Nations issue 2 2017 online by World Outreach

A PUBLICATION OF WORLD OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL • NATIONSM AGA ZINE.ORG • ISSUE 2, 2017

IN THIS ISSUE: 5 Keys for Enduring and

Effective Ministry • Have You Forgotten Your Dream? • Impacting Syrian Refugees with Jesus' Love • Just One Thing • New Creative Resources for Children's Ministry and more ...

OUR MISSION

World Outreach International is a multiracial fellowship of Christians and ministries that exists to impact least-reached peoples with the Good News of Jesus Christ through: • Raising Leaders • Evangelism and Church Planting • All Nations Mobilisation • Children’s Ministry • Humanitarian Aid Melbourne (Australia)-based, International Director Bruce Hills heads an executive team of senior missionaries, pastors, and business leaders. WOI follows recognised international standards and procedures for child safety.

CHIEF EDITOR: Bruce Hills

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COVER IMAGE: Photo of a woman in Malawi by Enzo Maisano.

5FORKEYS ENDURING AND EFFECTIVE

MINISTRY Welcome to this edition of Nations. In this short article, I will briefly highlight five keys from Paul's words to Timothy for effective and enduring ministry. The passage of Scripture we’ll focus on is 2 Timothy 2:1-13.

a programme, but a life-on-life relationship. Each of us must identify, foster relationship, train (equip), mobilise, and encourage our spiritual "sons" and "daughters". John Wesley once asked a group of ministers, "Are you doing the work of ten men or putting ten men to work?"

1. Be strong in grace and not in your own strength (v. 1)

3. Endure — don't give up (vv. 3-6)

Ministry leaders must not depend on their own internal resources, but draw strength, courage, and dependence from God's grace, which is available anywhere, anytime through Jesus. Reach out to Him, call upon His name, rest in His presence, and seek Him for His strength.

To illustrate his point on endurance, Paul introduced three metaphors: (a) soldier, (b) athlete, and (c) farmer. To endure, we must learn from the soldier to maintain our singleminded dedication to our mission and our unflinching obedience to our Commander. To endure, we must learn from the athlete the importance of living by right standards and principles (i.e. compete according to the rules). To endure, we also learn from the farmer to work hard and be patient with the seasons and cycles of ministry.

2. Reproduce yourself by intentionally investing in the new generation (v. 2) Paul writes here of four different tiers of leaders investing in the next: Jesus — Paul Paul — Timothy Timothy — faithful (reliable) men Reliable men — others (presumably emerging leaders) Ministry leaders are encouraged to intentionally invest in the new generation. Raising leaders is not

4. Be prepared to make sacrifices for the Gospel (vv. 8-10) The Gospel is powerful. It is a lifechanging message. Paul encouraged Timothy to stay committed to the Gospel and to pay whatever price was necessary to see it preached and

prevail. Paul had paid an enormous cost to preach the Gospel and he urged Timothy to do likewise. 5. Remember the promises of God (vv. 11-13) These few verses record three promises and one warning. The promises are written to encourage Timothy. Similarly, to serve God throughout a lifetime, we need to constantly remember the specific promises God has made about our lives and our ministries. Embrace them, declare them, live by them, and actively believe them. By following these principles, we can have effective and enduring ministry.

Bruce Hills

International Director world-outreach.com/people/bruce-hills

ISSUE 2, 3, 1, 2017 2015 2017 •• •• ISSUE

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MOZAMBIQUE MEET ARMANDO Stephanie Herron, MOZAMBIQUE â&#x20AC;˘ Ministry leader involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/stephanie-herron Armando seemed a most unlikely Bible school student when he arrived drunk on the first day, six years ago. However the Lord did a wonderful work of transformation in him. He has become a great witness to his family, church, and community, and this year three others have come to learn because of his ongoing example.

