Overcoming Weird

An excerpt from...

Overcoming Weird

Pointing Girls to God in Ukraine

By Oksana Brower, Missionary, Ukraine, with Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
October-December 2014

It’s considered weird to be a Christian in Ukraine.

When I first started a girls’ discipleship group three years ago, I encouraged the girls to invite their non-Christian friends to come. There was a lot of skepticism at first—was this another crazy cult?

Between inflation, government corruption, and the scars of communism that continue to linger, young people don’t have much hope for the future. This feeling of apathy is almost a disease among them. I can’t “fix” it for everyone, but over time, I’ve built trust with a few girls ages 16 through 20, and we’re starting to see a few glimmers of hope as they are brought into an understanding of God.

We get together once a week and talk about God, life, and the Bible. I don’t have a curriculum or study guide because those kinds of materials aren’t available here. My goal is to show them that God is not all about rules; He’s all about love and acceptance. We talk about what it means to fall in love with God. We talk about how our choices reflect what we value. Some of the girls come from Christian homes and some do not. (I now have two groups who meet separately; one for Christians and one for non-Christians.) But even the girls who come from Christian homes struggle with understanding God. They have few mentors to help them mature in their faith.

I also meet with them one on one, where we can get into more personal discussions. But it’s hard! Sometimes I just don’t see any progress in their lives, and I worry I’m not doing enough. Recently, I prayed that God would help me disciple them better. God just said to me, “Love them.”

I realized that these girls weren’t really being loved, not by their families or even at church. To love people sounds so simple. But it’s not; it gets complicated. It means living with people through their messes and mistakes. I began to understand discipleship on a new level. It was not enough to preach or teach them; I had to love them. God is helping me see that He is working in their hearts, and I hope to simply point them to Him.

How do we point people to God? Through loving them and living our lives with consistency and without hypocrisy. Those girls observe my relationship with Bill. They see how we parent our son, Denis. They know that we are the same, whether at church or at home. No, we’re not perfect. But we are able to show them that walking with God is a journey and that there is hope that can be found.

ACT: Is God calling you to lead a discipleship group? Unlike for Oksana, several resources are available in the United States to use. May we recommend the World GO! Manual for starters.

Thinking Outside the Church Walls

An excerpt from...

Thinking Outside the Church Walls

Women’s Ministry in Peru

By Cathlene Strong, Missionary, Peru, and Tracy Dubois, Support Staff
October-December 2014

In the States, people bond over coffee, but for women in Peru, their relationships are formed over tea. In 2008, Cathlene Strong and Ann Seaney (Bolivia) held a Christmas tea for the women in the church. This was followed by a Mother’s Day tea in May 2009.

“We desired to get the women together to be encouraged from God’s Word,” Cathlene shared.

After the Strongs and Ann returned from homeland ministry assignment in the fall of 2010, the ministry began to take shape. Now, about 10 women meet the third Sunday of each month at Cathlene’s home. Whether they are learning to make cookies, sharing parenting advice, praying for each other, or encouraging unbelievers to accept Jesus, trust is being earned.

“I see this ministry as a vital means of encouragement,” Cathlene stressed. “We try to discourage them from bringing their children so it can be a time of just women talking, fellowshipping, and learning together. We endeavor to create a safe environment where they can share their struggles. I feel inadequate and yet blessed to be God’s channel of encouragement as I listen to, hug, and pray with them.”

An ongoing goal is to get the women to think outside the church walls and minister to others. Christmas has been an ideal time for such outreach as the women spearheaded projects that included the youth and entire church. They held a clothing drive, donated small gifts, bought bread, prepared hot chocolate, and donated school supplies in a small community outside Cusco. They have also made and delivered Christmas baskets to needy families and handed out goodie bags to patients at two local clinics. Playing Christmas carols with handbells during the events also brings smiles to many faces.

“In the end, young and old participated, but it was the women who organized the events,” Cathlene said. “What a blessing to see the church work together to reach out to others.”

GO: Cathlene is organizing a retreat for her women’s group. If you’re interested in helping, contact teams@wgm.org.

Like Sisters

An excerpt from...

Like Sisters

By Esther Motts, Missionary, Japan
October-December 2014

Many young women in Japan do not have Christian friends outside of or even within their church to meet with or confide in. Oftentimes, they are left trying “to be a Christlike figure in the world” all alone. How do you live a Christ-centered life when the world around you (to which Christ is foreign) presses in and surrounds you? 

“There are so many questions I have about God and the Bible, but I don’t know who to talk to.”

One morning after a Sunday service, a young woman shared this with me. We talked for a while and then decided to meet outside of church every other Saturday. Our first meeting was at a nearby McDonald’s, where we talked and talked for hours.

“I always thought God was waiting to see if I would commit any sins today, and then punish me. He was always a frightening figure.”

She was like a dry sponge soaking up water when we talked together about the loving nature of God.

“I didn’t know He cared so much. I didn’t think God actually loved me to that extent.”

Eventually, some other young ladies joined us for our meetings. We cooked meals together, went on a day trip to Yokohama, and spent hours talking about life and everything. We discussed silly things like, “How did Lazarus come out of the grave when he was wrapped tight like a mummy?” We also discussed more serious topics like marriage with a non-Christian; hatred and forgiveness; the natural desires of a human being (such as sexual desires) and how we abuse them; our spiritual plateaus; and the power of God that heals, cleans, and creates, which far exceeds our abilities to mess up our lives.

It was so hard to say my temporary “goodbye” to these ladies when I returned to the United States for homeland ministry assignment, but it was more than rewarding when they said that we became like sisters who share everything and look out for each other. I am looking forward to returning to Japan and being able to share life with them again.

GIVE: Consider regularly supporting Zach and Esther Motts and their discipleship ministries.Ongoing financial support enables missionaries to minister effectively while helping you plan your giving on a regular basis.