Mission of Healing 2021: Be Active and Get Moving during the Month of June

June is all about being ACTIVE! The 2021 Mission of Healing online theme for June is My Active Body is a Healthy Body.

Moms having a big of fun after leading remote-learning gym class for their kids

For many years as part of our annual Mission of Healing in El Salvador, we have included one or more mini-workshops featuring stretching, simple strengthening exercise, yoga, or chair yoga.  We usually have a member of our team who is especially good at encouraging older men and women (who are often a little shy) to practice movements which help with balance and mobility and can help decrease arthritis pain. 

Nola is one of our experienced teachers, and she made a couple of simple exercise videos to share this year.  We invited families to submit photos or videos of themselves doing physical activities, thinking we could also use those to encourage people to get moving. 

We took the photos and videos we received and created a fun mash-up movie with a little bit of instruction from Nola and a little bit of walking, dancing, power-lifting, climbing, and even shoveling snow - all featuring families and friends from a group of sister churches. 

Our prayer card for this month takes us into scripture.  We can find all sorts of dancing, clapping, reaching, and moving prayers in the Bible.  As we move about this month, working and playing and exercising, we are putting our prayers in motion.

We created a little coloring book with questions for families, inviting them to talk about what kinds of activities they like to do with friends, or alone, or as families.  With so many children doing online studies, and with so many families closing themselves in their homes due to the pandemic or threats of danger in their neighborhoods, it's really important for kids and grown-ups to find ways to stay fit, release energy, and keep moving.

The small group lesson plan for the month asks participants to analyze their daily routine to really see how active they are or are not.  How much time walking to the bus and how far? How much time sitting on the bus, sitting in meetings, sitting at work? Can church meetings include a little time for stretching or moving about?  Do grandparents remember games from their youth and can they teach the young ones? Can you turn your day into a dance party?

Let's go!