WHEN A DOOR SHUTS Grant and Riana Franke, MOZAMBIQUE â&#x20AC;˘ Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/grant-riana-franke Many years ago, my wife and I built a wooden house. One day, the wind slammed the front door shut, and one of our windows promptly fell out. Since then we have always lived by the motto, "When a door shuts, a window falls out!" At the beginning of this year we were surprised by the sudden shutting of a door. We had spent most of last year preparing a literacy course in the local language. We returned from deputation in South Africa all set to launch when the group of churches we had worked with called us in and told us they did not share our vision. They believe literacy is

the government's job and not the church's. It was very sad but their decision was final. After praying about it, my wife and I decided to go and commiserate over a cup of coffee at a local hotel. At the entrance we ran into a security guard, who is the pastor of a small church that appeals to the Muslim community of the area. The church was planted by a missionary and is operated in a culturally-sensitive manner. The pastor was very open to the course. He is only semi-literate and most of his congregants are illiterate. They were very keen for the course in order to be able to read

the Bible in their native language, Makua. We started the course recently in a venue located right in the heart of a Muslim village. The initial participants are learning well. The neighbours often come to watch and have showed much interest in participating in the second course. The window may well be a small one, but it opens to a field of many leastreached souls.

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MOZAMBIQUE M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E I N P E O P L E ’ S H O L I S T I C H E A LT H IN MOZAMBIQUE Myriam Wahr, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leader providing natural (holistic) health care. Papa Hermino is a Muslimbackground believer and a health care worker with natural medicine. He and his wife recently did some discipleship training where Maria (Papa’s wife) was baptised. Now he is helping us tell the Good News to the other health care workers and his people! Here's a snapshot of Bom Samaritano in 2016: • 63 health care houses served by 242 health care workers

• 43,032 sick and wounded treated • 2,143 community health teachings run in villages (workers also often share about Jesus)

• 1,052 children received clothes, school-material, and some sweets twice a year

• 36 health care seminars conducted • 36 visits to prisoners bringing both food and the Word of God • 208 radio lessons on the Word of God and health • 43,940 ointments produced • 124 babies received milk formula porridge

Orphans programme in Murripotana, Monapo district

Moringa leaves provide vitamins (A, B, and C), proteins, and iron, making them a great food for malnourished children.

SMALL BEGINNINGS Eugene and Tina Wessels, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/eugene-tina-wessels Last year we attempted to initiate a discipleship outreach work aimed at the next generation of small children. In the beginning we only had around twenty children participating. After spending some time away on deputation in South Africa, we came back to Mozambique to find the children’s ministry thriving with more than ninety children per week! Never despise small beginnings.

<< First Kids Outreach

• ISSUE 2, 2017 •

INTO AFRICA S H O RT- T E R M O U T R E A C H E S

EXPOSURE TRIPS These short-term outreaches within Africa are an initiative to expose believers to the mission field, strengthening the work on the field and giving them a better understanding of what missions is.

Upcoming trips: Botswana

01 — 11 July

Lesotho

01 — 07 September

Swaziland

01 — 08 October

Mozambique

22 — 29 November

Short-term trips into Africa are facilitated by WOI South Africa

For more information visit world-outreach.com/short-term-outreaches-africa TO M AKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EM AIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM

AFRICA WILDFIRE Martin and Simone Schumann, MOZAMBIQUE • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/martin-simone-schumann Raibo was a well-known witch doctor with clients as far as three hundred kilometres away. When he started to follow Jesus, he got baptised, and through the ministries of some friends, got rid of the demons in him. Consequently he asked us to help him destroy and burn his witchcraft items. The news of his change went like a wildfire through all the villages in the vicinity.

Raibo burning his witchcraft items

T H E VA L L E Y O F H O P E , L I F E , A N D L I G H T Angela Stephens, KENYA • Ministry leader equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/angela-stephens I am helping to pastor a church in Nairobi, where crime, witchcraft, HIV, and poverty abound. Many go to church on Sunday, but then visit a witch doctor when they are sick or in crisis. Many also dabble in witchcraft. My team has been visiting the slums and praying for those living there.

Our walk through the slums in Nairobi

We have seen many healed and set free from curses and bondage. When these people experience the power and love of God, they start coming to church and truly growing in their faith. We are also starting to see some of the witch doctors

Bringing Jesus to their hearts

leaving the area as we minister and do intercessory prayer. We believe we will see this slum, named Mukuru Kayaba, meaning “Valley of Thorns”, become the Valley of Hope, Life, and Light as the power of God transforms the lives of those living in the area.

