I Will Not Sacrifice Something That Has Cost Me Nothing

Veronica Porter, Missionary, Papua New Guinea

When I think about altars and sacrifice, I often think of King David. In 2 Samuel 24, David followed his pride and counted on his fighting men rather than trusting in God to be the One who fought for his nation. He was shown the error of his ways and a very severe punishment was given to the nation of Israel for his sin. David was told to build an altar at a specific place to offer a burnt offering for his sin. When he got there, the owner of the land wanted to help his earthly king so the man offered to give David anything he needed. David’s reply in verse 24 (NIV) was: “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God something that has cost me nothing. 

How this has challenged me. Our sacrifices today are not the oxen or lambs of the Old Testament, but God does ask things of us that require sacrifice—and it may be different for every person. I am a wife, mother to four children, and a bush missionary in Papua New Guinea. I LOVE my life! My house is wonderful, and when I look out my windows I see beautiful, lush, green mountains. My kids have adventures every day that kids in the U.S. can only dream about. I get to be part of a community whose language and culture is so different from my own. We are honored that God asked this of us. And yet, there is a cost.

We miss birthdays, holidays, and time with our extended families. My youngest child came to PNG at 6 months old, and she’ll be 4 before we return. She has missed out on knowing her cousins and grandparents. Some nights, I comfort my older kids as they cry themselves to sleep because they miss their cousins.  

It has cost me a comfortable life. We live four hours from town over rough roads. I have to cook everything from scratch, every day. Due to the culture, I have to wear skirts; and for this girl who loves her some shorts and tank tops, that’s hard. I also can’t wear makeup, and due to our limited solar power, I can’t blow dry my hair in the mornings on days I just want to look nice. I am introverted and don’t like big crowds, and anywhere we go huge crowds gather around to just stare. 

Seth has experienced huge stress with his work projects when a key piece of machinery breaks and we have no parts to fix it. If he’s lucky, he may find the parts after running to five different stores in town. Cultural differences can also make working alongside our Papua New Guinean brothers and sisters very stressful. Life here can be hard and exhausting.

It has cost us our health at times. Whenever Seth comes home from traveling out to preach and visit, he is ill for days afterwards. The closest good hospital is five hours away, and we have experienced the fear and difficulty of getting there in an emergency.

Seth got very sick in December 2016, and we had to make that trip. It was scary. It took a lot of tests to figure out what was wrong. It was hard trying to make sure he got what he needed and also care for our kids at the same time. He was diagnosed with hepatitis, and we were away from home—in town or at the hospital—for three weeks.  

Yes, serving Jesus has a cost, but it is worth it! The God who is Almighty, King of Kings, and the Great I Am loves me with such an unending, unconditional love that He sent His Son to be my sacrifice. How can I say no to Him when He asks me to sacrifice everyday close family relationships and some comfort and health? Jesus sacrificed His life on the altar cross for me. I have learned that HE is worth it and that HE will honor and look after those who are willing to sacrifice and daringly follow Him. 

Things may not be perfect and hard times will come, but He makes all things good! I have seen the beauty of His Church working together and have felt the miracle of prayers said in different languages from His people around the world. This is the God I serve, the God to whom I will not sacrifice something that has cost me nothing. It has cost me, but HE is worth it and has blessed me beyond what I have ever dreamed.

ACT: What sacrifice can you make for Jesus? Is He calling you to greater, deeper faith? Is He calling you to serve Him through cross-cultural ministry? We’ll help you find your place every step of the way. Email us at mobilization@wgm.org to get started on your missions journey.

I Fell in Love in Kenya

Rebecca Denning, Volunteer, Kenya

I fell in love in Kenya...with a dirty, hungry, homeless, 9-year-old boy. He was swinging on tree ropes near my home on the missionary compound at Tenwek Hospital. I could tell he was enjoying himself, smiling and pumping his legs hard as if it would swing him into a new life.

