This Spring brought a lot of changes in the way we do things. This summer is no exception. If you were at camp this summer you would be learning about what God is doing around you and how YOU can be a part of that.
But, that doesn’t have to change just because we aren’t physically traveling to camp this summer. While there won’t be mission activities, videos, and a mission offering, you can still discover God at work around you and get involved, even if you have to stay home.
Stay-At-Home Ideas
Everyone in our families has been going beyond the call of duty to help us all keep on with things as we have sheltered in place. Keep your eyes open to ways we can say thank you and serve our parents or others in our family.
- Take over someone’s chore for the week. Take the time to explain why you are doing this and let them know you appreciate all that they have done for you.
• Do the dishes
• Take out the trash
• Feed/walk the pet
• Vacuum the house
• Clean your/their room
• Wash the windows
• Make their bed
• Prepare a meal
- Thank your parents or guardians with a special meal that you prepare, serve, and clean up afterward.
- Have people who walk or run by your home? Leave chalk messages of encouragement or Bible verses written or drawn in chalk on your driveway or sidewalk. You may also consider drawing a picture and delivering it in person.
Neighborhood Ideas
- Most churches have members who are “shut-ins” and cannot get out easily to attend church. Some have very limited contact with others. Ask your church office for some contact information for some of them. Write notes, make phone calls, and get to know some of these valued members of your church.
- Find ways to serve your neighbors and those in your neighborhood. (Just be sure to respect social distancing and local regulations in doing so.)
• Free contactless car wash for your neighborhood
• Offer to pressure wash a neighbor’s driveway OR offer to sweep and hose it down if you don’t have a pressure washer.
• Offer to mow a neighbor’s yard for free
• If needed, sew PPE items for your local nursing homes or hospitals
- Carefully pick up trash in your neighborhood. Be sure to wear gloves and a mask.
- Ask your church for the contact information for local agencies and institutions where they church partners. Contact their volunteer coordinator to find out how you can help them this summer. If not in person, you may be able to help in other ways.
- Are you eating out, yet? If yes, then consider tipping your server very well. Chances are they have been out of work for a while. Maybe leave a note to encourage them along with your tip. Note: 15–20% is considered a standard tip. A generous tip would be 25%+.
- Use sidewalk chalk to leave messages of gratitude for your mail or other delivery persons.
- Start a Walk, Chalk, and Pray ministry at your church like Alamance Presbyterian Church. https://youtu.be/sNAC28EEPW4
Beyond Your Neighborhood
Contact a Missionary
CBF Field Personnel
Often our mission offering benefits field personnel from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Many of these field personnel are sheltering in place in their homes many miles away from their families. Go to https://cbf.net/field-personnel to view some of the field personnel and read the information there about each of their ministries. If they are able to be contacted their email will be listed at the bottom of their page. For security reasons, some personnel’s names and contact info cannot be listed. If you would like to contact one of them, email Ellen Secrest at esecrest@cbf.net. She will be able to pass your message along to them. Whomever you contact, let them know you are a Passport camper and that you are reaching out to encourage them and to pray for them. Your church may already partner with particular field personnel and your church office can provide you their names and contact information.
PC (USA) Personnel
If you would like to communicate with Presbyterian Church (USA) missionaries, go to https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/mission-connections/. At the bottom of the page, you can scroll through names of PC (USA) missionaries. Click on a name to view their information. There you will find contact information where you are able to contact them. Whomever you contact, let them know you are a Passport camper and that you are reaching out to encourage them and to pray for them. Your church may already partner with particular missionary and your church office can provide you their names and contact information.
United Methodist (UMCOR)
Information about United Methodist Church missionaries can be found at https://advance.umcmission.org/projects.aspx?PIMPACT=0010#results. Once there, scroll down to view missionaries or to search for missionaries in particular countries. Whomever you contact, let them know you are a Passport camper and that you are reaching out to encourage them and to pray for them. Your church may already partner with particular missionary and your church office can provide you their names and contact information.
Family Mission Night
Choose a missionary and research the customs and foods from that country. Let each family member be responsible for finding information about different aspects of that culture. Gather recipes online and have a family meal of food native to that country while each person shares the information they learned about the field personnel and the country or area where they serve. This could also be done with missionaries and others your church partners with.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship—https://cbf.net/field-personnel
PC(USA)—https://lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=60707&i=618452&p=8
United Methodist—https://advance.umcmission.org/projects.aspx?PIMPACT=0010#results
Mel the Missionary (for children and families)
Choose a missionary. Work to research the person and culture in which they are serving. Print out a gingerbread person cut out and decorate the “Mel the Missionary” cut out to reflect the information you have learned. Place “Mel” somewhere where you can remember to pray for them regularly. Share the things you do through your church, your school, and at home to share the love of Jesus with others when you “chat with Mel.” Share your adventures with Mel with your church, Passport, and others through social media.
(A special thanks to Missy Smith at First Baptist Church, Shelby, NC, for this idea.)
Have additional ideas? Email info@passportcamps.org with your additional ideas to share with us.