What can I do to be a KOM in my community?

Dear Adler,
It is important to remember that to be a Kid On Mission is to live your life as Jesus Christ lived His. Going to church will help you learn about Jesus and how He wants you to live your life. Tell your friends about your faith in Christ, and get involved with your church's neighborhood ministry activities. Be sure to love everyone around you—because God loves everyone! This is why missions are so important! Just like the Bible says in John 3:16… "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission

How can I help the missions?

Dear Kipp,
Thank you for wanting to continue to help missions—sharing Jesus' love with people all over the world! As a Kid On Mission, you can always PRAY for missionaries and for the people who need to hear about Jesus. You can pray right now! To get new ideas about what to pray (sometimes called “prayer requests”), visit the International Mission Board Web site at http://imb.org. You can still GIVE your allowance or other money to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®. Every penny of that offering goes to help missionaries share the good news of God’s love in other countries! And you can GO tell your friends about Jesus right now, too!
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission

How do missionaries in "restricted" countries tell people about Jesus when they are not allowed?

Dear Meagan,
As we know, every heart with Christ is a missionary, and every heart without Christ is a "mission field." In some countries, believers are not allowed to openly share their faith in Jesus Christ with others. But the love of Jesus can show through our actions and words every day. Then, if someone asks believers what is special in their lives, they can share the love of Jesus. Your prayers help create new opportunities for people in "restricted" countries to hear how much God loves them! So keep praying!
Sincerely,
Mr. Christopher

I know that there are a lot of missionaries all over the world. But what about here in the U.S.?

Dear Cecelie,
The Southern Baptist Convention has an organization called, North American Mission Board. You can read more about them through their Web site: http://www.namb.net Just like the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board appoints hundreds of missionaries every year to serve God in the United States and Canada. If you would like to write to one of these missionaries, try sending an e-mail through the Web site and request a list of missionaries to which you can write. Or you can call or write to them at this address:

North American Mission Board, SBC
4200 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, Georgia 30022-4176
Phone: (770) 410-6000

Yours truly,
Mr. Christopher

How many refugee camps are in the world?

Dear Lindsay,
Well, Lindsay, I am sad to say that there are too many! Just one camp is too many. You see refugee camps are filled with people who have nowhere else to go. And they are found in many countries throughout the world. Refugees have had to flee from their homes so that they would not be killed! Most of them run because the governments or people in their native country mistreat them because of their religious beliefs. Others escape because natural disasters have destroyed their homes. Whenever you hear about refugees ... stop whatever you are doing and pray. Pray that God would send to them people who can bring the love and care that only Jesus provides.
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission

I have a friend who doesn't go to church. I would really like to help her become a more faithful Christian. Maybe you could help me?

Dear Mary,
One of the best things you can do is pray for your friend. Ask God to open your friend's heart, so she will want to seek the Lord's direction in her life. Or you can invite your friend to go to church with you next Sunday! If you can't do that, maybe you can just tell your friend about what you learn each week at church. God can use you to minister to your friend, and maybe she will hear the Lord speaking to her, through you, by sharing your experiences at church.
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission

I am an MK in Costa Rica. Could you tell me about other missionaries in other countries?

Dear Matthew,
Wow! Isn't it wonderful to see how God is working through you and your parents as missionaries? And, isn't it exciting to know that we can connect from all over the world ... like from Costa Rica to the USA ... via the Internet! Since you CAN connect to the Web, why don't you log onto the International Mission Board's Web site to find out where God's missionaries are serving. Check out theCOMMISSION magazine's Web site at http://www.tconline.org for the latest stories on how God is moving in our world. Of course you can always return to the Kids On Mission Web site at http://www.kidsonmission.org. Or you can also call the International Mission Board's Resource Center at 1-800-999-3113 where you can request information on missionaries who serve all over the world. Thanks for your e-mail, Matthew.

IMB Missionary Web site: http://www.imb.org/main/go/default.asp
theCOMMISSION Magazine: http://www.tconline.org

Your friend in Christ,
Mr. Christopher

What is prayerwalking?