A view of Mukuru Kayaba slum

TEACHING GOD’S CHILDREN Rodney and Juliet Munkhodia, MALAWI • Ministry leaders involved in evangelism and training church leaders. worldoutreach.com/people/rodney-juliet-munkhondia Four years ago we founded a nonprofit Christian school in the highdensity area of Lilongwe. We provide education and special opportunities for underprivileged children. We have grown from a small school of seven students to a school of 170 students! We also have five Muslim

students. We are blessed to be teaching Christian values to these children who would not have this opportunity in the public schools. Please pray for God’s continued favour and blessing over each and every one of our students. Students from our school • ISSUE 2, 2017 •

AFRICA W O I S A C H U R C H R E L AT I O N S H I P Ivan Venter, SOUTH AFRICA• Ministry leader involved in evangelism and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/ivan-venter Andries and Sunette Schwartz have recently been adopted by the children’s church “Die Ark” from GK Linden, a church that has long-standing relationship with WOI in South Africa. The idea is that the children will pray, prophesy, and encourage the Schwartzes, stimulating a lifelong partnership with God and His vision to save the world.

Are you called to missions work? Passionate to see fruit in your ministry?

S i g n u p f o r t h i s l i f e - c h a n g i n g m i s s i o n a ry t r a i n i n g !

AFRICA

13 AUGUST – 22 SEPTEMBER 2017 SOUTH AFRICA For more information and registration visit world-outreach.com/nations-course or scan the QR code Registration closes on Tuesday, 13 June 2017 TO M AKE A DONATION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EM AIL NEWSLETTER VISIT WORLD-OUTREACH.COM

IMPACTING SYRIAN REFUGEES WITH JESUS' LOVE Basem Nasif, EGYPT • Ministry team leader mobilising and training young adults across the Middle east for mission The Middle East is witnessing horrifying bloodshed and terribly sad times. Millions of people are being displaced and forced to immigrate to other nations, leaving behind their homes and all they have ever known. However, in the midst of all this turmoil, I testify as a member of God’s family, that there are enormous opportunities to introduce Jesus Christ to the tens of thousands of Syrians escaping their homeland. Daily we have opportunities to show Jesus’ love to those in the refugee camps. We share with them that we come to them because Christ himself came to us and commissioned us to reach out to them. One refugee said, “We never received such love from Muslims.” Another asked us to keep visiting him and said,

“We never received such love from Muslims.”

“The atmosphere around here has changed since you started to visit. Please keep coming even if you bring no gifts of food or clothing.” We were also welcomed into the tent of some very fanatic Muslims. The wife of this family shared that she had a dream in which she was dusting a table and under the dust she found a cross. When she saw us approaching her tent, she knew her dream was being fulfilled. On another occasion, I was indirectly sharing God’s love with a Muslim man. He interrupted me saying, “Share with me directly about Jesus Christ. I am searching for Him and want to be baptised.” A family that used to give lessons on the Qur'an received Jesus and declared, “We came here with no family, but now you are our family. Come, let’s eat together.”

There are thousands upon thousands of open doors for us to share the Gospel with the Syrian children as well. The Lord has opened doors for the children to meet Him during school time and camps that we put on. They are learning the Bible stories and singing songs to God! A special conference was held just for children; the parents were encouraged, saying, “Teach our children, we trust in you.” The days are running by fast and the countless opportunities to share the Gospel are so exciting. Let us all join together in prayer that we might achieve all that God desires in these times. “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position but for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

“Share with me directly about Jesus Christ. I am searching for Him and want to be baptised.” • ISSUE 2, 2017 •

