OPERATION MOBILISATION MAGAZINE THIS SUMMER, YOUR MISSION STARTS AT HOME
no.2 2020
“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.” LUKE 4:18 (NLT)
This summer
YOUR MISSION STARTS AT HOME
IN THIS ISSUE
JOHN 4:35-36 (ESV)
DEAR FRIENDS,
no.2 2020 On the cover:
It feels like the whole world is shaking as we all seek to come to terms with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
A woman in North Africa showing hospitality to OM workers. Photo Credit: Justin Lovett
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WORLD NEWS
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LIVE OUT LOVE
Workers help prepare communities
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In it together
SHIP MINISTRY
When mission isn’t what you expected
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CZECH REPUBLIC
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NORTH AFRICA
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UNITED KINGDOM
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Embodied encounters
It starts with one person
Called to where you are
ZIMBABWE
lanting seeds for P Kingdom growth
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ARABIAN PENINSULAR
“ ONE WORKER TOLD ME THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO HIS WEEKLY GOSPEL MESSAGES WERE HEARD BY A CONGREGATION OF 50 PEOPLE, AND ARE NOW BEING LISTENED TO ONLINE BY 1,600 PEOPLE EVERY WEEK!”
ombining professional C excellence with obedience
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“ Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life.”
No meetings, no travels, no mission?
During these months I believe many of us have been challenged to consider how we live our lives, and to reconsidering our priorities and ask ourselves what is of central importance in our lives. It is in such challenging times when we can, if not careful, become increasingly self-focused. We are acutely aware of the impact that the pandemic has for us personally—the changes that we experience in our lives and in that of our families. However, as followers of Jesus, I wonder if the challenge of Jesus’ words as recorded in John 4:35-36 speak as powerfully and profoundly to us today as they did to his disciples. Jesus’ passionate plea to his disciples was to ‘lift up’ their eyes. Is He asking us too, to lift up our eyes? To look beyond our own situations, our own needs and recognise that the harvest is ripe, and that “Already, the one who reaps is… gathering fruit for eternal life”. Despite temporarily pausing our international travel and shortterm programmes, workers around the world continue to open their eyes to the needs of those they are seeking to serve and reach with the love of Jesus. We are encouraged and humbled as we hear reports of workers seeing and experiencing how the Lord is opening new opportunities for the harvest. One worker told me that a few months ago his weekly Gospel messages were heard by a congregation of 50 people on a Sunday morning, and are now being listened to online by 1,600 people every week! We recognise that the coming months will be challenging for many of us, and that some of our teams will struggle as a consequence of coronavirus. We are deeply grateful for all our generous partners who enable us to keep sharing the love of Jesus where it is needed most.
Operation Mobilisation Registered office The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7LT.
So, in the midst of the challenges that we are all experiencing at this time, we invite you—through this edition of Global—to “lift up your eyes” together with us; to see where God is moving, and to respond to His call, so that we may see “fruit for eternal life”.
t: 01691 773388 e: info.uk@om.org w: www.uk.om.org
Thank you for partnering with us,
Editor: Jane Knoop Stories and images: OM International © Global magazine 2020. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced in any form without written approval from the publishers. Country file information taken from Operation World, 21st Century edition.
Matthew Skirton, UK Chief Executive, OM
Bible references are from the New International Version unless stated otherwise.
Panoramic shots and pressing prayer updates, keep up to date and in touch via social media. facebook.com/OMUnitedKingdom
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“A light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” Matthew 28:19
WORLD NEWS
WORLD NEWS WORKERS HELP PREPARE COMMUNITIES
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e are all experiencing the impact of coronavirus. Day to day life has changed dramatically. In this pandemic we need only to lift our eyes for a moment and we see affected communities in every corner of the globe. OM is present in over 110 countries. Many of these countries are already battling with poverty, economic decline, or the reality of conflict or the effects of natural disasters. Workers share God’s love in crowded refugee camps and slum communities, where social distancing is a distant dream. We wonder, what is living through this crisis like for them?
But we lift our eyes again, and meet the gaze of our heavenly Father; who sees it all, knows it all, and holds the whole world in His hands. Spurred on by His love and enabled by your gifts to the Mercy Appeal, workers have been busy preparing communities to respond to coronavirus. In Indonesia, workers are educating children in poorer communities about the risks of the virus and how they can protect themselves and their families. Similar projects have taken place in Pakistan as concern mounted for communities who hadn’t heard about coronavirus, many of whom live hand to mouth and were not able to stock up on food before shops started to close. Workers have been distributing food parcels and conducting awareness programmes. These actions are echoed by workers around the world, all seeking to share God’s love practically in this season.
