Prayer Calendar: October 1-5, 2013

The Call magazine offers this mission prayer point for this week:

PRAY for God to call children of all ages to be a part of The Great Commission.

How can your child be praying? How can your child serve in missions by giving? How can you child help by doing? The Oct/Nov/Dec issue of The Call has some ideas on this matter. Stay tuned.

The Deed is the Word

An excerpt from...

The Deed is the Word

By Brad Carter, Spain

July-September 2013

I recently read an article on LifeHacker.com called “How to Translate ‘I Wish I Could’ Into Actual Results.” This helpful article gives inspirational, practical methods and small steps to setting and achieving goals.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, as disciples of Christ, we would set goals and follow through in achieving them? What would happen if each of us prayerfully considered the direction in which God is leading us, made that our goal, and took steps in faith toward its fulfillment?

Sometimes I wonder if we have created a false dichotomy for ourselves: evangelism over here and justice over there. We want to “win souls,” walk someone through the “sinner’s prayer,” and “save people from burning in hell.” While this is a decent sentiment, it gives us the opportunity to set a goal for others and for God—but not for ourselves. 

So which goals are obtainable? Start by setting a goal you can achieve. How about getting to know your neighbor? As someone whose passion is getting to know immigrants, might I suggest investing in the lives of immigrants in your neighborhood? Help them practice their English or show them around town. A great way to get to know someone is to let them be the teacher and you be the learner. This goal will develop into a relationship. That relationship will transform into a friendship. Soon they will see how much you care, and they will want to know why. Your goal, your deed, becomes the evangelism. The deed is the word.

You can’t separate word and deed, evangelism and justice. If you do, you create a chasm that will leave you wishing “I could evangelize” but not doing much about it other than sitting in a pew on Sunday mornings.

Click more to read the LifeHacker.com article to help you set goals. You can do it!

Prayer Calendar: September 22-30, 2013

Your missions prayer calendar item for this week is:

PRAY for the team in Spain as they reach out to immigrants in practical ways.

Learn more about WGM's ministries in Spain at www.wgm.org/spain. 

Beauty from Bruises

An except from:

Beauty from Bruises

By Maribel Pedraza, WGM Partner in Mexico
July-September 2013

“Mrs. Pérez, we’re sorry to say you must return to your home.” Those words resounded in her head like the blows she received while she, as defenseless as a child, was assaulted with furious punches by her husband. 

This wasn’t the first time Pedro had hit Conchita, but it would be the last. Hours later, she would leave her home and this vile mistreatment…in a black body bag. Pedro had stabbed her to death.

It’s been several years since the last time I lifted myself up off the floor with a misshaped face. As a consequence of my decision to stand up for myself, a very painful divorce followed and ended in my losing custody of my small daughters who are now adults.

Almost since the beginning of my conversion in 2004, I received a call to work with abused women. When I was studying to become a missionary, a beloved teacher told me, “From your worst pain, God will form a ministry.” And that is what has happened. I’m now in Pénjamo, Mexico, with my worst pain converted into a labor of faith, working to bring forward this vision born from the heart of God for this abandoned city: Build a refuge for abused women and their children where they will be strengthened in every way—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—and where they may learn to reincorporate themselves effectively in society.

My friend Conchita didn’t survive. I did. I’m alive to tell about it and complete a divine purpose. To God be the glory!

Help this labor of faith grow. Registering this ministry with the Mexican government requires lawyer and registration fees. Assist with this financial need by sending a check to WGM. Check donations should be made payable to World Gospel Mission with account #26560-CALL written in the memo line. 

Send check donations to:

World Gospel Mission
P.O. Box 948
Marion, IN 46952-0948

Prayer Calendar: September 15-21, 2013

Please use this week's missions prayer point from The Call magazine: 

PRAY for that women and children who are trapped in domestic abuse in Mexico will find freedom and healing.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no greater commandment than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV)

Massage Therapy: helpful, healthy, heavenly service

An excerpt from...

Massage Therapy

By Tracy Dubois, Support Staff
July-September 2013

Stress. Trouble sleeping. Back pain. Depression. Headaches.

If you have any of these symptoms, read on to learn how massage therapy could be just what the doctor, and God, ordered.

Cheryl Nesselroade, daughter of World Gospel Mission retirees Dick and Barbara Barker (Japan) and ministry partner ofLaura Lea Sims (American Indian Field), is a massage therapist at Massage on Main in Wilmore, Kentucky. 

“Massage allows me to share Christ’s love in such a tangible way—through touch,” Cheryl began. “Public speaking is not my strong suit, so this profession is perfect for me. There are many people who are suffering and living through tremendous pain, and by showing concern and letting God work through me to bring someone relief, I believe that is sharing God’s love.”

