Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Unplanned Crisis

Unplanned Crisis Relief


Don Moon, Missionary, Argentina
October-December 2015

Don and Glenda Moon serve at a missionary training center, where they equip Latin American missionaries to serve cross culturally.What do you do when extensive flooding occurs close to home? When floods struck major portions of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, a few years ago, we were able to respond almost immediately because of the President’s Crisis Relief Fund provided through WGM. Our ministry is in training and mobilizing Latin Americans as cross-cultural missionaries, but we could not stand by and just hope that those affected by the flooding would somehow receive the help they needed.

Through a series of contacts, we found a trusted ministry leader who lived and worked in the affected area. He helped us understand that the immediate needs of clean water and shelter were largely being taken care of by the government and other groups.

We found out that the unserved need was one that would happen a couple of weeks later when all the children from the affected families began to make their way back to school. Because of the flooding, all of the children’s school supplies and books were ruined and would need to be replaced in order for the children to restart classes. (In Argentina, as well as many other countries, children must provide their own school supplies or they cannot attend classes.) Many families who lived in the affected areas had few resources, and the expense of buying new school supplies was impossible along with all the other expenses they had with rebuilding their homes and lives.

Our partner and his ministry team contacted the local school and interviewed the teachers to find out which children were most likely to need supplies. Supplies were bought in bulk and were divided into packages that were then delivered directly to the families. The local church became the distribution center, with people of the church working to package the supplies. Local people heard what was happening and stopped by to volunteer.

The community impact was far reaching. In the process, WGM partnered directly with two Argentine ministries and indirectly with two more Argentine ministries that supplied contacts and information. In the end, approximately 1,000 school supply kits were placed directly in the hands of children who needed them most. Parents were extremely thankful and appreciated the quality of the materials they were given, since they could have never afforded them on their own. Gospel material was included in each kit as well as a letter that told how the kits were provided and the location of a nearby church. To God be the glory for a job well done!

Give to WGM's President's Crisis Relief Fund.
GIVE: The President’s Crisis Relief Fund is available to help with the next crisis because of financial partners like you. Your gift can replenish the fund so that WGM can act at a moment’s notice. Give now at www.wgm.org/crisisrelief.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Prayer Calendar: December 27-31, 2015




Your partnership matters. Thank you.

Praise God for ministry partners who help WGM respond to natural disasters.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

He Will Faithfully Guide

He Will Faithfully Guide


Lisette Lewis, Missionary, Uganda
October-December 2015

Lisette Lewis, missionary to UgandaWhen I graduated from high school, one of my last writing assignments was to predict where I would be and what my life would be like in 15 years. I have vague memories of writing about teaching in some interesting city. Even back then, I wasn’t entirely sure where I would end up. Still, if you had told me that almost 15 years later, I would be traveling around the U.S. and talking to people (public speaking!) about community development in Uganda, I would have never believed you. Even if you had told me two years ago, I would not have believed you.

In 2006, God called me to teach missionary kids for two years at Tenwek Hospital. I was surprised, but I happily left the American public education system. I quickly fell in love with Kenya, MKs, and the Tenwek community. When God called me back to Tenwek in 2013, I thought it was a long-term call.

I headed back to Kenya, preparing to be a part of that community for many years. I had a wonderful school year with many of the same kids I had taught before, but once again, my path curved unexpectedly. The very last day of classes, I got the call I had been dreading: my request for a work permit had been denied. I would not be able to stay at Tenwek.

I returned to the U.S., perplexed and brokenhearted. I had been so sure that God would provide the work permit. I looked at other MK schools in Africa, but one by one, God closed those doors. Even my fallback option in the U.S. was not available.

But one door flew wide open: Community Health Empowerment in Uganda. Once again, God changed the course I had expected my life to take, but I am so grateful for His clear leading that I serve a God who is bigger than any of my ideas or plans.

As I (once again) make my way through this unknown territory, I am thankful for a God who loves abundantly and guides faithfully. I am (slowly) learning that as long as I am walking in obedience, I am exactly where God calls me to be.