As many towns and cities go into lockdown and empty streets become the norm, workers adapt their ministries to use virtual communications. Workers in the Arabian Peninsular make regular phone calls to vulnerable people in the communities they serve. Offering words of hope and praying for people over the phone has become a vital ministry; “God is opening people’s hearts,” one worker shared. As the situation unfolds, workers continually adapt their ministries to respond to the needs in front of them. Thank you for joining with us in praying for God’s protection and provision for workers and the communities they serve.
TEENSTREET 365 This year TeenStreet is going virtual, and growing bigger than ever! Instead of the usual week-long conference in Germany, TeenStreet 2020 will see the start of a year-long, online, international community that connects teenagers to Jesus and His followers around the world. Do you know a teenager who has had their summer camp cancelled? Why not tell them about this exciting new venture? Find out more at teenstreet.eu
Help OM respond during the coronavirus pandemic. Donate to the Mercy Appeal: uk.om.org/mercy
A Ministry of OM
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LIVE OUT LOVE
by Jane Knoop
IN IT TOGETHER A global crisis has shaken our country and galvanised the Church into action. Could the call to join together and Live Out Love be more timely than ever?
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n these unprecedented times it may seem to the onlooker that we—the Church of Jesus—are dispersed. Church doors have been closed. The latest buzzwords are ‘isolation’ and ‘social distance’. We are urged to ‘stay home’. And yet, amidst a crisis when we are told to be separate, the Church is coming together digitally; united by a re-invigorated desire for our world to know that hope is found in Jesus. Research conducted at the beginning of May by Tearfund (Tearfund.org) discovered that one in four adults in the UK have watched or listened to an online church service. People are seeking; looking for a hope that rises above the mounting uncertainty and anxiety. “This is a great opportunity to share the love of God with people,” Lawrence Tong (International Director of OM) reminds us, “especially those who need some hope and reprieve from the stress and pressure. This is a time for us as a Church, as a people of God, to come together and journey with our non-believing friends and assure them that in the midst of all this, there is a God who is in control.”
STORIES FLOOD IN Our churches galvanise to respond to the needs in our communities—phone calls, food parcels, online worship services. OM workers around the world become voices of reassurance and peace. Communities are educated about the virus, hygiene packs are
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“...be one as we are one... Then the world will know.” John 17:22-23
“ THIS IS A MOMENTOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING HUGELY SIGNIFICANT TO TAKE PLACE.” distributed, online communities are formed and vulnerable people are supported. We are human; not immune from fear, anxiety and sorrow. When Jesus prays to the Father in Gethsemane, He too is overcome with fear and sorrow at what lies ahead. We are not alone. But He chose to declare God’s love and goodness. He puts His trust in the Father’s plan. As do we.
LIVE OUT LOVE Earlier this year, the Live Out Love initiative was launched—just weeks before coronavirus began to rapidly change our daily lives. A distinct mark of Live Out Love is unity. 12 Christian mission agencies coming together to empower Jesus followers to share God’s message of hope with those who don’t yet know Him. Together, changing the tide of how the Church engages in mission. When the circumstances are right, Logos Hope plans to visit the UK to provide a unique venue for Live Out Love events. The ship will arrive in the wake of a crisis
that has shaken our country and stirred the Church into action. There lies an opportunity to harness and further ignite a desire to Live Out Love, inspiring and equipping Christians to share God’s love with those who don’t know Him. “I believe Logos Hope’s visit is going to be a catalyst,” Seelan Govender (CEO of OM Ships) encourages us, “drawing people to work together in order to accomplish something they could never do as an individual church, denomination, or mission agency. We feel this is a momentous opportunity for something hugely significant to take place, as we come together and focus on what God wants us to do.” There are nearly three billion people who have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel and that number grows by 60,000 every single day. Some are in far flung corners of the earth—small villages and tribes we’ve never heard of—others live on our streets, in our cities, across our closest borders.
HOW WILL THEY KNOW THE LOVE OF THE FATHER?
