Bible references are from the New International Version unless stated otherwise.
A ministry highlight for me this year has been our annual TeenStreet UK camp. Seeing teens from diverse backgrounds worshipping together and growing in their understanding of their calling to become disciple makers is always very special. This year we partnered with our friends at Capernwray Bible School to host TeenStreet UK and we are excited to see our partnership in the gospel with Capernwray continue to develop. We are also committed to TeenStreet not only being a one-off summer event, but a program through which we seek to journey with and encourage churches and youth leaders as they disciple teenagers in their communities. If you would like more information about how OM may be able to serve and help your church engage and disciple the next generation of disciple makers, then please do get in touch.
We have also been very excited to see significant numbers of people come to faith through our outreach teams this past summer. Whether on the streets of Birmingham, London and to the furthest corners of Europe, it has been exciting to see teams going out, sharing their faith and praying with many people to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
We in OM continue to speak of the 3 billion reasons why we do what we do. We recognise that the number, 3 billion, is by no means an exact calculation of those who are yet to hear the gospel. Our research shows that more exactly, some 2.2 billion people in the world today have not heard the good news of Jesus presented in a way they could understand whilst 3.4 billion people live in settings where there are not sufficient indigenous communities of Jesus followers to spread the gospel within their communities.
We therefore speak of 3 billion reasons, or as one out of three people in the world today who have not heard or live in settings where they cannot hear the gospel in a way they can understand. These are the people we long to see multiplying communities of Jesus followers established amongst.
I trust that this edition of Global will help to encourage and inform as you read some of the ways God is at work through OM teams, but also that we might be reminded of our task and calling that remains.
Thank you for your continued partnership in the gospel,
MATTHEW SKIRTON, UK CHIEF EXECUTIVE,
Outreach at the Olympics: sharing the greatest prize
This summer, more than 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries came together for the world’s biggest sporting event, the Olympic games in Paris.
It’s estimated that 743,000 spectators flocked to the French capital to watch the games. But while the crowds were cheering on their favourite athletes, OM teams were out on the streets telling people about an even greater prize: the good news of Jesus.
In collaboration with other mission organisations and local churches, a large group of OM workers and short-term outreach participants shared the gospel using music, art and evangelistic literature across the fortnight of games.
Jing, one of the participants from the UK, shared her experience: “I met a lady called Lydia in Bouglione Outdoor Market. She overheard me when I was sharing the gospel with
another group of older ladies in the market, and she took interest in finding out what I was saying.”
“I asked her if I could explain the gospel story and she agreed. After sharing the gospel with her, I asked if she believes in God and Jesus.”
Jing continued, “She told me with limited English that she kind of believes in God, but she often feels very sad. I asked her if our team could pray for her in French. A member of the team came and asked her if she was a Catholic and whether she would like to change or renew her relationship with God.”
“She said yes, she is a Catholic, and that she'd like to renew her relationship with God. The team
prayed the sinner's prayer with her, and she received Jesus as her Saviour with tears in her eyes. We told her about the local church and encouraged her to go and get connected. We reassured her that Jesus will give joy to her heart if she puts her trust in Him. Praise the Lord for this amazing encounter!”
Praise God for Lydia and others like her who encountered Jesus during the Paris Olympics. Give thanks for this wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with visitors from across the world. Pray for local believers and churches as they follow up with those who want to know more about Jesus.
As the sower leads
Michelle has been actively involved in outreach and church planting in various regions of Japan. She encourages the local churches in rural areas of Mie, despite the challenges and resistance faced in these regions.
Michelle’s journey with Japan started 30 years ago when her
interest in Japanese culture led her to pick up the language.
“I wasn’t even a Christian then!” she exclaimed. “Then I got to know of Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as Cru) a year after I became a Christian and joined them for a short mission trip to Japan. That’s where I saw that the churches here are so small, filled with ageing folk. In comparison, our churches back in Singapore are so vibrant.”
