Has a Career in Missions Been Worth It?

Frank Martin, Retiree
The Call, January-March 2017

As we nudged closer to retirement, we were asked the question: “Has a career in missions been worth it?” Our answer was always: “How many ways can you say YES?” We would do it again in a heartbeat!

For Sharon and I, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV) encapsulates our missionary career. 

However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

This verse is so true as we have “seen” much and “heard” much over our 39 years of ministry in America and around the world. In our heart of hearts, we never dreamed that we would be able to travel to 14 different countries and see God’s work there.

God’s faithfulness over the years to supply our spiritual, physical, and financial needs has caused our faith to continue to grow. Many times our only source of help was through Him. 

We had the opportunity to work with many people who had a variety of personalities and ministry styles. It took all of us to advance God’s kingdom. With ministering in so many different places, we were able to enjoy a variety of cultures. They were as varied as the people who lived there. The foods, the customs, the music, the smiles, the different means of travel, all drew us in. It gave us a greater appreciation for God’s creativity.

Of course, who can never forget jet lag! Everyone should get the chance to experience that: traveling hours and hours and then being five, eight, or 12 hours away from the time your body is used to!

A special blessing we received was the friendships we made with missionaries, volunteers, and nationals. Oh, how we have been blessed! We have laughed together, cried together, worked together, and worshiped together. Together, we have advanced God’s work for His glory.

ACT: This month, hide the words of 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 in your heart. Memorize this passage as a reminder for your missions journey.

A Pair of Ducks

Ned McGrady, Member Health
April-June 2016

Webster’s dictionary defines paradox as “a statement or proposition seemingly self-contradictory or absurd, and yet expressing a truth.” Much of life is filled with paradox and this is certainly true in missionary life.

Member Health at World Gospel Mission assists missionaries in expressing the seemingly contradictory realities of what they have faced as missionaries serving in a foreign country. When they return to the United States for homeland ministry assignment, we offer a Renewal Retreat during which we encourage missionaries to speak to us “in paradox.” Transitioning to serve in their host country often comes with a reality that what they may have expected is different from the reality that they have actually experienced. 

Marlene and I went to Ecuador with the idea of serving as pastors to missionaries in that part of the world. First, we went to language school for eight months in Costa Rica prior to moving to Ecuador. As we wrestled with learning Spanish, I remember saying, “At least we are going as pastors to missionaries and not planting a church.”

God moved during our term in Ecuador and, yes, we did do pastoral ministry in 12 countries. But God also showed up in unexpected ways, and He planted a church in our own home. Preaching all those sermons in Spanish was one of the hardest challenges I’d ever faced. But we rejoice today, knowing that God had a plan for a church in the heart of the Andes Mountains. 

The reality of paradox is sometimes much greater and much more positive than what may be expected, and sometimes it is far different or much harder than what was expected. Renewal Retreat at WGM is an opportunity to allow our missionaries to explain their experience in a way that enables them to stay on both sides at the same time. We work with our missionaries to allow them to voice seemingly contradictory statements about their transition experiences without weakening one or the other. Our MKs receive this same opportunity as they use a “Yay Duck” and a “Yuck Duck” (Get it? A pair of ducks!) to tell what their experience was like as they transition back to their home country.  

You have probably experienced some transitions with paradox for sure. Share with a pastor, a friend, or a coworker your “Yay” experiences and your “Yuck” experiences. It will equip you to move forward in the work God has called you to do.

It’s time to set up your “Yay Duck” and “Yuck Duck” meeting with a friend or spiritual mentor. Grab the phone and your calendar and set up a coffee date for this month.

Bumpy Road Ahead

Rachel Kerney, Advance Volunteer Network
April-June 2016

Big changes ahead! That is what David and I both felt in Argentina in 2011, but at that fork in the road, we weren’t exactly sure where God was taking us. God directed our journey to serve with the Bolivia missionary team. Now, in 2015, He has guided us through an open door to minister in the United States as a pastor and director of international missions for Refuge Ministries in Copperas Cove, Texas. Those changes have had many layers of transition. Some of the recent ones have been adapting to the status of Advance Volunteer Network after 24 years as career missionaries, adapting to the culture of Texas, adjusting to an empty nest, and living in a home remodeling project.