Make an impact on your knees.
PRAY: When God’s plans for us change, it is often hard to understand. Many who have experienced this would relate to Lisette’s feelings of being perplexed and heartbroken. Will you commit to praying this month for a missionary facing a change in ministry assignment or someone in your life whom God is redirecting? They need your prayer support now more than ever.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Prayer Calendar: December 20-26, 2015




In life, sometimes God calls us to be still and other times He asks us to change direction for His kingdom sake. 

Pray for Lisette Lewis who is following God’s leading and embarking on a new ministry opportunity. 

Friday, December 18, 2015

Pray...

Pray…Then Just Stand Back and Behold What God Can Do


Linda Rogers, Team Leader
October-December 2015

Linda Rogers's work team to McAllen, Texas.It began in the winter of 2013 with a sign-up sheet for those interested in being on a work team to McAllen, Texas. But God began preparing hearts long before. The story of what He accomplished using our willing hands is nothing short of amazing. We watched what originally seemed an impossible task (to earn monies for 12 work team members) become “little is much if God is in it” as funds began to increase.
Providing all the needed funds was reason enough to praise God for His faithfulness, but other stories unfolded that can only be described as His amazing grace.

One of the signatures on the original sign-up sheet was a man who was fairly new to the church. His wife, under conviction, had gone to the altar one service after “putting out a fleece.” She basically said to God, that if a certain song is ever sung in that church, she will know she needed to go to the altar. It didn’t take long. One evening, the youth held a service with a special guest singer. You guessed it: that song was part of his program, and she was obedient.

Still her husband hadn’t gone to the altar as yet. As the preparation for the team began, God began working on his heart.

Originally, only the man had signed up for the team, but we kept praying about his wife. She really wanted to go but was unable to take the time off from work without pay. Then her place of employment offered her a new position that opened the door for her to go as well.

While on the mission field, we worked very hard. There seemed so much that we could put our hand to and so little time to do it. On the third day of the trip, the gentleman of our story received a telephone call that his father had suffered a major heart attack. We knew it was a struggle, but even though we offered to fly him back home immediately, he unselfishly decided to stay with the team, knowing he was needed. A few days later, he received a call that his father wasn’t expected to make it through the night. By this time, we were nearing our departure. Incredibly, he was able to speak to his father by phone. His family told him that his father was weakening by the minute and he most certainly would pass away before we could get back. We continued to pray and so did our church family at home and the missionaries in McAllen. Upon landing in Columbus, Ohio, this man and his wife drove to the hospital and were able to see his father. We praised the Lord and let our missionaries in McAllen know how God had worked. A full month after we returned from our missions trip, the man’s father recovered enough to go home!

Many of us from our work team from a small church in central Ohio have stories about the goodness of God. These experiences give us a deeper appreciation for the missionaries’ day-to-day lives. They not only deserve our admiration, but also our earnest prayers. After all, we know what prayer can do!

Do you want to go on a WGM team?GO: Is God asking you to serve on a short-term team? Take time to pray over your concerns and then step out in faith. Join a team at www.wgm.org/teams.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

No Regrets

No Regrets


Jeff and Christine Stanfield, Missionaries, Uganda
October-December 2015

Ugandan marketHave the winds of change been rustling your way lately? Could God really be calling you out of a 25-year career path into something new? Does that change feel uncomfortable? Jeff and Christine Stanfield have been there.

When we arrived at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya 25 years ago, we were committed to serving there as long as God allowed. We grew to love the people and the ministry. We were glad to raise our children there. Our sense of belonging and depth in relationships increased. We loved living in rural Kenya.

Then, a few years ago, God let us know He was stirring the winds of change. Jeff was already “working himself out of a job” at Tenwek Hospital. He trained two Kenyan men to manage the IT department. Many Kenyan nurses had joined the staff at Tenwek School of Nursing, making it possible for Christine to reduce her involvement. Plans were in place to prepare Kenyans to take the lead in administration and teaching.

We maintained a listening posture and actively prepared for change. We read books, visited various ministries in East Africa, continued to pray, and did in-depth Bible study. In the fall of 2010, God directed us to Genesis 11:1, where He told Abraham to leave his father’s place, his people, and his country and go to a land God would show him. As we prayed that Scripture, it was clear to us that God was leading us to leave Kenya and go to a place He would show us. In December, God revealed He was leading us to participate in His work with World Gospel Mission in Uganda.

