Communicating * with Missionaries
General Information
Communicating with Missionaries - Guidelines
1. Be very sensitive to security issues. Never comment on political issues of the country where your missionary serves. Check with your missionary for guidelines.
2. Use and understand the “coded words” the missionary might use in writing from remote, politically sensitive locations. Don’t ask what those “coded words” mean in either letter or email. That should be done in person or relayed by others in the know.
3. Frequent short notes are far better than waiting months to write a long epistle.
4. What do missionaries want to read about? Overseas missionaries want to feel as if they are keeping up with what is going on at home. Stateside missionaries need to know about a Sunday School class or church that is supporting them.
5. Respond to what they have shared recently in a prayer letter or email. They are encouraged knowing that others pay attention to what they write and are interested in what is happening in their lives.
6. Share something about your own spiritual journey – ups or downs.
7. Put your note on a pretty or funny card. Beauty and humor may brighten their day.
8. Remind the missionaries that you are praying for them. Tell them what you are asking God to do. Feel free to share prayer requests with missionary friends so that they might reciprocate by interceding for you.
9. Remember missionaries and their children on birthdays and holidays. (Late is better than never). Plan ahead if long distances involved.
10. Simple enclosures make receiving letters fun. Cartoons, sports info, recipes, newspaper clippings, photos, gift cards, small gifts can brighten up a day. Bulletin (non-sensitive areas)
11. Be sure to include your full name and address. Include church/SundaySchool class affiliation if church/class is supporting that missionary (non-sensitive areas).
12. Write your missionaries even if you don’t know them personally. You may find new friends that you will want to meet the next time they are home.
Some basic DON’Ts
1. Don’t load a letter with gripes about a church or family. Be positive and upbeat.
2. Don’t list question after question. Make your letter informative rather than inquisitive. Keep politics out of the questions. Some missionary’s letters and emails may be monitored to find cause for removal from that country.
3. Don’t send packages overseas without getting instructions from missionary first.
4. Don’t send file attachments or large graphic documents via email without checking first. Some missionaries are charged extra for long downloads. Or use Dial-up or internet cafes.
5. Don’t forward email jokes, funny pictures, devotionals, chain letters, warnings, etc. There is also concern about a virus being forwarded unknowingly.
6. Don’t feel guilty if it’s been a long time since you wrote last. Embarrassment may cause you to postpone the letter longer.
7. Don’t expect an immediate answer. Missionaries must be good stewards of time and finances. They may need to rely on group letters.
8. Don’t stop writing. Many missionaries get a lot of mail at first, but fewer letters as they have been on the field a while.
9. Don’t wait until you have several pages. You might forget to mail.
10. Don’t let children email to sensitive areas without adult supervision. Missionaries don’t need to have their children asked how they like being a MissionaryKid.
07/07
