When you are asked to pray for missionaries, do you ever find yourself wondering what to pray? “I don’t even really know these people,” you think. “How can I pray for them? Well, God bless…” There must be a better way – and there is. Here are some practical suggestions to help you as you endeavor to lift our missionaries before the throne.

Pray that God will give them a genuine love for the people. Pray that God will open their eyes to see people as He does, and to love as He loves.

Pray that they will understand the language and be able to communicate effectively.Have you ever studied a foreign language? Most of us took the required classes in high school. But only a few went on to attain fluency, and we often don’t have a cultural reason to speak that language. Learning the ins and outs of a foreign tongue can be difficult, and our missionaries desire to be able to truly communicate with the people they are serving in their own language – particularly the gospel.

Pray that they will understand the culture. Learning a culture is just as challenging as learning a language. Cultures vary greatly around the world. For example, in the US children are expected to look elders in the eye as a sign of respect. But in Thailand, children are taught to look down as a sign of respect. We think nothing of pointing while we speak, but in some parts of the world it is rude to point. Pray that our missionaries will understand the culture in which they serve – the traditions, the way of life – and that they would be able to communicate the gospel in a culturally relevant way.

Pray for the children on the field. Serving with children on the mission field can be exciting and challenging. Pray that the children will grow in their love for God and in their love of the people their family serves. Pray that God will direct the paths of their own lives as they grow. And simply pray in ways that you would pray for your own children. *See “How to Pray for MKs” for more detailed ways to pray!

Pray for the family members left behind. Missionaries are often separated from their extended families. Some of the hardest separations are from elderly parents, college-aged and adult children, and grandchildren. Pray for all family members that are separated from each other.

One of the best tools for prayer is the International Ministries website. At internationalministries.org, you can access recent letters from your missionaries, which will provide you with specific situations and people about which you can pray. You can also find links to send e-mails to your missionaries, to encourage them and let them know you are praying, and to ask if there are specific requests they may have.