An excerpt from The World Still Needs Missionaries
Forming a network in Latin America for mobilization
By Don Moon, Special Assignment
April-June 2012

It is no surprise that the world still needs missionaries! But it may surprise you that God is calling people from Latin America to take the gospel to all the peoples of the world. As the church has grown and developed in Latin America, many have sensed God’s call to go, especially to the least-reached people groups of Asia and Africa.

Glenda and I feel compelled to respond to this challenge and multiply our efforts as missionaries through this new generation of missionaries. We are providing training and encouragement to help churches and missionary candidates respond to God’s call.

The first person on our list is Evangelina, a gifted young lady from Argentina who is serving in a local ministry but senses a call to serve in Asia.

ACT: Will you pray for Evangelina as she trusts God to open doors for her service? Pray also for Don and Glenda as they walk with her as she steps out in faith along with many others who will come forward to serve among the unreached peoples of the world.

Champions and Economics

An excerpt from Champions and Economics
A network of blessings
By Dennis Johnson, Mexico

April-June 2012

Recently Twana and I spent five weeks on the West Coast, mostly in Oregon, while forming our network of supporters. The West Coast has not been a priority region during most of our missionary career. In fact, the last time we were on the West Coast doing “deputation” was exactly 37 years ago! We remember that time well because it was our very first time to pull together a team of champions for our term of service in Bolivia, South America.

As we anticipated our time out West, our goal was to not spend more than we would receive. Our concerns were that lodging and meals are expensive, and the high cost of fuel could put a serious dent in our ministry account. So, we contacted some of our close friends who live out West to see if they could help us out, and this is where champions and economics took over. Just look what God did through them:

Champion couple #1 offered to keep us in their home in Oregon. This home was near all of the meetings and contacts we were able to set up. They not only provided housing for us for 23 days, but they also provided most of our meals when we were there for meal times.

Champion couple #2 invited us to spend the Easter weekend with them because that is not an easy time to have church meetings. What a joy to stay with this retired missionary couple in Washington!

Champion couple #3 provided housing and meals for the rest of our time in Oregon. The week we spent with them was a wonderful week of fellowship and sharing. Their generosity saved our ministry account another $800.

Champion #4 is a retired missionary who just happens to be outside of the United States doing ministry. However, she has a car that her brother in Portland keeps for her. When she found out we were going to be in the area, she quickly made arrangements for us to use her car for all of our travel needs while there. We put over 2,000 miles on her car and had only the expense of gasoline and an oil change that was due when we finished using it.

ACT: You can join Dennis and Twana’s network of champions, too. Help them minister to the lost in Mexico with a financial gift at www.wgm.org/dennisjohnson.

Times Have Changed

An excerpt from Times Have Changed
By Benji Jenkins, Papua New Guinea
April-June 2012

Six weeks to get a letter sent to the U.S. and then six weeks to get a reply back. Three months of waiting to hear a response from your newsletter. That’s how it used to be for missionaries in Papua New Guinea. I should know; I grew up there. Now 20 years later, I am back in PNG, and it still takes several weeks to get a letter to the U.S. and longer to get something back this way. But I can now send something to my family, friends, or supporters back in the U.S. and start getting responses two or three minutes later.

I use Facebook to stay connected with our ministry team. I know people use Facebook for many different reasons, but I see it as the perfect tool for keeping in close contact with those people who want to stay involved with our ministry.

Times have definitely changed since I was a kid here in PNG. I am really glad that I live and work in a time when I can have such close contact with those who pray for us and our ministry no matter what time zone we are living in.

ACT: Some things never change. The need for missionaries to serve with strong prayer support remains. To pray for WGM missionaries serving globally, request a prayer calendar at globallink@wgm.org or visit www.wgm.org/praycal.

A New Trick

An excerpt from A New Trick
By Todd Eckhardt, Support Staff
April-June 2012

Never underestimate what people can learn. A group that has learned a new trick is Men With Vision. You got it. MWV is on Facebook, we have a blog, and we are on the Web. The Lord has helped us stretch and learn some new things.

At www.mwvblog.org, you can read the latest updates on what is happening in MWV. Track the emergency appeals done through the Minutemen/Minutewomen program.

This emergency program is an easy way for a missions beginner or veteran to get involved. To be part of this program, go to www.wgm.org/minutemen and sign up. It’s simple: you commit to donate $10 three times a year to help with an emergency need. That is only $30 a year.

Here’s how it works. MWV will send you no more than three emergency requests from a WGM ministry a year. Once you get the e-mail with the emergency need, you click on the link and offer your $10 gift.

Minute-men/Minute-women emergency alerts are also available by postal mail. To sign up for the program with this preference, contact Bill Bucher at mwv@wgm.org.

