The Adventure of Altar Living

Amanda Hoogkamp, Missionary, Bolivia

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”  ~ J. R. R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

This quote reminds me of what it means to put your life on God’s altar. There is no knowing what God is going to use or when; He often takes a piece of my life and uses it in ways that I never could have dreamed of. 

One of these instances was during my first two years in Bolivia. I felt God calling me to Bolivia to work with the El Alfarero (The Potter) University Student Center as a counselor. However, I could not start counseling right away because I needed to understand the language and culture better, so I volunteered wherever I could. 

I began working in the café that served the students; making coffees and smoothies and serving food was my day-to-day living. It was an adventure. I had never worked in anything like that before. (I didn’t even like coffee at the time; although, that is a different story now!)

Then they asked if I could help in the onsite library that was used by students, counselors, and the public. Sure, I thought; I love books. As I started working, I realized that maybe God had a different plan. You see, I not only love books but also libraries. My family has a personal library in our house, and my mom had worked in a library for many years. I used to go in and help her with cataloging and shelving. It turned out that I knew more about running a library than most of those who were working in the one at El Alfarero.  

By the second year, I was working on updating the library and dealing with issues that had been there since the library first opened. God took my life experiences—ones I never thought would be used on the field—and swept them up into His plans. I had placed my life and experiences on His altar, and He took off what He wanted to use. 

What does God want you to place on His altar? Are you allowing yourself to be swept off into His great adventure?

GO: Is fear or uncertainty holding you back from the adventure God has for you? WGM is here to help you find your place in God’s Great Commission. Contact mobilization@wgm.org to get started! 

We Must Act Now

Dr. Dan Schafer, president
The Call, April-June 2017

Today, around the globe, over 151,000 people will die with over 40 percent of those individuals entering into eternity with little or no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. These facts haunt me every day; I simply cannot escape them. These people could not make a decision to accept Jesus as their personal Savior because they never even heard that He wants to be their Savior.

This is a tragic reality, but it’s not just the tragic nature of these facts that haunts me. I’m also deeply troubled with these questions: Has World Gospel Mission done everything God intended for us to do in order for as many people as possible to hear and respond to the gospel? Have we done our very best? Have I as the president of WGM done my utmost to lead this organization to have the greatest possible impact for His kingdom?

These questions have driven me to call upon WGM to double its impact over the next five years, including doubling the number of missionaries serving on the mission field. Jesus said we “will do even greater things than these” (John 14:12 NIV). Doesn't that suggest that we need to do more and greater things than we are currently doing? Doesn’t that suggest that we need to constantly expand our Holy Spirit-empowered efforts to achieve those greater things? This is the driving force behind this issue of The Call, in which we are pleading with our WGM family to obediently pray for workers to enter the plentiful harvest fields. 

It’s urgent that we act now! Tomorrow another 151,000 people will die, and again the day after tomorrow, and again the day after that. That’s over 1 million individuals who will slip into eternity this next week! In 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) it states, God is “not willing that any should perish.” As a Christian, you undoubtedly share that same heart, that longing that all will be saved. But “how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14 NIV).

We want to be obedient to Jesus and pray for workers. We can be especially confident of God’s positive answers to these prayers because we know we are praying in line with His will—He is the One who asks us to pray for workers! 

ACT: In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus impresses on His disciples the need for committed people to reach out and help those in need—both physically and spiritually. Meditate on that passage this week and then visit www.wgm.org/serve, call 765.664.7331, or email recruiting@wgm.org to learn how WGM can help you on your missions journey.

Is Fulfilling Your Part in the Great Commission Worth It?

Nathan Schmidt, Missionary, Bolivia
The Call, January-March 2017

I admit, there are times I have wondered if it truly is worth it to serve the Lord as a career missionary. When I sleep on a hard church bench at night in an adobe church building in Bolivia, is it worth it? When I travel by bus on the dangerous mountain roads, is it worth it? When I eat foods that I am not accustomed to, is it worth it? To live so far from family, is it worth it? When I get sick due to the water, is it worth it?

