Welcome Home to Our Missionaries

By Angela Rice, Short-term Missions Coordinator, BMA of America Missions

We love to welcome our missionaries home! It is so good for them to be able to come to the States for a break after being out of the country for a while. BMA Missions is blessed to have the two properties next to our office in Conway as homes we are able to offer to missionaries while they are here on furlough. These houses are sometimes the home base for missionaries for several months as they are in the States. Both houses have been beautifully remodeled.

As I walked through our newest house to prepare it for visitors, I realized that the beds/bedding had not been updated… in 20 years! The beds came to us from the Missions Cottages in Little Rock. Barbara Speer was with me as I talked about wanting to raise funds to update the rooms, so they feel more like home.

Mrs. Barbara went home and raised money to redo one of the bedrooms in the missions house and possibly hang some pictures in the bathroom. First Baptist Church in Carthage, Texas was the first church to help with the update. Last week, Barbara Speer and Carol Cain came to Conway on a mission to shop and decorate. They were able to totally redo one of the bedrooms, adding a king-size bed and chest of drawers. They also had funds to purchase bedding and pictures for each room.

There were some other individuals and churches who saw my post online and wanted to help with our update — Lisa Rust from Immanuel Baptist Church in Greenbrier, Hattieville Baptist Church in Hattieville and Grandview Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo. We are so thankful for these people who love our missionaries. Home is important, and we want our houses to feel like home to everyone who stays with us.

If you are interested in helping, please let me know. Here is a list of the things we need to complete the updates for both houses:

• Beds in three more rooms in the two houses (a mattress and headboard are $700 each x 3 = $2,100),

• A large rug for the living room ($300),

• Chest of Drawers for two rooms ($200 each x 2 = $400),

• New pillows for all beds ($100 x 4 rooms = $400),

• Pillows and blankets for couches ($100),

• A Full-length mirror for each room ($20 x 3 rooms = $60),

• New living room furniture ($2,000),

• Additional bedding ($100),

• TV stand ($300),

• Desk ($300),

• Dining room table décor ($50), and

• Furnish a sitting area on the front porch (cost unknown at this time).

Any amount given above these needs will be in an account for the Missions Houses for future use for our missionary homes and needs that may come up.

If you would like to give to help make these houses feel like “home” for our missionaries, please send your check to BMA Missions/Missionary Care with “Missionary House” in the memo line, P.O. Box 878, Conway, Ark. 72033.

If you have questions, contact me at (214) 498-3041 or angela@bmaam.com.