FRONTIERS
From the Editor
The United States honors the men and women who died or otherwise sacrificed to give and protect the freedoms and rights enshrined in the great documents of our nation: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
But Another lived and died to give us the greatest freedoms and rights of all: freedom of choice and freedom from bondage to sin, with the right to serve Him and the power to do so — freedoms and rights that came at such great sacrifice to the Godhead and the universe. Christ’s magnanimous death offers freedom to the subjects of the most tyrannical despot ever, liberating them to live according to the laws of His government enshrined on two tablets of stone.
These laws — these rights — such that I have the right to worship God on the seventh-day Sabbath or the right to return to my car and not find it stolen, are rights to a peaceable and harmonic relationship with God and each other. They rest within His throne — at once establishing the rule of righteousness, yet covered by the mercy of God.
Blood has been the price of freedom, the power of causes worth living and dying for and the signature of covenants between God and man, man and his brothers and sisters. Blood is the power behind our nation’s treasured documents and the choice to honor and defend them.
Life more abundantly was the cry of our forefathers yearning for the certain unalienable rights endowed by our Creator, He who died to set the captives free and whose bloodstained banner has been the waymark of prophets, apostles and reformers — martyrs.
We are right to raise our nation’s flag in celebration of our independence and as a memorial to those who fought for freedom. Let us also honor those who responded to the call and said, “Here am I. Send me.” Let us lift high the cross of Christ. Higher, and still higher. Here at home and among the unreached. Not content only to sing our national anthem, let us lift our voices in singing praises memorializing our Savior — He who said to His Father, “Here am I. Send me.” — until we gather to celebrate the anthem of the redeemed of Revelation 14:3..
AFM (U.S. HEADQUARTERS)
Adventist Frontier Missions
P. O. Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Fisher, DDS, Chair
Bruce Bauer, PhD, Vice Chair
Conrad Vine, DMin, AFM President
Julie Hyde, PhD
Joseph Kidder, PhD
Tom Mullen, MD
Dwight K. Nelson, DMin
Douglas Tacket, DO
Ellen Corbett, Arnold Hooker, Alex Niculaescu, Susan Payne
AFMS (CANADA)
We invite our Canadian donors to send support to Adventist Frontier Mission Society: P. O. Box 816 Abbotsford, BC V2T 7A2 phone 855-428-2421 web www.afmsociety.ca
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cameron Rogers, Chair
Dr. Conrad Vine, Vice Chair Lana Kapiniak, Secretary-Treasurer John Baxter, Barry Bussey, Curtis Letniak, D'Arcy Simanton
AFM-SOUTH AMERICA
Pastor Leandro Monteiro, President email leandro.monteiro@afmbrasil.org phone + 385-92-388-2703 web www.afmbrasil.org
FOUNDERS
Marcelo Barreto
Marcelo da Costa Dias
Edson Marques
Jose Martini
Victor Stencel Dr. Conrad Vine
AFM-KOREA
Pastor John Jun, Director
email sj3295@hanmail.net phone (82) 02-2211-3782
AFM-SAT (SOUTH AFRICA)
Pastor Heino Torlage, Executive Director email heino@adlife.org.za phone +278-2923-8683
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Conrad Vine, Chair
Cavelle Regis, Treasurer
Heino Torlage, Secretary
Dr. Bruce Bauer, John Baxter, Jack Bowers, Laurence Burn
AFM-EUROPE
Diana Vasile, Director email office@afmeu.org phone +40-773-749-353 web www.afmeu.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Diana Vasile, Director
John Baxter, Jack Bowers, Cavelle Regis, David Vasile, Dr. Conrad Vine
For more information on how to give to our international offices, visit us online at afmonline.org/ international-offices.
ADVENTIST FRONTIERS STAFF
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
James Arkusinski
EDITOR
Bryan Hill
DESIGNER
Alexander Wicklund
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Amanda Meseraull CONTACT
phone 269-473-4250 fax 269-473-4375 web www.afmonline.org
QUESTIONS/ADDRESS CHANGES circulation@afmonline.org
Adventist Frontier Missions establishes indigenous Seventh-day Adventist church-planting movements among unreached people groups. To view our Donation Refund Policy, go to afmonline.org/give.
Copyright 2024 Adventist Frontiers Vol. 40 No. 07.
© Adventist Frontier Missions. All rights reserved. Adventist Frontiers is published monthly by Adventist Frontier Missions and is sent to friends and supporters. Call to request your complimentary subscription today. We are solely supported by private donations. AFM does not accept tithe. Adventist Frontier Missions, Inc. is an independent ministry that supports the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist® Church; however, it is not part of, affiliated with, or supported by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®, or any affiliates known as the Seventh-day Adventist® Church. Thus, any content or opinions expressed, implied or included in or with the services offered by Adventist Frontier Missions, Inc. are solely those of Adventist Frontier Missions, Inc. and not those of the Seventh-day Adventist® Church.
Some names in this magazine have been changed to protect our missionaries and the people they serve in sensitive areas.
@AFMissions
@adventist_frontier_missions
Contents
PERSPECTIVE
Asia Eurasia Africa
10 FEATURES
[Coal 10, Smith 12, Mays 13, Martinson & Bridger 14, Waters 15, Ivisan 16, Aydin 17]
13 CANDIDATES
[Nyamwange 13, Gomez 17]
18 FEATURES
[Baur 18, Brooks 20, Sharma 22, Baldwin 23, Miller 24, Lincoln 25]
21 CANDIDATES
[Reynolds 21]
FURLOUGHS
George.. . . . ..10/31/23 - 07/24/24
Sliger .
Castillo
Song
Lewis
Ivisan . .
. 04/08/24 - 08/05/24
04/28/24 - 07/17/24
05/15/24-08/01/24
06/07/24-10/04/24
. . . . 06/10/24 - 10/07/24
Baldwin . . . . .06/17/24-09/09/24
Sharma
Dias .
.07/18/24-08/15/24
.08/12/24-12/09/24
Jara. . . . . . .....09/04/24-01/06/25
Sorensen... .10/16/24-01/01/25
“DAD, PLEASE. Don’t do this to us! We’ve already tried fifteen times, and every time has been a nightmare!” Daniel spoke with earnest frustration.
“Don’t worry, son. I’m sure we will make it this time,” his father Petro tried to assure him.
“No, Dad!” Daniel responded with stronger enthusiasm. “We’ve been caught by the police before; sometimes our ship sinks, or we have to turn back because of bad weather. It’s not safe!”
From “Petros and Daniel: Over the Sea" by Cyrus Ivisan, p. 16
26 FEATURES
[White 26, Wilson 28, Babienco 29, River 30, Jara 32, Theunissen & Williams 33, George 34, Song 36, Lawrence 37, Lewis 38, Taylor 40, Castillo 42, Joy & Sliger 45, Jonas & Murphy 46]
39 CANDIDATES
[David 39, Brizendine 41]
The Flock Turkey Ali Nassar On the Cover
BY DR. CONRAD VINE
A Ministry for Our Time
Within the worldwide SDA Church, the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists coordinated a study into the topic of deliverance ministry beginning in 1980 and concluding with a publicly available report on the topic in 1983 (https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/ wp-content/uploads/Spiritual-WarfareDeliverance.pdf). This report included the following two statements among its conclusions:
1. “The Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that there is a place for ministry to those who are tempted and controlled by Satanic agencies; and furthermore, it is not a ministry to be limited to professional clergy, psychologists, and psychiatrists.”
2. “Christians may be called upon to participate, or even to lead out, in prayer services for victims of Satanic harassment or possession. An important work of personal preparation is spelled out in Scripture
and in Ellen White’s writings which includes close self-examination to discover the possible presence of sin which needs to be repented of, confessed, and forsaken before confrontation with the supernatural forces of evil. Fasting and prayer may be an important part of this preparatory work. There is a place for this kind of ministry, conducted properly . . .”
Since 2015, deliverance ministry has been included in the Elder’s Handbook and the Minister’s Handbook, both published by the Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The fundamental belief “Growing in Christ” was voted at the 2005 General Conference Session, partly in response to the growing need to provide biblical counsel for missionaries working in regions where spirit and ancestor worship are powerful cultural forces. The text of this fundamental belief explains the importance of gaining
victory in Christ over personal attacks by demonic forces:
“By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life.”
After a conference coordinated by AFM and personnel from the SDA Seminary’s Missiology Department at the AFM Center (MI) in February 2018, AFM published a deliverance ministry manual in 2018 (www.setfreeinchrist.org), available for free download in English, French,
Spanish and Romanian, and soon in Portuguese.
Today, recognizing the rapidly growing demand for deliverance among Adventists experiencing demonization and among the unreached, AFM has established the Set Free in Christ Institute (SFCI), led by Dr. Michée Badé, an experienced AFM church planter with significant deliverance ministry experience. The SFCI provides deliverance ministry consultations to individual Adventists upon request, training for SDA pastors and church elders around the world in an Adventist approach to deliverance, and is developing supplements to the manual, dealing specifically with the practicalities of deliverance ministry among Hindus, Buddhists, Animists, Muslims and secular communities.
In earth’s closing hours, God sends forth messages, born by three angels, calling the inhabitants of the earth to worship Him as Creator (Revelation 14:6-12).
Likewise, Satan sends forth three demonic messengers, calling the world to join in battle against God Almighty (Revelation 16:13-14). In this time, the time of the end, the forces of darkness will be a major source of deception and demonization, seeking to deceive and destroy the very elect of God. Thus, this first-of-its-kind ministry in the worldwide SDA Church is a ministry for our time.
Please keep Dr. Badé, his family and colleagues in your prayers as they minister to those caught in Satan’s grip. We minister in the name of Jesus Christ, who has never lost a battle with Satan, and we drive back the prince of darkness in the name of the Light of the World.
If you would like to support the SFCI, please consider donating to or lifting up the arms of Dr. Badé and his colleagues in prayer. In all things, to God be the glory.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
We would like to thank those who gave generously in memory of the following precious friends and family members:
Elizabeth Davis by Mona & Richard Jenkins • In memory of my family by L.L. • Anna Miriam Lawrence, Arthur & Alta Rollins, Noel & Edith Lawrence, Miriam Batchelder, and Emerson & Henrietta Cove by Beverly Lawrence • Emiliano & Angelita Cornago by Marylou Cornago • Eddy & Peter Knopper by Corinne Knopper • Jennie Lefferts by Carol Riotto • Edward/Toby McLaughlin by Kenneth and Ann O. Paden • Joan Reichard by Michele Thomas and Gregory & Sheila Solie • Andrea Santos by Sara Santos • Larry Thomas by Brenda Thomas
GIFTS OF THANKSGIVING
We would like to thank those who gave generously in thanksgiving for the precious friends and family members.
John Baxter by Adrian & Sumako Solis • Michael Burns by Mary & Chris Burns • Our loved ones sleeping in Christ and Christ's sacrifice by David & Karen Pritchard • The Kitching family by Gwantwa Mwakalundwa • Janine Moody by Laura Moody • Dr. Gordon Arnot and Lillian Kenline by Cheryl Einerson • Alan & Annie Stricker by Marylou Cornago
If you would like to make a gift of thanksgiving or in memory of a friend or family member, please indicate your wishes with your gift and send it in the enclosed envelope. Please include the name and address of individuals to whom we can send acknowledgment/sympathy.