JUST ONE THING! Jo and Jenny Graham, JAPAN • Ministry leaders involved in training church planters. world-outreach.com/people/jo-and-jenny-graham If you know me, you might guess this is an article about making disciples or planting churches. However, there is one thing that overrides everything else we do, just one, supreme priority. This one thing takes precedence over discipleship making and church planting! If we don’t get this right, our disciples and church plants will be mere wood, hay, and stubble that does not remain. Some of our most celebrated examples of church planting movements have disappeared without a trace. Are we asking why? David killed a bear, a lion, and a giant. Where did he get his extraordinary strength? “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and

to inquire in His temple!” (Psalm 27:4). No human strength will give us victory over the giants that blind the nations, but the strength that comes from knowing The One leads us in victory. At that perfect time, catching the gentle breath of the Spirit is crucial for breaking into new ethnic groups. When Mary anointed Jesus for burial, even the Twelve did not know what was going on. But Mary knew. She got her timing right because she took time to sit at Jesus’ feet. Only one thing was needed and Mary would not be distracted from The One. If we miss that key “God-breathed moment”, we may miss the mark and may be in for a long, fruitless journey. Paul was a smart guy before he met Jesus. But he counted all things

as loss. He forgot those things of the past and he did one thing! He pressed forward to know “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Paul became a wise master builder, his missionary methods a model for all ages. What amazing strategies we receive when we know The One. When we are passionate for The One, extraordinary strength, perfect timing, and amazing strategies flow into our discipleship and church planting. Our passion for The One becomes the DNA of our new churches.

"No human strength will give us victory over the giants that blind the nations, but the strength that comes from knowing The One leads us in victory."

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FRONTLINE PRAYER Thank you for supporting our partners in prayer! DAY 1

DAY 6

Chris and Nadine Brit tain

Nev and Isabel Rogers

Equipping churches for mobilisation in Australia

Serving Australia's indigenous communities

DAY 2

DAY 7

Geof and Marion Gunton

Rod and Lynley Talbot

Equipping churches for mobilisation in Central and South America

Serving as Regional Directors for Africa and the Middle East

DAY 3

DAY 8

Bruce Hills

Andrew Mercer

WOI International Director

Leadership Development Trainer

DAY 4

DAY 9

Roger and Vivienne Latham

Vijaya Chowhduri

Serving Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous communities

Leading a Ministry Training College in Bangladesh

DAY 5

DAY 10

Carl and Gail Musc h

Claris and Shirley van der Mer we

Serving Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous communities

Serving in Botswana

FRONTLINE FILES DAY 11

DAY 16

Danny and Ruby Bayasen

Tomba Khoisnam Serving in India’s northeast

Planting churches in Burkina Faso

DAY 12

DAY 17

Vic tor and Ruth Bonkoungou

Manikhombi Khundongbam

Planting churches in Burkina Faso

Serving in India’s northeast

DAY 13

DAY 18

Joseph and Amiee Dayamba

Vic tor and Rama Lim Serving in India

Serving children and kids’ workers in Burkina Faso

DAY 14

DAY 19

Nathan and Sawsan Bassaly

Carolyne Lyngdoh Serving in India’s northeast

Serving children and kids’ workers across Egypt

DAY 15

DAY 20

Menuo Keditsu

Seston Mallar

Serving in India’s northeast

FRONTLINE FILES DAY 21

DAY 26

AC Mani

Kris -T ina Fox

Serving in India

Serving in Indonesia

DAY 22

DAY 27

Garc ia Manners

Abe and Joy Loewe

Serving in India’s northeast

Serving in Indonesia

DAY 23

DAY 28

Kitbok R

Wolfgang and Heidi Oelsc hlegel

Planting churches in India’s northeast

Serving in Indonesia

DAY 24

DAY 29

Lumlang R

Chris and Gerrianne Runhaar

Pastoring in India’s northeast

Serving in Indonesia

DAY 25

DAY 30

Dhuri Warjri

Sam and Carol Soukot ta

Serving in India’s northeast

Serving in Indonesia

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HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN YOUR DREAM?