“Hey buddy, time to go home,” I said.

 The pumping stopped, and he walked toward me, eyes on the ground. In broken English he said, “I have no parents.”

Another missionary walked by and I said, “Hey Jenny, this boy says he doesn’t have parents.” 

“Yeah, he told me the same thing earlier.” 

The neighbor’s daughter, a Kenyan, was passing by so we asked her to translate. We discovered Emmanuel had been living on the streets and truly had no family. The three of us walked to a storage closet for orphans. We found a few outfits, a backpack, toiletries, and a teddy bear. For the next two days, Emmanuel slept at Jenny’s house and even learned to ride a bicycle.

Those days were filled with social workers and child services attempting to gather the pieces to Emmanuel’s story. Emmanuel shared that he had been homeless for at least the last six months, but the gaps in his story suggested far longer. His mother had reportedly died of HIV when he was very young, and he didn’t remember his father.  

After two days of investigative work, no family could be found. It was now time to decide what to do with this precious little one. Peter, a dear Kenyan friend, helped us arrange for Emmanuel to be placed at nearby Mosop Children’s Home, which doubles as a boarding school and has high standards for cleanliness, nutrition, academics, and medical care.  

Peter and I loaded Emmanuel in the car, his new teddy bear peering out the side pocket of his backpack. Emmanuel was squirming and showing off his toothy smile, thrilled to be going to school. As we pulled in the driveway, he practically jumped out of his seat in excitement, yelling, “Mosop-school! Mosop-school!” Children dressed in neat brown uniforms ran along the fence to greet us before teachers led us to a room where they gave Emmanuel an academic examination. It was determined he would be placed in Class 1 (the equivalent of first grade) because of his inability to write. He would need special attention to keep up with the class, but he was expected to do just fine. 

I asked that he be examined at the clinic and receive an HIV test. The teacher agreed and then offered me a tuition breakdown and a list of required school supplies. He needs what for first grade? She then told me it was time to take him around the school and orient him to his new home. I asked if I could join them, to which she politely responded, “He will be fine; we’ll see you tomorrow.” Got it, time to let him go. 

I hugged my little friend, told him I would see him tomorrow, and left him at that big school with people he had just met and a bunch of kids who I prayed would be nice to him. All night I thought about and prayed for that little guy.

I’d only known him for three days, but I felt like a part of me was missing. As I prayed, God brought three words to my mind: “God with us.” Burdened with emotions, it took me a second to remember that Emmanuel means “God with us.” Emmanuel has never been alone, forsaken, or homeless; and neither have I. 

The next day, I stuffed his footlocker with supplies, clothes, and extra goodies, including pictures Jenny’s family had laminated. Emmanuel loved opening his footlocker, coming to the pictures saying, “Tank you, tank you!” 

I was told his HIV test was negative, but he has hearing difficulty in his right ear. Inside, I breathed a great sigh of relief about the former but had a thousand questions about the latter. The teacher beat me to the punch, saying, “I think I’ll ask the nurse; I’d like to know what’s wrong with that ear.” God is with him. Okay, got it! 

For the next week, I learned how to embroider “Emmanuel Kiplangat” on all his clothes. With every letter sewn, I thought about his smile, his laugh, and his goofy “Yah!” he uses to express happiness. I thought about what I’m going to do when I leave in July, who will come to visit him on my behalf, and when I’ll be able to come back to see him. As much as my heart breaks to think of leaving him, I know Kenya is Emmanuel’s home and that the staff at Mosop will raise him to be a strong man. Instead, I should direct my thoughts and prayers on how I can support him from afar.

So, I’ve fallen for a 9-year-old boy. I can honestly say, I would give anything for his happiness and success in this world. No matter the impact I’ve had and will continue to have in Emmanuel’s life, I pray that neither of us will forget that God is with us. He is with us when we have nothing; when we are homeless and hungry, without family or friends; when we’re brokenhearted and deeply saddened; and when we have all we need and more.