The funny thing about transition is that you see it coming and you think you know what to expect. Life as missionaries has conditioned us for many changes and made us pretty flexible. Even though we may think that we are ready for the changes, there is something somewhere that catches us by surprise and throws us off balance. Then we are in the spinning mode, sort of out of orbit. That trigger can be as simple as getting a fine for not sorting trash correctly, trying to figure out your new banking system, or undefined expectations.

Transitions are charged with emotion. There is the sadness of what has been left—ministry and friendships. There is the frustration of the hundreds of little changes along with the big ones. There are great opportunities of seeing God touch peoples’ lives and experiencing personal growth. It is exciting to think of the possibility of going back to school to learn a skill. All these emotions seem to be magnified in transition, and they change quickly from day to day. So how do you get through this very bumpy season of life’s journey?

• God’s Word! I joined a Bible study at one of the Refuge Ministry locations. I wanted to get to know some people, but God knew exactly what I needed. The study has taken me deeper into God’s Word and is equipping and strengthening me for the challenges. 
• Finding good activities is important. I have been trying to learn some things about American football, since they tell me there is more to it than guys wrestling over an oval ball. This is Texas! I have learned quite a bit, thanks to the patience of my family to explain things to me.
• Let people know that the changes you are going through are a big challenge. You will find they reach out to encourage you in your turbulence. One friend invited us to his garden for “poppers.” I imagined some kind of microwave pop in, pop out food. Texan poppers are jalapeño peppers cleaned and filled with cream cheese and onion. They are wrapped in bacon and grilled. Texas food is great! The steaks remind me of Argentina!

I understand better now that transitions are a part of life; all people in all cultures experience them, not just missionaries. I believe that God wants me to use these lessons to help others slow down and recognize transition as the emotional upheaval that it is. I can help them see how God can turn it around for good in their lives just like He is doing in my life.

What can you do this month to help someone going through transition? Invite them to a Bible study, over for dinner, or to your favorite activity.

The Sugar Cane Workers

Larry Overholt, Missionary, Honduras
January-March 2016

I first met the Siete de Mayosugar cane workers in May 2014 when Angie and I were hosting a group of agriculture students from The Ohio State University. One of the scheduled activities for the students’ study-abroad experience was visiting a large local sugar cane operation. While we were touring the fields, I noticed a group of sugar cane workers standing idly off to one side of the field.

As the university students walked through the fields learning about how sugar cane is planted, I was more interested in learning about the group of men and finding out why they were not working. By their gestures and the tones of their voices, the men seemed uneasy. I walked over to them, introduced myself, and explained our purpose for touring the sugar cane operations. After their initial surprise that I spoke Spanish, one of the sugar cane workers recognized me from occasionally seeing me before in the village that they walked through on the way home from work. As I talked with them, I learned that they were temporarily halted because the seed material they had been planting had run out and new material had not arrived yet. The sugar cane planters are paid by the amount of work they get done daily. When there was no material available to plant, they did not make any money.

The temperature was near 100 degrees and the men were taking advantage of the lull in the work schedule to rehydrate their bodies. One of the workers told me that they live in the mountain region above the village of Siete de Mayo where our Shalom church ministry team has been actively working for the past several years. As we talked, we learned that we had several friends in common within the Siete de Mayo community, especially Veronica, who happened to be a family member to David, one of the workers. Veronica was our key contact person when we first started a new ministry there. Without her support, it is unlikely that we would have ever been able to begin the ministry that is now growing. I was reminded how important it is to keep a positive testimony in the community and to build our network of relationships.

One of the missionaries’ major challenges is to find ways to build relationships with people. With the sugar cane workers, there were potential cultural barriers at two different levels: that of a North American and even more as an outsider from their community. The first meeting out in the middle of the field with the sugar cane workers has led to more opportunities to continue talking with the men. Someday, we hope to be able to enter their communities to share the gospel of Christ. We are continually amazed at how God opens ministry opportunities by allowing us to become friends of the “friends of a friend.”