WHAT NEXT? Visit liveoutlove.co.uk to find out more and subscribe for updates. As circumstances stabilise and plans are prayerfully formed, we will be sharing how you can participate in this fresh opportunity to unite with Christians across the UK. Together, we will pursue God’s vision and purpose for His world.
When we come together. United by His love to make His love known. “Be one as We are one.” The words of Jesus to the Father. And His words to us. “Be one… Then the world will know.” (John 17:22-23).
Look out for the latest news and updates at liveoutlove.co.uk
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SHIP MINISTRY
by Fiyah King and Julie Knox
WHEN MISSION ISN’T WHAT YOU EXPECTED Logos Hope has been travelling the globe for a decade; hosting nine million people on board, while crewmembers reach out to share knowledge, help and hope in communities. But in recent months, coronavirus has halted the ship’s journey and forced drastic ministry changes.
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he vessel remains docked in the Caribbean, but is closed to the public and crew are not interacting with people on shore. The floating ‘household’ of 330 members is virus-free and taking all measures to stay that way. With onboard events and local outreaches cancelled and the (mainly young) volunteers so far from home, how does that change ministry for crewmembers, Peter and Ezra?
EZRA “Before I came to the ship, I knew my purpose would be to serve God with strangers who might eventually become my family. I knew I would have to come out of my comfort zone, so I held on to the principle of being flexible, adaptable and teachable and I knew that if I had these things, I would survive ship life.”
Twenty-one-year-old Ezra William (East Asia) works in the marine operations department on board Logos Hope. He joined the ship in Montego Bay, Jamaica, two months ago. “I had a few hurdles to get over before I could come to the ship,” says Ezra. The cost of vaccines, a rejected transit visa and the added expense of insurance hampered his journey to arrive at the foot of the gangway.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
But God put people in his life to resolve each situation, and the sacrifices Ezra was prepared to make to get to the ship were a strong witness to his friends. When Ezra finally made it on board, he was ecstatic to begin life serving God amidst a floating community; expecting the unexpected. Within a matter of weeks, public ministry had to stop. “I was sad that the ship was closing to the public because I had just arrived. I complained to God, but I remembered I came here for Him and I’m still here for Him,” Ezra reflects.
“I WAS SAD THAT THE SHIP WAS CLOSING TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I HAD JUST ARRIVED. I COMPLAINED TO GOD, BUT I REMEMBERED I CAME HERE FOR HIM AND I’M STILL HERE FOR HIM.”
helping as an engine watchkeeper on voyages from Brazil to Guyana and several Caribbean islands.
“It’s our time to serve one another as a community now and to equip ourselves more through training so that later, when we open to the public again, we can do something exciting. I am learning to support my fellow crew, to adapt and be humble in difficult circumstances. It has been a huge blessing to be in such a supportive community and I have received such a joy and peace from God about being here now. My family and supporters encourage me to keep serving on Logos Hope and I stay because I want to be part of what God is doing with this ministry, during this time and beyond.”
Then coronavirus halted the ship’s onward progress, and Peter had to decide whether to return home or stay on board and discover a new ministry focus.
PETER
While the ship still needs to operate and engineers can focus on maintenance tasks during the hiatus in ministry, Logos Hope’s community is using the enforced break from usual outreach to focus on Bible study, practical and spiritual training to equip crew for their future, and focused times of prayer for the world.
While other students use the opportunity of a work placement year to gain experience with a firm they hope to join or to reduce some of their student debt, Peter Carrigan, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering student at Ulster University, left Northern Ireland to serve his placement on board Logos Hope. Professional seafarers and engineers are among the crew serving the Lord with their skills. Peter ventured beyond Europe for the first time to join the ship in Latin America. He found that his role was preparing him for his future career and he enjoyed
Pray for protection for all those on the ship, for provision and future schedule direction.
“The Christian community is phenomenal,” Peter says, explaining why he decided not to jump ship early, before his placement ends in August. “It’s great to still have fellowship with 330 people. Every day, we have a devotional time and pray together before we start work. Down in the engine department, we have a special Bible study called Underground Church, which I help to lead. Life here has pushed me out of my comfort zone in ways I never imagined it would.”
“I’ve been able to invest in small groups; our onboard men’s ministry is taking the time to abide in God’s Word and have those deeper conversations,” says Peter. “I pray for others to have the peace that God grants them, the peace that transcends all understanding; even in this situation.”