GO: While volunteering at Tenwek, Rebecca met Emmanuel, and both lives were changed forever. Are you ready to have your heart broken in order to share the love of Jesus with others? Click here to find your mission field.

Where Brokenness Abounds

Betsy Tejeda, Missionary, Texas/Mexico Border
The Call, October-December 2016

A single mother, terrified she’s pregnant again, is already being pushed by the father to get an abortion.

A teenager, so drugged up with his friends, can barely remember what happened one night.

A 23-year-old mother of six, evicted from a tiny one-room apartment because her husband made the choice to try cocaine and got thrown in jail, has no way to pay the rent.

A woman, sobbing, deals with the fact that her oldest son is involved in drugs and gangs.

A man, so overwrought from losing his job and not being able to support his family, turns to alcohol.

A teenage girl, holding on to a secret she should never have been told, struggles in her relationship with her parents.

As a missionary in McAllen, Texas, these are just a few of the heart-wrenching stories of the people in our community. The needs are overwhelming, and the amount of brokenness that abounds is astonishing. 

What can we do? How can we help? Is there a way to help them pick up the pieces of their lives?

For a brief moment, it’s tempting to have a “ride in and save the day” mentality. But, the truth is quickly clear. We cannot be their savior. Although there are many ways we can serve this community, the problems they encounter are God-sized. The reality is that no amount of money, counseling, clothing, or food can really repair the damage done and fix the underlying issue: SIN.

Our only hope is to point them to the true Savior. Share with them about the One who can forgive their sins and give them a second chance. Direct them to the Redeemer who will give them a new beginning, even as they face the consequences of their sin. Show them love: all-encompassing, all-fulfilling, all-enveloping love. Steer them to hope, and remind them that they are loved, seen, and valued.

As I listen to their stories, I am reminded it is my story, also. I, too, came to a place of brokenness, realizing I needed a Savior. My choices were different. My consequences may not have been as public, but I needed forgiveness and a new start. Now I pray my life is a testimony to these dear ones so that they, too, can be forgiven and healed, full of hope with promising futures. In the midst of brokenness, may hope arise as we point them to the Savior.

GO: Is God calling you to serve this community? A family ministries coordinator is needed at Taylor Community Center in McAllen, Texas. The coordinator will focus on families in the community and will help start programs and organize activities that foster building family relationships and encourage spending time together. Learn more here. 

Are You Taking the Long Way Around?

Brian Kushman, Missionary, Hispanic Ministries USA
The Call, July-September 2016

Missions has traditionally been focused on strangers in another land. But this begs the question: “What about the strangers who are among us?” In Exodus 22:21, God says, “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him,” (NKJV) and in 12:48-49, “And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord,…then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land.” This teaches us that if a stranger wants to worship the Lord with us, we should welcome them with open arms. 

Leviticus 19:33-34 states: “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” We think of this as a New Testament teaching, but from the very beginning, God wanted His people to love their neighbor as themselves. Deuteronomy 10:17-19 says, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger.…”

In the New Testament, Acts 1:8 states that the Holy Spirit will give us power to be witnesses for Christ “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” How does this relate to us? I suggest that our Jerusalem are those who are culturally like us and geographically close to us. Our Judea are those who are culturally like us but geographically farther away. Our Samaria are those who are culturally different but geographically close, and the ends of the earth are culturally different and geographically far. 

As the body of Christ, we need to recognize that we are not only called to reach out to those who are geographically far and culturally different, but also to those who are culturally different and geographically close. These could be immigrants or students from another country, migrants who have come to work, or even refugees fleeing war or persecution. These are our Samaria. Let’s not neglect this aspect of ministry.

But reaching out to people outside our own culture isn’t easy. In the time of the New Testament church, Jews avoided Samaria. Instead of traveling on the west side of the Jordan River through Samaria, which would be more direct, there was such prejudice that many Jews crossed over to the east side and took the long way around to avoid what they perceived as those who were undesirable.

