Looking for ways your church can better support the missionaries you send? Bibles International missionaries Isaiah and Rosanna Peterson share several ways their sending church has upheld them in their missions journey:

Home Away from Home

For years, Urbandale Baptist Church in Des Moines, Iowa, has done everything from helping the Petersons get through support raising to brightening their days on the field. When Isaiah and Rosanna joined BMM in 2013, the church provided them a mission house, one that they also use during furloughs. Church members gave them an extra “welcome home” by fully stocking the cupboards with fresh and nonperishable foods.

Red-Eye Sendoff

With all their support in hand by 2017, the Petersons’ departure for Peru finally arrived. Even though it meant leaving for the airport at 4:00 am, Pastor Nathan Gast drove Isaiah, Rosanna, and their two-year-old daughter, Tirzah, in the church van to give them space for all their luggage. More than a dozen church members accompanied the Petersons to pray with them and send them off to Peru.

Bowtie Sunday

During their support raising, Isaiah often wore a bowtie to church. Tirzah (their firstborn daughter) had very little hair as an infant and toddler, so Rosanna had her wear a bow to church so that no one would mistake her for a boy. When the church family thinks of the Petersons, they think of bows, so they declared the last Sunday of each month as “Bowtie Sunday.” During the Petersons’ first year on the field, all the men wore bowties and ladies and girls wore bows in their hair on that day as a simple but special reminder to pray for the Petersons. During the Petersons’ struggle to learn the language and new culture, they were greatly encouraged to see regular photos of Bowtie Sunday and know they weren’t forgotten.

Church Prayer Letters

Missionaries are expected to send out prayer letters, but Urbandale’s pastor, Nathan Gast, is the only pastor the Petersons know who sends prayer letters to their supported missionaries. About twice a year, Pastor Gast sends either a letter or a video to each of the church’s missionaries, sharing what God is doing at Urbandale Baptist and asking them to pray for VBS and other outreach events. The Petersons love this way of staying up to date with their sending church.

Missions can be hard, but sending churches that find ways to encourage missionaries and ease their load make a big difference. Their creative support gives missionaries a boost, helping them remain on their fields and stay strong in ministry. Learn more great ideas in the fall issue of Advance magazine. (https://www.bmm.org/advance/ar...)