Dear Sarah,
Prayer is essential in the effort of international missions. Your missionaries need your prayers more than ever. Prayerwalking is an interesting strategy whereby you can choose to pray around a certain area of your community or around areas of your community with large concentrations of lost people. In missions, prayerwalking is used in order to "bathe" a certain people group or community in prayer. Missionaries and volunteers will go to an area and voice hours and hours of prayer in order to prepare the area for ministry. Or, they also pray through specific issues in an area. They walk and pray, silently in their hearts.

If you want to see a video on prayerwalking, have a parent help you order Kids On Mission Volume #5. There is a great episode that focuses on prayerwalking for the Wolof people in New York.

If you want to know what to pray for, go here: http://www.imb.org/CompassionNet/. It will tell you about many of the prayer needs of our missionaries.

Your Bible Buddy and friend,
Surfer Bob

How many Christians are there in Kazakhstan?

Hey there Kids on Mission Amigo!
According to my information, Kazakhstan is estimated to be 24.66 percent Christian. With a population of more than 16 million people, that comes out to somewhere around 4 million Christians. This statistic is misleading though. The Russian Orthodox Church makes up a lot of that percentage. Many of the people in this church don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The predominant religion in Kazakhstan is Islam. After Kazakhstan broke away from the atheistic USSR in 1991, its leaders have been steadily working to return the country to its Islamic roots. This is a MAJOR prayer concern for the people of Kazakhstan. Make sure that you continue to pray for Southern Baptist personnel who minister in Kazakhstan. And, make sure that you continue to give your tithe through the Cooperative Program and your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®. Missionaries rely on those offerings in order to continue their ministries.
Your Bible Buddy and friend,
Surfer Bob

Can you give me any information on the continent of Africa?

Hey there Kids on Mission Amigo!
Well, Blair we have lots and lots of information on the continent of Africa. Actually, most of our material is divided up by people group, country or region. North Africa is vastly different from Southern, Eastern and West Africa. For one thing, Islam is the dominant religion across North Africa. There is a really good video that we did related to the entire continent of Africa. It is called, "Africa: Behind the Wall." There is a kid's version on this same topic called, "Pray 'Round Africa, Yes!" Make sure that you visit our "Online Catalog" at the resource section of the International Mission Board's Web site at: http://www.imb.org.

Africa is a HUGE continent with very different people, cultures and religions. There are so many problems on the continent from race problems in Zimbabwe, to the devastating AIDS epidemic across Sub-Saharan Africa, and militant Islam in North Africa. Please continue to pray for the continent. And, make sure that you support our missionaries that serve there by giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® and continue to give your tithe through your local church which helps to support the Cooperative Program.
Your Bible Buddy and friend,
Surfer Bob

How can you become a missionary?

Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your question. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus instructs His disciples to go and tell all people about Him. In Acts 1:8, Jesus says His disciples should tell about Him in a lot of different places, including at home. So you can be a witness right where you are by telling your friends about Jesus’ love for them! As you grow, God might ask you to tell people about Jesus in another city or even another country. The International Mission Board helps older students and adults find their place as missionaries in countries outside the United States.
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission

Do missionaries that go to different countries go to school to become missionaries?

Dear Evan,
Yes! Many missionaries first go to a special school called "seminary" to learn more about the Bible and how to teach the Bible to other people. Southern Baptist missionaries go to the International Learning Center in Rockville, Va., to learn more about the cultures and people of the country where they’ll serve. Once they get to their new country, some missionaries will also go to school to learn the language of the country or of a specific people group. Learn more at http://www.imb.org.
Yours truly,
Mr. Christopher

I would like to pray for and write to an MK. I’m a 9-year-old girl, or you can say GA, and would like to write to a 9-year-old girl. Thank you for your help.

Dear Megan,
It's easy to find an MK your age to write. Just send an e-mail to the IMB Contact Center with your request or call them at (800) 999-3113. They'll gladly hook you up with an MK your age! You may even be able to send them e-mail and visit their family's Web site.
Yours truly,
Kids On Mission