Christ set a different example. He took advantage of every opportunity to minister to those with spiritual and physical needs, as in John 4 when He did what was socially unacceptable and talked with a woman of ill repute from another culture. Because of that interaction, many Samaritans came to believe in Him. 

Missions is more about crossing cultural boundaries rather than geographical borders. Christ ministered to those who were culturally different from Himself but were geographically close. His apostles eventually had this vision as well; Peter and John made a special trip to Samaria to confirm the Samaritans that had been baptized under Philip's ministry (Acts 8:14-17).

Christ promised to enable us, by the power of the Spirit, to be witnesses for Him, even to those who are culturally different but geographically close. Who is your Samaria? You see, “It is not the person from the radically different culture on the other side of the world that is hardest to love, but the nearby neighbor whose skin color, language, rituals, values, ancestry, history, and customs are different from one’s own” (“Hatred between Jews and Samaritans”).

Let’s follow Christ’s example and partner together to minister on the west side of Jordan!

ACT: Christ has called each of us to help the oppressed and to preach the gospel—essentially to be a missionary wherever we are. Not sure where to start? Check out the World Go! Manual, a Bible study for missions. Learn more and purchase a copy here. 

Outsiders on the Inside: Reaching the Chinese in the United States

Rachel Elwood, support staff, with Mark and Kim, Advance Volunteers
The Call, July-September 2016

“God is doing something big with Chinese people.”

Six years ago, Mark and Kim (last name withheld for security purposes) began attending a Chinese church. But that was just one step in their journey to reaching out to Chinese immigrants and students.

Mark and Kim served at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya with WGM from 2000 to 2007. Prior to that, they had gone on several international medical short-term trips and helped revitalize an inner-city church. When God led them to return to the United States in 2007, they were uncertain what the next step would be. They attended a CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Associations) conference and were told by an acquaintance, “You need to work with the Chinese.”

Two years of exploring, or “floundering,” according to Mark, followed. They began attending the Chinese church, and, step by step, became involved in various ways. They have worked with the youth group, taught parenting classes, and led outreach to university students. Mark is a deacon, and Kim is on the missions committee. Doors have also opened up that have taken them to China to work with medical outreach. 

Still, it took time—almost a year—to build relationships and gain a better understanding of the community. “Because of our experience as cross-cultural workers, we were comfortable being outsiders,” Kim said. “We were prepared to listen, to learn, and to be in it for the long haul.” That willingness to stick with it earned them the respect of the community, which was further deepened when they went to China for the first time. 

Mark and Kim have learned many things during their years of involvement in the Chinese community. Here are a few of their takeaways that might be helpful to you as you reach out to internationals in your town. 

1. Look around you. Who is lonely? Who is international? Look for opportunities to reach out to immigrants. Be aware of special holidays. Chinese New Year is a big deal for those Mark and Kim work with, but consider Eid or Cinco de Mayo. Invite people to your house or invite them to share their ethnic foods. “Most university students who come here to study will never set foot into an American home. Look for ways to reach out!” suggested Kim.
2. Don’t worry about being an expert in the culture or about not having all the answers to every spiritual question. “It’s freeing to realize we don’t have all the answers,” Mark said. “But the Bible does have the answers we seek. We can study together to find them.”
3. When joining a more established church or ministry, be willing to be a part of what is going on, not trying to change them to be like “us.” Kim shared that when she joined her church’s missions committee, she waited a full year before suggesting any changes. 
4. Welcome newcomers to this country by offering practical help. “Regardless of culture, most people appreciate a genuine outreach of friendship,” said Mark. 
5. Listen. “Everyone has a story, and theirs might be more interesting than yours,” emphasized Kim.  