Cheryl B, SOUTH EAST ASIA • Team member serving as Administrative Assistant to WOI’s regional leaders. The future missionary prayed, “Lord, I’m not the right guy.” The Lord answered, “You weren’t my first choice. The others wouldn’t go.” When I heard this story of how the Lord called one of our World Outreach International missionaries, I was undone. I said, “Lord, I will go anywhere for you.” It was then I knew I had to serve with WOI. I was 51 at the time, but I had a call to the nations since my 30s. I was a single mum, so the timing never felt right. I didn’t know what going to the nations looked like for me, but I was sure it didn’t include raising support. I even prayed, “Thank you, Lord for NOT making me a missionary who has to raise support.” In my 40s I started telling everyone I

would go to the mission field when I retired. But the Lord had other plans.

missionary”. I had forgotten my dream, but the Lord didn’t. I wept.

As a result of hearing the WOI missionary’s story, I applied to WOI. When I turned on my computer for my interview, the time showed 11:11. I had heard the number 11:11 meant transition.

It felt like stepping off a cliff as I told my manager I planned to take the severance package. The time was 11:11, transition time. The Lord caught me as I stepped off that cliff. He answered my step of faith with miracle after miracle.

Right after I sent my first support raising letters, my company announced that I could volunteer for a huge severance package. Transition was already beginning. I wasn’t ready for this! I only had a small amount raised.

Have you forgotten your dream? Is it time to take a step of faith?

On the last day I could volunteer to quit my job, I found the notes from an interview my young daughter had given me in 2001. I told her my dream job was to be “an overseas

My young daughter’s interview with me from 2001

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EUROPE T R AV E L I N G T O W A R D S H O P E

Danie and Esther van Niekerk, MACEDONIA • Ministry leaders equipping church leaders and members. world-outreach.com/people/danie-and-esther-van-niekerk After submitting our daughter’s name, Cereni Mira (meaning Star and Peace), to the social worker, we were informed that our court date to approve our daughter’s adoption was moved forward by two weeks! At the beginning of the adoption process, we never imagined we would be holding our baby girl so soon! Thank you, Lord for bringing Cereni Mira to us so quickly. What an amazing difference love, attention, food, and laughter has already made in her life!

Danie and Esther together with the children

Please continue to pray for the hundreds of refugees who were taken to Greece and for those still traveling through Macedonia towards hope. Pray for peace in Syria and Iraq.

INDIA C O M P L E T E LY H E A L E D Manikhombi Khundongbam, INDIA • Ministry team member. world-outreach.com/people/manikhombi-khundongbam Sachi lost her husband to a heart attack. This trauma caused her to sometimes experience memory loss. Last year one of our church leaders shared the Gospel with her, and Sachi received Christ as her Saviour. She was then water baptised. From that day on Sachi experienced God’s love and was completely healed. After witnessing her mother’s miracle, Sachi’s daughter followed in faith and was water baptised too!

• ISSUE 2, 2017 •

THAILAND MEET CHORK Malcolm and Sandy Potter, THAILAND • Ministry leaders involved in training and caring for tribal children. world-outreach.com/people/malcolm-sandy-potter Chork, our head boy at Baan Faa Mai, is a great encouragement. When he came to our ministry two years ago, he only had a little knowledge of God and was very shy. This year he was elected Student Council Chair of Mae Chaem High School. He is hungry for God and an inspiration to all. Humble and helpful, he has led worship over the last year and loves to share about the Lord. Please pray for Chork and his exciting future with the Lord Jesus. Chork leading worship with his guitar

Chork being baptised

MEET ANN Rahab Ministries, THAILAND • Rahab Ministries is involved in evangelising and discipling the women of the redlight industry in Bangkok. world-outreach.com/our-projects/evangelism-church-planting/rahab-ministries-thailand

CLOSEUP

In February last year, Ann became the first transgender individual to join Rahab Ministries. She gave her life to Christ last November. She does an incredible work in jewellery and toy making and she’s a talented hairdresser. Rahab is looking forward to helping her open her own hairdressing salon. Please pray for Ann as she continues to journey with Christ.

BASEM NASIF

Basem was born in Egypt and received Christ as Saviour when he was twelve. After attending university, Basem received a calling from the Lord to walk by faith just as Abraham did. After completing YWAM training, Basem went to Sudan. Overwhelmed by the massive needs, he thought he would spend the rest of his life there. But God had different plans. Basem was to be a bridge between the Egyptian church and mission workers. He now works with young adults, mobilising them to do mission work in Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Kenya, and Sudan. Basem's wife is also passionate about missions work, and they have two children, Nardeen and Nader.