Since that first trip in 1998, Michelle always wanted to go back to serve in Japan. Yet, in God’s timing, she had to wait another 12 years before returning.
After arriving in Japan in 2013, her mission journey seemed rather random. It began with her serving at a church café in Kanazawa, where she helped cook, wash dishes and serve customers. It proved to be a very useful platform for outreach.
Michelle frequently befriended customers and invited them to church. On Friday evenings, the café served as a cosy meet-up spot for adults to practise speaking English with Michelle and her fellow workers. On Saturdays, she helped with English outreach to children and their accompanying parents. Come Sunday, the café was used for church services. “It was just a small café, but people enjoyed the friendly atmosphere,” she recalled.
For the next three years, Michelle served as a local volunteer tour guide in Wajima, providing tourists with information in English or Chinese about famous tourist spots, popular souvenirs, transportation and accommodation. She also held English Bible-reading sessions with a few ladies at her home, some of whom did not know who Jesus was.
“I made friends with many locals and still keep in touch with them. I was able to share the gospel and tell them about the local church.”
Later on, Michelle found herself involved in planting a church in Yokohama.
She relished the challenge of starting new ministries in the church and shared how outreach opportunities were even more plentiful during her time there.
“Because of the international crowd here, Japanese people (in the city) tend to be more open, sometimes even visiting churches for networking and to practise speaking English.
"Some of them sleep on the floor of the underpasses of train stations. We cook simple onigiri or rice balls and soup for them. During winter, we distribute socks to keep them warm. These are the little steps we can take for the least in our city,” Michelle said.
“I pray that there will be a revelation among the churches here, that they will be encouraged by the biblical message of inviting more people to confess Jesus is Christ and be saved (Romans 10:9). Sometimes I feel there isn’t much breakthrough in my ministry, even though I have been here for so long,” she shared.
“I try not to let it stop me from loving them and sharing God’s love with them. They need to hear the gospel — that’s my responsibility.”
IMPORTANT UPDATE
The Way Your Personal Data Is Processed
OM UK is committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what information we hold about our partners and supporters, whether you visit our websites, subscribe to our publications, support OM through prayer or give to support OM’s Ministry financially.
After over 20 years of using our current data management system Petra, we are moving the processing of our partners data to a system called Beacon and we wanted to inform you about this change to the way personal data will be processed.
Beacon is a tried, tested and highly rated Contact Relations Management (CRM) system, Beacon is UK company and used and trusted by many UK charities. Beacon is cloud-based where data is held behind a closed secure network. Access to the system and data is tightly controlled using two factor authentication and other security measures.
The move to Beacon will enable OM UK to better manage the processing of our partners data and better serve them, ensuring that they receive and connect with resources and information relevant to them.
The move to Beacon will also improve how our partners data is processed from initial enquiries, subscribing to publications, thanking our faithful supporters, and helping those who join OM to serve with us for short team outreaches or longer. For more information, visit uk.om.org/beacon
More information about how OM UK handles personal data can be found in our privacy policy which can be found at uk.om.org/privacy-policy
Young faith in action
ONE LANGUAGE, SEVERAL NATIONS
OM’s largest UK outreach: sixty teenagers, seven faith-filled days in north London, Turkish-style.
Writer Nicky Andrews meets a new generation of evangelists…
It’s an overcast April morning on a north-west London high street. While the shutters of Asian and African shops are being unlocked, the voices of Muslim worshippers, gathered for public Eid al-Fitr prayers, come wafting from the park a few roads away. But just round the corner, OM’s London Centre contains different sounds – laughter and happy chatter from sixty teenagers milling around the corridors and main meeting room. All are followers of Jesus, ready to share their love for Him on north London streets, in their heart-language of Turkish, or several other languages. Participant numbers have doubled each year, and now, in its third year, this is OM’s biggest UK outreach!
