Motivated by Relationships or Sarah Reed, ministry is all about relationships. “I am motivated to see people in right relationship with one another, and with God,” she said recently from her new home in Austria. “When I think about my calling as a missionary, I think about the importance of partnership and seeing people work together in unity, despite their differences.” In the fall of 2019, Sarah completed her initial training for long-term service as a global worker with Multiply. At that point, she expected that it would take a few months before she would be ready to move to Austria. But she wasn’t expecting COVID-19. “When the pandemic became a reality in spring 2020, I definitely felt disappointed and frustrated with all of the restrictions and limitations,” said Sarah. “COVID slowed down everything, including fundraising. I knew my departure would be delayed, but I honestly asked myself, ‘Will I ever get to Austria?’” The tension of not being able to move to Austria and not being able to settle in Canada was difficult for Sarah. “But God used that time of uncertainty and those feelings of insecurity,” Sarah recalled, “to help me refocus. I learned how to be more content with each day and more present with people.” As she went to work on developing relationships in Canada with financial supporters and prayer partners, God blessed her efforts and gave her confidence that he would eventually bring her to Austria. But God also had
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something more for Sarah while she waited in Canada. With extra time on her hands during COVID, Sarah asked herself an important question: “If I was in Austria what would I be involved in?” As she pondered that question, God gave her an idea. At her home church, WMB Church in Waterloo, Ontario, there was a group of Persians, mostly Iranian immigrants, that met regularly after the Sunday service. “I had visited the group many times,” said Sarah. “It was a great way to get to know people and to observe their language and culture.” Sarah was also well aware that there were numerous Iranian refugees that were a part of her future church family in Steyr, Austria, the Mennonitisch Freikirche am Schlosspark. Sarah decided to talk to the leader of the Persian group at WMB—a woman named Mehry Javady who was an immigrant from Iran and spoke fluent Farsi (Persian). “I asked Mehry if she would be willing to help facilitate an online Bible study with the Iranians in Austria and the Persian group at WMB.” Sarah had no idea that Mehry had for many years been asking God for an opportunity like this, to be more involved in discipleship ministry. Both of the women were thrilled to see what God had in store for them. With the blessing of the pastor of the Austrian church, Sarah and Mehry formed a group online and invited the Iranian men and women they knew in Austria to join. As they