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THAILAND I KNEW IT WAS THE TRUTH Val Bateup, THAILAND • Ministry leader of Good News Team who evangelises and disciples children. world-outreach.com/people/val-bateup In Thailand, the Good News Team is still visiting schools and teaching every child about Jesus. This is the only opportunity for most Thai children to hear about Jesus. We know God’s Spirit is moving as we see children listening intently. And we know as they hear God’s Word, it has the power to change their lives.

Sharing God's love

We find great joy in meeting adults who were reached ten or more years ago in their schools. Many are now Christian leaders, and it’s amazing how many say the same thing: “When you came to my school, it was the first time I’d heard about Jesus. But I knew it was the truth and I knew one day I’d follow Jesus.”

We continue to see God make himself known to children as they hear His Word for the first time. Recently we reached 1,416 children in one week. Of those children, 488 are now doing our Bible correspondence lessons, nearly 30 per cent! Please pray each child will come to know Jesus.

Each child gets a booklet

Reactions vary

MISSION EXPOSURE TRIPS

Thailand – Grow, Learn, Act 30 September – 14 October 2017

Vietnam – Exposure Trip 02 – 06 November 2017

Myanmar – Exposure Trip 07 – 11 December 2017 For more information visit world-outreach.com/awakened-for-asia-exposure-trips • ISSUE 2, 2017 •

AUSTRALIA GOD'S DREAMING Roger and Vivienne Latham, AUSTRALIA • Ministry leaders working with the indigenous in the Australia Outback. world-outreach.com/people/roger-vivienne-latham Recently I had the privilege of going to Bremer Island, a small island just north of Australia, with two other missionaries. Upon arrival I shared the God’s Dreaming story with a group of ladies who were busy making string in the traditional way. The two men with me then shared the story with three local men, two of whom committed their lives to Jesus. These men could not read, but the pictures from the story touched their hearts and brought them understanding. Praise God for two new brothers! Also recently, two colleagues travelled 24,000 kilometres over five months sharing God’s Dreaming story in many places. They returned rejoicing as many were healed, set free from bondage, and received the light of the Gospel.

INDIGENOUS TRAINERS Karen Pack, AUSTRALIA • Leader of Leaders Course Facilitator.

CLOSEUP

With a focus on identifying, equipping, and releasing emerging leaders, our goal as the Leader of Leaders Team is to train locals to teach the course in their own language and culture. We are excited to see this vision coming to fruition,

as local indigenous trainers in Kenya and Bangladesh are now taking ownership of the course to train and equip their own people. Praise God for multiplication!

ANDREW AND NOELENE MERCER

Andrew and his wife Noelene live in Perth, Western Australia. Andrew has been in pastoral ministry for about 28 years, serving in various roles such as church planter, youth pastor, and lead pastor. Since 2006, he has been involved with a group of 35 churches in Sri Lanka, assisting in the training and development of their pastors and emerging ministers. The Lord is using these experiences as He guides him into a new season of service on the World Outreach International Leadership Development Team. Andrew will be doing what he has been doing in Sri Lanka, but now throughout the majority world. God's preparation and timing are perfect, as always.

New Creative Resource for Children’s Ministry Peter Blase, AUSTRALIA • Ministry leader involved in teaching and training church leaders. world-outreach.com/people/peter-blase Five years ago, at three in the morning, you would have found me doing laps around my kitchen. You see, while I was pleasantly snoring through the night, God downloaded a small microcosm of His heart for children around the world. It was like having emergency defibrillators placed on my spirit. I was jolted to life and I jumped out of bed praying in the Spirit! Much of my ministry life was about reaching Australian youth and children, and co-pastoring Good News Company, the church Julie (my wife) and I planted. However what God had downloaded in me was more than just a ministry adjustment. God was taking me into a whole new ministry.

