Project SAM (support a missionary)
Project SAM is a fundraiser for a youth group who are preparing for an upcoming missions trip.
The goal of project SAM is to :
-to connect older members of our congregation with our student missions projects
– secure prayer for our students as they prepare
– raise appropriate funds for the trip.
I asked people to sign up (or call the youth leader). We asked them to:
1. Commit to pray for the student as they prepared for the mission project,
2. Pray for the student each day we were on the mission. We handed out prayer cards with our schedule, what exactly that student would be doing that day: puppets, singing, sharing her testimony.
3. We had students send postcards from our mission destination-home to their supporters
4. We had a commissioning service for our students before they went away and asked the supporters to be there. We then asked all the students to stand on the stage and their supporters to stand behind them as we prayed a commissioning prayer (quite a powerful sight with over 60 ppl on stage laying hands on the students).
5. Most imporatant, we made students do a personal visit with their supporter to share pic’s and stories of the trip and how God used them.
6. We asked each supporter to contribute $25 a month for 4 months (or they could just give the $100 all at once).
We had over 30 people sign up which was an easy way to raise $3000.
How did I get people? I targeted certain people and groups.
1. I approached specific empty nesters who had disposable income.
2. I approached the missions groups in our churches,
3. I approached small groups and asked if they would like to work together on this project and sponsor a student.
4. I encouraged some students to ask their grandparents if they would support them.
This was easy to organize, and very effective way to raise funds and build excitement about student missions church-wide!
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