In order to get to know the workers better, I approached them with a request to take photos of areas of interest in their lives. Each worker was given a disposable camera, and, once the pictures were developed, they chose one favorite picture to talk about.

ACT: Share the joy of pictures with someone new in your life just as Larry did with his new friends. Take time to share your favorites so you can learn more about each other’s lives. The experience may have lasting memories just as it did here.

The Quest

An excerpt from...

The Quest: Community Transformation

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By Joy Phillips, Compassionate Ministries Coordinator
July-September 2015

“No one in my family got sick with malaria this year,” reported Alice, one of the Community Health Evangelism participants in South Sudan. After putting into practice what she’s learned, her family gets sick less often. Yay, that’s what we want to hear! Others are planting banana and papaya trees in their yards, enhancing their families’ diet. Another participant reported that they have formed a prayer group that prays for their community on Tuesdays and Saturdays. All of that must please the Lord, don’t you think?

This process of community transformation didn’t just happen. It took a team and lots of networking. John and Beth Muehleisen, in the role of Africa Regional Transformation Training coordinators, have mentored WGM international missionary Adhanom Hidug as a CHE facilitator. Volunteer CHE Champion Rick Morse joined the Mango Ministries training team and others have helped as well. I’ve also been able to use my experiences from serving with Tenwek Community Health and Development in Kenya to help develop this new ministry in South Sudan.

WGM’s central ministry focus is wholistic transformation. As you can see from the ministry in South Sudan, this is best facilitated when resources, personnel, and ideas are shared. One of my favorite books that has helped me gain a better understanding of transformational development is When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. It’s a great read for anyone interested in missions.

I’ve been connecting with many missionaries in WGM as I take on the role of WGM’s Compassionate Ministries coordinator. It’s been amazing to hear about where God is already at work. From Argentina to Arizona to Africa, WGM missionaries are involved in all kinds of creative ministries that are resulting in transformed lives and communities. I’m excited when I see people following Jesus and reaching their God-given potential.

If you look at the nightly news, it appears that communities in our own neighborhoods as well as around the world are in serious need of transformation. Will you join WGM in our quest to see communities transformed?

ACT: Is God calling you to share a kind word or deed with someone where you live or in a nearby neighborhood? The peoples of the world have come to us; who can you reach out to today?

PRAY: Grab a friend and ask them to join you in praying for the CHE participants from South Sudan this quarter. Pray that God will continue to grant opportunities to get this team involved in His transforming story.

Nobody has Told Me about Jesus

An excerpt from...

Nobody has Told Me about Jesus

By Adhanom Hidug, Missionary, South Sudan

October-December 2014

Akudhiar, a teenage Dinka girl, lives in my neighborhood. One early afternoon I had the following conversation with her.

Me: “Akudhiar, are you a Christian?”
Akudhiar: “Yes.”
Me: “So, you know Jesus?”
Akudhiar: “What is Jesus?”
Me: “Jesus Christ.”
Akudhiar: “I don’t know that.”

Malual, a boy I am discipling, was helping me with the translation of my conversation with Akudhiar, and he burst into laughter. Akudhiar didn’t feel good on account of his laughter. Then she said to me, “Nobody has told me about Jesus.” I wondered how she claimed to be a Christian without knowing Jesus.

“Okay, would you like to know Jesus?” I asked her. Malual, noticing my seriousness and Akudhiar’s feelings, struggled to control his laughter. I struggled not to let my tears flow. The reply from Akudhiar was positive—she wanted to know about Jesus.

Akudhiar’s case is not an isolated one. Many people in my village would tell me that they are Christians, but few manage to give me the right answers to basic questions that I ask them about Christianity. One of the main causes for this is the shortage of biblically equipped people who are capable to tell about Jesus. 

There are several pastors in the area, but most of them lack proper biblical training. As a result, their knowledge of the Word of God and their ministry of the Word is limited. But, if the number of biblically trained pastors increases, I believe the number of people who don’t know Jesus will decrease significantly.