Over a communal breakfast of fried bread and feta cheese, I talk with Deniz, the leader of this outreach and OM’s Turkishspeaking ministry in London. He explains how 200,000 Turkishspeakers, most retaining a Muslim identity, have made north London their home (with a further half million elsewhere in the UK.) Their heritage mainly comes from mainland Turkey, Cyprus, the Kurdish lands of the middle East, Central Asia or (like most of these young participants) Bulgaria. These hard-working and mobile peoples may be second or third-generation Londoners but have also spent years elsewhere in Europe, where a further ten million Turkish speakers can be found, outside Turkey itself.
As a result, each of the sixty young believers here on this weeklong outreach, speaks at least three other European languages fluently. “I’d love them to deepen friendships across national boundaries and grow their own networks to bring the Gospel into Europe,” says Deniz. Indeed, whilst half the group are from north London or elsewhere in the UK,
the other half have travelled here from Germany, reflecting Deniz’s existing European contacts. “But most of all, I want them to grow in their personal faith,” he continues, “with identities firmly rooted in Jesus, be passionate ambassadors for Him anywhere.”
NOTHING HOLDS THEM BACK
Every afternoon, the outreach operates across three north London locations where Turkishlanguage church plants are located. Deniz himself leads one in Wood Green; also here this week are fellow Turkish Bulgarian pastors called Talit and Mestan, whom
Deniz mentors. They lead newer congregations in Edmonton and Walthamstow respectively, and they take groups over there.
I accompany the group Deniz is taking to Wood Green, an innercity suburb with areas of great deprivation, thirty minutes drive from the OM Centre. We convene in front of Wood Green library, a faded 1960s concrete structure on the main shopping street. Rain clouds are gathering and a cold wind keeps blasting past the library, so it’s a struggle to erect a book-table and secure the books and pamphlets with a plastic sheet.
But nothing dampens the enthusiasm of the twenty teenagers, who grab handfuls of a leaflet called ‘Who is Jesus?’ and fan out along both sides of the busy High Road, loudly greeting shoppers and commuters of all ages. There’s love and excitement for Jesus on their faces and in their words; hurrying pedestrians from every nation, even Muslims in their finery for Eid al-Fitr parties, find themselves accepting leaflets from these impassioned young believers, and engaging in Gospel conversations. By 4pm it has started to rain heavily, but still the teens continue their distributions until, reluctantly, they follow Deniz’s instructions to ‘call it a day’.
SHARING ‘BEST MOMENTS’
Back at the OM Centre, young leader Severin aged 20 (from pastor Talit’s church in Edmonton, and here for the third year in a row) describes how the entire group and their leaders went to Walthamstow
the previous Sunday afternoon, to support pastor Mestan’s church plant in its public witness. For two hours, while the majority gave out literature, a smaller group sang and preached outside the library.
“In seven different languages – it felt like Pentecost!” Severin recalls.
Eighteen year old Constantin from Germany agrees – he preached in the Romani language on that occasion, and two Romanian gypsies became Jesus-followers. Neli, aged 16, from the Edmonton church, was giving out Gospel leaflets; her highlights include talking with Muslims and Satanists.
Talit aged 15, also from the Edmonton church, enjoys communal life in the OM Centre. “The practical service, even cleaning toilets, deepens our relationships,” he says. “And I’ve learnt a lot from
the feedback with our outreach training practice.” Talit has been out witnessing with his church on the streets of Edmonton many times, but thinks this OM event is special because of its size and multinational nature. “There are Turkishspeaking teens like me abroad – like the Germans who’ve come here – and I’d love to help on missions in their countries,” he says.
In the following days, my head and heart are filled with memories of their irrepressible witness for Jesus.
Praying for the next generation of evangelists? They’re already here!
Want to use your gifts and skills to share the gospel in cross-cultural contexts in the UK? Explore UK outreach opportunities at uk.om.org
Sharing hope, seeking restoration
On a Friday night in spring 17 years ago, Anna* went on her first outreach to talk to ladies trapped in prostitution.
She walked along a street in one of Europe’s capital cities where women were standing waiting on customers. “When I saw the ladies, it really broke me and I started to cry,” said Anna. She asked herself: “Where is the Church in this? We need to do something!” Then she realised: “The Lord was showing me: ‘You need to be involved.’”