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CZECH REPUBLIC
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14
by Jane Knoop
EMBODIED ENCOUNTERS Laura* runs an anti-human trafficking training programme, the culmination of which equips participants to share God’s love with women in brothels.
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e met virtually. A pixelated video-call connecting our two living rooms. Now, more than ever—when so much of our work, even our socialising, has moved online—I find myself surprised by how personal a virtual gathering can feel. But towards the beginning of our conversation Laura used this phrase—“embodied encounters”—and I was struck by the significance of these two words in our current context. Videocalls are great, but nothing compares with a face-to-face, physical encounter. For me, Laura’s phrase encapsulated everything she went on to say about her ministry. “There is no weird feeling when we walk down these streets,” Laura told me, describing a red light district in a city in the Czech Republic where she serves, helping me to picture it. “We are used to these scenes.” These OM workers enter the world of the women they seek to serve. They sit with them; coming alongside them in the raw realities of their situations. “We go to the brothels with small handmade gifts and literature. Once we have permission from the doormen we
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go inside and speak to the women,” Laura explained. As we continue talking it transpires that the OM workers do far more listening than they do speaking, and when they do speak their words are lovingly considered. “Our conversations are different depending on the culture”, Laura shared, going on to effortlessly describe the nuances of each culture they encounter—Romanian, Czech, Slovakian, Nigerian—Laura is understanding and sensitive to each. Laura tells me about one woman in particular. She came from a cult background and had been trafficked within the Czech Republic as a teenager. Despite a burning sensation she felt when holding the Bible an OM worker
“AT THE CENTRE OF THIS MINISTRY IS A GOD WHO BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.”
had given her, she was compelled to read it. When they met again months later the woman was transformed; she had encountered Jesus in the words she had read and had started to follow Him. With support in place, she was able to begin a new life. As Laura talks about these brothel outreaches I’m struck by how significant and life-changing these embodied encounters are. Sadly, no virtual substitute will suffice, and with the country in lockdown the outreach ministry is paused. The brothels are closed, and the women are left with no income and many have nowhere to go. But even in such times Laura sees signs of hope. “Some women have been making plans for their next steps but putting it off,” Laura explains, “With the brothels closed, here is their opportunity; the impetus they need to move on. We need to pray that this could be the start of a change for some of these women.” Hope is tangible. At the centre of this ministry is a God who became flesh and dwelt among us. A God who is still present, in the darkest of places, walking with these women, encountering them and continuing His work of transformation. Please pray for sex workers in the Czech Republic to encounter Jesus in these challenging times and experience the reality and proximity of His life-changing love.
Discover how to pray for ministries affected by coronavirus. Visit uk.om.org/covid-19-response
NORTH AFRICA
by Nicole James
IT STARTS I WITH ONE PERSON
t can start very small.” Oliveira said. “Once you have one person who becomes a believer, you can disciple this person, you can encourage this person, you can challenge this person to share what they believe with people who are important to them.”
Oliveira*, a Brazilian working in North Africa, witnesses Kingdom growth as he shares God’s love one small step at a time.
Oliveira has been faithfully sharing the love of Jesus with people in North Africa for 20 years. One conversation at a time; confident that God can work through these small, daily interactions and multiply them for His glory. And He is! It’s a pattern that Oliveira is seeing again and again. In one city, a lady became a believer and led two of her nieces to the Lord. In another city, someone else decided to follow Jesus and shared with several members of his family, who also became Christians. Oliveira has partnered with media outreach organisations, meeting one-on-one with people in his host country who have specifically requested spiritual follow-up. “The goal is that as we build friendships, they will introduce us to other people, and what we are sharing, they will share with others,” he said. “From the time we arrived in North Africa until today, the spiritual situation has really changed,” explained Oliveira. “There are house churches in places where there were no house churches before. There is more interest among people in the Gospel. The younger generation, they are interested. They are seeking for information; they want to know more!” Still, despite the increase in people seeking truth and evidence of new small groups of national believers meeting in various places, less than one per cent of the country’s population are Christians. Oliveira and his wife spend time praying for and travelling to an area of the country known as a ‘black hole’ in terms of spiritual interest. There are no known believers there, no requests for Bibles, and no signs of people seeking for Jesus.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people”. Matthew 4:19
“ONCE YOU HAVE ONE PERSON WHO BECOMES A BELIEVER, YOU CAN DISCIPLE THIS PERSON, YOU CAN CHALLENGE THIS PERSON TO SHARE WHAT THEY BELIEVE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.” The task ahead may seem daunting, but Oliveira trusts that God is bringing change. He looks back on North Africa’s rich Christian heritage. “Some of the Church Fathers came from this place in the early centuries,” he recalls, emphasising the influential role the Church in North Africa had in the first few centuries after Christ, in shaping our understanding of theology and in sending out some of the first Gospel workers. Oliveira is confident that, “What God has done in the past, He will do again.”
