Combining Ministry & Creativity: Blessing our Missionaries with Handmade Cards

I love to create.  No matter how many times I've tried to ignore it, there's a drive within me to just make something.  Anything.  

And I believe all of us, and while some perhaps not so obvious, all have a creative side.  God, who made us in His image, is the Creator.  He is not only the author of holiness, love, etc., He is the very definition of creativity.  When I delve into a science book, I am always blown away at all of the details and the variety in creation! 

So what does that have to do with this post?  

Well, many women love crafting and creating things, especially when they can do it together.  It's great for fellowship, as well as learning new skills!

Well, a year and a half ago, a woman in our church had an amazingly brilliant idea.  Why not take this love for crafting, and use it as a ministry?  Our church supports missionaries on every continent, some in very remote places...why not combine our creative abilities and do something for them?

I know I have struggled with what we could do for our missionaries to show that we love them and haven't forgotten about them.  Yes, we send them money every month to help support them, but beyond that, we weren't really doing anything personal on a regular basis.

And thus, our "Ladies' Card Ministry" was born.

  

The dear lady who began it was an avid papercrafter and she had oodles of supplies.  It really was unbelievable!   Each month she would prepare several new cards to make, and teach us the new skills involved.  

During our monthly card making meeting (say that 3 times fast!), we each make at least 3 cards apiece.  One to write a note of encouragement to the missionary wives, and two (or more) for her to be able to keep and give. (We do a different missionary each month.  As our group of ladies grows, hopefully we can do more so the missionary wives get cards more often!)

{Some of the sweet ladies that come to make cards for the missionaries}

We've all come a looong way in our card making abilities since the beginning...now we're much faster and can make better quality cards.  Most of the ladies now have started their own personal stockpile of card making supplies, so at our monthly meetings we all bring our stuff and share. 
  
A lot of times we just all do our own thing, more of a "freestyle" approach and there's a lot of variety.  But last week when we met, one lady taught us how to make five different types of cards, four of which are pictured below. I enjoyed seeing how everyone made their cards just a little bit different, adding their own personal touch!

Making cards for missionary wives is such a small thing to do in the grand scheme of things, but from what we've heard, they really enjoy it.  I mean seriously, if you were living in the desert somewhere, wouldn't this be a welcome sight?!  I absolutely LOVE mail (you know, that's not bills!) so to me it's a very happy thought. =)

It's tough being a pastor's wife, so I can't imagine what it's like being a missionary pastor's wife in a foreign country, learning a new language and culture, etc.  And if these little pieces of paper can encourage her heart and let her know we love her, then we'll keep creating and sending. =)

I hope that perhaps through reading this you'll get an idea of what you can do for missionaries you know personally or that your church supports.  Yes, crafting is fun, but it's even more fun when we can use the creativity God has given to us to be a blessing!