Most importantly, realize that God is sovereign and will guide your steps. Mark shared that if they had gotten involved with the Chinese church earlier, during their two years of searching, it might not have worked well because of other circumstances at the church. “Sometimes God makes you flounder,” Mark said. “But it’s always for a reason.”

Mark and Kim look forward to what God has in store for their future outreach to Chinese people, both in the United States and in China. 

ACT: Missions is a verb. Put love into action this month by choosing at least one of the takeaways Mark and Kim offer here. Challenge yourself to reach outside your comfort zone. Choose one of the actions from the list that isn’t easy or comfortable for you and reflect on what God teaches you through that experience. 

PRAY: Pray for Mark and Kim in their ministry to Chinese people in the United States.

Reaching Our 10/40 Window

Erin Curtis, Volunteer
The Call, July-September 2016

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Exodus 22:21, NIV)

“The 10/40 Window is in our backyard,” stated ministry partner Amanda Mason. Her work with Muslim refugees points us to the urgent need of reaching this people group as they integrate into American communities.

Amanda felt a tug on her heart in high school for missions to Muslims. She dismissed it quickly. After all, how could a girl in a wheelchair ever be a missionary? Then 9/11 happened while she was in college, and a chapel speaker spoke about ministry to Muslims, stirring the desire Amanda felt as a teen. In 2004, she taught English to Muslims at The American School for Women and Children in Toledo, Ohio, for six weeks. She returned to the school in 2007 to teach for a year. Health complications forced Amanda to move back to her home in Columbus, Ohio, in 2008. 

God impressed His call on her again in 2015. Amanda now works with US Together (Ohio), teaching English to Muslims and international refugees, and she hopes to launch soon with World Relief.

Part of Amanda’s passion is inspiring Christians in America to reach out to Muslims. “I would love to see the Church take on this ministry as something that they can get involved with,” she expressed. According to Amanda, the 10/40 Window in our backyard is truly a window. Just as we don’t see glass panes until we look for them, so too are Muslims in America overlooked by the Church.

Most Muslims in America are seeking a better life for their families. Many are highly educated but speak little English and feel vulnerable. Because many Americans distrust Arabic people, many Muslims struggle to find community. 

Amanda advocates our responsibility as Christians to reach Muslims in our communities. Kindness, basic courtesy, and connection are simple things she has seen Americans withhold from Muslims. Ministry to them involves seeing them as normal people who are in need. Simple things like inviting refugees into our homes and engaging them at a personal level are ways Amanda sees that can best reach them. “It’s worth taking the risk and getting to know them,” she said.

Equipping missionaries to minister to refugees in America is one area Amanda notes churches can focus on more. These missionaries need greater doses of prayer, training, and support.

Exodus 22:21 spurs Amanda on. “Politically, today, we are against refugees,” Amanda observed. “We need to remember that we [Christians] are refugees in this world, that this is not our home.”

GO: Do you want to find out more about ministering to Muslims in the United States? Contact Jared Gleason at recruiting@wgm.org for available ministry opportunities.

40 Years behind the Lens: Bob’s Favorite Shots

Bob Bushong, Support Staff, 

with Rachel Elwood, Support Staff 

January-March 2016

I’ve been with WGM since 1975 in a number of roles, but one of my favorites has been field photographer. I’ve gotten to see and record some amazing things: history in the making, faces that will never leave me, and testimonies of God’s great love. It’s been great to see how God can use my camera as His tool to tell His story.

Meredythe Scheflen took us to this overgrown sugar cane field near Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and insisted that one day it would be a university. She served tirelessly as a missionary in Bolivia for decades, and today, Bolivian Evangelical University is the largest private university in Bolivia with over 2,000 students enrolled.

MORE: Go to www.ueb.edu.bo to learn more about the ministries at BEU.

I felt like a real daredevil, practically hanging out of this Cessna to take photos of our Wings of Peace aircraft. This photo is especially meaningful because a few years later, WGM went through one of the most difficult chapters when a plane was lost in flight, along with its seven passengers.