BY MICHÉE BADÉ
SET FREE IN CHRIST INSTITUTE: Ministering to Members and the Unreached
The mission of the Seventhday Adventist church is to share the good news of the gospel with every nation, tribe, people and tongue. The goal of this mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who live as His loving witnesses and proclaim to all people the everlasting gospel of the Three Angels’ Messages in preparation for His soon return (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Revelation 14:6-12). Thus, SDAs help people everywhere understand the Bible through Christ-like living, communicating, discipling, teaching, healing and serving (see the Mission Statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at https://www.adventist.org/ official-statements/mission-statement-ofthe-seventh-day-adventist-church/).
The Set Free in Christ Institute contributes to the Christ-like characteristics of the SDA Church’s mission in general and, in particular, to the need for a Christ-like healing ministry. Christ’s holistic mission while on earth was characterized by a ministry to the whole person, as plainly
stated in Christ’s mission statement in Luke 4:18-19:
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
With his holistic ministry, Christ did not discriminate against those in need. He ministered to Jew or Gentile, whether demon-possessed (demonized), blind or paralyzed, with leprosy or incurable diseases, and even on behalf of the dead (see Matthew 8, 9, 12, 15; Mark 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10; Luke 4, 7, 13, 14, 17, 22). The 1983 official publication of the General Conference was based on this biblical fact when it stated that “there is a place for ministry to those who are tempted and controlled by Satanic agencies” within the church (see Dr. Conrad Vine’s article on page 4).
The 2005 fundamental belief “Growing in Christ” clearly implies that conversion and maturity are a process. In the 10/40 window, where Christian mission is concentrated, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus are the majority and have strong animistic backgrounds. Their journey to become mature Christians will be a process, not just an event. Some will join the church with carry-over attitudes, assumptions, and even accompanying fallen spirits that often are not addressed during their conversion and baptism.
Unfortunately, the influence of the Enlightenment, followed by the philosophies of the French Revolution, affected Western Christianity regarding supernatural healing. First, the Enlightenment era (1715 to 1789 A.D.) aimed to promote rationalism against Dark Age beliefs and practices considered primitive and superstitious. For instance, during the Enlightenment, healers who attempted to invoke supernatural powers were accused of witchcraft. Second, the French Revolution, a period of political and societal change
in France from 1789-1799, promoted empirical philosophy to the point that religious rituals with spiritual power were no longer acceptable. Faith in the miraculous became inferior to intellectual faith. The 18th century saw the partial erasure of God as the central entity around which metaphysics or the supernatural revolves: the questions of His existence and nature were debated. Consequently, Western Christians often look from a biological or physiological perspective at some aspects of Christ’s holistic ministry involving healing.
AFM’s new Set Free in Christ Institute exists to address this aspect of Christ’s holistic ministry that fell silent in Western Christianity because of these biases from the Enlightenment era. Fortunately, the SDA Church has tried to correct this historical deviation from Scripture by including deliverance ministry as one
of the nine special services to church members in the elder’s and ministers’ handbooks. Adventist Frontier Missions is especially pioneering in this ministry not only because of its focus on the 10/40 window, where the majority of its missionaries live and deal with spirit possession regularly, but also because, as a supporting ministry, it has more flexibility to do so. My prayer is that the worldwide SDA Church will, in the future, consider and advance the pioneering work of the SFCI as we work in harmony to advance God’s kingdom.
Since 2018, in alignment with SFCI goals, AFM has organized or been invited to training events and seminars on spiritual warfare and deliverance ministry around the world. Recently, these training events have been called Didaskoō seminars, taken from the Greek “to learn, to teach,” as when the
disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Such seminars or their imitative took place in Canada in 2018, France in 2019, Nigeria in 2020, in Côte d’Ivoire, North Africa and Switzerland in 2023, and 2024 in Mali in February and Burkina Faso and Romania in March. There will be another Didakso in Côte d’Ivoire from July 28-August 3, 2024.
Among SFCI services, we offer (1) one-on-one consultation with specific deliverance ministry situations; (2) practical counsels on spiritual warfare; (3) intercessory prayer for demonic harassment and oppression; (4) promotion of the hallmarks of “Growing in Christ;” (5) training in mission among fear/power cultures; etc.
As an outreach ministry, frontline missions cannot take place unless Satan is bound. This is one of the reasons why, when sending the 12 or the 70, Christ first gave them power over demons (Matthew 10:1, 8; Luke 10:17). With His greater power, Jesus gives us the authority and the power to bind Satan in mission and plundering his ‘house’ so that the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advanced.
At the same time, as an in-reach ministry, Christ taught His disciples to ask daily for deliverance from a personal and malevolent enemy, the devil himself, in their prayers (Matthew 6:13).
The Set Free in Christ Institute emphasizes the importance of human wholeness in finding freedom, healing and hope in Jesus Christ. You can support SFCI through your donations and prayers for more international training events and the production of resource materials. Donations can be made at afmonline.org > Give > Special Projects > Set Free in Christ or via check (write “Set Free in Christ Institute” in the subject line). Please visit our website, www.setfreeinchrist.org, for further resources. Thank you for being a part of this ministry.
THE RACE
BY JAMES PETTY, Planned Giving Specialist
As a young man, I could run quite fast. It was the awkward, comical run of a lanky teen, but it was fast. My brother didn’t have a chance as he was ten years younger than me. Well, that didn’t stop him from trying to succeed. We raced many times, and over and over, he would get trounced by his older, faster and significantly taller sibling — me. Realizing that, at age six, he couldn’t compete with his sixteen-year-old brother, he started to devise a plan to win races. He would use his quick wit, cunningly changing the finish line after the start of the race.
I can still vividly recall the words of my younger brother, “Hey! Race you to the mailbox. On your mark, get set . . . GO!” and just before reaching the aforementioned mailbox-as-a-finish line, I would hear the words of my younger brother, “Beat you to the tree!”
Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24
In order to “get the prize,” my younger brother would change the finish line to give himself an advantage that would not have otherwise been achievable.
Just like the race with my brother, planned giving goals need to be changed sometimes to attain the desired outcome. One such recent change available to those 72 or older is the ability to purchase a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) with funds from their Individual Retirement Account. The IRS has restricted this giving tool to $53,000, available only once to the IRA owner.
Some of the benefits include:
• Satisfying part or all of the Required Minimum Distribution
• Receiving a charitable deduction in the year of the gift
• Initiating a lifelong income stream
In your quest to generate income in your retirement and allocate funds to further the gospel, maybe it’s time to consider moving the finish line by setting up an IRAfunded Charitable Gift Annuity.
For more information on how you can move your finish line, please contact James Petty at 269-473-5001 or email at jpetty@afmonline.org.
The Dream of Light and Guidance
BY ABED AL-MASIH
The following testimony comes from Mustafa, a seeker who posted on the Dream Project website.
The day before my dream was like any other, filled with the usual activities and the same nightly prayer before I went to bed. However, the next night as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, I had a dream that left an indelible mark on my soul.
As I turned to my right, the scene dramatically changed. There stood a man clad in radiant white robes that seemed to glow with an ethereal light. His presence was commanding yet comforting, and His face bore a gentle smile that immediately put me at ease.
His eyes held wisdom as deep as the ages, and when He spoke, His voice was both thunderous and soothing. “I am Alef and Ya,” He announced with calm certainty. “I am the straight path. I am Allah’s Word; you need to leave everything and follow me.”
Each word resonated within me, stirring feelings of awe and wonder. Alef and Ya, the beginning and the end, the essence of the divine message captured in human form. Here He was, the embodiment of guidance and truth, standing before me in a vision that felt more real than any waking moment.
His message was clear and profound: to leave everything and follow Him. Not merely a message about physical departure, this was a call to abandon old ways, to forsake fleeting worldly attachments, and to embrace a path of spiritual purity and unwavering faith. It was a directive to align my life with the divine will, to seek the essence of truth embedded in the sacred texts and the universe itself.
As quickly as the dream had begun, it faded, and I awoke. Despite the dream’s brevity, the joy and peace it brought me were overwhelming. I felt chosen, touched by a presence so divine that it filled my heart with an ecstatic lightness. The smile of Alef and Ya lingered in my mind, a beacon of unwavering love and guidance.
Reflection filled the days that followed. I pondered the symbolic representation of Alef and Ya, understanding that in many traditions, these letters signify the beginning and the end, the encompassing knowledge of God. The straight path He spoke of is often mentioned in the Bible — a path of righteousness, leading to peace and salvation.
This dream, I believe, was a divine interaction, a reminder of the ultimate journey of the soul towards its Creator. It was a call to deepen my faith, to live a life that continuously seeks to align with the
will of God, guided by His Word and His Light (John 1:1-5).
The vision of Alef and Ya remains a powerful motivator in my daily life. It serves as a reminder that our spiritual journey is ongoing and that every moment is an opportunity to follow the path laid out by God. It reaffirms my commitment to my faith, my purpose, and the everlasting pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.
In sharing this story, I hope to inspire others to reflect on their spiritual journeys and to seek the profound messages that may come, sometimes, even in our dreams.
Are you feeling a divine calling to assist individuals from Muslim backgrounds? If so, I encourage you to support us through the Dream Project page at afmonline.org. Please include us in your prayers, asking God to guide us as we strive to share His message and truth with those He is reaching through dreams.
ABED AL-MASIH (Dream Project)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103 dreamproject@afmonline.org
EURASIA
BEHIND THE VEIL
As Iris relayed the dream, I felt the Spirit say it was not given to her alone.
BY MALACHI COAL
Some people are privileged to have supernatural experiences. These events can be quite faithbuilding and sobering. They remind us of the reality of what we read in God’s Word and feel in our hearts.
Why does it happen to some and not to others? Those reasons seem quite broad,
and although we could lay out many of them, the truth is that God knows who would benefit from such an event and who would not.
Therefore, Jesus didn’t perform any miracles before Herod because he knew his heart. And He said to Thomas, “Blessed are those who don’t see and believe”
africa • asia • eurasia
(John 20:29). Yet supernatural experiences do happen.
Iris is one such person. At the beginning of her journey, she had dreams of Jesus. Then, one day, He came into her room and spoke to her. He even gave her friend a dream to share with her. All these had a purpose — God knew her heart and that she needed each experience.
Iris lives with her mother and has a daughter who lives in a different city. Both her mother and daughter are unbelievers, and this is quite hard to bear. Despite having a church family in her city and a close Christian friend there, as well as us, she battles with despair. Recently, she related to me an experience she had.
“I couldn’t sleep all night as if something was keeping me awake. Then, all of a sudden, I couldn’t stay awake, as if something was pulling me into sleep. Then, in my dream, I was in my room and heard a loud noise outside. The bed began to shake, and I was greatly afraid. I felt I was being supernaturally attacked, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t move my body. So I began to shout out, ‘The cross to you! I hold up the cross against you, so get out of here!’
“Immediately, there was a veil, as if cast against the dim light of a full moon. Behind the veil, two people were fighting, and their
feet were not touching the ground. The being with His back toward me was clothed in white, and I knew it was Christ. The one facing me and trying to get to me was dark and ominous, and I knew it to be Satan. Around the veil was a black frame. It began to shrink in size until it was gone, and I immediately woke up.”
As Iris relayed this experience, her voice broke into tears. It was clear that God saw her situation and needed her to know that He was battling for her. He was always there and would never leave or forsake her.
If you are like I am sometimes, I yearn for such an experience in my darker hours. As Iris relayed the dream, I felt the Spirit say it was not given to her alone. This dream was given to me and to you, who are reading this article. God is reaching the unreached through your sacrificial gifts and prayers. This dream was for you as much as it was for her. He sees your pain. He knows just where you are and how to deliver you. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?
MALACHI & ADALIA COAL
(Turkish Project, launched 2015)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
THE BEING WITH HIS
BACK TOWARD ME
WAS CLOTHED IN WHITE, AND I KNEW IT WAS CHRIST. THE ONE FACING ME AND TRYING TO GET TO ME WAS DARK AND OMINOUS, AND I KNEW IT TO BE SATAN.
