Project Barnabas
What's Project Barnabas?
Apostle Barnabas accompanied Paul on his early missionary journeys. Barnabas in Hebrew is, "Son of consolation or son of exhortation, son of comfort."
In choosing to sponsor a young person's life, you are spiritually traveling alongside them as a source of great encouragement. You become their "Barnabas." The young people in Project Barnabas we know first-hand. Their needs have been assessed and they are undergirded through our foundational funds until we partner them with an appropriate Barnabas. Unlike many sponsorship programs, the young people of Project Barnabas are involved in our church growth outreach, gender reconciliation, and leadership programs. Most importantly, they are members of a family and community that needs to remain together rather than forcing them to become an "educational orphan" by having them attend a boarding school far from home.
What does MERCYPARTNERS' "Project Barnabas" provide?
We provide all the essentials to place the young person on the road to success, including food, safe water, schooling, supplies, books, clothing, transportation, guidance support, and services. We act as the liaison between them and you, their Barnabas. Remember, our goal is to prepare them for Heaven, not Harvard, although many will show great academic aptitude and will glorify God through their lives.
Do I get to pick my young person?
If you would like to be a Barnabas, we will pair you with a young person after seeking the Holy Spirit in prayer as we need His guidance in such matters.
What are the responsibilities of a Barnabas?
We ask that you write your young person every three months. The below guidelines provide a greater understanding of the process. Currently, the monthly support level to be a Barnabas is $72.
You may click here to begin your support, and within seven days, we will be in contact to start praying with you. Then, within a week's time, we will have an appropriate match.
When You Write Your Young Person:
Keep it short and simple.
Whatever you write may need a translation. Complex sentences and words won't translate well. And the same goes for cultural sayings. So, taking the pressure off yourself to develop something elaborate, write something simple and short.
Be specific.
If you're responding to a letter, start by picking out something unique your young person mentioned. Maybe it's a chore they told you of or a grandmother they requested prayer for. Whatever it is, ask them more about it. Then, dig a little deeper by focusing on what they tell you about.
Tell them about your life.
Even if you don't feel like you have anything exciting to share, they'll love to hear what your everyday life looks like. It's easy to forget how their world is so different from ours.
Pick a scripture verse; whenever we struggle to come up with something on our own, turning to the Bible is always appropriate. Pick a verse that speaks to you and write a little explanation for it in your letter.
Write out prayers.
Sometimes, asking questions can be hard since there is a time delay between writing and getting a response. So, writing down prayers is lovely as it puts our hopes and dreams for a young person into something tangible.
Take advantage of pictures and art.
By sending or drawing pictures of things our young people haven't seen before, we open their world just as they open ours. Often, our young people communicate with us through visuals. You can speak to them in this same language—one that doesn't have to be translated.
Remember, they will love to hear from you! – Even a few words will make your young person's day. The most important thing to remember is that writing something is always better than writing nothing.
Do's and Don'ts
Do:
Share...
• Photos of yourself and your family.
• Your walk with Christ and your favorite Bible verse.
• Your hobbies, interests, and fun stories.
Ask...
• About their lives and their interests.
• How you can pray for them.
Be Consistent...
• About writing them (we suggest at least once every three months).
• About telling your child you are praying for them/thinking about them.
To Protect The relationship:
What You Should Send
When we host a Mercy Mission in the village of your young person, we will reach out to you and inform you ahead of time as to what is appropriate to send. If material goods are permitted, they will need to be sent to our Humanitarian Aid Building at Bridge Campus U.S.A. (located in Chatham, VA) by an appointed deadline.
For Your Privacy
Do not share personal communication information (this includes your address, email, phone numbers, Facebook, etc. ) or financial information with your sponsor child.
Resist Making Promises
Empty promises, or making promises that you cannot keep, hurts the trust in your relationship with your young person. This includes saying that you will visit "some time" or suggesting that you will adopt them or bring them to the U.S.A.