But when I hear people respond to God’s Word and call out to Him around a church altar, it is worth it! When I hear a young man and his girlfriend pray the sinner’s prayer with me, it is worth it! When I see a new church form in the mountains of Bolivia, it is worth it!

When I see a wayward pastor’s son come back to Christ, it is worth it! When I see a new believer step into the cold waters of a mountain stream to be baptized, it is worth it! When I see a young man step up and say, “I have been called by God to be a pastor,” it is worth it! When I listen to a pastor share his burdens and am able to pray with him, it is worth it! 

It is worth the cost to be a missionary and a part of fulfilling the Great Commission. Jesus said it this way in Mark 8:36 (ESV): “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

GO: Is God calling you to go? No matter the location or cause or the timeframe you have to serve, there’s a program to fit your calling and your needs. Your obedience is worth it!

CAREER: Serve 2+ years

• Missionary Discipleship Program: Through the MD Program, called individuals can become full-time missionaries.

VOLUNTEER: Serve 1+ weeks to a year

• Missionary Volunteer Partners:  Adults, age 30 or above, serve side by side with missionaries and nationals, partnering with established ministries and helping with new outreaches.
• Volunteers In Action: Individuals or couples, age 19-29, will get a taste of missionary life in a cross-cultural setting and in virtually any type of ministry.
• Teams: Teams are custom fit—work, college, youth, family, prayer—so there’s no end to the ways you and your group can minister. 

Is Giving Up the American Dream Worth It?

Steve Solheim, Missionary, Honduras
The Call, January-March 2017

Ah, the good ol’ American dream. There we were in our little house with our little family and our little dog. We were well on our way in our careers and livin’ the dream. What more could we want as we sang: “Our house, in the middle of our street”? We had two cars in the driveway, and we’d just completed our deck—the biggest one on the block, mind you. Yes, we were doing our best to keep up with the Joneses.

I started my career in the military and worked my way into a great position managing the battalion helpdesk. After I left the Marines, I landed a contract job in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Wow, I thought, these people are paying me to do what I love. How lucky can I get? For the next several years I bounced around from contract to contract, trying to land my dream job.

After 15 years I finally started my job as a systems engineer doing software deployment. But, there was one tiny problem with my dream job—I hated it. You see, I started out serving my country in the Marines. Then, I worked at various positions helping people with their computer problems. And now, I was stuck in an isolated corner way back in the IT department with no contact with the people I was there to help.

Meanwhile, we had just switched to a new church with a great youth program. Unbeknownst to us, it also had a great missions program. Through a series of well-orchestrated moves by God, we went on a two-week work team and a year-long volunteer assignment followed by a complete career change to honor and follow Him in Honduras. I was using my spiritual gifts of Helper and Service again as well as one I was completely unaware of: Faith.

With the extreme cut in income that we took going to the mission field, we thought we wouldn’t be able to do all the things we loved to do and that we would never be able to do the things we always dreamed of doing. That was a lie. For everything that we gave up, God has blessed us with more opportunities and even given us the opportunity to do things that we never even dreamed possible when we were trapped in the American dream.

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.

Is It Worth It to Be Seed Planters?

John Kunkle, Missionary, Texas/Mexico Border Ministries
The Call, January-March 2017

Here on the Texas/Mexico border, we think of ourselves as “seed planters.” Sometimes all we have is a few moments to plant the seeds of the gospel in a person’s heart. We are thankful for the sowers of God’s love whom He has provided to our field. In the past two years, the number of Texas/Mexico Border Ministries staff working with the Hispanic community in McAllen, Texas, has more than doubled. God is moving to reach this area in a fresh new way with the gospel message. Here are some of the challenges we face and stories of the harvest that God is giving us.  

