Powerpack Ministries

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Children today are more aware of world events than ever before. Extensive news coverage of happenings around the world, all the information that is available via the internet and increased opportunities for travel have all made the world seem like quite a small place.

Some children aged 8 - 11 years at a Christian conference in England made the following comments when asked what they thought the church should be like in the 21st Century………..

‘Take 11 year olds to poor countries to see them’

‘Use virtual reality headsets so that we could experience living in poor or war torn countries’.

‘The Church needs to spread all around the world’.

This increased world consciousness needs to be used to advantage in order to encourage children to develop an interest in missions and to pray for the world. Sharing stories about what God is doing around the world can be a great way to help children cultivate a vision for the world (the internet is a great source of these). It is a fact that the majority of people who are on the mission field today were called by God when they were children. It is therefore very important that children, from an early age, are exposed to the possibility that God might want to use them overseas. Of course it is also important that mission and evangelism is not just presented as something that happens overseas. God will want children to be missionaries (ambassadors for Him) in their school and in their own local areas.
IDEAS TO ENCOURAGE AN INTEREST IN OVERSEAS MISSION 1. Put a world map on the wall where your children’s group meets. Encourage children to get a similar map to put on their bedroom wall at home.

2. Read or tell stories about missionaries to the children. Focus on the story of someone who is doing some significant work for God now eg Heidi and Rolland Baker who are working in Mozambique (www.irismin.org + "There is always enough book" - available here) or The Toybox Charity (www.toyboxcharity.org.uk) which is working with street children in Guatemala. It is particularly good to focus on people or organisations that are working with children or young people so as to make it easier for children to relate.

	3. Encourage the children to get on a mailing list to receive magazines that have a missionary focus eg Tear Fund, the Baptist Missionary Society’s WOW club.

4. As a children’s group or a family, sponsor a child in another country.
	5. Organise an activity to raise money for a particular project

6. If the church supports a missionary, write letters or emails, or make an audio or videotape to send. 7. Contact missionary organisations, which produce materials for children for additional ideas.
- Baptist Missionary Society - www.bmsworldmission.org - Overseas Missionary Fellowship - www.omf.org.uk Downloadable resources including the book ‘Mission Focus’ - Tear Fund www.tearfund.org/youth http://actionpack.tearfund.org - The Viva Network www.viva.org (information about children at risk around the world) - Interserve www.interserveonline.org
8. Read the Reel Kids books Join Jeff, Mindy, and K.J. on their international adventures as the Reel Kids media club travels around the world. Each well-researched, exciting story is set in a different country, so children not only experience a page-turning adventure but also learn about the people, culture, or history of the nation in which the story takes place. A great series of missionary challenge for young readers who enjoy action! Produced by YWAM £4.99 each - click here for the books.
INVOLVEMENT IN OVERSEAS MISSION There are two main areas in which children can get involved:- 1. Intercession. Click here for practical ideas of how to encourage children to pray for the world - The Viva Network World Wide Day of Prayer - http://www.viva.org/wwdp




2. Short term mission programmes. There are not many opportunities for the under 11’s to actually go on a short term mission. Perhaps if a church team goes out to visit a missionary situation they could consider taking a child. This can be an extremely valuable experience for the child and God may well choose to use a child in preference to an adult in some situations.