THINK OF ONE PERSON YOU KNOW... …one person who needs to know the transforming love of Jesus in their lives. Take confidence in Oliveira’s testimony. Start small. Start with one. What would it look like if you committed to sharing Jesus with this person? How can you introduce them to God’s truth?
* Names changed
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UNITED KINGDOM
by Jane Knoop
CALLED TO WHERE YOU ARE Beth* is a missionary in the city she grew up in. Global Editor, Jane, asked her about ministry life; the journey, the challenges, and why she decided to pursue cross-cultural mission at home in the UK.
What was it like when God called you into missions? It was slow. There wasn’t a big flash of lightning. It was actually very normal and logical! I met Jack* and he also had a heart for sharing God’s love. And by the time we were married, cross-cultural ministry was on the agenda. We decided to train in missions and pray for God’s guiding. How did you end up doing mission work in your home city? We gave God plenty of opportunities to speak to us about a particular country... but as time went on we didn’t really feel called abroad. On our hearts were people here! There are so many people in this country who need to know the Gospel. We made lots of Kurdish friends while I was training to teach English as a foreign
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language. And we wondered, what is happening for these friends of ours? We invited them to church, but it often didn’t meet their needs or their worldview. For most, if not all, we were their only Christian friends, which was quite a scary thought. Some people feel called to a particular country or place. We felt called to serve where we are. The reality is that there are thousands of people who don’t know Jesus right on our doorsteps. For us, it was the Kurdish community who captured our hearts and attention. What does the word ‘missionary’ mean for you? It means many things, but being daring or generous with friendships is how it started. Daring to be more inclusive in social circles. Which I think has been costly, but very rewarding at the same time. Then using knowledge gained through those friendships to know how to reach people with the Gospel.
* Names changed
“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
“ THE REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW JESUS RIGHT ON OUR DOORSTEPS.” Where have you glimpsed God moving? A few years ago the Bible was translated into Sorani Kurdish and made available on an app called Pertukekem. We’ve seen the number of Kurdish Christians rising! Because now they can read the Bible in their own language, they don’t have to just take our word for it. There are also encouraging moments when we see how God is deepening the faith of Kurdish believers. One friend of ours is getting braver about talking about his faith in Jesus when he’s at work. It is so encouraging to hear, and amazing to see him growing in faith. How has your ministry been affected by coronavirus? It’s forced us to work from home which is very different as we are used to being with people a lot of the time. But, we thank God that online ministry can continue! Jack has been working on Kurdisite.com—
Beth, pictured on the right, disciples a Kurdish believer.
a website we’ve developed that has lots of resources in different Kurdish dialects; people can access Bible stories, books, and music. It’s been amazing to see the Kurdish community looking out for each other, setting up online groups and phoning each other. Has missionary life been what you expected? I don’t know what I expected. Sometimes, I think it can feel like you’re not being very effective or productive and then you have an amazing conversation—finally!—and you see God moving. Sometimes things can be difficult. Things are always changing, and our capacity is always changing. But God is faithful. What would you say to someone considering going into mission? I would say not to do it alone. Have a group of people who will encourage, support and
What are the opportunities God is laying before you, in your home and local community this season?
pray for you. Have a good work-life balance and trust God to lead you. Even though it isn’t always easy, He will grow you even through difficult situations. Stay close to Him.
IS GOD CALLING YOU? Sometimes it is easier to see God’s calling on other people’s lives than it is to see His calling on our own. But the reality is that God is inviting each one of us to share His love with those around us. Take time to pray for God’s guidance and search for opportunities to serve with OM in the UK at uk.om.org/serve-in-the-uk
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ZIMBABWE
by Sara Butler and Simon Marijani
PLANTING SEEDS OF KINGDOM GROWTH Supported by the Mustard Fund, the Foundations for Farming project in Zimbabwe has led to personal and community transformation.