In order to plant the seeds of the gospel of Christ and see results for His kingdom:

1.  The soil must be broken for planting. Betsy Tejeda, acting field director: “One of the most difficult barriers is trust. It takes time and a lot of effort to break down that barrier. Another challenge is how transient our neighbors tend to be. We have learned the turnover in our community is very high, so once trust is built, they often move away and we start all over. This has helped us be very intentional, though, in sharing the gospel when we have the opportunity. We’ve learned it may be the only chance we get. We have reached families with the gospel through both the soccer program and The Sparrow’s Nest. We try to share the gospel at each outreach, even if it’s extremely short. [My husband] Gerson and I sensed the Lord tell us that we are seed planters; He is the One who causes those seeds to grow. Our responsibility is to be obedient to share the gospel when the opportunity is there and pray that the seeds fall on good soil. God is the One who will make those seeds grow and grant a harvest.”

2.  The soil must go deep. Joey Bocook, ministry partner: “The youth need a deeper understanding of who God is and what He wants for their lives. I believe it is necessary when teaching the churched youth that they understand that God loves them regardless of their faults or failures but also desires for them to strive to do their best and give Him 100 percent of their lives. I feel that all teachings to youth need to include a challenge to help them strive to be closer to Jesus.”

3.  The soil must be cultivated. Esther Leininger, missionary disciple and former missionary kid from Bolivia: “Missionary kids struggle with the same question all young people have—Who am I? Finding that answer is very difficult without a Christian community to guide you. God used my parents [Tom and Karen Leininger, formerly with WGM’s Wings of Peace aviation ministry] and church community to help me find my identity in Christ; here at Taylor Christian School, I can help young people learn who they are in Christ, too.”

4.  The soil must be fertilized and nurtured. Debbie McKelvey, missionary: “Currently, I counsel at a local church that has a counseling ministry and am able to refer people here for free marriage therapy. I want to be sensitive to every opportunity to share God’s hope in every situation. It is a joy to share God’s unconditional love to those who feel hopeless because of past sin. I am also blessed to share the healing power of Jesus with those who have been abused, abandoned, or betrayed. People need to know our Savior understands, because He suffered the same things we suffer, and it is by His stripes we are truly healed (Isaiah 53:5).”

Even though the task is not easy, we consider it of high priority to plant the seeds of God’s Word wherever He directs us. Is it worth it in the end when we see the harvest that God has brought to us? Indeed! We are harvesting the crops of many generations of “seed planters” who have come to the border before us, those faithful missionaries who so long ago said “yes” to the call of God. 

GO: Short-term opportunities are a perfect way to help cultivate the soil on the Texas/Mexico border. Apply to be a volunteer at www.wgm.org/serve.

Are Short-Term Missions Worth the Cost?

Nathan Waggoner, Missionary, Albania
The Call, January-March 2017

Summer 2016 was a busy season for short-term volunteers in Albania. We were blessed to host a university team and two families for one- to two-week trips each and three Volunteers In Action (VIA) interns who stayed for seven weeks! Thousands of dollars were invested last summer in these short-term trips as the volunteers came alongside of us in the village. Was it worth it?

If you Google the question “Are short-term missions worth the cost?” you will find thousands of 

articles —some thoughtful, some cynical—debating the question. Many articles claim that short-term missionaries benefit much more than their host communities. Most compare the funds used for travel to local wages and consider what else (presumably better) could be done with that money. Some of the examples cited would turn me off from short-term missions completely if I hadn’t experienced the other side.

The team from Asbury University (Kentucky) brought youthful enthusiasm with special skills in worship arts. A student majoring in worship arts along with Jonathan Powers, WGM’s Student Involvement director at Asbury, led a workshop for our young congregation. As a result, a committed group of youth and adults meet weekly to help plan our church services. Not only is the church service enriched and more orderly with the planning but also more people are involved each week.

The team also helped us launch a new children’s program in a neighboring village. (Incidentally, we learned about this community through distributing Christmas shoeboxes—another short-term missions outreach.) We had hoped the draw of our American visitors would help our numbers, but we were amazed when more than 80 kids and adults showed up! Our daughter, Ellie (age 11), played her guitar with Jonathan as they taught the first praise songs ever sung in that community! The youth from our village church caught the vision and have faithfully continued leading this weekly kids’ club outreach. 

