Missionaries Answer the Hard Question: Why Go Overseas When There Are Needs in the United States?

Bill and Lydia Allshouse, Mexico

“We are all called to serve somewhere, and if God calls you to serve in another country and to another people group, then that’s where you need to be. Lydia and I didn’t know where we were going to serve, considering the needs in the U.S., but we were led to Mexico. God gave us a peace about being in Mexico, so we knew that’s what He had for us and where we should serve.

“We absolutely believe that even though there is a great spiritual need here in the United States, there’s also that great spiritual need in other countries. We believe what Christ said when He gave us the Great Commission—to go and make disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world. Wherever He calls you, we believe we have to be obedient.”

Jim and Becka Johnson, Papua New Guinea

“Mission work, both overseas and here at home, is important, but you have to go where God calls you to work and how you fit into God’s plan. That’s the main thing. Whether He calls you to go overseas or whether He calls you to work here at home, both are very important. One goes with the other.”

Dan and Dana Jacobs, Kenya

“God places that special calling in your heart that you just can’t shake. Our special calling was to care for orphans and abandoned children in Kenya. Yes, there are needs here and there are abandoned and orphaned children here, but that’s not what God called us to do. He calls each of us to do something.”

Shelley Chapman, Africa Region

“Rather than looking at this question as either/or, I would rather look at it as both. I believe that as missionaries, we serve both in our host country and all of our friends and family in the United States. I also think that it’s important to be embedded in the context over a long period of time in order to see the greatest impact of transformation and change. So, I want to live in the culture where I’m working in my field, which is leadership development in Africa. And then when I come home on homeland ministry assignment, it’s a time for me to invest in the lives of people that I know here in the U.S. Rather than looking at it as one way or the other, it’s the kingdom of God that we’re working on. And the kingdom of God is here in the United States and it’s all around the world. I want to be involved in that process—in that kingdom of God work—wherever that may take me.”

PRAY: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). The WGM missionary staff depends on your prayer support. Partner with them in prayer through Prayer Lifeline, an email that is sent to your inbox every Tuesday with urgent needs from those on the front lines. 

Rev. Isaka Bushingagira

Donald Hohensee, Retiree
January-March 2016

Rev. Isaka Bushingagira, 93 years old, was born before WGM began its work in the central African country of Burundi. He got saved at the age of 16 in 1938, and, two years later, began serving as the chaplain for the dispensary at Kayero. He pastored several churches before being assigned to the Buranga church district in 1945. He has served as a pastor, a district superintendent, and as the general superintendent for the denomination.

When he was a child, Isaka lost his eyesight in his left eye. For that reason, he was never able to get a driver’s license. Instead, he has ridden his bicycle thousands of miles, preaching the gospel. He retired in 2000, and his family takes him to his local church where he still preaches from time to time.

Isaka’s parents followed the traditional form of worship among the Barundi people. He heard the gospel during special meetings held near his home, and he sincerely repented of his sins. Later he learned that his heart could be cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit. His parents arranged for him to marry a woman who was still following the traditional religion. He asked them to find him a Christian woman instead, whom he married on October 13, 1943. He and his wife had 10 children. Their oldest, Amos Ndayisenga, is also an ordained minister.

Isaka read in the Bible that Jesus, the apostle Paul, and others laid hands on the sick and on those who were deformed, and also drove out demons. He reasoned that this could still be done today even though he wasn’t seeing that practiced. He followed this in his ministry and has seen the sick healed, those who were barren give birth to children, and the demon possessed delivered from bondage.

One of today’s leaders in Burundi shared, “Rev. Isaka is still following what you people in WGM taught him.” He believes the Bible is the Word of God and he believes it can still accomplish what it did centuries ago. He still preaches that people need to repent; he still preaches that God can cleanse and fill the human heart.

PRAY: Pray for Rev. Isaka and for all pastors as they reach out and minister to the Barundi people.

Invite. Transform. Send.

An excerpt from...

Invite. Transform. Send.

By Kennedy Kirui and Jonathan Mayo, Missionary, Uganda
October-December 2014

What started as a small prayer group and Bible study at one university in Uganda has now grown into a discipleship movement that is seeking to grow a passionate movement of disciples and campus churches on and beyond every university campus in Africa. We are currently working with nine universities in East Africa and sense God is opening more doors across Africa, especially since we have students from not only Uganda and Kenya, but also Burundi, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. The University Discipleship Movement is growing into a reality that God is not only calling us to join Him in as He works in the lives of emerging leaders in Africa, but He’s also growing a discipleship movement that will spread across campuses and into every sphere of society. We believe this is the hope for transformation in Africa.

The DNA of UDM is discipleship. We achieve this through small groups, Bible studies, and one-on-one relationships between students and mentors. We disciple students who disciple others, who we hope will continue discipling still others (2 Timothy 2:2). God is blessing us with great opportunities to reach students from many different countries and backgrounds. This offers us a unique opportunity to impact deeply and influence widely.

We get new invitations every so often to new universities, and we are praying for more resources and more people who will respond to the call for help in engaging, equipping, and empowering emerging leaders in Africa. The demand for further education is huge, and, to us, this is a call to reach out wide and deep.