To help this happen, Mango Ministries has decided one of our ministry areas will be the empowerment of local church leaders. We do this through Community Health Evangelism and Simply the Story (STS), an oral strategy of inductive Bible study. Besides those methods, I spend a lot of time with the church people, in general, and with the pastors, in particular. During such times, God gives me opportunities to empower the pastors and other church leaders. I see transformation in a number of the pastors and other church leaders. God is at work. I expect revival in our area and beyond from the empowerment of these leaders—a revival that will reach out to people like Akudhiar.

Editor’s Note: Akudhiar is now regularly attending church services, and she is growing in her knowledge and following of Jesus.

ACT: Have you shared Christ with your neighbors? Take time to affirm your belief in Christ during your next conversation with them. Let them know you will make them and their family part of your prayer life.

An excerpt from...

What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple?

By Hubert Harriman, President
October-December 2014

The Bible is full of words known and understood in the various cultures and contexts of its day, but those words took on a different flavor when God poured Himself into them. When Jesus took hold of a very well-known word and practice in His day—disciple—He took it to another level. One cannot read His words in Luke 14:26-27 without knowing this. Turning to the great multitudes who were going with Him, He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate (or, does not put me before and above) father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (NIV). All of a sudden, not only was this word raised to a different level; it was a call to a different lifestyle.

It is extremely discomforting to be called to do something we know we ought to do but to not want to be bothered. But this word, this call, won’t leave us alone, and, no matter our attempts to try to tone the language down to suit our more self-oriented side, this word bothers us—and more than one Jonah has run from the divine ought in his or her life.

I heard one father lament that his son didn’t like the things he liked. I think Jesus laments that, of the multitudes who claim His name, few like what He likes. This makes me believe that the root cause for poor discipleship has more to do with taste than it does with faith. For many of us, the word disciple is not easy to swallow. We have no taste for it.

In the story of the woman at the well, when the disciples, who had gone into the village to buy food, brought their food to Jesus, He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about” (John 4:32). When they wondered if someone had brought him food, Jesus responded by saying, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (4:34). Too many have no taste for this kind of food—the food of a disciple: (1) to do the will of our Father, (2) to finish the work of our Father, and (3) to give witness to the way to our Father. A disciple who isn’t always reaching out to another needy soul, as Jesus did with the woman at the well, will starve to death. Sadly, many who call themselves disciples know nothing about this food.

So, what does it mean to be a disciple? A true disciple of Jesus Christ likes what Jesus likes, which is giving oneself completely to the Father’s will—souls! It took the infilling with the Holy Spirit to change the disciples’ taste. So, what are you eating?

MORE: Dig a little deeper into the text this week. Read Luke 14:25–35 to learn more about the cost of being a disciple.

Pumpkins and Puppies

An excerpt from...

Pumpkins and Puppies

By Jon Steury, Regional Director of AfricaJuly-September 2014

My friend and colleague Adhanom Hidug serves with World Gospel Mission in South Sudan. He is from a small country in northeast Africa, but he has been living in Kenya for some time. Adhanom and his wife, Helen, were appointed as WGM’s first international missionaries last year.

In keeping with WGM’s central ministry focus—wholistic transformation—Adhanom’s ministry is wholistic, incorporating Community Health Evangelism, storytelling as a means of communicating the Bible, and relationship building to transform lives in the village where he lives in Aduel, South Sudan.

Missionaries who enter a new culture quickly realize that creativity is an important tool to discover the best way to share Jesus with the people where God has called them. As I read Adhanom’s recent ministry report, I was intrigued by how he had creatively shared Jesus in his village, using a pumpkin and his puppy! Here’s Adhanom:

Pumpkin: Many people here grow pumpkins for their leaves, but not as food. They give different reasons why they don’t want to eat them. Some say, “People will say that we are like hyenas if they know that we eat pumpkin.” Others would say that it is not tasty, or it doesn’t have many benefits, or they just don’t like it. Due to this, there are many pumpkins in the village farms just spoiling. I can get nice pumpkins at a very cheap price or even free of charge. One day I bought a small pumpkin, and as I was walking with it from the market, everybody’s eyes were on me because they believed I was going to eat a pumpkin. People began to speak to me because of the pumpkin. When I realized this, I decided to walk with it all around the market area and in some neighborhoods. Everyone wanted to know what I was going to do with the pumpkin. That opened an opportunity to talk to people. As a result, I was able to talk to more than 50 people about the nutritional values that God put in a pumpkin and how God gives us good gifts. I never thought that a pumpkin would bring me such a golden opportunity to get a “ready-to-talk-and-listen” audience.