Cheryl sometimes prays silently over her clients, asking God to bless and keep them in whatever circumstances they are going through. 

“Massage therapy has the unique ability to positively impact not only the physical, but the emotional and mental,” one of Cheryl’s regular clients explained. “As the body is worked, pain is relieved and tension is calmed. The negative emotions associated with the pain are replaced with positive ones. The therapist acts as a facilitator to focus awareness on the issues which are being addressed.”

Cheryl added: “Our bodies are agents and ambassadors for God. He commands us to ‘love one another as we love ourselves.’ We must take care of our body and soul in order to be fully available to care for others.”

While massage has many physical benefits—increased work productivity, fewer trips to the doctor, decreased pain, delayed surgeries, and general increased wellbeing—Cheryl believes these effects are spiritual as well. “I love to offer a service that is helpful, healthy, and heavenly.”

Does someone you know need a healing touch? Send them a gift certificate for a massage along with an encouraging note from you.

Works of Faith

By Shannon Hawk, Support Staff
July-September 2013

On November 7, 2012, World Gospel Mission support staff at headquarters in Marion, Indiana, had the opportunity and privilege to work out our faith alongside one of our partner churches in Nappanee, Indiana, and be part of a Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event. Nappanee Missionary Church devotes an entire week each November to expertly hosting this event. This time, over 8,000 people volunteered from their community, including both young and old and many who do not attend church. 

The work began with our group donning food service hairnets and filing into the sanctuary for a quick introduction and orientation. Feed My Starving Children staff gave us a brief but thorough training and split us into groups of different responsibilities. The day was split up into several two-hour shifts that consisted of approximately 400 volunteers broken down into 20 individual packing cells. In assembly-line fashion, our WGM cell packed meals through our first two-hour shift, ate lunch, powered through our second two-hour shift, said our goodbyes, and loaded up to head back home. We were tired, but we had a new excitement and enthusiasm from the work we had accomplished together.

What can 21 people do in a short amount of time with a specific purpose and a little organization? WGM’s cell packed 11,448 meals in those four hours, but even more impressive is that out of those two two-hour shifts with approximately 800 volunteers, 190,000 meals were packed. When the week-long Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event at Nappanee Missionary Church was finished, 2,107,296 meals were packed and loaded into trucks, ready to ship to Feed My Starving Children partners worldwide.

In November 2013, our goal is to take 60 new people from our local community to the MobilePack event at Nappanee Missionary Church so they can then go back to their circles of influence and recruit more people, and the following year we can exponentially grow the number of volunteers that we take with us.

Though numbers are impressive, success is not measured in numbers. Success is measured by the obedience and faithfulness of our hearts to our Lord and Savior and embodied in our “works” of faith.

For more information on Feed My Starving Children MobilePack events, visit www.fmsc.org/mobilepack/about. If you would like to join WGM in November 2013, contact Shannon Hawk atwgm@wgm.org.

Prayer Calendar: September 8-14, 2013

The Call's mission prayer point this week is:

PRAISE God for men, women, and children who “work out their faith” by serving others.

Read this entire issue at www.wgm.org/call. 

Compassion from Dark Places

An excerpt from...

Compassion from Dark Places

By Debbie Cartwright, American Indian Field
July-September 2013

Daniel* wiped away a tear. “I know we can’t really afford to keep feeding them, but how can I watch the kids look for food in the garbage because they’re so hungry and not do something about it?”

Christi nodded. “We just feel like we show Jesus’ love to them when we feed them.”

“You guys have anything you want to add to a food box?” Matthew asked us. “I know I just took one to Mary, but the kids are hungry again and there’s nothing for them.”

Julie added, “It isn’t the kids’ fault their parents are addicts. They shouldn’t have to suffer.”

It’s a constant burden that our Native friends bear. Their compassion is deep because so many have been in those same dark places. Daniel and Christi have seen the destruction of addictions in their own family and among the people of the little church they pastor. Matthew and Julie—recovered meth addicts themselves, delivered by the grace of Jesus—vividly remember seeing the hurt of neglect in the eyes of their own children. They cannot undo the damage of their past, but they try to help now by ministering in a tangible way to the children of addicted parents.

Every week we see Native people being Jesus to children who need more than just a Bible story. Their compassion inspires us to be more like Jesus.

*The names in this story have been changed.

Hungry kids live in many neighborhoods in America. This week, ask Jesus to open your eyes to the hungry kids in your community. Then get your grocery bag ready, because it is time to pay them a visit with the gifts of Jesus’ love and food.