After a short time of travel, God led me to make media that would creatively communicate the Gospel, capturing the hearts of children for Jesus. I chose to make several short stories using an animation called Stop Motion, which means to physically create the landscapes and characters and then photograph them. You then slightly move each model and photograph them again. You repeat this process over and over again until finally all the images come together and make a story. God placed His favour on my life and this project. After 140,000 pictures taken, two thousand hours of modelling and storytelling, the efforts of two hundred volunteers, and four years of hard work, we finally completed forty-five episodes that weave their way from Genesis to Revelation.

God the Father, fifteen stories from the gospels tell about Jesus the Son, and ten stories from the New Testament teach about living a holy, Spirit-filled life and the return of Jesus. We narrated the storyline in each episode so we can change the language, making it available for different people groups! At this stage, the “Encounter Series” is narrated in English. However, we have episodes rendered without any narration for the purpose of inserting a new storyteller in a different language, so to reach a new group of children with the Good News of Jesus Christ. To find out more, please check out our website at www.iblaze.org.

Each episode is five to seven minutes long. Twenty stories from the Old Testament highlight the nature of

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AUSTRALIA S PA N I S H K A I R O S I N A C T I O N Geof and Marion Gunton, AUSTRALIA • Ministry leaders involved in training and evangelism. world-outreach.com/people/geof-marion-gunton Nine years ago a Spanish Kairos was only a dream. In 2009 a translation team formed. After several pilot courses, and some false starts, we launched Spanish Kairos in 2013. Since then over thirteen hundred participants (more than seven hundred last year alone) have been transformed as they have done the course.

LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY HAVE YOU MADE A WILL? Making a will is the only way you can be sure that your wishes will be followed after you die. Having a will also makes your loved ones’ time of grief simpler. If you don’t leave a will, part or all of your estate may go to people whom you never intended to benefit, or even to the government! Including a gift to the ministry of World Outreach International in your will is a special and personal way to continue making a difference in the world after your life on earth has passed. For further information, please contact your nearest World Outreach International office.

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SOUTH EAST ASIA BEHIND THE SCENES

Duncan and Lindie Ross, SOUTH EAST ASIA • Ministry leaders involved in training, evangelism, and church planting. world-outreach.com/people/duncan-lindie-ross Recently, I expressed my frustration with the tribal leaders I work with in Malaysia over what I thought was a sparse schedule they provided for church planting training. I thought this may slow our momentum. They responded, “But we have already engaged three least reached peoplegroups with great success.” God is constantly at work, even behind the scenes.

S AV E D T O S E R V E H E R P E O P L E G R O U P Peter and Bev van der Westhuyzen, NEW ZEALAND • Ministry leaders involved in children’s evangelism and discipleship. world-outreach.com/people/peter-bev-van-der-westhuyzen B was born into an impoverished family in Vietnam. Her parents could not afford to send her to school, and she began working on the farm when she was young. In 2003 she met Jesus. The Lord delivered her from sin and called her to serve in children's ministry, but B did not know how to read or write. She cried out to God, and He provided her a way to learn.

B's Children ministry in 2015

Still, without a curriculum, it was difficult to disciple children. Then in 2007 the Lord blessed her with the “Grow Up with Jesus” curriculum. Now she works with a full set of visual aids and 420 lessons! She regularly gathers the children in her surrounding villages. Last year, B held outreaches for 1,100 children, and more than three hundred came to Christ. She also trained sixty-two people from different villages to use the new children's curriculum.

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SOUTH EAST ASIA R E A DY A N D AVA I L A B L E Rama and Sinta Jones, SOUTH EAST ASIA • Ministry leaders involved in training and cross-cultural communication. world-outreach.com/people/rama-sinta-jones I go walking in the mountains alone every Wednesday. I think, pray, and escape the responsibilities of running a team. Recently, while on a mountain track, I stopped at a bamboo-walled coffee stall. No sooner had I sat down than an old

man walked from the house next door direct to me and proclaimed out loud, “I’m sick.” My black sweet coffee had just arrived, but I asked him, “Would you like me to pray for you?” He nodded. I prayed for his throat in my national language, local

language, and in the Spirit. “Now my knees,” he asked. I prayed for them too. Other customers were watching. “Are you better?” I asked. He nodded, and then walked off leaving me with my coffee and a good conversation starter in the stall.