Anna had joined her OM colleague, Sarah*, and other believers who were pioneering outreaches in redlight areas. They had noticed many brothels throughout the city (later
counting over 350 studios), which prompted them to find out about the women’s circumstances. Awareness of human trafficking led to prayer meetings, outreaches and then forming an organisation to provide holistic support. The two OM workers have served alongside the partner organisation from the start.
CREATING CHRISTIAN MEDIA TO TAKE INTO BROTHELS
Outreach workers sought to communicate the gospel in brothels and on the street. However, their efforts were often hindered by language barriers or because ladies were being watched. Sarah wished the team had Christian literature they could leave with individuals to read later.
“I saw nothing to give to the ladies,” said Sarah, who felt the available
tracts didn’t have a message or design that would resonate or connect. “So I wrote the first tract.”
Sarah began writing or sourcing content for leaflets, booklets and cards. Together with their partners and OM’s media ministry, they designed resources specifically for women in prostitution. So far, 18 print and digital publications in 17 different languages have been produced with over 77,000 copies printed.
The first leaflet told the story of Hagar in the Bible who encountered God in her desperate situation.
Sarah remembers the moment she distributed it. “The leaflet was so eye-catching, they loved it,” she said. “Everybody was just reading it. All these ladies on bar stools, in high heels, reading.”
Sarah has seen eyes light up when she presented a new booklet. Some women have requested something to read, saying they need it for their soul. One lady expressed how she loved the last booklet, which gave her “so much peace.”
“I came to faith through the literature you gave me,” another lady, Janka*, told Sarah. “Later, in my despair, I called to Jesus; I asked Him to help me and He heard me.”
Following this experience, she took steps towards leaving prostitution.
SUPPORT ON THE JOURNEY OUT OF PROSTITUTION
As women accepted help to start a new life, the red-light ministry identified a need for training to prepare them for employment. A programme was started in 2016, which began with Anna teaching sewing and developed into offering further courses.
“It’s not so much about sewing; it’s about so much more,” said Anna. “It’s about knowing the women, being there for them and supporting them. For some, recovery takes a long time, it depends on how damaged they are.” Most of her students have been victims of human trafficking.
“The goal is to integrate back into working society,” Anna explained. “To come on time, work with me as their boss and work as a team — qualifications you need to find a job.” Students have moved on to employment and one lady planned to become a social worker to help more people to get out
of prostitution. Another woman thanked Anna, saying: “You believed in me, helped get my life into order.”
While individuals receive training, counselling and support to rebuild their lives, outreach workers experience that ultimate rescue and healing comes from God. “Usually, it is a long road for individuals leaving prostitution because they are traumatised and there are many consequences,” Sarah explained. “The Holy Spirit needs to, and can, help them — we have seen this happen.”
“As a result of 17 years of outreaches, we saw many new beginnings of ladies leaving prostitution,” Sarah continues.
“Every single one is different and there are many mountains that need to be moved. Three ladies were baptised in 2023 and others started new jobs.”
“May the Lord continue to guide us, use us, give us wisdom and strength,” Sarah expressed. “To do good and help the marginalised and vulnerable. He is able!”
Give thanks for restored lives and pray for more individuals to call on Jesus’ name. Pray for wisdom for MediaWorks graphic designers and partners as they create media. Pray for outreach workers serving in this difficult ministry.
Fuelling our ships
The Ships Ministry has inspired countless individuals and launched many into serving God in missions. These platforms are a great catalyst in spreading the gospel on a global scale as the ships sail to port communities around the world. Logos Hope hosts up to 400 volunteers, while Doulos Hope has capacity for 150 volunteers.
But, how do the ships work? An international crew offering a breadth of diversity of over 60 different nationalities live and work on the ships. Teams from the ships go into surrounding areas to supply aid and community care. In each port, the ships' crew joins local organisations to bring hope and show love to people whatever their circumstance, culture and background. The ships offers conferences, international events and of course, the largest floating bookfairs in the world.