Throughout the process of transition from the country of service we loved so dearly into the land God showed us, God spoke to us through His Word, through experiences, and through the wise counsel of others. Over the two-year process of leaving Kenya, we knew for sure God was leading us to Uganda. Our excitement in following Jesus grew.

We moved to Uganda in 2012. We experienced God’s affirmation many times. Even though it was not easy starting over, we knew for sure we were there at God’s leading. He continues to bring a peace that passes all understanding. He is revealing more of Himself as we learn to live out the gospel of Christ in a new place. We enjoy participating in transformational ministry, empowering people of Africa to connect to Jesus and allow Him to transform lives, families, and communities. Our joy has multiplied and we have no regrets.

Read Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby.
MORE: The study resource used by the Lord in the lives of the Stanfields during this time of transition was Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. “It helped us stay focused on hearing the voice of God amidst all the other voice-options,” Christine shared.

Connect with the Stanfields.ACT: Take time to learn more about the Stanfields’ ministry journey on their blog at http://stanfieldblog.blogspot.com.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Prayer Calendar: December 13-19, 2015


PRAY for someone in your life who has responded to God’s call to take a step of faith.

God know just what they need for the next steps of their faith journey. You may have several names that come to mind with this request and that's great. Take as much time as you need to pray for those in your sphere of influence.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

It's Not about Me

It’s Not about Me


Lessons from a Ministry Team
Susan Knapp, Volunteer, with Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
October-December 2015

Papua New Guinean woman and child.It took our medical team four days of solid traveling to get to the clinic in Papua New Guinea where we were volunteering. We were so excited to serve! But once we got there, the clinic staff didn’t seem very welcoming and we found ourselves with nothing to do.

That’s a hard blow to face after long plane rides, long layovers, months of planning and fundraising, and being away from family. After a day of just basically standing around and not doing much, I’ll admit it: I was angry.
I went to bed that night thinking to myself, “What will I tell everyone who helped me get here?” I prayed and told God that this was not what I had signed up for. (I know, it’s never a good idea to give God a talking-to!) I knew God had cleared the way for me to come; I knew I was supposed to be there. But in that moment, I felt cheated and I needed to clearly hear from Him.

The next morning, the first thing that came to mind was to open the Bible and read. My Bible fell to Ecclesiastes: “Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless.” Basically, Solomon is saying that you can have everything in the world—all the work, all the power, all the importance—but unless you’re following God and doing what He has called you to do, everything is meaningless. And it hit me: even though I hadn’t done much in the clinic the day before, God was working.

And then, before I knew it, that week at the clinic ended up being a great week. We became friends with the clinicians, and the barriers started to come down. Our group did some teaching on Thursday, and I taught about infant resuscitation and infant assessment. Several staff shared that they really appreciated this information, which they had not gotten much training in before. This feedback seemed to be confirmation that I was supposed to be there.

I learned that my job is to be a servant, and servants do what they are told to do. We are called to do what God would have us to do, even if we don’t understand it. It solidified my purpose here on this earth. I don’t know all that my role was or what difference it made or didn’t make, but I learned a very big lesson that has stayed with me. It’s not about me, my expectations, or the money the trip cost; it’s about listening, trusting, and then doing what God has called me to do.

Do you want to go on a medical team?GO: Short-term medical teams, work teams, and prayer teams are available year round. Is God calling you to serve outside your comfort zone? Learn how you can go at www.wgm.org/teams.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Prayer Calendar: December 6-12, 2015



Short-term medical teams, work teams, and prayer teams are available year round through World Gospel Mission. Partner with WGM by praying for those who are currently serving in this capacity.

ASK God to give work team participants grace and strength as they serve cross-culturally.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Directing Our Paths

Directing Our Paths


Sharon Garrett, Ministry Partner, with Kacey Ginn, Volunteer
October-December 2015

Missionary Maintenance Services Aviation repairs aircraft and trains mechanics for missionary organizations.If my husband, Mike, and I have learned anything from our ministries in four different countries, it’s to be content where we are. God has taken us on a lot of detours.