BY JOHN SMITH
Isee that you took one of our books. Have you read it yet?” I asked.
I was in an accountant’s office in the building where our church is located. For Americans, it may seem strange to think of a church in an office building. I was in Europe the first time I went to a church in an office building. It felt different. But as you go there week after week and have spiritual experiences, it begins to feel comfortable.
There are many offices in our building, and an elected person manages issues with the building overall. In our building, the building manager is an accountant. I had been chasing him down to get an invoice for our share of a building repair. I contacted him by phone and messaging, but still no invoice. I went in person.
Usually, the office has at least two female accountants working in the front. One dresses in distinctly Muslim fashion, and the other does not. But on this occasion, there was only the woman whose head was uncovered. I told her my business, and she made a note of it because the building administrator was not in the office. That is when I noticed our book, The Story of Jesus, on her desk.
In front of our church, in the elevator lobby, we have free tracts and books displayed. She had taken the book from there.
“No, I haven’t read it yet, but I am planning to. My brother’s son and his wife have become Christians. I want to learn more about it,” the woman said. “I told them there is a church in our building.”
“There is a spectrum of belief in the Christian world, and unfortunately, some groups are involved in politics,” I said. I pointed this out because most people in Turkey view Christianity through the lens of politics. “We believe that religion and politics should remain separate. Whether in the Muslim world or the Christian world, when religion and politics mix, persecution usually follows.”
That is when I noticed our book, The Story of Jesus, on her desk.
“Yes,” she said, “We see the movement in Turkey towards an Islamic State. When I was in school, there were required religion classes, but they were of a general nature. Now, they are teaching the children how to do the Islamic prayers and such things. I grew up with more of an atheistic outlook.”
“We have other books if you need them,” I added.
During the 10 Days of Prayer to begin our new year, we have been praying for the people who work in our building. I am glad to have this evidence of God’s activity, which was made possible only because of how God led the timing of my visit. If the other worker had been present, perhaps this lady would not have been comfortable talking. Thank you for your prayers for this woman and the distribution of our literature.
JOHN AND MARY SMITH
(Turkish, launched 2004)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY SEAN MAYS
HIS HANDS FOR NINA
Dani, our Community Service Club leader, was called into the vice mayor’s office at City Hall. “I’ve heard good things about your group’s community service projects. We appreciate your compassion for our citizens. We know of a woman in need who has a young child. She’s been a victim of domestic violence and human trafficking in Italy. She’s now here, alone and frightened. Can some of the women in your group visit her?”
A few days later, Brenda and Nora visited the woman, whom we will call Mina, and listened as she shared how, after the government demolished her home for a military base expansion without providing compensation, she and her daughter had to sleep in a shop. The city eventually provided an old firstfloor apartment in a rough area. Though grateful, Mina didn’t feel safe. The apartment’s large brokenout window had been covered with taped paper, and a group of men often gathered on her back porch to drink, triggering traumatic memories. “There’s only paper between these drunken men and my daughter and me,” she said as her voice trembled.
Brenda and Nora prayed for Mina and her little girl before leaving, vowing to return and continue offering support.
Dani and I are now seeking discounted materials and helpers to repair Mina’s home to make it safer. Jesus calls His followers to be His hands and feet in this world. Please join us in prayer that He will draw people to Him through our community service.
SEAN AND BRENDA MAYS
(Shqiptaret, launched 2006)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
LEARNING TO STUDY
We are back in Denmark and so looking forward to soon launching into Greenland! Recently, on our vision trip, we walked within the university library in Nuuk, Greenland. As we trusted the Lord to connect us with someone He had purposed for us, we found young Lou, an international exchange student, seated alone in a corner. After a short conversation, he and Joe exchanged contact information.
Arriving at the hotel that night, we saw that Lou had invited us for dinner the next evening. At his apartment were other international exchange students. After getting to know one another over a plant-based meal deliciously assembled by Lou and his friends, they discovered our love for music and asked us to sing. Lou did not know the song, but with joy, he pulled out his guitar and played alongside us as we sang. Indeed, there are no strangers! Just friends we had not met until now.
International exchange students must leave their homes and travel abroad. While in their host country, they are expected to perform to the best of their academic abilities, learn the culture and make friends. Interacting with these students was a deep object lesson for us. As career missionaries in Greenland, we will learn about the culture, and God will, no doubt, lead us to students in search of His heart.
Ultimately, we want to go home (John 14) but do not want to go alone. To prepare us for home, we will study the Word — the best curricula ever — and invite even more students to join us, whom God will providentially place along our paths. It will be delightful to interact with them. Pray with us as we pull out the music of His presence written in our hearts, that those who interact with us will take note of Jesus and His love.
— Beryl Nyamwange
& BERYL
BY LINA MARTINSON
Is there anything you would like us to pray about as we close?” I asked our small Bible study group.
“There is this family in need my daughter told me about yesterday,” Mary sighed. “They have two young boys who were both diagnosed as autistic, and the younger one needs constant care. The mother is taking care of them full time, and the father does delivery jobs in nearby areas so he can quickly come home to help deal with whatever crises come up. Until recently, they were eligible for aid and special educational support for the boys and were coping quite well. However, a few months ago, an issue came up with some documents they needed for aid.”
After a few quiet moments, she continued hesitantly, “The problem they are facing right now is of their own making. This is the second marriage for both parents, and both boys are their biological sons. However, the first one was born before the divorce from her first marriage was finalized, and her ex-husband is his legal father. Right now, without his approval, they cannot apply for any educational support, and her ex couldn’t care less. Barely making ends meet, they have no money for the lawyer either.”
“This mess is of their own making. Yet as we read through the gospels, time and again, we see that Jesus restored people from the messes of their own making. I keep wondering if there is a way we, as a group, could help this family. What do you guys think?”
I am very glad to inform you that our small study group chose to practice their faith through compassion and supported the family by providing part of their monthly shopping for four months, fuel for heating for the winter and some personal care items the boys needed. May we all strive to live out our faith and love in deed and truth.
BY SKY BRIDGER
There is a Family in Need! The Cheese Seller
Do you have any more of those little notes?” the peynirjee (cheese seller) asked as soon as he saw me enter the market with my wagon on Sunday.
“Sure, do you want one?” I asked casually. Of course, I had another GLOW tract tucked carefully in my jacket pocket, hoping he would ask. It was the third week since our first brief conversation about religion. That day, he had mused about why the wealthy Muslim nations don’t help the poor of Africa while the U.S. provides help. In return, I asked him why people from Muslim countries always want to go to Christian ones.
“Yeah!” he had said, “I want to go, too!” So I gave him the tract I had in my pocket, titled Intelligent Religion.
The following week, he told me he had read it repeatedly. He asked, “Which do you think is more powerful, fear or love?”
This is the dividing factor between Christianity and Islam. I gave him the next tract I had, about the end of the world, and spent the week thinking about how to answer his very pertinent question — what a big topic to tackle in a foreign language. And what an excellent opportunity to refresh my understanding of how God dealt with the sin problem.
So this Sunday, I pulled out the two tracts I had about prayer, ready to give it with my payment for the cheese I was buying. He reached over the counter, gesturing for me to give them to him. “I’m giving you two this time,” I said, “Do you know why?”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because when you find something you like, you should share it,” I said.
“I’m already sharing them,” he said. “When I have tea with my friends, we are talking about these things.”
“Okay, then,” I said, “I will bring you a small book next week.” The peynirjee and his wife packaged my cheese, and I paid them.
“I’m going to be waiting for that book next week,” he said, “because you promised.”
Next week, I will take him a copy of Steps to Christ.
JACOB, SKY, ANTHONY, OLIVER, LITTLE JOE & CYPRUS BRIDGER
(Turkish Project, launched 2015)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
YANNIS, LINA, TIMOTHY & NIKOLAS MARTINSON (Greeks, launched 2011) Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
“
BY EZRA WATERS
Introducing Tariq
You are the only strict Christian I have ever met,” my friend Tariq said after a pause in conversation. We were sitting in the privacy of his car so we could talk. He had asked me many questions: “Why, if God is good, does He allow so much evil? How does a Christian pray? Do you pray every day? When a Muslim dies, do you believe he can go to heaven?” And, of course, the most contentious question of all — “Who is Jesus? Is He God or an honored prophet?” Out of all our topics of conversation, however, the most surprising topic to him was that of lifestyle.
Tariq and I met when he happened to be my taxi driver. His English ability and curiosity, coupled with my growing capacity in Arabic, have enabled many lively conversations while hanging out around town. One of his favorite subjects is religion.
Tariq had known many cultural Christians. All of them had been drinkers, smokers or promiscuous adventurers. Sadly, this fit his conception of who Christians are — immoral pleasure seekers. Religion and culture are so superimposed in Eastern thinking that the prevailing assumption is that all Westerners must also be Christians. Cognitive correlation too easily bleeds over into causation, and repeated exposure to Westerners reinforces a Muslim‘s conclusion that Christianity breeds licentiousness and laxity. So, when confronted with a Christian who values obedience to God, Tariq’s natural response was, “You’re more Muslim than me.”
Tariq is a self-proclaimed skeptic — not adhering to his own faith tradition in which he expresses doubt. Unfortunately, his doubt infects all areas of spirituality, leading me to wonder if Tariq has a sincere interest in knowing the truth or if he feels
content with spiritual ambiguity and temporal pleasure seeking.
Still, Tariq is, for me, a window into the spiritual and cultural world in which I now live. I would like to solicit your prayers on his behalf. Pray that he perceives God for who He truly is, that he learns to feel his need keenly, that he finds salvation from his sin in the sacrifice of Jesus, and finally, that he finds new life in following the living, resurrected Lord. Pray that God presses him to make a choice because, as Tariq himself told me, “If I had to choose between the religions, I would choose to be a Christian.”
(Arabs of the Levant Project, Launched 2023)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
EZRA & RUTH WATERS
BY CYRUS IVISAN
Petros and Daniel: Over the Sea
Dad, please. Don’t do this to us! We’ve already tried fifteen times, and every time has been a nightmare!” Daniel spoke with earnest frustration.
“Don’t worry, son. I’m sure we will make it this time,” his father Petro tried to assure him.
“No, Dad!” Daniel responded with stronger enthusiasm. “We’ve been caught by the police before; sometimes our ship sinks, or we have to turn back because of bad weather. It’s not safe!”
Petros knew he had repeatedly jeopardized their lives, trying to cross the sea. But as he thought about all they had been through after accepting Christ and moving from their home country, he resolutely responded, “No, son, I know this is hard, but we must try again. There’s a better life waiting for us if we can just get across. Maybe God will give us success this time.”
The next day, as they sat in the raft, Daniel experienced the same feeling he had each previous time: anxiety, uncertainty and no peace. The driver started the motor, and in a moment, the raft stretched out into the water. The whole family, with other Yasna strangers at their sides, sat as they pushed further out. But Daniel had no comfort.
He knew his father was wrong for making them do this again. As the raft gained speed, Daniel saw that they were, as usual, severely overloaded and just barely above the water.
At a distance, Daniel could see a boat. “That looks like the police.” Fear struck his heart. “Look, Sis, you see that boat?”
Father jumped in, “Don’t worry, they’re far away. We will get there before they decide to come and check us out.” Petros grew fearful himself as he suddenly felt a west wind begin to blow.
Small waves quickly formed, which, for even small vessels, posed no danger. But for their overloaded raft, a frenzy quickly grew. They began tipping back and forth. Then water spilled over the right side of the raft. As it tipped back, a larger wave splashed more water in on the left side.