GO: 

Through compassionate, education, family, and 

youth ministries, WGM Bolivia is reaching out to those aged 29 years and younger with the love of Christ. Discover how you can help share Christ’s love in Bolivia at www.wgm.org/bolivia.

It was a privilege to watch Dr. Ernie Steury work with patients at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya. He was the first missionary physician at Tenwek and truly laid the groundwork for it to become one of the leading missions hospitals in East Africa.

GIVE: While Tenwek’s medical services are patient-fee funded and usually affordable, these services are also made possible through donations from ministry partners like you. Donate at www.wgm.org/tenwek.

One of the best things about having taken photos on our fields for so long is that I’ve seen nationals develop into strong leaders. Reuben Lang’at (right) was doing his student missions internship to the Maasai people when I took this photo in the 1980s. He is now a WGM board member.

PRAY: Pray that the Lord will touch the hearts of qualified personnel to partner with WGM’s vital educational ministries around the globe. Training pastors, church leaders, and missionaries for Africa is a wonderful privilege.

I will never forget this little girl. She and her sister were

about the same ages of my own two daughters at the time, 

and I remember thinking how easily their lives could have been flipped, and it would have been my own kids who were struggling to draw water from a well.

GIVE: Poverty affects both the people of Bolivia and the church’s ability to serve. World Gospel Church of Bolivia needs funds to support pastors, improve church buildings, and fund missions. Partner with World Gospel Church of Bolivia through giving at www.wgm.org/wgc-bolivia.

From Inspiration to Involvement

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Jared Gleason, Support Staff
January-March 2016

As I browse social media or flip through a magazine, photos stick out to me the most. Most of the time I’m not even reading, but waiting for the next photo to catch my eye, prompting me to read whatever story or post accompanies it. Do you find yourself doing that?

Photos are fascinating because they can elicit so much emotion and inspiration, especially pictures that involve ministry and missions. You may think, “Wow, that’s an amazing ministry that is going on in Albania,” or “I would love to serve like that some day.” And that thought might be the last time you think of it. My prayer is that that would not be the case.

Are you brave enough to change your inspiration into involvement? I challenge you to actually respond. Don’t just click “Like” on Facebook and move on to the next photo. Don’t just flip the magazine page and read the next article. Take action. Ask questions. Learn more. Share with others what God is doing around the world and in your heart. Or, if you are up to a real faith challenge—go and be a part of it.

Going is a big step, but it is a step worth taking. Through Christ, people’s lives are being transformed and communities are being changed. You can be a part of what He is doing. And then you’ll be the one sharing photos, impacting others’ lives, and, Lord willing, inspiring them to be a part of missions as well.

As you are inspired by missions photos in this magazine, online, or wherever they may be, pray about how God may use those photos to prompt you to become involved. If He prompts you to seek out an opportunity to serve, WGM has many ways that you can do that. Maybe it’s going on your first team, maybe it’s serving for a summer, or maybe it’s beginning a career in missions. It could also mean being an advocate for missions in your small group, church, or community.

No matter what God is asking you to do, I’d love to talk with you and help your inspiration become a reality.

ACT: Connect with Jared today at recruiting@wgm.org to determine the best way God can use your skills and talents in missions.

Pray...

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

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Linda Rogers, Team Leader
October-December 2015

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!

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.

Willing to Be Made Willing

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Mary Hermiz, Retiree
October-December 2015

I’ve wanted to be a missionary nurse from the age of 4 years old. Myra Martin, a WGM missionary nurse to India, spoke at my father’s church in New York. She was dressed in her nurses’ white uniform, cap, and all. I sat spellbound on the front seat and knew that that was what I wanted to be: a missionary nurse.

During junior high, I realized if I was going to be a nurse, I needed to make some money for nurses’ training. I began babysitting and cleaning houses and finally landed the job of my life: janitor at my father’s church. I made $6 a week! On Monday after school, I’d take my check to the local bank. I’d put $5 in the bank, take 60 cents to put in the church offering, and bought candy with the rest!

