Friday, March 29, 2024
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeAll The NewsBe a Missionary Care Giver

Be a Missionary Care Giver

Former Director of Missionary Care Jerry Kidd said, “Our prayer is that we can encourage and strengthen missionaries so they can spread the gospel as effectively as possible, to as many as possible, for as long as possible.”

The BMA’s missionary care initiative was established years ago by Former International Director Jerry Kidd who has a great love for missionaries and their unique needs while on the field. During his time leading missionary care, he organized regional conferences, which involved a great deal of planning and outside support, but these conferences were so beneficial for our missionaries.

Bro. Jerry has always dreamed of a global conference for all our missionaries. That goal will become a reality April 27–30, 2023, as missionaries from around the world plan to come to the States for the BMA National Meeting and Global Care Conference to follow.

Current Missionary Care Director Jonathan Montgomery has a passion for ministering to our missionaries so they can minister to others. He says, “You cannot pump water from a dry well, so our Global Care Conference aims to pour into our missionaries and their families and replenish their spiritual, mental and emotional needs so they can return to their fields with a stronger passion for making disciples and planting churches.”

After the 2016 Asia-Pacific Care Conference, one missionary said the conference came “just at the right time” for him and his family. He explained, “We were physically exhausted, spiritually down and feeling all alone in ministry. The messages were encouraging, the songs were inspiring and the fellowship with the other missionaries was exactly what we needed.”

Studies show that 70% of missionaries leave the field earlier than planned and for reasons that could have been prevented had there been adequate support and care while serving. Burnout is one key reason missionaries leave the field early, but if provided an opportunity to connect with their peers, there is mutual encouragement, immediate connection and beneficial fellowship.

Our goal is to give every BMA missionary the opportunity to attend this global conference by covering the expense for every missionary family through donations, which will ensure that every BMA missionary has an opportunity to attend. Expenses include international airfare, lodging and meals.

Breakdown of expenses: average meals, $150; average lodging, $500; average airfare, $1,250.

Expenses per family: individual, $2,000; couple, $3,500; family of four, $6,000.

Overall estimated cost: $250,000.

If you would like to donate to this ministry, please visit bmamissions.org and click on the Global Care Conference banner to be taken to the donation page; select “Give” from the menu, then choose “Missionary Care Ministry” from the list. Checks can also be mailed to BMA Missions, P.O. Box 878, Conway, Ark. 72033. Please write “missionary care” in the memo line.

Holly Meriweather
Holly Meriweather
Holly Meriweather is the lead writer for the Baptist Missionary Association of America. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org or BMAMissions.org.
RELATED ARTICLES