“H-e-l-p! We’re sinking!” Cries began erupting from each person’s lips as the raft quickly began filling with water. Daniel, looking towards the police ship, cried out and waved his arms. The coastguard, already seeing the predicament, had started towards their pitiful raft.
“Mom! Dad!” Daniel's sister Jesse cried, clinging to her parents as the raft tipped enough to push
some passengers out of their seats and into the sea. They watched as the police approached.
“Another group, Jack. What do you think about that?” the police laughed as they joked. Using a long pole with a hoop on the end, they pulled each person to the ship one by one.
Daniel soon found himself and his family on board with a blanket wrapped around them. Upon reaching shore, the police took them to the police station, and after finishing the interrogation, they placed them together in prison for six months. As Daniel increasingly doubted his father’s faith and God in general, feelings of anger and hopelessness welled up and would continue for another six years. In the meantime, God still had important lessons for Petros and his family.
Thank you for helping to support the Yasna mission and people like Petros and his family.
CYRUS, ESTHER, SHILOH, GABRIELLA & GLENDA IVISAN (Yasna Project)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
“
BY ANA & CALEB AYDIN
VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP
You are an answer to our prayers!” an Adventist couple living nearby told us. We had moved to an unreached area to minister to Turks. Little did we know that a few months earlier, Mr. and Mrs. Peasely had moved to that same area for the same reasons and had been praying that God would send someone to collaborate with them.
Mr. Peasley is a foreigner who married a wonderful Turkish woman and has lived in Turkey for over seven years. They were called to temporarily help with a humanitarian project in another city. A mutual friend connected us while they were wrapping up the project to head back to our town. Their extensive insight into the culture has been a blessing.
We have been spending almost every Sabbath at their apartment since meeting them. They know many Turks who are curious about the Bible, and almost every Sabbath, someone they invite joins us for fellowship. We have also been praying together every Wednesday for our town and acquaintances.
Sharing these moments with our new friends, after a few months of having felt alone since moving into our new home, recalls to my mind Acts 2:46b-47 (NIV), “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” May that be our experience as well!
Thank you for your continued support of our efforts in Turkey. We truly feel God has orchestrated our two families to live close together for a purpose. Please pray that those ready to join our Sabbath group may do so. Should you feel called to support our efforts financially, we are still raising funds to cover the costs needed to secure our long-term residential visas (see the progress bar alongside this article.
CALEB, ANA, ELSA & JOSEPH AYDIN
(Turkish Project, launched 2023)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Adam and Eve, the first human beings God created, used to live in His presence in a wonderful place, with no death or pain — until they sinned. We can agree that they had a language — which one, we don’t know, but they had one. Centuries later, God confused the language of the postdiluvian people of Shinar as they were trying to build Babel’s tower, and He scattered the people over the whole earth. This event created the variety of cultures and languages we have now.
Even though the world began thousands of years ago, we can see similarities in the creation story among some of the world’s languages. For example, the word garden in ancient Chinese is written . It is formed by combining the words:
Interesting, right? In addition to this, while we were studying the Georgian language, we encountered the word
(adamiani), which recalls Adam and means human being. What a tremendous “coincidence”!
It is wonderful how, throughout the nations, the act of God creating remains visible in sources outside the Bible, showing us that our Lord continues looking for us no matter in what culture we live. Jesus says in John 10:16, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold.” God’s people are currently in various nations, cultures and religions. On the other side of the planet are people who never had access to the Bible but believe in one God who created the world.
In the country of Georgia, God has His sheep. He is preparing their hearts for the message we will take them, whether Muslim or Orthodox. Georgians need to hear this message of God from us, and it will only happen if we support each other in this mission.
— Filipe and Isabela Gomez
FILIPE AND ISABELA GOMEZ
Volunteer Missionary Candidates (Georgia Project)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
AFM SOUTH AMERICA
OH, FOR A DENTIST AFRICA
What should he do? Travel 140 miles to the next bigger town with a dental clinic? We prayed for a solution.
BY ULI BAUR
Nobody likes to go to the dentist. And you certainly don’t want to go to the dentist in our town.
Several months ago, Toussaint lost a filling. For a while, he thought he could do without fixing the problem, thoroughly
cleaning the hole. But when the tooth started aching, he had to do something. Toussaint went to the local hospital, the only place in town he knew of with a practicing dentist, and was told he had retired but was practicing at his home. The person explained to Toussaint where the dentist lived and added: “If he isn’t home,
africa • asia • eurasia
check at the bars around his house. You will most likely find him there.”
Indeed, the dentist wasn’t home, and Toussaint found him in a bar, although it was only 10 a.m. They both returned to the dentist’s house, where he examined Toussaint’s tooth. He confirmed what Toussaint had already guessed — the tooth couldn’t be fixed anymore and needed pulling. However, it was a back tooth with a deep root.
The dentist heaved and pulled on the tooth to no avail. Finally, he decided to break the tooth up with something similar to a screwdriver and then pull the pieces. After a long time of digging and poking, the dentist told Toussaint that he wasn’t able to get all the pieces out and that Toussaint should come back at the end of the week to finish the procedure. He prescribed some antibiotics and painkillers and sent him home.
When Toussaint, with a very swollen cheek, told me what had happened, I couldn’t believe it. Needless to say, Toussaint was in a lot of pain and not looking forward to any more torture. What should he do? Travel 140 miles to the next bigger town with a dental clinic? We prayed for a solution.
That evening, a young lady from our neighborhood came by to greet us. When she saw Toussaint and heard his story, she told him another young dentist was in town. He had
just finished medical school and didn’t have all his papers yet, so he couldn’t officially practice. But he was receiving patients at his house. We figured it was worth a try.
The next morning, Toussaint went to the dentist, who placed him in a garden chair with no headrest. The dentist lacked proper instruments but seemed to know what he was doing and was able to extract more pieces of the tooth. Toussaint had taken some dental equipment a friend sent us a while ago and asked him if it would be helpful. The dentist was thrilled and immediately put some of it to use as a young boy assisted him by using the flashlight of a cell phone.
Toussaint had to take antibiotics and painkillers for more than three weeks and returned to the dentist twice when more tooth parts emerged, the last of which came out over a month later.
Since then, we learned that another dentist practices in a large hospital 30 miles north of us. However, we hope we won’t need him anytime soon.
ULRIKE BAUR-KOUATO (Otammari Project, launched 1999) Contact: BP 240, Natitingou, Benin, West Africa
THE
DENTIST HEAVED AND PULLED ON THE TOOTH BUT TO NO AVAIL. FINALLY, HE DECIDED TO BREAK THE TOOTH UP WITH SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A SCREWDRIVER AND THEN PULL THE PIECES.
BY ALI BROOKS
Fulani Hospitality
You only have two options, he says. Let him kill a goat to feed to you tonight, or he will send the goat home alive with you tomorrow,” Joanne translated for me.
I blinked . . . and quickly gathered my protest, “No, how could we take a goat from you right now? You are the ones grieving your only son! We came to comfort YOU, not be given gifts.”
“I insist!” the Fulani man argued. “You came right to my doorstep to bring your condolences. You are forever placed deep within our hearts because of this. The only way to show you a small portion of what this means to me is to give you one of my goats.”
My friend’s words were laced with feeling and meaning, and I knew already that I wouldn’t be winning this argument. Ironically, this entire conversation with him had taken place with a wooden barrier erected in the dirt between us. We never looked at each other.
I joined short-term missionaries Eliza and Joanne and the women in his family as we sat in a circle, sharing a basic communal meal of corn paste and bitter greens from one platter. In Fulani culture, women can’t be seen by men when they are eating.
The women and girls around me smiled shyly, giggled and listened as I tried to reason with the man. Tears
threatened to well up in my eyes in the evening darkness. While I was away at a medical conference for a few weeks, this man had lost his 14-year-old son, who fell out of a mango tree. Before this tragedy, I had been consulting his wife about their past nine years of infertility. Their daughter was now their only child.
As the wife finished recounting the story to us, she veiled most of her face to mask her emotions:
“My son stopped by our hut to tell me he was hungry that day. I told him I would prepare some food for him. He left to play for a while until the food was ready. But minutes later, his sister frantically called me over,
saying he had fallen. We knew it was serious but still tried to take him by motorcycle to the hospital. The doctor told us it was too bad for him to help, so we brought him home to die.”
We had traveled out to the village as soon as we could on my return. The Fulani men had spent the evening recounting to me their difficulties this dry season. They have never seen a year like this one. So many of their animals have been dying in the famine because they are getting too weak from hunger.
And yet this bereaved father was insisting on sending his goat with us and begging us to give him the honor of sleeping outside his home since we usually sleep outside the chief’s home. He laid out his best mat and rug for us to sleep on, declaring, “Ali here, Eliza here and Joanne here,” while he spread out a simple rice sack for himself to lie on for the night.
These people know hospitality in a far greater way than we in the U.S. They can be so reserved in their expressions yet share with you so deeply once enough trust has been built. Even within their families, I often have to find privacy to ask questions or examine someone because they are too shy to really tell me what’s wrong in front of others. Yet they are surprisingly eloquent with their words, especially when veils or wooden barriers protect their face.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the Fulani project.
ALI BROOKS
(Fulani Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
MISSIONARY KIDS MOVE
I’m Sam, the eldest of the Reynolds children. We are a missionary family. I am 11 years old. I have two younger brothers — Justin, 8, and Jacob, 3. Our baby sister is named Sia.
Our arrival in the United States was a moment of both joy and sadness. Sadness because we were leaving everything behind. We left our grandparents, our friends and our culture to embark on a new life. But joy because we were excited about new friends and a new life.
We arrived in Michigan on May 25, 2023.
Three weeks after our arrival, Sia was born. Our joy was perfect. We really needed a girl in our family. We were also relieved because Sia was born where there wasn’t malaria. Each of us boys had malaria when we were one week old. Baby Sia is still healthy today.
We quickly faced culture shock. Back home, we used to explore the local village and farmland with our friends. Here in America, we didn’t have friends to run and play with because the children here didn’t understand our language. The food here is also very different from back home.
Soon we started school, but because no one could understand our language, sometimes we cried in class because of misunderstandings. When we explained to our parents what we were going through at school, they always told us to be brave because that was the price we paid as children of missionaries.
I remember one day, Justin’s teacher sent an e-mail to our parents, telling them she didn’t know how to help him understand the lessons. Our mom replied by saying, “Be patient with him. He will be fine in a while.” To tell you the truth, we were not prepared for this situation, but everything the Lord does is good.
After six months of adapting, we began to understand the language, made new friends, enjoyed different foods and were more active in school. In April, Jacob and I celebrated our birthdays with our friends and teachers. It was lovely to have the joy of friends again.
We understand that the Lord hasn’t called us to easy things, but with His help, we will be able to overcome all the trials that lie ahead.
We are children of missionaries, and we want to support our parents by doing our best. Please pray for us as we look forward to making new friends in Central Africa. Pray that we will share Jesus’ love with them and that their families will want to hear about Jesus from our parents. Please also prayerfully consider joining us and becoming part of our monthly support team.
— Sam Reynolds
Volunteer Missionary Candidates
(Animists of Central Africa Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
JOE, JOANNA, SAM, JUSTIN, JACOB & SIA REYNOLDS
BY ALEXA SHARMA
BEGINNING TO BLOOM
Recently, the AFM communications team asked me to record the song "Above All" for Frontier Missions Journal, AFM's mission story podcast. The next morning, I woke up early and made a recording, adding a verse in Arabic at Christian’s request.