Nathan (WGM Board member) and Anne Lowe and their children came to Albania on a family missions trip, and they plugged into our village ministries like they had been here from the beginning. Each family member was involved, whether preaching at church, facilitating youth Bible study, holding a chess tournament, leading a workshop for young mothers on childhood brain development, or visiting village homes. I know they left tired, but they helped encourage us and our neighbors.

Since the VIA interns were here for seven weeks, they were involved in all of the above ministries as well as starting a weekly Bible study fellowship for the young ladies in our village. They were also instrumental in helping our church’s youth prepare and lead the ongoing kids’ club meetings in our neighboring community. Both ministries have continued since they returned to the States, because people are following the patterns they set while they volunteered here with us.All of these “short-term” missionaries have left a long-term impact in our community! They strengthened our hands as career missionaries as they used their skills and abilities for the kingdom of God in Albania!

Only in eternity will we see the full dividends from the investments made this summer by short-term missionaries in Albania. But based on the returns we have already seen in this short time, the answer to the question “Was it worth it?” is a resounding YES!

GO: Ready to make your long-term impact on a short-term team or as a volunteer? Visit www.wgm.org/teams and www.wgm.org/via to learn more!

Finding Community, Making Real Connections

Nathan Vitatoe, Advance Volunteer
The Call, October-December 2016

I walked through the door, and I was immediately met with the delicious aroma of good food lingering in the air. Bright tables and chairs were coupled with the familiar sound of rapid conversations in Spanish. I had stopped by a local Mexican restaurant to see if they would be interested in having me volunteer once a week to teach an English as a Second Language class before they opened for the day. 

When my family and I first stepped back onto U.S. soil after serving North African immigrants in Spain for two years, I wasn’t sure how God was going to use us for cross-cultural ministry. However, we felt His presence and a peace about the decision to return and focus on bi-vocational ministry in WGM’s Advance Volunteer Network. The Lord has continued to expand our heart for the pilgrims of the world, this time in our own backyard of southern Ohio. There is a benefit to ministering to Spanish speakers in their own language, but many opportunities exist in communities all across our country in English. Your church might already have an outreach to immigrants that you could join. 

One of the main lessons that the Lord has taught me through working with immigrants in Europe and the U.S. is that in order to build a relationship where we can share the hope we have in Jesus, the connections that we make have to be genuine. This valuable principle of authenticity in ministry has stuck with my wife, Kenzie, and me as we approach every new ministry opportunity. Even as we began to plan for our vision trip to Spain, we utilized as a team the booklet Before You Pack Your Bag, Prepare Your Heart by Cindy Judge, which was very helpful to us.  

As travelers of the gospel, we demonstrate our love for Spanish-speaking immigrants through genuine friendship and an interest in helping prepare them for day-to-day life. Our Hispanic friends can feel isolated, both linguistically and culturally. The friendships that we have developed have opened doors to share the most important aspect of our lives, our faith and hope in Jesus Christ our Savior. 

Community isn’t something we necessarily create; it’s something that we find as we naturally connect with others. We just need to take the step—without expecting anything in return—when the Holy Spirit urges us to share the love of Christ.

ACT: Talk to your church missions department or pastoral staff about ways you can champion outreach to the pilgrims in your area or join an established ministry. It will be a personally stretching but rewarding experience.

Community Health Evangelism

Angie Overholt, Missionary, Honduras
The Call, October-December 2016

For over two decades now, Larry and I have enjoyed working in Community Health Evangelism.

CHE is a model that takes a holistic approach toward community development. According to the CHE Network website, “CHE seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with community health and development.” 

Evangelism and discipleship are the foundational principles that define CHE and set the model apart from secular health promotion models that have been used around the world by health extension workers. We believe that the CHE program in Choluteca, Honduras, has been successful because it is built on both biblical principles and sound community development theory.

The apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect" (Romans 12:2 ISV). Real transformational learning is made possible when people accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. Accepting Christ leads to a dramatic change in worldview that will positively impact individuals as well as entire communities. 