For us in UDM, we believe that the solution for Africa is not more money or political leadership. We believe at the very foundation that Africa needs discipleship—discipleship that will help people develop a godly worldview and have a biblical mindset. The church is growing the fastest in this part of the globe, but the greatest challenge is that most people remain just converts. Our call is to see more people become true learners and followers of Christ.

Join us as we continue to grow the discipleship movement in Africa.

GIVE: Provide Bibles, Bible study materials, books on leadership, and other needed materials for the University Discipleship Movement. Make checks payable to World Gospel Mission and write account # 21343 on the memo line. Send check donations to:

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

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?

Discover Your Cause

President's Perspective

By Hubert Harriman, President
January-March 2013


Steve and Alene Burgert, missionaries to Kenya recently spoke at WGM's chapel for support staff. As they began to share, we immediately sensed the energy of a God-given cause. Alene’s training and experience in prison chaplaincy ministry in the United States had “unknowingly” prepared her to play a vital role in the new prison chaplaincy training program envisioned by the Africa Gospel Church. She exuded passion and compassion as she told the story of Peter, who was converted while serving a life sentence. He was miraculously released and is now studying at Kaboson Pastors Training College, preparing to go back into the prison as a chaplain. Alene had not only discovered a God-given cause; she was intent on duplicating that cause in the lives of other people, in order to touch needy communities with the life-transforming message of the gospel. There is no greater cause!


This is why WGM has captured this as its central ministry focus. We state simply, strongly, and succinctly that our central focus is“Whole person transformation into the heart and soul of all communities.” We truly believe God can do this, and it is the reason Jesus came among us. This is happening over and over again across our fields of ministry. We have some incredible God-given causes that bring healing and help into individual lives and into the heart and soul of communities.

By the help of God, WGM is intent on helping believers discover missions—to discover their God-given cause. Without this, we die. With this, we live!

So, what is your cause?

ACT: Discovering your cause may seem a daunting task, but WGM is here to help. A resource to get you started on this journey is the World GO! Manual. Download the first chapter and get started on your path to discovery at www.wgm.org/worldgo.

Regional Update from Africa

An excerpt from Regional Update: Africa
By Terry Duncan, Regional Director of Africa
January–March 2012

Kenya: WGM’s largest field with over 30 missionaries
A new eye and dental complex is being planned at Tenwek Hospital. The Africa Gospel Church Baby Center is providing good care and much love to orphaned and abandoned children of Kenya. AGC of Kenya has expanded its outreach with a new church plant in the coastal town of Mombasa, and they are reaching out to several new areas. AGC–Kenya has nearly 50 missionaries serving in cross-cultural ministry.

South Sudan: Africa’s newest nation
On July 9, 2011, the people of South Sudan celebrated as they became the 54th nation of Africa. These people have experienced persecution and fighting for decades, so this new freedom gives great hope. WGM has assisted several churches with training pastors and staffed three medical ministries with volunteers. Tenwek Hospital sent its eye team to do a clinic, and in four days they did over 170 cataract surgeries along with successful evangelism. WGM desires to work closely with local communities to do transformational development. In all of this, we need God’s help and direction.

Uganda: AGC Uganda is born
These are exciting days as AGC Uganda was granted its own registration and installed its first leaders in November 2011. Pray for these young leaders who are overseeing more than 150 congregations. Ministry on a group of islands is providing education, medical services, and spiritual care to isolated communities. More than 150 AIDS orphans are being educated through scholarships. A university in the capital city of Kampala has a discipleship ministry that touches several hundred students. Many other locations are targeted to expand the ministry, but we need more people who will obey God’s call.

It Takes a Team!

An excerpt from It Takes a Team
By John Muehleisen, Africa
April/May/June 2011

By this time, Ruthven’s heart had softened toward spiritual things. He and other families in the community agreed to offer their homes as security against the church loan. Soon, a church was started.

Ressie and her family prayed for Ruthven for over 30 years. In 1979 he was hospitalized with heart problems and black lung disease. Thinking he was near death, Ruthven asked a pastor to come pray with him. He was saved and he lived a few more years as a transformed man.

Ruthven and Ressie’s youngest child, a son named C.R., accepted Christ as his Savior and felt called to preach. He attended Asbury University (Kentucky) before going on to Asbury Seminary. He was a student at Asbury during the 1970 revival. As a result of this revival, many student teams went out to minister in churches on weekends. C.R. was a member of a team that went to a church in St. Clairsville, Ohio, for revival services, and at the end of the Thursday night service, a 13-year-old boy walked down the aisle. C.R. prayed with him as he gave his life to Jesus. That young man’s name is John Muehleisen.

Whose redemption depends on your obedience today?

What neighbor, family member, or stranger is waiting on you to persevere in prayer and to give of yourself, your time, your money?

ACT: God used Team Ressie to make an impact in her community. What can you and your sphere of influence do to leave a missions impact where you live? The World Go! Manual is a great study to get you started. Call Tara Mast at 765.671.7244 to purchase a copy, or download it for free at www.wgm.org/
worldgo.