We first went into an aviation ministry with WGM in 1994: Wings of Peace in Bolivia. Mike is a licensed Air Frame and Power Plant (A&P) mechanic, so he helped maintain the fleet of planes. I was a substitute teacher for preschool and taught home economics for a semester at Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. But one year later, God closed that door. We resigned from WGM, but stayed involved in missions with our home church in Ohio.

In 2010, Mike and I felt the Lord calling us to be active in missionary work again, so we joined Christian Services International. We spent two months overseeing a medical clinic in Haiti and then traveled around the U.S., encouraging churches to organize work teams. However, due to a necessary downsizing within that organization, that ministry ended as well. Once again, God directed us to WGM.

We agreed to serve in Choluteca, Honduras, in what we thought was going to be a vocational teaching ministry. This time, God didn’t change the location, but the plan: we found there was a huge interest in learning English. We wound up teaching two different English classes. I’m still amazed how God used those classes to build precious relationships between us and our students.

In 2014, my mom was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Recognizing the need for me to be with my mom during her chemotherapy treatments, WGM asked if we would be interested in working at Missionary Maintenance Services in Coshocton, Ohio, which is near my mom. MMS is the facility where Mike received his training for his A&P license. Now he trains apprentices in airplane mechanics in this place where he first learned those skills. And now that my mom has made a full recovery, I’m looking for ways to plug into the ministry here as well.

When we originally started with Wings of Peace, we thought that was where we were going to be career missionaries. When we went to Choluteca, again, we thought that was where we would be until retirement. Now, we know that the Lord will be faithful to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:6)—it’s just not always the direction we think He’s going to take us.

Learn more about MMS Aviation.
MORE: Learn more about MMS Aviation or invite a representative to share about the ministry with your church or small group at www.mmsaviation.org. The facility is also always interviewing for new apprentices.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Luis's House

Luis’s House


Ben Kempf, Volunteer
October-December 2015

Luis’s family was able to move into their new home last year, thanks to teams of students from Ohio State University.Luis had dreamed of providing a good home for his wife and three kids in Choluteca, Honduras. In a city where many of its 150,000 residents live without privacy, adequate shelter, or protection from unwanted visitors, it seemed too good to be true when Luis was finally given the chance to own a well-made home.

Known as the Honduras Sustainable Housing Project, The Ohio State University students from various disciplines had been working with Luis and missionaries Larry and Angie Overholt to create his dream home. This two-bedroom house would act as a model in creating additional homes in the community, providing residents with affordable housing and amenities such as a stove and a functioning sanitation system.

Students from OSU had been figuring out costs and designs. World Gospel Mission had been raising funds for construction. A local Choluteca credit union had even agreed to provide Luis with a loan for some of the costs. Things were falling into place for the dream house, and construction was scheduled to begin in May 2015.

But on the morning of March 12, 2015, while riding his motorcycle to work, Luis was struck by another vehicle. He died from his injuries on the way to the hospital.

As missionaries in Honduras since 1982, Larry and Angie have seen communities affected by common everyday difficulties and also by unexpected ones like the death of Luis. Through church planting, community development, teaching, and leading children’s programs, their work within Choluteca brought them close to those affected by this tragedy.
Through programs such as the Honduras Sustainable Housing Project, hope can still be provided despite times of sorrow. Throughout the years, the Overholts have been working with OSU students to find solutions to the city’s many needs, with the hope of reaching their hearts. As a result of this partnership, students of various disciplines, from nursing to agriculture, have been traveling to Choluteca to provide help and expertise. In 2015, OSU sent six student teams, including a nursing team with 45 students!

Although a tragedy occurred, OSU’s team of engineering students returned to Choluteca as planned, and they built the home that Luis dreamed of for his family. Together, the Overholts, the students, and the members of the community will continue to build up Choluteca in more ways than one.

Partner with the Honduras Sustainable Housing Project.
GIVE: Help build a home for others in Luis’s family’s neighborhood through a financial gift. Give online at www.wgm.org/community-development.

Make an impact on your knees.PRAY: Pray for Luis’s family and community as they adjust to daily life without him. Pray also that God will bless the housing project in Choluteca.