Later that morning, I was talking with Haniya, our household helper. I had tried to share about Jesus with Haniya in the past, but she was not interested. In fact, when I played a book of the New Testament for her in her language, she reacted with bitter scorn. “I don’t feel anything,” she told me. “When I listen to the Quran, I cry!”
“Haniya, you don’t cry at the beginning of a story!” I exclaimed. But that night, I dreamt of being in a beautiful, verdant green forest. Surrounding several buildings were gardens full of food. Some people came towards me. I told them I was happy because I had been looking for them. They poured a handful of seeds into my hand.
“You’ll need this. You’re going to travel!” I walked away from the compound into the uncultivated jungle and came upon an area where cement had been poured over the forest floor. Men were hammering the cement, removing jagged chunks of it.
“I’m supposed to plant these seeds,” I said to one of the men.
So, after breakfast, I asked Haniya if she’d like to listen to the song. She eagerly agreed, and I slid a pair of giant headphones over her ears. As she listened, she began to cry. “This is true,” she said. “I can feel it. This song is true!” I asked Haniya if she’d like a copy of the song; she agreed.
“Would you like a copy of a small part of the Injil on your phone as well?” Amazingly, Haniya accepted my offer, and Christian figured out how to get the files onto her phone in a way that would make it easy for her to listen. Yesterday, she told me she had listened to the whole book and was still listening to it. Please join us in praying for Haniya that she will be open to receiving another book from the Injil and that the Lord will speak to her through it! And if you want to listen to the story that featured this song, check out Episode #229, “The Adventures of Gladys and Hudson: Gladys and Edith” on the AFM Frontier Missions Journal podcast.
CHRISTIAN, ALEXA, GLADYS AND HUDSON SHARMA (Maghreb Project, launched 2010) Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
“You’ll have to wait,” he said. “We have to remove this foundation first.” Then I woke up.
For the next year onward I shared with Haniya about my own spiritual journey but didn’t share too overtly. But I watched as I waited and saw that her heart was beginning to soften.
BY SUZY BALDWIN
Listen to “The Adventures of Gladys and Hudson: Gladys and Edith” and 200+ more stories on Apple podcast, Spotify or online at: afmonline.org/resources/audio.
BY SUZY BALDWIN
Baptismal Fruits
Thirty-one people have chosen to start a new life with God.
God’s work among the Gouandé, Tetonga and Tanguieta groups had prospered, and over a couple of days, our group drained and cleaned the cement fish pond at the project and added clean water to prepare for the baptism. The rainy season has not yet started, so the streams and rivers have little water. With the groups living further away and in different directions, it was easier for the pastor to bring him to the project to baptize everyone from the different villages.
That morning, Fidel drove the pickup truck to Gouandé, a good hour and a half away, to pick up that group’s candidates. After dropping them off, Fidel went to the turn-off for the other village about 15 miles away and loaded up everyone who had made it out to
the highway — actually, a road so full of holes that it is usually better to drive in the ditch. While he was bringing them, I left the town where I stay, picked up the pastor who had come up from another town four hours away and arrived at the house about the same time as Fidel.
Once we confirmed everyone who had chosen baptism had arrived, the pastor gathered those candidates and talked to them about Christian living, ensuring everyone was clear about their commitment to their new walk with God. We then sang together in their language before grabbing a couple of wooden chairs to serve as a ladder and heading a short distance to the fish pond, where we put one chair on the outside and another on the inside.
As the pastor climbed into the pond and began baptizing, a swarm of bees buzzed around our feet, delightedly (I
would think) drinking water from the leaking pond outlet. The bees did not bother us, and we had no desire to bother them.
In between the candidates climbing in and out of the pond, we French speakers sang hymns. I took pictures while Basile captured the event on video. Once everyone was baptized, we memorialized the occasion by taking photos with the evangelist and pastor.
Soon members of the Tanguieta group (four miles away) arrived with the food they had cooked for everyone. Meanwhile, it continued getting hotter. Two ladies and I went inside the house to discuss the Adventurers Club and Sabbath school. It was so hot and humid that we were wetter than if we had just gotten out of the shower and fled outside to cool off. After eating, Fidel and I gathered our groups to take them home.
We praise God for His graces in the day’s baptisms and for traveling mercies for all. Thank you for supporting God’s work at the Pendjari project.
SUZY AND FIDEL BALDWIN-NOUTEHOU (Pendjari, launched 1999) Contact: BP 240, Natitingou, Benin, West Africa
BY FERNAND BONNET
A JIHADIST ATTACK SHAKES BANCOUMANA VILLAGE
March 5, 2024, was an otherworldly night in the Malian community of Bancoumana. At around 12:30 a.m., the community was shaken by a sudden attack from an unknown number of jihadists (terrorists). Interestingly, no civilian houses were directly attacked. Their main target was clear — the gendarmes who sit by the roadside daily to control passing vehicles. Luckily for them, no one was on duty then, so no one got hurt. The Malian security forces, in general, are the main target of the terrorist groups because the terrorists are persistently seeking to destabilize the whole nation by first gaining control of its defense mechanism. But a place like Bancoumana was one of the least likely areas suspected of ever witnessing a jihadist attack.
When I heard gunshots that night, I first mistook them for a barrage of fireworks. But then, my perception changed quickly as the town filled with the sounds of a war zone.
Wirrrrrrrrrr . . . Click clack, Krrrrrr . . . echoed the machine guns throughout the village as loud shouts of “Allahu Akbar” polluted the air.
Through my window, I could see the reflection of a great fire in the sky coming from the direction of the gendarmes’ workstation and heavy smoke above the fire. It felt like a dream or a movie; however, the reality of the moment was clear; this was a live terrorist attack, and our lives were at stake.
Outside, in the washroom, I heard barking dogs crisscrossing the neighborhood and the whistle of a bullet flying overhead since most toilets in Mali have no roof.
After an hour or so, the terrorists ceased their hostilities and departed to an unknown destination, leaving hearts pounding with fear. After awhile, a few curious men cautiously approached the attack site. Plainclothed gendarmes also came over to make observations. Suddenly, a curious group of young men poured onto the scene, each recounting their version of the assault. The gendarmes had enough of this and started scattering the people and commanding them to immediately leave because some of the crowd started picking up the gun cartridges of the terrorists. The security forces didn’t appreciate that.
According to the gendarmes’ report, the attackers stole one of their two motorcycles and burned the other on the spot. Bancoumana was indeed taken by storm that night.
Fernand Bonnet is a local evangelist on the Malinke Project.
In the morning, the gendarmes’ base became a tourist attraction as people of all ages and genders packed around to see the aftermath of the nocturnal attack. At around 8:45 a.m., three military pickup trucks from Bamako, full of armed forces, arrived and rushed northwest in search of the terrorists. No results have come from their search.
As I spoke with a former Christian radio presenter about the attack, he advised that we should refrain from discussing the event with those with whom we are not in close relationship, namely, those who are not our church members. According to him, many of these terrorists have infiltrated societies and are collecting information by associating with people and reporting to their groups. One could be talking with a jihadist, their puppet, or their correspondent without suspecting it; hence, a note of caution from him: “Don’t engage in debating jihadist issues with unbelievers.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this article is not written to frighten anyone or discourage people from fully engaging in God’s work in areas like Bancoumana.
Yes, they desperately want to take over the Malian government and officially declare the nation as an Islamic state. Yes, they want to install Sharia law and force every soul to become Muslim. Throughout the world, “Allahu Akbar” (“God is the
BY GABRIELLA LINCOLN
Greatest”) is mainly mentioned in an open or subtle attack on Christians or the Christian faith. The Christian community has always had difficulties throughout the evangelical movement, and preaching the gospel comes at a price; the Bible and Christian history are witnesses.
The truth of salvation found in Christ alone (Acts 4:12) is inherently fraught with danger in a dark world that has rejected the true Light, Jesus Christ (John 1:9). We have always been in danger in many places, but the Lord is with us, (John 16:33; Matthew 24:9, and Matthew 10:16); these verses and many others relate to not only specific places in the world but the entire planet.
Please pray for peace and security in Bancoumana, Kangaba and Mali.
May the Lord bless you abundantly!
SETH, SONYA, LUKE,AND LILY MILLER (Malinke Project)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 MALI
Kindness Opens the Way
Honk! Crash!
Mousa found himself twisted and wedged underneath the moto. Meanwhile, a crowd gathered. After extrication, Mousa and the others found his mangled leg to be terribly fractured. Soon, he was whisked off to the hospital for surgery and, afterward, admitted.
In this part of West Africa, the patient’s family has many responsibilities. The hospital does not feed the patient. That is left to the family. Also, although physicians prescribe medicines, these must be purchased by the family at a pharmacy and brought to the hospital for administration. If the family cannot afford the medicines, the patient does not receive them.
Mousa is a single, middle-aged man from a Muslim family. He expected his extended family to aid him in his time of need. However, they didn’t come. Instead, Christians saw to his needs. They brought him home-cooked meals and paid for his medicines. When he was discharged after an extended hospital stay, a Christian family took him into their home. He received their tender-loving care and support, and the kind, Christian spirit of the family greatly impressed Mousa.
After his three-month stay with the Christian family, he felt able to live on his own again. He began a comparative study of Islam and Christianity. After this research, he gave his life to Christ and became a strong Christian. Today, Mousa has an online audio platform for social networking. More than 600 participants listen and contribute to the discussions. To keep his audience, Mousa wisely does not state his Christian faith but says, “We are ____ (naming their African ethnic people group). We are here to wipe out false religion from our African ethnic group. If you do careful research, you will find the truth.”
May Christ’s spirit of loving-kindness radiate from us so that others will see Jesus.
GABRIELLA LINCOLN (Sahara Project, Launched 2018) Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
ASIA
THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN
God still provided a bridge for people to come back to worship the true Son.
BY CHRIS WHITE
Japan. Land of the Rising Sun. So-called because the island nation lies east of the Asian mainland, giving the appearance to other Asian countries that the sun, indeed, rises in Japan. At least as far back as the year 607, official Japanese correspondence to China begins with the greeting “from the Emperor of the rising sun,” hence the
Japanese call their country Nippon or Nihon (“the origin of the Sun”).1
I recently spoke with a pastor friend who has an extraordinary place in his heart for Japan. He was born there and spent several years living in the country. He brought Psalm 113:3 to my attention in a new light: “From
africa • asia • eurasia
the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
While the writer of this passage was likely not prophesying of Japan, this passage really does fit from a mission’s point of view. The sun plays a significant role in many world religions. The devil has twisted the focus away from the Creator to the creation. We know that the devil cannot do anything without the Lord allowing it to happen. Could it be that even in the twisted view of the devil, God still provided a bridge for people to come back to worship the true Son?
I now supervise the Japan project, launched in November 2023. Michael and Caitlyn Babienco have immersed themselves in language learning, and God has blessed them abundantly, as you may have read in some of their articles.
While I visited the project in April, I was able to experience this amazing country, unlike any other to which I have traveled. Geographically, there are places around the world to which it could be compared, but there seems to be something special about Japan — a rare sense of respect for people and the land.
As I walked around the city of Yokohama, I was in need of a trash can. It seemed that no matter how long I walked, I could not find one, yet the country was spotless. I finally concluded that if I could find a public restroom, I would likely find a trash can. I was right. One reason Japan
is so clean is that, from an early age, children are taught to clean up after themselves, even in schools, where doing so is one of their duties; janitors do not clean up after them. Children are also taught the importance of taking care of what they own or possess.
It appears that the people of Buddhist, Shinto and some Catholic backgrounds have been taught from an early age some fundamental principles for living clean and upright lives. Could it be that God has made provisions along the way for people who do not know the true God to recognize aspects of His influence in their lives and culture through the way they were raised?