The ships are maintained continually to comply with international shipping regulations and safety standards. Without this dedication to keeping the ships in top condition, there would be no Ship Ministry.
Technical projects often require the services of additional skilled workers - engineers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and welders. Our captain and deck and engine officers are all professionally trained maritime professionals who volunteer their time to ensure the ships can sail. We also need a doctor on board to sail, along with bakers, IT engineers, graphic designers, chefs, finance
personnel, office staff and so many more. Both long and short-term volunteers are always welcome.
On average each crewmember will work 40 hours per week in their assigned department. They also have one ministry day specifically assigned for connecting with the local port community and one day off.
Just as crew serving on the ships trust God for their support, OM Ships also trusts God for the finances needed for these major technical projects. Donations of equipment and supplies are invaluable and projects are financed by specially designated gifts from supporters around the world.
We are incredibly grateful for all the financial aid that is contributed to our ships every year. As well as breaking down how our finances are distributed in in the UK every year in our impact report, here is a brief overview of where your financial support for the Ships Ministry goes to:
851,953
Total books sold on board
2,151,953
Total books sold globally
£10,832,817*
Total income 2022–2023
£15,239,434*
Total Expenses 2022–2023
*Pre-audit estimate
Your gift today will help us to:
• Share literature widely among people who have not heard the good news of God’s love.
• Fund a crew scholarship, giving a life-changing opportunity to a Jesus follower to learn and serve on board.
• Equip outreach teams to provide practical assistance and aid to communities in great need.
Give now at uk.om.org/give
Overcoming language barriers
Susana*, a young woman from northern Brazil, began her journey in REACH Brazil training with her heart full of expectations. Her goal was to prepare herself to work in a country where sharing God’s word is forbidden and where the majority of the population practice Islam.
In the practical part of the course, the students went to Paraguay and were divided into groups to serve in different parts of the country. Susana had the privilege of visiting three different areas (Ciudad del Este, Asunción and El Chaco). Although her heart longed to stay in Ciudad del Este, a region on the border with Brazil with a significant Muslim population, she was assigned to the Chaco region, one of the provinces in western Paraguay known for its aridity and harsh conditions.
“Through my journey of interaction with people I understood what it means to love people that are not like me. To love a language that is not
mine. To love a nation that is not mine. Cross-cultural mission is this.”
From the start, Susana was aware of a major challenge: the language barrier. Not speaking Spanish, she felt apprehensive, especially when she was chosen to lead one of the teams in Chaco, where she would encounter not only Spanish but other languages.
However, she entrusted her concerns to God, understanding that this was a necessary process to grasp the importance of communication. Her experience reinforced the need to learn new languages to effectively interact with the people she wanted to reach.
EXPERIENCE IN CHACO
Susana describes her time in Chaco as a period of intense growth. Among the many significant moments, she highlights that, often without time to rest, sleeping only five hours a night, she found herself pouring her heart out to God in the early hours, even at those times when she had other tasks to complete. It was on those days that God touched her most profoundly.
The team went to a small prayer group. When they arrived, they found only children. The leader who brought them to work with the indigenous people explained that the children prayed for unreached peoples and closed countries, as well as for missionaries. The students were then invited to the centre of the group to receive prayers. All the children prayed for them, and many began to cry, demonstrating touching sincerity and purity.
At the end, one of the girls, the daughter of the missionary leading the group, gave them a gift. Her
dream was to be a missionary. She didn't speak Portuguese but wrote a letter in Portuguese for Susana and her team. This gesture deeply moved Susana, who began to cry profusely.
They had a moment of encouragement and prayer with the girl, and her father was very grateful for the shared moment. When Susana left that family, she felt as if she were leaving part of her family. Walking back home, she finally understood what it meant to love a people, a language, and a nation that were not her own. “Now I understand how I should go to the least reached country I want,” she reflected. “God always told me this, but living it in practice is another thing. This is cross-cultural mission.”
