From My Heart to Yours
Ministry to our warriors – in their homes!
April 22, 2003
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We have all been blessed in recent days to see the people of Iraq liberated from tyranny. However, our warriors may not be home for some time more.
Why?
There is a new nation to protect until they get their government and defenses in place. So, our warriors are still a long way from home … and now, the boredom of police work that will make them more homesick than ever. What can we do right here at home to minister to them?
Here are a few seed thoughts for you to consider:
- First, compile a list of names and addresses of the warriors and their families from YOUR area. Ask your church family for names of people they know.
- Assign each warrior and his/her family to a Sunday School class’s care group to be adopted for ministry.
- Visit the family … express your appreciation with a card and a home made pie
- Learn birthdays, anniversaries, favorite cartoon characters, hobbies, interests
- Celebrate the special days with letters, cards and prayergrams, because their warrior can’t do it him/herself.
- Have special days at your church to specially recognize these families
- Take the boys left at home on a fishing trip … because his dad is deployed
- Take the little girls shopping, the big girls to get a manicure
- Meet needs by mowing grass, fix gutters and screen windows … love on them
- Go to Kinko’s and have some personalized stationary prepared just for them to use to write to their Warrior
- "Pound" them with grocery sacks of food once a month
- Give them a long distance calling card
- Discover an e-mail address for their warrior … if the family doesn’t have internet access … then have periodic "E-Mail Parties" at someone’s house that does.
- Send their warrior digital pictures on the internet of his family doing things (like when his son catches that two-pound bass on a worm).
- Give the family a Bible! Perhaps a family Bible and put a daily reading plan in it.
- Enroll the family in your Church’s Sunday School and upcoming Vacation Bible School.
- Enlist a personal prayer-partner for every person in the household. Send them regular prayergrams.
- Send tracts and prayer-grams to the warrior and his/her family.
- Share the good news of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for them.
Well, there are some ideas. Now, dream up some of your own. This is a great time to meet the physical, emotional and most important, the spiritual needs of a family when they need it the most. It starts with a personal burden and a LIST!