As a result of applying CHE principles in Honduras, we have seen people’s lives transformed in ways that we could never have imagined. The multiplication principles apply to healthcare as well as spiritual evangelism and discipleship. New converts are always excited to tell others of the life-changing experiences that they are going through. Using the CHE model of education, the “good news” is communicated throughout the social system in the entire community. 

Community health evangelists perform many different services in the community. They collaborate with other organizations, including local churches, healthcare agencies, and local governing groups. One local governmental health center sent words of gratitude to us, saying that our lay health workers are filling an educational gap that existed in the community. The local health center staff had been overwhelmed and was grateful for the support.

Local pastors and community leaders have noted that our health evangelists treat every home that they enter in the same way; they do not attempt to get people to switch churches but encourage everyone to support the church that they attend. CHE teachers on the island that we visit noticed that the photos our regional coordinator was showing them of malnourished children looked very similar to their own children. On their own, they sought out extra help from the local health department and learned that many of the population’s children were undernourished.

Last year, we had the great joy and privilege of meeting Stan Rowland, the author and teacher who has had a great influence in making CHE popular. Stan confirmed that one of the primary concepts of CHE is participatory learning, which is the collective effort of facilitators and students learning together. The participatory model includes dialogue rather than a lecture or monologue by the teacher.

Above all, real transformation only comes through faithfully following Christ.

MORE: Learn more about the CHE Network and register for training. 

Abilities-Gifts-Success

Gary Knox, Men With Vision
The Call, October-December 2016

Gary has served on over 100 short-term missions trips, and he continues to add to that number. He values sharing other cultures with the younger generations, encouraging a community of next-generation missions-active Christians. He shares some insight and challenges other adults to invest in the teens in their spheres of influence for the cause of missions.

There are three verses I use during missions trip orientations:  

• 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT): “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.”
• 2 Timothy 1:6: “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you….”
• Acts 4:13: “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.”

It is quite common for young people to have doubts about their abilities to do the variety of jobs required on a missions project. Most have never mixed concrete, laid bricks or blocks, hung drywall, installed lighting fixtures, taught school, led Vacation Bible School, etc. However, they all want to do their best. And when the trip is over, they want to leave knowing that the job was done to the best of their abilities and that it was done right.

Every team member has God-given abilities (1 Peter 4:10), and on the mission field those abilities flourish (2 Timothy 1:6). When given the opportunity, it is amazing to see the transformation from doubt to absolute confidence (Acts 4:13). Abilities are God-given, and spiritual gifts are Spirit-granted. Combining them with volunteering brings about remarkable results that are life-changing and rewarding. It also brings great blessings to those who are served. Ordinary team members who have been with Jesus do extraordinary things. God requires it.

Parents and grandparents, there is no greater gift for a teen’s graduation, birthday, or Christmas than the gift of a missions trip. Just do it. Better yet, go with them!

GIVE: Give the gift of missions to someone this year. Trips to most WGM locations are available throughout the year. Teams are custom fit—work, college, youth, family, prayer teams—so there’s no end to the ways you and your group can minister. Learn more at www.wgm.org/teams.

From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth

Victoria Herring, Support Staff
The Call, October-December 2016

"Why should I donate so that someone gets to take a glorified vacation?”

Coordinating missions trips as a job has allowed me to hear a lot of feedback from people who are not only preparing to go on missions trips but also donating to make these trips possible. Recently, it seems there is a lot of criticism toward short-term missions trips. I hear this a lot: “I think you should help people right here before worrying about people in other countries.”

The reality of the situation is that we are called to do both. “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV). It’s not an either/or situation. It’s also not a choice. It’s a command to do both. How can we work together to ensure that we are carrying out the Great Commission not only in our local community but also globally? 

I believe one way we can accomplish both of these goals is through teamwork. Not everyone is called to serve outside their community, whether long or short term. However, there are ways we can support those who are called to share Jesus with cultures outside of their own.

1. Pray: All missionaries will tell you that their prayer partners are a vital part of their ministry.

2. Give: It doesn’t always have to be financially. We can give our time, talents, and spiritual gifts too. And while we are doing this to support our partners around the world, we can at the same time help those in our local community. Consider volunteering at a local food bank, homeless shelter, or after-school program. 

