Pray for families as they prepare to travel north.
Pray for travel mercies, most of team travels on Saturday, July 14.
Church: Christ the Redeemer establish 11 years ago & is the largest PCA church in New England. This is our third year in Portland, so pray for continued joint efforts in spreading the gospel. Pray that CTR will continue to be a bright light to the Portland area.
We are expecting 120 campers. We are incorporating a new schedule to accommodate the big numbers. Pray for a smooth running camp and effectiveness in its witness.
Pray for our High Schoolers (as counselors) as they make close relationships with campers.
Pray for Created for a Purpose that older girls will be challenged.
Pray for Built for a Purpose that older boys will be challenged.
Pray for Ingram, Simon, Sean & Dan as they teach Bible lessons each day.
Camp is held at Lyseth Elementary School in a neighborhood targeted by the church. Pray for effective work in that neighborhood.
Pray daily, camp is held from 9am - 4pm, July 16-20 (Mon - Fri).
Thursday night is family night, pray for good connections & outreach to families.
Pray for cool, dry weather.
Church is hosting us for a lobsterbake on Tuesday night. That has always been a celebration as Covenant joins them in ministry. Pray for the church in Portland that they will be overwhelmed as God uses us to encourage them.