By the time I finished high school, I’d saved enough to put me through nurses’ training. It was a diploma program where I got credit for the work I did in the hospital. So, this was my plan: go to nurses’ training, work my way through Bible college by being a nurse, find my husband, and go to the mission field.

During the summer of my junior year of high school, I went to camp meeting in Circleville, Ohio. One evening, a few girls from Circleville Bible College (now Ohio Christian University) came to our dorm and talked to us about attending CBC. When they started on me, I told them they should talk to the other girls. I already had my plans and, yes, I would come to CBC but not until I’d finished nurses’ training.

They left me alone, but God didn’t! I tried to go to sleep, tossing and turning for hours. Finally around 2:00 a.m., I told God how logical my plan was. Financially, I knew I couldn’t afford to go to CBC first: why, in one year all the money I’d saved would be gone! My parents didn’t have any extra money to help me.

Finally, the only thing I knew to pray so I could go to sleep was, “I’m willing to be made willing.” And with that, I went right to sleep. It was all I could honestly say because in myself, I wasn’t willing. At 6:00 a.m., the rising bell rang and I sat straight up in bed. Something had happened: all my desires had been changed! I now wanted to go to Bible college first! The change in me was the most dramatic I’d ever had, more so than my conversion.

After graduating from CBC, I went to nurses’ training, followed by midwifery courses, and finally in 1974 went to Papua New Guinea. I had every intention of staying in PNG to work until I retired.

After working about six years in PNG, the government asked me if I’d open another health center for them. After getting permission from my leaders in the USA, I told the government I’d be willing to do so.

One afternoon after returning from a government meeting in which I told them I would open another center, I decided to do my laundry. As I was washing my clothes, I was weighing in my mind the best way to open the new center. Should I move to the new center and just oversee this larger center or oversee the new center and remain at the larger center? As I was weighing the pros and cons, this thought came to me clearly: “Mary, your work here is finished.” My immediate response was, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” There was no way that could be God.

It took six months of struggle before I came to the conclusion it was God. I wrote to the missionary board and told them I would be resigning. Word got to Dr. Ernie Steury in Kenya, and in a few weeks I received a letter from him inviting me to come to Kenya and start a school of nursing for Tenwek Hospital. I quickly told him I was a “bush nurse” not a hospital nurse. I said I didn’t think I had the skills to do such a job, but I would pray.

When my term was over, I returned to the USA, not knowing what I would do. I investigated many universities to see the different types of master’s programs they offered. When I called Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, they said they had a course in community health nursing based on the World Health Organization model. Out of the many universities that I contacted, IUPUI was the only one that had a program that appealed to me. I applied and was thrilled to be accepted.

I was halfway through my program when God spoke to me through His Word. In my morning devotions, I had read the words in John 10:27: “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” Nothing jumped out at me at the time, but that evening as I was driving home from the university, those words came alive in my car—I knew exactly what God was saying! I rushed into my apartment, ran up the stairs, found the Scripture and re-read it. What a thrill that I was hearing God and He wanted me at Tenwek!

After finishing my degree (a master’s in nursing with a major in community health and a minor in nursing education), I went to Tenwek Hospital in Kenya in 1986. While God was preparing me for the task, He was also calling Barbara Pinkley from Burundi and Sylvia Finlay from England to join in the work. I didn’t need to worry about knowing everything about hospital nursing. He called others to come and fill the gap. That’s just like Him to work out the details!

GO: Are you willing to be made willing? Several ministry opportunities are available through World Gospel Mission. See a complete list of these ministries at www.wgm.org/go.

PRAY: Pray that the students and staff at Tenwek School of Nursing will continue to grow in their knowledge of nursing care as well as their walks with the Lord. Pray also that they will accurately reflect Jesus as they “Care in Christ’s Name.”