Please join us in continuing to pray for the people of Japan. Pray that the Son of righteousness would rise in their hearts and that they would be set free from their spiritual darkness. Thank you very much for your prayers and financial support that allows me to continue working with the projects God has called me to supervise.
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Sun_Flag
(Asia Field Director)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
COULD IT BE THAT GOD HAS MADE PROVISIONS ALONG THE WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE TRUE GOD TO RECOGNIZE ASPECTS OF HIS INFLUENCE IN THEIR LIVES AND CULTURE THROUGH THE WAY THEY WERE RAISED?
CHRIS WHITE
BY BRIAN WILSON
Ten Days of Prayer
Before ending the Zoom Bible study, I asked the attendees, “Do you want to do anything as a group this year to participate in the General Conference’s annual Ten Days of Prayer initiative?”
PC answered immediately, “Yes! Let’s meet online for 30 minutes every morning before work.” It took a few days to determine what “before work” should look like, but eventually, we settled upon 7:30 a.m. When the initial ten days ended, we decided to continue. Sometimes, it is just Duang and me, but three or four of us usually pray together each morning.
PC is the director of a regional government office in central Thailand. Often, she prays for opportunities to share our translation of Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing with the provincial governors and other officials she meets while performing her duties. Recently, as part of the official welcoming party for a visiting royal family member, she had the privilege of registering a copy of the book at a designated gift table. Praise the Lord for answered prayer!
KU is a Bible worker in southern Thailand who also prays with us. We have been blessed to hear her praises for answered prayer concerning her ministry. Recently, she shared that she has had greater boldness and wisdom in sharing her faith since joining the prayer call.
Duang and I have also experienced many answered prayers, but there are far too many to relate here. After struggling with technical issues for many years regarding the generation of Thai and Lao PDFs, God has sent us a volunteer technical support team to help code the conversion scripts on GitHub, a website that developers use for creating, storing, managing and sharing code.
After being bogged down in the editing process of Patriarchs and Prophets, God sent Duang’s nephew, Amnart, to live with us and aid with editing.
Once, while heading to Bangkok to attend two meetings, we stopped at the side of the highway to join the prayer call. Ten minutes after praying for God’s blessing on my role at the second meeting, we received word that my role was no longer needed! We were confused but trusted God’s leading. When we arrived home early, we discovered the reason for the abrupt change as we had the opportunity to rescue someone from returning to their former drug addiction. Praise God for answered prayer!
More important than the specific prayers for God’s leading and blessing, we pray that God would grant us more of His character and that our lives may be bright for Him.
BRIAN & DUANG WILSON
(Southern Thai Project, launched 2022)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY MICHAEL BABIENCO
The Missionary with the Peanut Butter Jars
He finally came! We had been waiting months for this visit. After much planning and great anticipation, our guest finally arrived at the Japan project. Who had come to visit, you might ask? A family member? A friend we hadn’t seen in decades? Neither — it was the field director for our project, Chris White.
So why was his visit so important to us? Within AFM, field directors are just as much an AFM project team member as career or short-term missionaries. They provide guidance, support, prayers and encouragement to each missionary project they supervise. A single field director helps at multiple AFM projects, often in several different countries. Truly, they are a vital part of AFM's projects.
Said another way, field directors bring a friendly face to tired missionary families, uplift conversation in an understandable language, and focus a fresh pair of eyes on seemingly insurmountable situations. Yes, they are administrators: they have paperwork to file, emails to write and meetings to attend. But before they are administrators, they are missionaries first and foremost — both to the career and short-term missionaries in the field and, through them, to the local people whom they are leading to Christ.
Here’s how Chris blessed us on his visit to the Japan project. We conversed for hours, discussing cultural and spiritual insights we had gleaned about Japan, all the while hearing a new and fresh perspective on items Chris had noticed. He asked probing questions, making sure that not only were we doing our part as AFM workers in language learning and culture acquisition but also checking to see if we were healthy spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. Chris was also our voice in various meetings
with Japan Union Conference and West Japan Conference administrators, helping to build strong and healthy relationships between AFM and existing church structures.
Along with the administrative and personal work, Chris inspired us with a trip out west to visit the future location of our work in Japan, where we did some sightseeing, praying and talking about how God is leading the Japan project. Chris even preached through a translator at a small, local SDA church.
In addition to everything else, Chris brought us personal items from home. We had left some belongings in storage, and Chris graciously found, repacked and brought a whole suitcase of our needed belongings. And — treasure of treasures! — inside were jars of natural, creamy peanut butter, a treat that will bring joy for many months.
Without field directors, AFM projects would lose part of what makes them so special: a family of missionaries in every part of the world that works together, each using their gifts, time and talents to help reach the unreached as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thank you for your support and prayers for every member of AFM’s worldwide team.
For more information on the missionary work of field directors, please visit AFM’s website at https://afmonline. org/serve/detail/field-director
MICHAEL & CAITLYN BABIENCO
(Japanese Project)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 adventure@shoesatthedoor.net
BY LEWIS RIVER
Saying Goodbye to Dragon City
Over four years ago, Lilly and I were sifting through a pile of all our belongings, deciding what to bring with us on our journey to reach the unreached halfway across the world in Dragon City. Through the support we received from you, a new chapter in our lives was beginning. We were excited. And we were hopeful.
But we were sad, too. Saying goodbye to our family and friends in the States was especially hard. “Are you sure God is calling you?” some asked. “Would He really call you to Sinim, away from all of us who love you so much?” Our hearts were torn, but we felt God’s quiet voice calling us to missions — so we followed Him, having no clue what was ahead. Dozens of unanswered questions played ping-pong in our minds, but we gave them to God. To us, it was uncharted territory. But we knew that to God, it was all part of a bigger plan.
Looking back to that day, as we zipped up the last checked bag filled with special stuffed animals and books, we see that God really did have a plan.
Lewis River describes "Our Call to Dragon City" in Episode #231 on your favorite podcast app or online at: afmonline.org/resources/audio.
We have had the privilege of opening the Bible with Sinimese, who had never heard the creation story or a parable of Jesus. We have taught people to pray to the true God of heaven. We have tearfully prayed with new believers, seeking God’s strength to remain faithful despite their families’ rejection and criticism for following Jesus. I have also had the opportunity to lead the Seed Cafe as director, working with our AFM teammates and local believers to start a health restaurant ministry in Dragon City.
I cannot tell you all the ways we have seen God working on the Sinim Project, but it’s clear that God has been working through us and through our team.
The Next Chapter
Over the past several months, God has made it clear to our family that it is time for us to transition out of our roles as AFM missionaries.
Our current emotions reflect those we experienced when we first set out for the mission field: a mix of sadness and hopefulness. Saying goodbye to our local believing friends here is especially hard. Many tears have been and will continue to be shed. “Are you sure God is calling you out?” some ask. “Would He really call you out of Sinim, away from all you have worked so hard for?” Our hearts are torn, but we hear God’s quiet voice calling us to the next chapter — so we will follow Him. We don’t yet know where He is leading our family, but we know God has a plan for us and for the Sinim people.
What Will Happen with the Sinim Project?
The Sinim project will continue with two missionaries: Angeline Nguyen and Elisha Joy. Several local Sinim believers are being discipled and stepping up to church leadership. They will be helping with the cafe and will continue to move this mission forward. This project is bigger than any one of us. We are confident that, just as we have seen God working these many years in Dragon City, He will continue to work among the Sinim people through AFM’s team here and through the local believers. If you would like to continue following the Sinim Project, sign up for our teammate’s newsletter by contacting Angeline Nguyen at 11th.hrworker@gmail. com. We are excited to see how God leads in this project to bring many more people into His kingdom!
Thank you
We cannot say enough how grateful we are for each of you who have supported us, prayed for us, encouraged us and comforted us through these years with AFM. While future endeavors are uncertain to us, one thing is guaranteed: God has a plan. He has a plan for the Sinim Project, for AFM, for our family and for you.
Thank you so much for being with us on this journey — every step of the way.
Lewis and Lilly River Ava, Daisy and June
LEWIS, LILLY, AVA, DAISY AND JUNE RIVER
(Sinim Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
HOW MANY GRAINS OF RICE HAVE WE EATEN
Well, guys, this is it - the last update we will send from Dragon City. We decided it would be fun to commemorate our time in Sinim through numbers. Enjoy!
1,658
Days since we first arrived in Sinim
1
Times we’ve returned to the States since we first launched
5
Lunar New Years celebrated with church family and neighbors
2 Local weddings we’ve attended
120
0
Times we’ve seen carpet in Sinim
61
4
Broken bones in our family since coming here
Continuous days spent inside our apartment without being allowed outside during our longest COVID-19 lockdown
7,797 Words and phrases we have learned in Sinimese
807 Square feet of our apartment
45 Families that live in our apartment building
35
The number of decibels at which wedding music played, causing us to nearly go deaf
31,242
Ants that call our apartment their home. (OK, we made that number up.)
26
Bible studies our team developed specifically for Northern Sinimese to find the truth and experience God in their lives
Games of Catan our family played during lockdown (estimated)
The number of Sinim people whom we will miss considerably — A BUSLOAD
Number of lives changed because of our time in Sinim:
74
Chapters of the Sinim Bible we’ve studied with locals
13
“Baby” teeth that were lost among our family since arrival
6.5 million
Estimated grains of rice our family has eaten
BY CRISTIAN JARA
LORD, STOP THE PAIN!
Iwas born in a very cold place, and my body is not used to being in the sun for a long time without having a headache or burns. One recent Friday morning, I was in the heat of the sun until noon, and because of the activity I was doing, I didn’t wear a T-shirt or hat. Serious mistake!
By the time I realized my skin was starting to get redder and redder, it was too late. I was burned. Ugh! I took cold showers, but my skin didn’t drop in temperature, and the pain was starting to get more and more acute.
Because Sabbath is when we have the most activities with the Pnong — training, worship and fellowship — I didn’t want to think that I wouldn’t be able to visit our groups the next day because of my carelessness.
I tried to go to bed early, but it felt like my skin was sticking to the sheets. At midnight, unable to sleep, I sat in a chair. My back couldn’t take lying down.
I talked to God and thought, How could I be so foolish as to burn like that, knowing that I’m not used to so much sun? I wondered if I should call the Pnong brothers and tell them I would not attend that Sabbath. That wasn’t so bad since they could have their worship without me. But something told me I needed to go; I just did not know how with that pain.
I said to God, “Lord, do you really want me to go this Sabbath? If so, please stop the pain.”
Maybe five minutes later, the pain was completely gone.
I was able to go back to sleep and, the next morning, put on a shirt. When I got to the groups, I understood why I should go.
In one group, we talked about a baptism we would soon
conduct. While we were talking, one of them said to me, “Can I be baptized, too?”
Another person said, “Teacher, can I be baptized in a few months?”
Incredible!
I then went to the other group. We talked about the same program. “Professor, do you think I am ready to be baptized along with my husband?” one woman said.
“Me and my husband want to be baptized, too!” said another woman.
The program that would have been for two people was transformed into a baptism for four. And in a few months, we will have another program where five will be baptized. Glory to God!
As I drove home, my heart was filled with joy. But the closer I got to home, the more my tiredness and pain increased.
I got home and took off my shirt. I didn’t use one again for three days. I couldn’t sleep because of my sunburn. I took some medicines for pain and fever. Honestly, I deserved it for my recklessness, but that didn’t bother me at all.
God had taken my pain for a few hours and allowed me to visit the groups and hear this wonderful news.
Thank you, God, for stopping the pain and giving me joy in return.