BY HIS STRIPES Mary Nguyen VIETNAM • Serves in children’s work across Vietnam. For many years I’d heard of God’s power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and do miracles. However I myself did not experience those miracles in my own life. I struggled with Hepatitis B, asthma, and sinus issues for years. I visited hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, sought help from the Vietnamese Traditional Herbal Hospital, and even visited America to receive medical treatment. I attended healing conferences and received prayer from anointed speakers, but I didn’t receive my healing. I was desperate. I doubted whether God wanted me healed and even

questioned whether I had committed some sin that prevented me from being healed. Then one day a friend brought me a book called Healing the Sick. I discovered a new truth: when Jesus suffered and died upon the cross, he bore my sins and my sicknesses. Healing was available in His name. All I needed was to claim that healing for myself. So I proclaimed my healing by quoting Isaiah 53: “By His stripes I am healed.” On that same night, after six years of coughing and sleeping separate from my husband, I was healed.

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THE EKBALLO M OTO RC YC L E ROA D T R I P

Here is an exclusive opportunity for pastors, leaders, and influencers, to familiarise yourselves with two South East Asian Muslim least-reached people groups (LRPs).

30 AUGUST — 6 SEPTEMBER 2017 (7 NIGHTS 8 DAYS)

GOAL

To establish a disciple-making movement in, and translate a Bible for, every LRP in South East Asia.

Come and see the opportunities that exist here, meet local church planters, and experience what God is doing among the least-reached people. Your hosts are World Outreach International missionaries living in South East Asia, Rama and Sinta Jones. Their goal is to establish a disciplemaking movement in, and translate a Bible for, every LRP in South East Asia. This trip will be done on motorcycles. We want you to have a reality trip – this is how South East Asian people live! You will be the passenger on the motorbike with an experienced local rider.

For more information and registration view world-outreach.com/ekballo-motorcycle-road-trip Application closes 10 July 2017.

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PRAYER THAT CHANGES THE WORLD Prayer in mission is indispensable. World Outreach International is committed to mobilising people to pray and providing them with up-todate prayer requests. We’re currently seeking to find at least three hundred people, who will commit themselves to unified, specific, and focused prayer for global mission and the WOI mission workers. If you’d like to become involved in this new initiative and change the world through prayer, please sign up at www.world-outreach/challenge-to-prayer. We’ll then send you regular prayer updates and focuses. Something powerful happens when people pray as one (2 Chronicles 7:14; Acts 1:14, 12:5). Here are some things to pray for: • Pray for more workers in ministry, especially cross-

cultural mission work. Looking at lost and hurting people around Him, Jesus urged His followers to pray for labourers (Matthew 9:37-38).

• Pray for the missionaries you know of and support. Paul,

a missionary himself, eagerly sought prayer (Ephesians 6:19). Pray for: boldness in their lives and ministries; strength and grace to endure in difficulty; provision for all their needs; sustaining strength and health; divine protection from spiritual attack; and for their families back home.

• Pray for the least-reached people groups by adopting

one you may know of or have heard about. • Pray for the political scene in the nations that are on your

heart and especially where the missionaries are. Pray for: governments to allow freedom of the Gospel (1 Timothy 2:1-2); peace, justice, and integrity; and the persecuted believers who live in difficult places.

• Pray for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Ask the

Lord: for a heaven-sent awakening; for signs, wonders, and miracles to authenticate the Gospel as it is preached in frontier territories; and for churches throughout the world to be revived, re-envisioned, and filled with the fire of God to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

English Methodist preacher Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932) wrote, "There is no power like that of prevailing prayer – of Abraham pleading for Sodom, Jacob wrestling in the stillness of the night, Moses standing in the breach, Hannah intoxicated with sorrow, David heartbroken with remorse and grief, Jesus in sweat of blood … Such prayer prevails. It turns ordinary mortals into men [and women] of prayer. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God." Will you join the challenge and change the world through prayer?

Bruce Hills

International Director world-outreach.com/people/bruce-hills

Join the challenge and change the world through prayer! Sign up for regular emails by visiting

world-outreach.com/challenge-to-prayer