Even though we all have our differences, our goal of the Great Commission is the same. God in all His wisdom made us unique with talents that He will use to work toward that goal. Whether you are called to serve people right here or to travel across the globe, working together is teamwork at its finest. 

GO: Gather your team and pack your bags. Short-term trips are available. Start the application process and pick a location at www.wgm.org/teams. 

ACT: Choose a local nonprofit to volunteer at this month. Food banks, homeless shelters, and after-school programs are always looking for volunteers.

Argentina, You Changed Me Forever: Tales From a College Ministry Team

Andrea Williamson, former Student Involvement Director at Ohio Christian University
The Call, October-December 2016

Last year, a missionary couple serving in Argentina came to Ohio Christian University’s Global Café and shared their vision for reaching young adults. (Due to the sensitive nature of their work, we will not use their names.) Their ministry was so exciting to our students that the missionaries were invited to OCU on the following Monday and Tuesday to speak in a few classes.

This couple has discovered a unique way to implement a program similar to what has been called Community Health Evangelism. This outreach seeks to meet the felt needs of non-believers in ways that open the door to sharing the gospel.

University leaders in Argentina tend to be resistant to evangelical Christians and the Bible. Even so, they desire to see their students get involved as volunteers in humanitarian efforts within their local communities. The students themselves are also very interested in volunteering. The struggle they face is how to make that happen in a meaningful, ongoing way. 

WGM’s vision is to help the university and its students by facilitating opportunities for students to do volunteer work alongside individuals and local organizations in need of assistance and to provide the necessary tools for the university to promote this program. They need the help of ministry teams to help open these doors.

During the 2016 spring break, OCU sent a ministry team of six to Argentina. Professor Jamey Gremillion, OCU’s Intercultural Ministries director, led the team of university students: Liliana Burgos, Ben Caplan, Andrew DeMint, and Lindsey Lawler. The team was rounded out by Jammie Wilhelm, who serves as an AGS (Adult and Graduate Studies) director and professor.

The team had the privilege of remodeling a kitchen for an elderly lady who feeds nearly 60 neighborhood children every weekday. They lovingly refered to her as the Argentinian version of Mother Teresa. In two days, the team removed the old cabinets, storage area, and counter tops, replacing them with a custom-built eight-foot-high locking storage cabinet for food, multiple 12-foot shelves to hold pans and supplies, and an island so the children can be served their food. The team also cleaned, painted, and installed four ceiling fans along with an exhaust fan for the stove. 

Lindsey was the first to test out the quality of their work by climbing onto the large storage unit. The whole team joined her for a unique team photo. “That I’m in awe of what God is doing in Argentina doesn't begin to describe it,” said Lindsey. “This was my first international mission trip. I left a huge part of my heart with the 75-year-old woman who cooks meals…out of her own home.” 

The team also visited an education and therapy center that serves children with disabilities, a one-of-a-kind ministry to needy families in the area. Lindsey noted that because of this ministry, “the children see hope, see love, and see Christ.” She continued, “So many wonderful relationships were built, and I hope to see them continue to grow. Even though some of us had a little language barrier, they felt like family! I hope to make a trip back in the future.”

On one day, the team’s plans were canceled due to heavy rains. Instead, they gathered together for a special time of worship and prayer. Jamey commented, “This unexpected time to focus on prayer deeply encouraged our missionary hosts; the wife told me that they were in need of our fellowship. They are ministering on the front lines to a people who don’t see a need for Christ. They have a difficult task. It was so beautiful to watch our OCU students lead this service. I was so proud of them!”

“Although I have traveled to many countries, this was my first missions trip,” said Jammie. “It was an experience that helped energize my life and ministry. There are no words to describe what I learned from the interaction with the Argentine people and also the OCU students. There truly is a movement of God to use young people to encourage the world. I am blessed to be a part of this team and look forward to the next trip.” Andrew said that his heart was full of mixed emotions as he left Argentina, adding, “Yes, I will be happy to see my familia y amigos again, but a large part of my heart will remain here ‘in the land where there are no strangers.’ God has moved in mighty ways. Argentina, you have changed me forever, and for that, te amo.” 