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ou look out over the Zambezi river, to the mountains and trees surrounding you. You hear the distant roar of waterfalls, but here, all is serene. The powerful river contained within the curved walls of a mighty dam. A dam that was built to bring electricity and light to the nation. But has brought darkness to the people who once lived on the river’s banks. The Tonga. A resilient people group, relocated to an inhospitable part of the Zambezi valley, renowned for malaria and valley fever. Impacted by drought, their maize crops regularly fail. Outside aid, however well meant, has not always been constructive, increasing the Tonga’s sense of dependency.
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OM workers in Zimbabwe have brought training and hope. Over the last four years, the team have trained 120 Tonga people in sustainable farming. They have seen communities transformed, as the trainees go on to train one or two others, who in turn also train another one or two more. One person at a time, entire villages are transformed. The farmers learn sustainable skills while returning to traditional crops, growing small grains that fare better in their environment. Families can now grow enough to meet their needs throughout the year, and many have surplus to sell. These surplus grains are sold to a drinks company, which uses the grains to produce nutritional drinks for school children. The
OM WORKERS IN ZIMBABWE HAVE BROUGHT TRAINING AND HOPE. ONE PERSON AT A TIME, ENTIRE VILLAGES ARE TRANSFORMED.
profits from their sales go back into the community, and the drinks are helping the children to thrive.
SHARING THE GOSPEL Discipleship sits alongside the farming training. As participants experience God’s transformational work in their lives, they seek to see other villages impacted. A once unreached community, they are now looking beyond the mountains, to other Tonga villages that have never been reached with the Gospel. Thank you for partnering with us. Your gifts to the Mustard Fund are helping people like Lwiiyo to break the cycle of poverty and experience God’s transformational power in their own lives and in entire communities.
“Whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:8
“ I THANK GOD. I ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO HARVEST FROM MY FIELD.” LWIIYO’S STORY Imagine a 13 year old in charge of a family home—responsible for the welfare of younger siblings and bringing in enough money to keep the family afloat. This was Lwiiyo’s reality. “Life in my community is a real struggle”, Lwiiyo told us, “but those days were especially dark.” He recalls the challenge of poor harvests, constant hunger and the pressure of finding enough work.
OUR COMMITMENT In times of crisis, OM always seeks to support longer term development as well as providing immediate relief. It is in the long-term approach that we truly demonstrate God’s love to those most in need. Relationships are restored, lives are touched by the Gospel, and churches are planted. Community development projects, like this one in Zimbabwe, create opportunities for vibrant discipleship and church planting among the least reached and lead to resilient and sustainable futures. Thank you for your partnership in planting lasting seeds of hope in vulnerable communities.
Visit uk.om.org/mustard to find out more about the Mustard Fund.
It was in the midst of this especially difficult season that Lwiiyo found out about Foundations for Farming. Attending a training course was the beginning of transformation for Lwiiyo. The combination of practical training and discipleship sent Lwiiyo on a journey of physical and spiritual nourishment. When he implemented the new farming techniques, Lwiiyo found that he was able to harvest enough food for his family and even have surplus grain to sell and make a living. “I thank God.” he said with joy, recognising God’s goodness and presence in his life, “I always have something to harvest from my field.” Pray that Lwiiyo, and others who attend the Foundations for Farming course, would grow in their knowledge of God’s love as they are discipled, and be moved to share His love with those around them.
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ARABIAN PENINSULAR
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Colossians 3:23
by Nicole James
YOUR PROFESSION IN MISSION
COMBINING PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE with obedience
A physiotherapist takes her career to the Arabian Peninsular, treating pain in people’s bodies and pointing them to the one who provides peace to their souls.
“
I wanted to go to one of the toughest countries in the world where there’s been no church before, because I wanted to do something really significant for God,” said Theresa*. She arrived in the region over 20 years ago, when the only way to move to the Arabian Peninsular as a single woman was through her profession. As a physiotherapist, Theresa said becoming a marketplace worker was a natural fit. “I think it is the coolest job there is because I get to meet a variety of people from different nationalities, and then I can walk a road with them. They keep on coming [for treatment], and if they’re really open for the Gospel, I develop friendships and go deeper,” she shared. As she daily allows God’s Spirit to fill her up, Theresa finds it easy to speak into people’s lives from the overflow of her relationship with Jesus Christ. “In this country, a lot of people are not certain about their jobs, or their future,
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and they experience a lot of stress. It manifests in their bodies, so we treat the body,” she explained. Through continued appointments and Theresa’s loving concern, many people open up about the things causing them stress. “I have experienced how Jesus Christ is the only one who can give peace in different situations, so it’s easy and so natural for me to listen to them and then point them to Jesus,” she shared. One lady who had an appointment with Theresa told her, “Our hearts are black; your heart is white.” “You don’t even know me,” Theresa responded.