50 YEARS OF WAITING FOR THE LANGUAGE OF HER HEART
One of the most touching moments for Susana was on a Sunday when
they went to a church where she was not scheduled to give a testimony. Someone else was supposed to speak that day, but at the last minute, Susana was chosen to speak. Not speaking Spanish, she relied on a friend to translate her testimony.
But still, she questioned God. “I said to Him: I wanted to stay in Ciudad del Este (with the other part of the student team), interacting with the people I want to work with, I wanted to stay there. But why did You bring me here? What do You want?” Once again, she sought to understand God's purpose at that moment.
Despite these questions, Susana shared her testimony. At the end of the service, a lady approached and said to her, “I have been here for 55 years. I came to Chaco at the age of five and had never heard anyone speak Portuguese again. I am Brazilian. Thank you for coming here. Thank you for giving
this testimony. I want to work with missions now. I want to join OM.” Susana never imagined that her language could reach someone so significantly. That lady had waited 50 years to hear someone speak in Portuguese and thus awaken her heart to missions.
Susana’s journey in Paraguay was marked by challenges, growth, and the constant presence of God. Her story is a powerful testimony of how God uses each experience to prepare His children for mission. For Susana, each moment lived was an important step in her preparation to serve in a country where being a Christian is a constant risk.
REACH is a 5–6 month training programme that will help you discover your place in God's mission and equip you for cross-cultural outreach. Find out more and apply now at uk.om.org/reach
Serving in Serbia
Ben Winwood, 33-year-old worship pastor and film musician, reflects on his time on a short-term outreach in Serbia and the transformative effect that the refugees left with him.
It is no exaggeration to say that this trip has dramatically impacted me. I went with almost no expectation of connecting with the refugees, I had presumed that the language barrier would be too large. And I had almost no idea of the culture of the Balkans. It was all very exciting when we landed, thrust into the busyness of post-communist Belgrade.
I think prior to going, I had presumed that most refugees are just looking to get better jobs in a foreign nation. And for some that’s true, but the more I chatted with the men at the camp, the more I realised that the majority of people are escaping war.
The first day someone gave me a guitar to play. And I was stunned to realise that almost nobody there had seen a guitar played in person. Most refugees were from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran etc. And in terms of trying to relate musically to them, it was a big paradigm shift. I was encouraged to find that they were fascinated by how we in the west play music. And they’d show me some rhythms and melodies from their own countries. It was this connection that first helped me build some relationship with a few of the guys.
We were given the loan of a PA system from a local Methodist church. A lovely vicar, who even though I explained the equipment
would likely be scratched and possibly broken, insisted that he didn’t care. “This was for God’s work”, he said! “Take it!” Amazing. The first afternoon, we set up the PA and started singing some of our Western worship songs. The guys were energised. We realised that the more upbeat music gave them space to dance and enjoy life for a second - amidst the rather brutal living conditions they lived and slept in.
Hilariously, we found that the only Western song they knew was ‘My Heart Will Go On’, the theme from Titanic by Celine Dion. As we sang it for the first time to them, there were tears in their eyes as they Face-timed their wives and partners.
“It was beautiful, watching the Holy Spirit bring preace to them as I prayed. I was able to give them some Bible Resources and I am still in touch with a few of those guys today.”
A brief moment of connection for them, thousands of miles from home, not knowing when or if they would see each other again. It was an honour to serve them in that way.
I think the wildest moment was on the last night. We sang some songs and handed the mic over to one of the guys from Afghanistan, who I’d built some connection with. He started singing beautifully, a call and response style song with the other fifty or so refugee men. And then, all of a sudden, I lost my sense of peace. India, the leader for our trip
there in Sid, an amazing missionary who we learnt a lot from, broke through the crowd and told us very clearly that we needed to stop what was happening.
“This is Islamic worship, you have to stop this”. He said.