The Challenge of Change

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Billie Sue Dunn, Missionary, American Indian Field
October-December 2015

Let me make it clear from the beginning: I do not like change. However, flexibility is very important in a missionary’s life.

Change in ministry can be a challenge. God gives the courage to face each change and the assurance that He is with us. In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us, “I know the plans I have for you.”

When God called me to be a missionary teacher, I believed that I would go to the mission field and teach first-grade missionary kids until I retired. Little did I know that God had a better plan. That plan included teaching MKs in a one-room school, teaching kindergarten in the morning and high school classes in the afternoon, becoming a school principal, and, now, serving as the field treasurer on the American Indian Field.

Not only did I have to be flexible with my assignments, but also with my field of service. Moving from Bolivia, South America, to Phoenix, Arizona, was a big change. Moving from a humid, tropical climate to a hot, dry climate was interesting to say the least. Did God change His mind with His plans for my life? No, I don’t think so. Instead, He used each task as a step to help me become a willing, obedient servant. The challenge of change was all part of His plan. I wish I could say that there was no reluctance on my part in each change. Still, with prayer and His Word as my guide, I have faced each challenge with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Has changing from being a teacher to a treasurer been a trial? I have felt that way at times. After training to be an educator and not an accountant, I have seen God as the Master Teacher. Depending on Him shows me that He is in control all the time. God does not waste what we learn. Many of the leadership skills that I gained as a teacher and principal also apply to the office of treasurer.

Change has challenges, but we serve a God who gives us the grace to handle them. There is no greater joy than being in the center of His will.

GO: Is God calling you to serve outside your comfort zone? The American Indian Field has several short-term opportunities. It doesn’t matter if you are a teacher, a bookkeeper, or something else. God can use you to impact His kingdom. Join a team at www.wgm.org/teams.

Nursing Outside the Box

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By Carolyn Wade, Missionary, Kenya
July-September 2015

Sometimes when I’m asked what I do, I say, “I’m a missionary nurse.” The next question is, “Where do you work?” That requires a more detailed response.

I’m a nurse who enjoys patient education, and God has given me my heart’s desire. Here are some of the places and ways I minister:

• Women’s Health Information: Preparing and distributing notebooks containing information on pertinent women’s health issues to regional, area, district, and local women leaders of Africa Gospel Church. Packets are sent by mail in response to Facebook requests. Kenyan medical professionals also benefit from copies of health documents and radio presentations.
• Radio: Presenting programs encouraging preventive health practices and early treatment and informing about diseases like ebola, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and meningitis.
• Office: Writing health articles for AGC’s Trumpetmagazine, writing and editing health documents, and doing radio preparation.
• AGC Primary and Secondary Schools:Encouraging good oral and personal hygiene while also focusing on morality and abstinence.
• Liaison with Tenwek Hospital: Facilitating consultations with doctors.
• Village and Urban AGC Sites: Discussing health information at church gatherings, concluded by distributing medication for intestinal parasites; offering medicine to church leaders and students at Kaboson Pastors Training College and Kenya Highlands Evangelical University; and discussing health information at women’s and men’s meetings and marriage seminars.
• Home Visits: Giving a gift of soap as we are washing hands before meals gives validity to proper hand washing and good health, and giving dish soap gives opportunities to stress preventing the spread of diseases.
• Our Home: Assisting the workers and their families at our building with health needs, such as treatment for malaria, typhoid, anemia, vision problems, ulcers, burns, or fractured bones.

The Sunday morning radio health program closing is “Prevention is better than cure. ‘Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well’ (3 John 2, NIV).”

I am one happy missionary, grateful for a Mission and a church that allows the freedom to think outside the box to practice nursing and help meet health needs.

GO: Nursing opportunities, both inside institutional walls and “outside the box,” exist on several of WGM’s locations. To find the nursing opportunity that will work best for you, visit www.wgm.org/go.