Then and Now

An excerpt from Then and Now
By Larry Overholt, Honduras
April-June 2012

My family and I came to Honduras in 1982. I can only imagine what veteran Honduras missionaries would have thought at that time if we had told them that we needed to “tweet our latest activity,” “Skype a stateside missions committee,” “chat with our son in Germany,” “talk to our daughters using a voice over IP phone,” or “log in on Facebook.”

Facebook and other social networking sites are another modern marvel. Nine months ago, we responded to a “friend” request from Mike Garrett on Facebook. Our friendship, from years past, was quickly renewed over the Internet. Within a few weeks, Mike began asking, “What can Sharon and I do to help in Choluteca?” Mike and Sharon were recently approved by WGM to come to Choluteca and work with us in the vocational school and in church ministry.

ACT: Create your own social network by sharing the ministry in Choluteca with others. Grab a speaker outline at www.wgm.org/outlines.

Clip and Save for Missions

An excerpt from Clip and Save Networks for Missions
By Tracy Dubois, Support Staff
April-June 2012

Extreme couponing is the latest craze to hit homes, grocery stores, and reality TV. But even if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, you can still save money and help raise funds for missions each time you head to the supermarket.

Taylor Christian School in McAllen, Texas, has been using groceries as a fundraiser for years, and missionary Betsy Tarr is carrying on the tradition.

Here’s a quick look at each program and how you can get involved.

Labels for Education® (www.labelsforeducation.com or www.elabelsforeducation.com): Clip and save UPC codes and beverage caps from products including Campbell’s®, Glad®, Pepperidge Farm®, Pop Secret®, Prego®, and V8®. Labels have values of one, five, or 10 points.

Box Tops for Education (www.boxtops4education.com): Clip box tops from brands such as Betty Crocker®, Green Giant®, Hefty®, Kleenex®, Nestle®, Pillsbury®, and Ziploc®. You can also earn eBoxTops when you shop online at stores like Lands’ End, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble. Taylor Christian School will receive 10 cents for every qualifying box top.

Tyson Project A+™ (www.tyson.com/projectaplus): Clip Tyson Project A+™ labels and send them to Taylor. The school will redeem them for cash. Each Tyson label is worth 24 cents.

My Coke Rewards for Schools (www.mycokerewards.com): Coke Rewards points are completed online. Enter your codes, select Taylor Christian School, and donate. Participating brands include Coca-Cola, Sprite, DASANI, Minute Maid, Fanta, Barq’s, Nestea, and Mello Yello.

Office Depot® 5% Back to Schools Program (www.officedepot.com): For each qualifying purchase of basic school and office supplies, you can earn 5 percent in credit for Taylor Christian School to use toward free supplies. Provide Taylor’s ID number (70099367) when you shop online, in a store, or over the phone.

Connections

An excerpt from Connections
By Hubert Harriman, President
April-June 2012

I was 13 years old and on an emergency flight to Los Angeles, California, with my dad. It had all started because I was playing with an old syringe. My friend quickly pulled the needle out as soon as he had accidentally stuck me in my left knee bone, but a raging infection set in that soon had us flying out of the jungle village and into Santa Cruz, Bolivia. While I was in much pain and my knee was bent into a locked position, my father felt impressed to take me to Cochabamba, eight hours away over Andean Mountain roads. The doctor in Cochabamba not only saved me from deadly spinal meningitis, but he also saw what other doctors had failed to see in the X-rays and performed surgery on my leg on my 13th birthday. However, after another X-ray, it was evident that I wouldn’t survive without the amputation of my left leg. That’s what the flight to Los Angeles was all about—to save my leg.

Arriving at 4 p.m., I was in surgery at 6 p.m. I wish I had space to tell you the rest of the story, but needless to say, that doctor saved my leg. I had connections!

Not so with Natalia. I was back in Bolivia recently and learned of this 17-year-old girl who had suffered a shotgun accident to her left leg. The infection, similar to mine years ago, was too extensive and they had to amputate her left leg just above the knee.

I could hardly contain my emotions. I thought to myself, she didn’t have the connections I had. Since then, Sarah and I have purposed to make some connections for this young lady, and people have stepped up to the plate. But I continue to look for anyone who will be that connection Natalia needs to get her through school and give her a chance in life.

That’s what missions is all about—making the right connections for needy people. Natalia came to know the Lord through this ordeal. This is the greatest thing about missions—The Divine Connection! I urge you to help the deeply needy of this world make the right connections!

ACT: Connect someone to the cause of missions. Ask them to sign up for a free subscription to The Call.

The April/May/June issue is now available!

In this issue, The Call focuses on the online social network, sharing how missionaries are using these tools in ministry. You will read about ministry partners who pulled together a team—a network—to make a missions impact from their own home.

The social network can have a missions impact if you are looking for ways to serve. Find out how you can join a network or create one of your own as you explore this issue of The Call.