Liliana posted on her Facebook page:

“‘I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground.’–Hillsong

“As we get ready to head back, I leave you with this:

Pray continuously.
Persevere in prayer.
God has His timing for everything.
Keep trusting in Him.”

GO: Serving on a ministry team bonds you with that group as you serve the kingdom of God. Is God calling you to serve in community on a short-term missions trip? Apply at www.wgm.org/teams. 

Living Among Refugees: Are We Willing to Love These People?

A missionary living in the Middle East
The Call, July-September 2016

How would you feel if your homeland was so torn apart by violence and war that you were forced to leave? Images of your hometown play on the news, showing injured neighbors and obliterated buildings. What kind of future could you possibly build for your family when you have lost everything? 

Yemen, Iraq, Syria—this is reality for many in the Middle East. My own family evacuated our city in a country in turmoil when a colleague was killed. When we moved to the country where we live now, we unknowingly rented an apartment that is in the midst of Iraqis who fled the war in their own homeland. 

We have a unique connection point with our neighbors because we understand, to a lesser extent, the trauma of having to leave your home suddenly. We understand seeing pictures of streets where our family once walked that are now filled with trash and destroyed homes. 

In my present role, I get to work with teams located throughout the Middle East. I get to help individuals and families get ready for ministry in this region. Historically, we’ve seen that after societal upheaval like a war, there’s a period of spiritual openness. We want to be ready to move in with the message of Jesus Christ. And here’s the good news: in the middle of the awfulness of the wars here, God is moving! 

People in these countries are seeing the horror wrought by “defenders” of their religion. They are questioning their own belief systems. They are reaching out, looking for some measure of hope. As refugees flee, it’s often believers—both local and those sending support from foreign countries—who respond with aid, care, and love. 

I know this is a difficult issue, but here’s where I land: while we were yet sinners, Jesus laid down His life for us. Are we willing to lay down our own lives for others? Are we willing to love these people?

GO: Our church has a center that helps refugees develop their English, computer, and other skills. Volunteers are always welcome to come short term and teach. Contact Kristina Gleason,volunteer coordinator, at 765.671.7227 or email via@wgm.org for more information. 

From Teacher to Counselor and Missionary

Jodi Brumbaugh, Volunteer, Uganda
April-June 2016

The 2012-2013 school year started out like any other. I was teaching middle school science in a local school in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After a month or two, I thought I could see myself staying there for many years.

A few months later, God began to place on my heart another call. He was calling me to get my master’s degree in mental health counseling. My heart was torn. I had wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in the fifth grade. I loved teaching and working with my students.

But God kept bringing this idea of being a counselor into my heart and mind. I asked God and myself, Why? Deep down, I knew. God had taken me on my own journey of healing my past, and now He was going to use me in others’ journeys. I realized then that God doesn’t waste pain. Finally, in the spring of 2013, I sent my application to Grace College. I was accepted and started on this new journey.

Throughout my time at Grace College, God confirmed that I was right where I was supposed to be. I did not have to give up working with teenagers. My internship was at a residential facility for teenagers, where I was able to work with this population in a different way. My years as a teacher have enhanced what I do as a counselor. But God had even bigger plans than taking me from a teacher to a counselor!

Two weeks before I started at Grace, God used missionaries to lead me to Uganda. For my advanced internship, I spent almost four months counseling in Uganda. Through my time there, God called me into missions. As a teacher, I saw the tip of the iceberg when it comes to heartbreak. As a counselor, I walk through the trenches with others. God is the One doing the redeeming as He did in my life. I’ve seen people go from hopeless to hopeful, their joy fully restored! 

Serve God overseas and earn college credit through Volunteers In Action. Discover if serving as a VIA participant is for you! 

