43 Cents

An excerpt from Do You Believe…43 Cents Makes a Missions Impact?
By Kenneth Hopson, Uganda
October–December 2011

I was driving in Kampala, Uganda, when I stopped at a red light (one of six in a city of 3 million people). The usual street vendors came to my window trying to sell me various items, and the normal beggars we often see at that corner also gathered. Some of these beggars have real physical and mental needs while some of them are just professional beggars.

On this particular day, a new beggar came to my window. He said something in Swahili, a language I know but don’t often hear in Kampala. So he was shocked when I responded in his language.

I knew I had a 2,000 shilling bill in my pocket and wanted to give these two beggars each 1,000 shillings, but I feared if I gave the Swahili man the 2,000 shilling bill, he would keep it all and not share with the mute boy. So I asked the Swahili man if I could trust him to share half of a gift with the mute boy if I gave him 2,000 shillings.

While I was having this conversation, the mute boy got very excited and made grunting noises while hopping up and down. I saw that he was holding two coins of 500 shillings each in his open palm. He had understood my question to the Swahili man about sharing and was trying to tell me to take the 1,000 shillings from him, give it to the Swahili man, and then give him the 2,000 shilling bill. I took the two coins and gave them to the Swahili man and gave the 2,000 shilling bill to the mute boy. Problem solved!

Well, you would have thought they both had just won the lottery!

Look at the needs around you and give freely in Jesus’ name so that He will be given glory and so that someone might feel jubilation like the Swahili man and the mute boy. Let’s make a difference in God’s kingdom.

This We Believe

An excerpt from This We Believe
By Hubert Harriman, President
October–December 2011

“What do you believe?”

This is a common question asked of Christian organizations and is generally clarified with a Statement of Faith. By this, we try to identify who we are. My great concern for World Gospel Mission is that our Statement of Faith not be about identification, but about incarnation.

WGM has a longstanding history in the Wesleyan tradition. A vital Statement of Faith we emphasize is “We believe in the present and personal ministry of the Holy Spirit, purifying and enabling Christians to live holy lives,” followed with “We believe God created man in His own image to reflect His glory.” But we all know this is nothing but doctrinal drivel if we can’t live it.

“We believe in the present and personal ministry of the Holy Spirit, purifying and enabling Christians to live holy lives.” The Holy Spirit is called “Holy Spirit,” not to distinguish Him from the Father and Son, for each of the Trinity is holy, but to describe what He does in us. The huge question is “Can God do something in us so we can reflect His glory?” Our declaration is a resounding “Yes, He can!” John wrote that “if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light…the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:6-7 NASB). The doctrine and message of holiness is that, if we walk in the light, with full face toward God instead of self, with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, we can again reflect His glory!

To view WGM's Statement of Faith visit: http://www.wgm.org/page.aspx?pid=226.

Transformed Lives

An excerpt from Do You Believe…In Transformed Lives?
By Stacy Hall, Volunteer
October–December 2011

Buckets of water sat like hats on top of the children’s heads as they made their way uphill to the orphanage cistern. After Bob Heineman witnessed this sight in Haiti in April 2010 and saw the physical strain placed on the children, he thought there must be a better way to transport the water. After returning home, Bob talked to the chief of the Marion, Indiana, Fire Department, who donated a 100-foot fire hose. Bob took the hose to Haiti that October and gave it to the West Indies Self Help Foundation, and it has transformed the way they transport water.

In August 2006, when Bob was 40 years old, God used Bob’s wife to change his path. She told him to choose between his family and his addictions. Bob chose his family. A group of men from the church began an intensive accountability group with him, and he began to make progress. Realizing God desired to change his life, Bob walked away from his successful business and checked into a 130-day Salvation Army program in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he surrendered his life to Christ. His family moved to Marion, Indiana, and began attending Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, where Bob began serving in Haiti through the church.

ACT: Partner with WGM Haiti today!Because of Christ, Bob’s life was transformed and now he is helping transform the lives of others. You, too, can transform lives by partnering with WGM to go on a trip (www.wgm.org/teams) to Haiti or to financially (https://www.wgm.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=6325) or prayerfully (http://www.wgm.org/page.aspx?pid=6516) support missions in Haiti.

God Will Bring Wholeness to Your Weakness

An excerpt from Do You Believe…God Will Bring Wholeness to Your Weakness?
By Kathy Owen and Melanie Miller, Honduras
October–December 2011

Arturo, a dynamic leading businessman in the Honduran city of La Esperanza, managed the largest agriculture, veterinary, and fertilizer store in the city. At least he did before his alcohol addiction affected all of his choices. Fallen from a life of respect and honor, Arturo’s days were now consumed with the lure of alcohol. The office of leadership he once managed became a dirty street corner where he lay in a drunken stupor. The respect he once garnered was exchanged for the scornful stares of passersby as he stumbled from the local tavern or openly abused the mother of his children.

Today, Arturo continues as the director of the Drug and Rehab Center while studying theology. He has dedicated his life to sharing God’s salvation to the lost, especially those being destroyed by alcohol and drugs.

Do you feel held back by your weaknesses? Are God’s purposes of hope and promise dimmed by the brokenness you feel? God is listening for your cry for help. In your moment of humility, God will come to bring the miracle of wholeness to your weakness.

...In Promises

An excerpt from Do You Believe…In Promises?
By Tracy Dubois, Support Staff
October–December 2011

Te veo en la universidad! This promise, meaning see you at the university!, is shared with students at Amor, Fe, y Esperanza (Love, Faith, Hope) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The school, which began in the city garbage dump in 2001, has expanded to four buildings and teaches 130 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In fact, AFE will hold its first graduation on December 10.

“God has made me a better person,” Merlyn shared. “Before AFE, I didn’t go to church and life was hard. I used to be angry and get into trouble. Since being at AFE and going to church, I am more understanding and my view of life is different.”

Congratulations to Yuri, Gaby, Mariela, Rene, Mirna, Mayra, Karla, Griselda, and Merlyn!

A grant of $5,000 will pay for a student’s tuition, books, transportation, food, and housing for one year. Contact elisewhitediaz@gmail.com to help an AFE graduate rise above the odds and bear witness to God’s promises!

In Following His Lead?

An excerpt from Do You Believe…In Following His Lead?
By Carrie Schmit, Honduras
October–December 2011

My husband, Joe, and I are missionary disciples with World Gospel Mission, planning to serve the Lord in Honduras, working with the Manuelito Project. This ministry rescues children from the streets of Tegucigalpa for rehabilitation. As we began our first homeland ministry assignment, we were unsure how this would work for us and the team of ministry partners we had yet to build. I am reminded over and over again that it is not Joe and me who need to come up with this master plan. Our Father already has it and we just need to be willing to follow His lead and do our part in fulfilling it.

The Lord was working His plan right before our eyes and we didn’t even see it...

As we spent more time together, Emily told me that she had been planning to have an orphan walk to help spread awareness and motivate people to really look to God for what their part might be. Her passion is with orphans, but she made it very clear that the need for building God’s kingdom goes beyond the walls of an orphanage or the child without a home. She is a champion of missions. And with her came more champions.

Emily never thought she could be used to impact our “going” in such a way or that she could start the ripples for our community and for His kingdom. We only need to be ready and willing to do our part. We still have a long way to go, but the load is much lighter when it’s shared by our champions.

Join Joe and Carrie’s team of champions by offering a financial gift for their ministry to Honduras. Give online at www.wgm.org/schmit or mail your check to World Gospel Mission, P.O. Box 948, Marion, IN 46952-0948. Be sure to write account #08154–Schmit–CALL on the memo line of your check.