But how do you stop fifty or so guys from worshipping Allah? Do you stop them? Many questions came to mind, but I knew my peace had left and this was going in a different direction. I turned to the man, tapped my watch and said “I’m really sorry, time is up I have to take back the mic”. He graciously gave me the mic, and then almost immediately this strong sense of anger rose up out of the crowd.
They started shouting, jeering, it was like the beginnings of a small riot was forming. So I stood there, looking at them - this bunch of guys who I’d been building real relationships with the last week, who were now yelling in my face, about three feet in front of me.
I stood there, and decided the best thing to do was sing “There is power, in the name of Jesus, to break every chain”. And thankfully, immediately all the bunch of guys causing the craziness - left the tent. And there were around ten or so guys left, who stayed listening to the worship. Right at the end, they granted me permission to pray for them. It was beautiful, watching the Holy Spirit bring peace to them as I prayed. I was able to give them some Bible resources and am
still in touch with a few of those guys today.
I returned to the UK, after just one week, deeply impacted by my time there.
As a result of this trip reconfirming a call to missions in our lives, my wife and I are looking to go into missions as a family. We’re planning to attend Rolland & Heidi Baker’s Missions School soon and will look forward to seeing where Jesus leads us!
Are you inspired by Ben's short-term outreach story? Explore shortterm outreach opportunities and experience God at work around the world at uk.om.org/shorts
Hands-on training bears fruitmakers
An outreach as part of a mission training programme run by OM in Papua New Guinea is bearing fruit both in the trainees themselves and in the communities they visit.
As part of their training course, which was held at the end of 2023, the four participants, aged from 19 to 42, had the chance to take part in an outreach to a village so they could practise what they had learnt in the classroom over the previous two weeks.
Kepo (from Papua New Guinea), the leader of the OM team, said, “The team lived, ministered and served the locals in various ways. They helped clean up and build a toilet, distributed clothes and Bibles, engaged in personal evangelism with individuals in the village, visited and shared in different homes, spoke in church meetings, conducted an openair outreach, spoke in youth and children’s meetings, and women’s meetings and visited schools.”
OM in Papua New Guinea currently runs two missions training programmes. The first is for new recruits interested in joining OM to serve overseas, and the second
is for those who have already completed the first programme, and is preparing for service overseas.
Kepo said, “Given our context where most of our people joining come from the villages, we run our pre-field training for three weeks, to help equip them for the world out there. For many, it's their first time to go overseas.”
“The first two weeks of the training are spent in the classroom where we teach subjects such as the biblical basis of missions, cross-cultural adaptation and communication, world religion, spiritual disciplines, introduction to OM, evangelism and missions mobilisation tools, public speaking skills and many more.”
After they have completed the training programme, participants return to their own churches for the next six to 12 months. During this time, they raise funds for their support, complete reading
assignments and prepare to leave. They also visit different churches to share their story of God calling them into mission.
“Once all the requirements are met by the recruits and they are ready to join their respective fields within OM, a commissioning service is held in their local churches and we send one of our staff to represent us,” Kepo said. “After this, they attend a one-week briefing with us in Port Moresby before they fly out to their respective fields of ministry.”
Praise God for the lives that were transformed during the visit. Pray for the elder and his work within the church. Pray for the young people who showed an interest in getting involved with OM’s work. Pray for the training programme going forward, both for the people who run it and for those who may take part in the future.
Join us for an interrailing mission adventure!
Do you want to explore different European countries and share your faith on the journey?
Grab a ticket and join a group of others for a transformative mission adventure where faith, service and exploration intersect in the heart of Europe.
Race Across Europe
For those aged 18 to their mid-20s, Race Across Europe is an 8-week adventure that combines the thrill of travel with the opportunity to share the life-changing message of Jesus in European countries.
Apply now at uk.om.org/race-across-europe
Race Across Europe for Seniors
For those aged 50–75, Race Across Europe for Seniors is an opportunity to meet new people, travel across Europe and share your faith!
Apply now at uk.om.org/race-across-europe-for-seniors