Transition Is the Definition of a Missionary

Larry Overholt, Missionary, Honduras
April-June 2016

Transition is a part of the very definition of being sent as a missionary to another culture. Knowing and accepting that God is in control of our lives makes it possible for us to continue through all the transitions of missionary life. It is vitally important for us to actually find joy in God’s will for us. Psalm 37:4 has encouraged me most throughout a career of transition: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart” (NKJV). Angie and I have continually experienced the reality of delight in the Lord, and of God giving us the desires of our hearts. 

In our experience, the most difficult has been the repeated transition between homeland ministry assignment and Honduras. The first time we traveled to Honduras, we were full of excitement and anticipation of all the new things we would experience. As new first-term missionaries, we had permitted ourselves to become focused on the glamour of working full time in the ministry that we felt God had called us to do. Once we arrived in Honduras, we were face to face with the reality of living in another culture: speaking another language, eating different foods, and not being able to communicate daily with our family and friends back home. During our first years in Honduras, we did not have telephones, it was before the Internet existed, and postal “Aerograms” took two weeks to arrive. Our grocery shopping was done in a tiny store that carried few of the conveniences we were used to from home. Our first missionary assignment of five years was a long time to be away from family and friends. Now that our children have grown up and we have grandchildren, we realize how difficult it must have been for our parents to see us make that first move to Honduras.

Part of the missionary life is the continual change from one job to another. One of the popular missionary mottoes is to “Continually work yourself out of a job.” The challenge for the missionary is to mentor people to prepare them to take over for us. Oftentimes we come into a situation to fill a gap and it is our responsibility to prepare others to take over. One of the greatest joys that a missionary can hear is how people we have helped prepare for ministry are now serving the Lord. 

In 35 years of missionary service with World Gospel Mission to Honduras, Angie and I have transitioned through dozens of jobs and eight different transitions back to the States. We are grateful that through all the transitions in our lives we can still say that “the joy of the Lord is my strength.” We may even have a couple of transitions left in us yet. 

GO: Has God called your family members to serve as missionaries? Make plans to visit them during their term on the field. Your relationship will be stronger after you have experienced together this new phase of life in which God has placed them. 

Souls and Soles

Hubert Harriman, President
January-March 2016

The invention of photography will probably remain as one of the more memorable discoveries in the history of mankind—to be able to capture a moment in time. Some pictures stay with you for a long time; they speak to powerful truths and stories. Let me tell you about one of those pictures that will always stand out in my mind.

I was participating (translating) with a youth team led by my oldest daughter, Anne, to the Manuelito Project, a ministry that saves children off the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Our trip started where the work had started—in the church that Jorge Pinto pastors. Pastor Jorge took us into his office and immediately captured our attention, and the heart of their ministry, with a pair of shoes. He told us of a poor boy named David, whom they had rescued off the streets. He had been in their program for a while when David started asking for a new pair of shoes. Pastor Jorge argued that his shoes looked fine, until other kids told him to look at the soles. They were completely gone. The shoes just looked good from the top side, but he was literally walking barefoot on the bottom side. Then, he brought David into the office. A young man now, David had been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ because someone had cared for his soul as well as his soles. It was a powerful moment, to say the least.

Later that year, our children were with us for Christmas, and Anne gave me a special gift. She had taken a picture of David’s shoes and had framed that picture especially for me. That picture is hanging on our living room wall as a constant reminder that we must have eyes to see not only the soul, but the whole of each human being.

The apostle John wrote: “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17, NIV). I want to see the soul need of every person, but I also want to see the “sole” need of every person. Someone may look good on the “top side” of their shoes, but be suffering on the “bottom side” of their shoes. I pray for an eye to see underneath the veneer of the world—to discern that, even though people can look happy on the outside, they may be walking on bare feet. The deeper hurts are often overlooked when we don’t really look.

WGM is purposed to deal with both the souls and “soles” of those around us, seeking to bring God’s healing to the whole person. That is God’s sole purpose! We can do no less.

GO: Has God called you to serve kids in Honduras with your church, a work team, or as a volunteer? The Manuelito Project needs people interested in children’s and youth work, education, and much more! Visit www.wgm.org/honduras to learn more.