CRISTIAN & SOLANGE JARA
(Pnong Project, launched 2020)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Sunburn. OUCH!
This is how one SHOULD dress for the sunny weather.
The first, second and fourth persons (left to right) will soon be baptized.
BY RENE THEUNISSEN
Through the Lens of Providence
As I trudged along the familiar path, my breaths came in short, labored gasps, the weight of fatigue pressing down on me with every step. The world around me seemed to blur as I continued to walk. My only solace — the comforting click of the camera in my hands.
The lawn before me was a canvas of freshly mowed grass, each blade swaying gently in the breeze. I raised my camera, eager to capture the simple beauty before me, yet my vision remained clouded, my focus shifting as I struggled to steady my breath.
It was then, as I adjusted my glasses, that the world around me seemed to sharpen, revealing a sight I had failed to notice before. Through the gaps in the fence, a stark image emerged against the weathered brick wall of the school building beyond — a cross formed by the intersection of a pole and the school roof standing boldly against the backdrop of the sky.
At that moment, the weight of my weariness seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of awe and wonder. God's message was clear: even amid my struggles, His presence was ever-present, a beacon of hope and strength.
With renewed vigor, I captured the image before me, each click of the camera serving as a testament to the providence of a higher power. As I continued on my journey, the words of a hymn echoed in my mind, a reminder of the unwavering faith that sustains me: "To the cross, I cling, my hope restored."
DEON & RENE THEUNISSEN (Pnong Project, launched 2014) Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY ELIJAH WILLIAMS
BECOMING A FISHER OF MEN
Melting snow dripped off the bazaar roof as I bought a bag of potatoes.
“Hello!”
I looked up in response to a familiar voice. It was Aaron. I hadn’t known if he was in town or visiting his girlfriend in a city three hours away.
“You’re here!” I exclaimed.
“Yes,” he explained. “I have broken up with my girlfriend. The relationship did not work out.”
His news was an answer to our prayers. Aaron had been wavering for a few months over whether or not to break up with her. She did not believe in God and did not trust Aaron, but also did not want Aaron to leave her. God had helped Aaron make a decision, and now Aaron would be living in our town again.
We have recently been discipling Aaron on how to pray for and with others in the name of Jesus. The Muslims here do not have a practice of praying for the salvation of people outside of their religion. So, it doesn’t come naturally for Aaron. Now that Aaron is a follower of Jesus, he needs to learn how to pray
for the salvation of people who aren’t following Jesus.
We are also discipling Aaron to share a brief personal testimony that leads to a short gospel presentation followed by an appeal to follow Jesus and study the Bible. We are all asking ourselves, How many of the people here have heard the gospel today?
When someone responds favorably to the gospel, we will pursue a deeper relationship with them. If they reject the gospel, we will wait until God leads us back to them. We need to cast a wider net and find more fish. And with Aaron in town, we are privileged to help him learn how to be a fisher of men, too.
ELIJAH, BETH, THOMAS AND JAMES WILLIAMS (Reach-Out, launched 2005) Contact: PO 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103 afm@afmonline.org
BY LEONDA GEORGE
TEACHINGS OF THE ANCESTORS
Dressed in a soiled loincloth, an old, leathered man sits by the fire, rolling his homegrown tobacco in a rahà leaf. His young wife, with a hand-rolled cigarette held in a hole in her earlobe, tends the pot hanging on a wooden hook dangling from a timber above. Several naked children noisily dart through the small hut as the mother exclaims, “Stop the noise, or the enduds (ghosts) will get you!” She does nothing to deter their activity but continues with meal preparations.
Clad only in a tightly knotted, brightly colored patadyong (wraparound skirt) at her waist, her leathery back glistens in the dim light coming through the grass roof. “Mengàan siyu ne,” she says, calling everyone to sit by the fire where the evening meal is spread out on banana leaves.
As grubby fingers and eager mouths consume the steamed cassava and malanga roots, the family cheerfully chats and jokes; then, as the sun goes down behind the high mountain to their west, the family throws their used banana leaves out into the yard and prepares to rest for the night. The children curl up in oversized shirts given by an outsider, the mother unknots her patadyong and brings it over her shoulders, and the old man grabs a length of fabric and curls up within it. Because nights can feel chilly, the family sleeps directly on the slatted bamboo floor with their feet toward the fire.
As the children quiet down, the father begins telling stories.
LEPAS, LANA MEGKUTEW, AND TELEP
One night, he tells the story of seeing a lepas, a ghostly skeletal being that eats people. Another night, he tells about when he saw a man accused of stealing someone’s chicken being subjected to
lana megkutew, where his hands were dipped in hot oil to see if he was innocent or guilty. If he had not been burned during the ordeal, he would have been considered innocent. This man was found guilty. Another time, the father tells the story of a woman whose husband accused her of having an affair with another man. She was subjected to telep, where she was weighted down with a heavy rock tied to her and thrown into the river. Floating to the top meant she was innocent; if she didn’t surface, she was guilty. Amazing but true, she floated to the top and was found innocent by way of the telep test.
BIYEK TALUN
Many nights, the father regales the family with stories of hunting the biyek talun (wild boar) with his special spear and reminds them that the jaws hanging outside the house testify that he was the one who caught them. On other occasions, he tells the family about the times he hunted the Palawan deer or the pangolin, a native anteater; both are no longer found on the island. Sometimes he teaches the children the sounds of the various birds. But tonight he tells the story of an ancestor named Katungkulan.
KATUNGKULAN
Born an ordinary child, Katungkulan grew and grew. One day, upon reaching manhood, he climbed to the top of the highest mountain, Kabatangan. “Now Kabatangan,” he explained, “is named so because at the top of the mountain are short, stout trees that are very old indeed. These trees grow so short and close together that you cannot walk under them; you
must walk on top of them from one tree top to the other. If you fall through the treetops, it will be very difficult to get out again. So be very careful walking up there if you ever go.”
As the story continues, the father tells how, on the mountaintop, Katungkulan saw a ladder descend from the sky above, and he began climbing it. When he reached the top, he knew he had reached one of the seven heavens. He met Empù Banar (the highest god) there and saw many of the ancestors who had gone before him. Though he enjoyed being in this place, after about one year, Katungkulan remembered that he had not asked permission from his elders to leave them, nor had he said goodbye to his wife or other loved ones. So he descended the ladder and returned to his home.
LAMI-LAMI, EMPUT BYEK, AND EMPUT PAR
Delighted to see their son again, a lami-lami (feast) was called, and the fatted pig was roasted and served. At the feast, Katungkulan told the people that they must always eat pig because that honored Empù’t Biyek (the god of pig), and they must always ritually use onion, garlic, ginger and other leaves to bring healing to their bodies when sick. And more than anything, they should always grow and eat rice and never forget to sacrifice to Empù’t Parey (the god of rice) during the rice wine rituals in which every person, young and old, is to drink the rice wine. “If you neglect this,” he warned, “Empù’t Parey will not bless your rice harvest, and you will starve.”
KASAL
The father continues, “During the welcome home feast, Katungkulan discovered that the wife he had left had been taken by his younger brother Sukul, and so he insisted that they all climb back up to the top of Kabatangan for the kasal (wedding ceremony). Upon reaching the mountain peak, though Katungkulan had become invisible to the others, he
proceeded to perform the ceremony. He also gave those in attendance many instructions to share with others. He told them never to forget the arat et kegunggurangan (the character and customs of the elders). With that, Katungkulan, wearing a white shirt and loincloth, became visible again while he climbed the ladder up to one of the heavens until he was out of sight. He has never been seen again . . . except in dreams.”
As the father continued his story, he told how particular rituals could be used to invoke the help of Katungkulan from way up in the heavens. Because he is closer to god up there, he is said to be the mediator between god and man and could easily communicate and mediate with the dead ancestors. “And therefore, Katungkulan must always be consulted, revered and honored. This is done using many rituals through which Katungkulan speaks with man.”
By now, the children were sound asleep, yet the stories had taken root in their minds, and when they heard the stories from the Bible of the very ancient-of-ancient ancestors, they were perplexed. The stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Jesus and many others were so different from the stories their elders had told them about the ancestors. Despite their cultural perspective, confusion and the superstitions of their elders, the Holy Spirit broke through, and the Light of Truth dawned on their minds.
PALAWANO STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND
KENT AND LEONDA GEORGE (Palawano, launched 1995) Contact: 5305 Brooke's Point, Palawan, Philippines.
“
The Battle Belongs to the Lord
BY HADASSAH SONG
If they know that you are Christian, they probably won’t give you permission to live there,” Henry said. Henry and his wife were a local Christian couple who lived in the town nearest to the village of Mingar. Henry is from the same people group as Mingar and the other villages in that area and has personal experience of what it means to be a Christian there. It is hard for him even to go back to his village due to the verbal persecution he receives because of his faith. The area is strongly tied to its local religions and resistant to and wary of Christians in general and foreigners especially. It is obvious that Satan is fighting hard to keep the gospel from entering those villages.
My thoughts kept me awake. Would the village leaders of Mingar permit me to live there?
The Mingar people group is spread out among roughly 12 villages along the same river as the village of Mingar. From their people group, there are only about six or seven Christians, most of whom are not currently living in the area and were converted while living in other parts of Brahmiland. Mingar has a temple through which the trail into the village passes. Its walls are covered in paintings of the gods of their religions. Multiple stupas, dome-shaped buildings constructed as shrines, surround the rest of the village. The spiritual darkness is palpable in that area. This trip up to Mingar wasn’t progressing as planned. I was supposed to travel with a friend, but that fell through. It would be my first time traveling solo to this area, and it really intimidated me. It is also quite a distance from where I live in the capital and requires a four-legged trip.
The first leg is a flight from the capital to the main town in the west. For the second leg, one has two choices to get to
the town in the mountains: catch a flight on a small 18-seater plane or take a two-day bus ride. The third leg is a jeep ride over a rough, narrow mountain road from the town until you reach the road’s end. From there, the fourth and final leg to reach Mingar is a trek through the mountains.
I knew I would need to talk to the leaders in Mingar and ask their permission to live there, and the thought of those conversations frightened me. But I quickly started to see how God was working, leading and arranging.
As I talked with Henry and his wife, I could sense their dedication and burden for reaching their people, but I also began understanding more about the challenges they faced and the spiritual warfare in that area. Afterward, I went back to where I was staying and tried to sleep, but my thoughts kept me awake. Would the village leaders of Mingar permit me to live there? Was this God’s plan? Was this an impossible idea?
The next day was Sabbath, so I did a lot of praying and thinking. On Sunday, I would go into Mingar to talk with the leaders, so I sent a prayer request to donors and prayer warriors, asking them to pray. Throughout Sabbath and Sunday morning, some Bible promises gave me much encouragement.
“Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 KJV). This battle to bring the gospel to Mingar was God’s, not mine. It was up to Him to do the fighting. I was just the spokesperson.
Another verse, from 2 Chronicles 14:11 (KJV), was also really powerful: “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.”
As I began traveling into Mingar that Sunday morning, I felt peace and excitement about seeing what God would do. But as I was hiking and reached where I could begin to see Mingar,
I started feeling very nervous and intimidated. I continued claiming Bible verses, praying harder and quickly calling a friend to pray. Once in Mingar, I went to the local office and waited to talk with the local leader. The man I would have spoken to was in another village, but his secretary was there and said it was fine to talk with him. I introduced myself and told him I would like permission to live in Mingar, teach English classes at the school and do some health work. He very nonchalantly said okay and that he would take me over to talk to the school leaders. I chatted with some of the teachers while waiting for the principal. Once he arrived, we discussed again what I wanted to do, and although I picked up on some rather puzzled looks and suspicious expressions, they told me that I was welcome to come and offered me a place to stay. Praise the Lord!