LOVE YOUR JOB AND LOVE JESUS?
“I can see, your heart is white,” the woman insisted. “That to me was such a blessing because… she didn’t even know me for 10 minutes, but she noticed the Spirit of Jesus Christ in me,” Theresa shared. “If we become who God has made us and we fill ourselves with His presence, it’s just so easy to witness.” Living missionally in the Arabian Peninsular requires professional excellence and daily humble obedience to God, she emphasised. “Whether He’s made you a mum or a doctor or a teacher…walk out your calling to the best of your ability, 100 per cent in line with God, and then, things happen because God’s at work.”
Do you know someone who could use their professional skills in mission?
* Names changed
You don’t need to quit your job to go into missions. Marketplace workers take their professions to least reached countries; working and sharing the love of Jesus simultaneously. Find out more about using your profession in mission. Contact us at: personnel.uk@om.org
BLOG
“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14
by Christine
BLOG.OM.ORG An excerpt from the OM blog, written by OM workers describing missions from their perspective. Visit blog.om.org to read more.
NO MEETINGS, NO TRAVELS, NO MISSION?
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omorrow marks one year of living in Italy. Who would have guessed that I would spend it locked inside, allowed out only to get groceries?
taken an important and creative turn. People are spending hours online these days and that provides a great opportunity to share the love of Christ.
The whole country of Italy has come to a halt. The government is doing a great job of taking necessary measures and encouraging people to hang on just a little longer because “Insieme ce la faremo” (together we will make it)! It is an invisible enemy, as Italian Premier Conte reminded us, and we have to be very careful. During this time, people are turning to each other or all kinds of things to find hope and solutions. People are fearful and hardly even dare to greet anyone in the street. It makes my heart sad to see so many people searching and being led astray. This country needs Jesus! Even though most of society has come to a standstill, the beautiful thing is that my role in sharing the good news has
THIS COUNTRY NEEDS JESUS!
For example, I’m in a WhatsApp group from a macramé course I took. Mostly made up of older ladies who are in the high-risk category, some have been sharing tips on how to protect yourself and alternative ways to beat the virus like ‘pray 10 Ave Maria’s’ or ‘visualise a red light containing the virus’ and so on. I felt led to share some true hope by sending the group a piece of art I made illustrating Matthew 6:25-34 along with the verses. Several women were encouraged and thanked me for sharing. You can share the Gospel in innovative ways too. Make a video explaining the Gospel in a creative way, paint Bible verses,
write your own Psalm, share hopeful notes to the neighbours in your building and, above all, pray. Pray when you meet your friends online, pray with the church, pray over your city map, pray for the world. Spiritual breakthroughs are happening. For the first time in Italian history, different evangelical denominations joined together online for a day of prayer. One organisation started an evangelistic campaign on national television where people can call in with questions and be ministered to and prayed for by volunteers. Amazing! God keeps reminding me: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden,” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV, my emphasis). There is no place where the light shines brighter than in the darkness.
GLOBAL 15
This summer
YOUR MISSION STARTS AT HOME
You. Me. We are all invited to be part of God’s Mission to share His love with the world. But how do we share His love when—for the first time—we really cannot go?
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
GET YOURSELF READY
You may be unable to go anywhere far, but your prayers definitely can!
Taking time to learn new skills? Why not learn new tools to share your faith?
Resources like Operation World or Heartbeat prayer diary are ideal starting points.
There are lots of online training options to help you grow in sharing your faith.
GIVE AN EXTRA BLESSING
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR
Some will be struggling financially in this season, but have you found yourself with an extra blessing to give?
What can you do to demonstrate God’s love to those in your community?
Research Kingdom building ministries and consider making a gift to help them through this season.
Are there local projects you could support, an anxious friend you could call or a message of hope you could share on social media?
EXPLORE UK.OM.ORG FOR INSPIRATION AND OPPORTUNITIES