Puppy: Yomdit is my puppy! She is named in the Dinka language according to her color. People in the village who don’t even know my name, know her name—even those who haven’t seen her. The pumpkin gave me a one-day opportunity, but Yomdit has given me several opportunities to talk to people easily. People want to know why I care much for a dog, and that gives me a good opportunity to talk to them, starting from the direction of the discussion they raise and taking them to the direction I want. Yomdit has started to learn a few things, and people are surprised to see her following my orders. Now because of her, people don’t even wait until I say, “Kudual,” which means “Hello” in Dinka. This is another way of getting an opportunity to talk to people that I never thought of.

Pray for Adhanom as he shares Jesus with people, using pumpkins, puppies, and other creative ways!

ACT: What ordinary things in front of you could easily open the door to share Jesus with others in your neighborhood? Got a puppy that needs a walk or maybe some cookies that could be shared?

Not Just a Coffee Table Prop

An excerpt from Not Just a Coffee Table Prop

How to make the most out of The Call
By Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
January-March 2013

If you’re like me, when a magazine comes to your home, you read through it quickly, looking for topics you’re interested in or writers you follow, and then you toss it on the coffee table.

But The Call isn’t just a magazine; it’s inspiration to be a more missions-active Christian. The Call can be a teaching tool. Here are a few suggestions for using it to introduce others to missions.

Social Networking: Did you read something that gave you new ideas on how to share Jesus with others? Post it in your Facebook status. The entire issue is online at www.wgm.org/call, so you can post a link to an entire article. Publicly sharing your passion for missions can have a significant impact on others.

Give It Away: After you’ve enjoyed reading The Call, why not pass it on? Give your copy to a friend or neighbor and help spread the message of the Great Commission. Need more copies? Contact us and we’ll send you additional copies at no cost to you.

Action Step Challenge: Get practical! Every article in every issue of The Call has an action step that relates to the story. That may be praying, giving a financial gift, studying a Bible passage, or doing a specific task, such as writing an encouraging note to someone who gets on your nerves. Get a group of friends together, such as your Sunday School class or Bible study group, and have each person select one action step to complete that week. The next time you meet, talk about your experiences. Prepare to be amazed at what one small group can do for the kingdom!

ACT: Can God use something as simple as a magazine to speak to someone’s heart? We sure think so! Renew your free subscription today or sign up a friend.

You Have (NOT) Reached Your Destination

An excerpt from You Have (NOT) Reached Your Destination

By Twana Johnson, Mexico

October-December 2012

Before coming to Mexico to live and serve full time, we spent a week here touching base with those we would be working with. Our first day, we went to León, the city in which we are now working. We plugged in our “trusty” GPS, which our family had given us when they learned we would be returning to missionary status and would be traveling a lot.

The GPS served us well, and we got to León in good time. We spent the day getting a feel for the city. However, we had forgotten one important thing—the address of where we were staying! Several phone calls later, someone finally gave us another street name close to where we were staying and Tomasa (our GPS’s name) “replanned” and we were on our way again. We eventually did reach our destination.

That whole experience reminds me that we have not yet reached our final destination—heaven. Each day we go to our GPS (God) and He “plans our route.” As Dennis and I travel around in Mexico telling others about the love of God, we can always trust our GPS (God) to guide us. We pray that He is your daily guide as you travel toward heaven and tell others you meet on the way about the love of God!

ACT: How can you use your story in your own witness? Write the story of what God’s love has done in your life in 400 words or less. Once written, pray and ask, “Lord, who are the people who most need to hear this story?”