As I hiked out of the village later that day, I sang praises to God. One song that went through my head many times that day was The Battle Belongs to the Lord.
In heavenly armor, we’ll enter the land, The battle belongs to the Lord!
No weapon that’s fashioned, against us will stand, The battle belongs to the Lord!
We sing glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord!
He had shown Himself strong in so many ways during this trip. He had worked on the minds of the leaders of Mingar and won that battle. He also taught me a deeper level of dependence on Him and trust in His power. Please join me in praying for Mingar and the entire people group. There is a tremendous work to be done, and it will only be accomplished through God’s power and the working of His Holy Spirit.
Lamenting the Loss
BY KEREN LAWRENCE
Curious, I joined the crowd rushing toward the small clinic and saw the pale blue foot of a small boy as the nurse used his stethoscope to confirm what the family already knew: the boy had drowned.
With nothing that the nurse could do to bring the boy back to life, soon, an uncle carried the boy back towards their home.
The community drew together. Some supported the immediate family, sitting in, under or near the family home, silently showing their love. Others lovingly fashioned a casket from a canoe.
I joined the family in the house. An older woman beat a steady rhythm using an empty water bottle as a percussion instrument. Many women in the room were wailing.
An older great-aunt of the boy stood up and began a lament, each sentence beginning with his name and followed by something she loved about him, ending in a protracted “O-o-h.” Those wailing with her quieted slightly for her words to be clearly heard, then joined her for the ending wail. Every person who wished to speak of their love and memories of this boy had an opportunity to join the lament, always with the same cadence and format, ending in “O-o-h.”
I sat in their home. Shed tears. Listened. And loved on them. I grieved with them for the small boy who was a member of the primary Sabbath School class.
Please pray for us as we share the gospel among these precious people.
(Brahmi Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
KEREN & ORION LAWRENCE (Ama Project)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
HADASSAH SONG
(Great
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY JOSHUA LEWIS
HAS GOD EVER HELPED YOU?
Has God ever done anything for you in an undeniable way?” I asked the nearly 20 workers sitting around me on boards and overturned paint buckets.
“No,” Toahu said. “The God of Islam is not like that. He doesn’t interact with people.” Toahu is a giant of a man with a scary crushing force in his hands and legs like pillars. He is kind, dark, loud and always laughing. He loves his family and his cigarettes.
My eyes scanned each face, looking for someone else to answer.
Nima spoke up. “No. I’ve never seen God do anything for me.” I received several other similar answers and nods of agreement.
I have appreciated all the friendly participation from the workers building our house as we meet each morning to pray and discuss our faith.
I took a few seconds to share what God did in my life. He changed my heart from living selfishly in America, where there are smooth roads, and not wanting to live in Cambodia to coming as a missionary and giving me love for people. I also shared how I used to be embarrassed to fundraise, and now I have a beautiful partnership with God and the people who give. I also told two stories of how God had provided in undeniable ways.
“Does He hear you?” I asked. “Does He talk to you?”
“Yes,” Toahu piped in, “but only through the Koran, which I can’t read because it is in Arabic.” Everyone laughed.
I picked up many cultural nuggets from them, such as how, in Islam, men are not allowed to show any leg above the ankles and what the exact angles for their elbows and knees need to be for prayers. I also shared how, in my belief, God is called a father and greatly loves the whole world. I thanked them for working and said I love them all, too.
Now that we are on furlough and our house build is on hold, I miss that group so much. We are praying for those of the group interested in learning what the Bible says about Jesus and teaching others. We confidently expect God to build a vast movement of Great River People coming to Him. It is almost time for Jesus to return.
JOSHUA, STEPHANIE, NATHAN & ALYSSA LEWIS
River People Project)
Chosen!
In the quiet recesses of my heart, there has always been a burning desire to serve others and share the love I yearned for as a child.
Born in Angola, I moved to South Africa as a teenager and later to the United Kingdom. My worldview took shape through the foundational teachings of God instilled by my Adventist mother. However, it wasn’t until my own wilderness experience that I encountered God in a profound way.
Growing up in a world that seemed indifferent to my existence, I felt invisible, lost in the crowd. Yet, amidst the shadows, I found solace in the knowledge of a Creator who loved me unconditionally, a Savior who sacrificed everything for me. He became my anchor.
As I grew in my relationship with Christ, I realized the profound depth of His love. His healing touch transformed my heart, fostering a longing for others to encounter the same restoration, hope and love I had found in my Saviour. To create these opportunities, I pursued an education and career in Humanitarian Engineering, where I could address global challenges. Still, my soul yearned for more, and I prayed to the Lord for His further guidance.
To deepen my walk with God and serve Him in ministry, I began volunteering at various GYC-Europe conferences. During the last conference, the Lord led me to Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM). This meeting was an unexpected provision, and it became evident that AFM was the pathway through which I could fulfill my calling to extend Christ’s love and hope to those who have yet to encounter Him.
For me, service could never be a fleeting endeavor. It is the essence of my existence, the path to true fulfillment in Jesus Christ. When I spoke the words, “Here am I, send me,” it was not a question of duration but of destination. Little did I know that the journey would lead me to a land I had never considered — Japan. The mere mention of it seemed inconceivable, yet God had a plan woven into the fabric of my story.
As the seed of Japan was planted in my heart, I wondered how I, with no connection to this distant land, could be called to serve there. Surrendering to the leading of the Holy Spirit, I embraced the call and found peace. It is in giving that we receive and in serving that we find true fulfillment. The road ahead may be filled with challenges, but with each step, I am reminded of the One who called me — the One whose love knows no bounds and whose grace sustains me through every trial.
In Japan, amidst the bustling streets and quiet alleys, I will carry lessons learned from diverse traditions, personal struggles and deliverance by God. I hope to serve as a vessel of His love and a beacon of hope to those who feel lost and forgotten, showing them that, amid the uncertainty of life, God has a purpose for them and wants to fulfill it in their lives. As I step out in faith, I am reminded that the journey is just beginning — a journey of love, of purpose, and of unwavering devotion to the One who chose me before I was even formed. I invite you to join me in this journey.
KERIGMA DAVID
Volunteer Missionary Candidate (Japanese Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
KERIGMA DAVID
BY ALISHA TAYLOR
THE CHILD GODDESS
We stood looking up at the second-story window of the elaborate house — a house built with beautiful red bricks and intricately carved black wood around all the doors and windows. The child in the window grabbed the bars and pulled herself up higher in the window. An excited murmur rippled through the grateful crowd. But all I felt was sadness.
To learn more about the culture, my language class took a field trip to one
of the old palaces. The palace complex had several temples, a vast old palace and the residence of the goddess. We stepped through an intricately carved doorway and into an inner courtyard of the two-story house. We were told that if the goddess were not busy, she would come to the window for a few minutes at 11 a.m.
The goddess has many myths associated with her. Some say she is one of many embodiments of a female deity I had heard of before. There are stories of her
killing many people. In one country where I spent time, she still takes human sacrifices. The myth is that she came every night and played dice with the king until he started to like her, then she got offended and left, telling him she would never come again but that she would inhabit a child and he could worship her.
So, a certain tribe picks a young girl, three years old or older. It’s a long process of selection. She must be physically perfect: black hair, black eyes, no scars, no blood. She must be able to sit still for
long periods of time. She must show no fear. If she passes all the tests, she is accepted, and the goddess inhabits her. From then on she will live in this special house.
Her feet are not allowed to touch the ground, so she is carried everywhere she needs to go. She is worshiped by her family, villagers and city people. Even the new president or prime minister will come and bow down to her once they enter upon the duties of their office. She is not allowed to talk to anyone outside of her family. She can’t smile. Everything she does is considered to have immense significance: every smile, tear or fit of restlessness. The day she has her first menstruation, she is no longer qualified. The god departs. She must leave the house and return to normal life. A new little girl is selected to take her place.
Sinegugu stands with her voice students.
Some say she is one of many embodiments of a female deity.
Dressed in red clothes with gold embroidery and many gold chains around her neck, a child of about eight appears at the window. A red, yellow and black eye is painted on her forehead. Her eyes stand out with thick black mascara. She stands there motionless, her eyes moving, scanning everyone. She doesn’t smile or say anything. The visitors stand facing her, and all call out a greeting. She stands there for several long seconds, maybe a minute. Then she gets restless and wiggles and suddenly pulls herself up high in the window. Her movements are jerky, almost robotic. The people murmur in appreciation. I don’t say the religious greeting. I don’t murmur. I pray. I pray for this poor girl. Then, just as suddenly, she is gone, and everything is over.
I leave feeling sad. My teacher looks at me questioningly because I am so silent. I am thinking of a young teen girl that we worked with for weeks when she was possessed. I am remembering how her movements were also so robotic. I am remembering how mean the devils were, how they would not let her eat or sleep and how she acted wildly for a long time.
I am thinking about how Jesus came to set people free, even this girl who does not know she is in bondage. So, I prayed for her. I prayed that somehow Jesus would get through to this little girl, that she could be free in Him.
ALISHA TAYLOR (Himadri Project)
Contact: PO Box 286
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
THE GREAT DECISION
While it may seem like a big decision to go into the mission field to minister to the Ama in Papua New Guinea (and it is), another great decision relates to whether God would have me serve single or married — an aspect of my life I have prayed much about, truly wanting God to choose for me. I also believe God has an ideal timing for His plans; “God’s purposes know no haste and no delay.” 1
I could see the benefit of being single based on Jesus’ own words concerning being a eunuch “for the kingdom of heaven’s sake” (Matthew 19:12). Prayerfully, I considered Paul’s counsel in 1 Corinthians 7. I could resonate with the benefits of being entirely focused on ministry. I have served as a pastor for nine years, during which time I have been single, trusting God knew what was best.
But just because I knew these biblical principles does not mean I did not prayerfully consider the blessings and benefits God might have in store in a godly marriage, especially since it is “not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and Proverbs speaks of the blessings of a godly wife (Proverbs 18:22; 19:14; 31:10-31).
Having come to realize that living by God’s principles for His purpose means openness to His providence and guidance, I have prayed regarding marriage and keep trusting the Lord. I am learning that God loves to gift His children with surprises and unexpected blessings. What might God have in store?
Thank you for your prayers and support as I prepare to launch.
1 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, page 32.
— Sean Brizendine
SEAN BRIZENDINE
Volunteer Missionary Candidate (Ama Project)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY HELEN CASTILLO
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5, KJV).
Let me be honest: Sometimes, as a missionary parent, I fear my children might feel we are not giving them the attention or time they need. Often, the plan for life in the field goes differently than expected. When we first came to the field, our daughter was seven, and our younger son was just one year old. We were thrust into a world where culture, language, food, priorities, toilets, transportation, hospitals, dogs and even diseases were starkly different from what we knew, with names we couldn’t even pronounce. Many unexpected things happened, and we often found ourselves as first responders, which could take away planned time with our children.
Our daughter, now eight, leads family worship twice a week. Nathan and I cover the other days. These sessions lead to profound conversations about God, His call, our mission, obedience and His plan of salvation. We delve into Bible stories and verses, asking and answering questions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and singing songs in the five languages spoken in our village. During these moments, we guide our children in how to share God’s word while being sensitive to other religious beliefs.
Despite all our efforts, I sometimes fear that my children might feel neglected and misbehave as they grow older after living in the field. But I am comforted by the promise in Proverbs 22:6, which reminds us of our duty as parents to train our children in God’s way. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
I was asleep on a Friday night, having had a long day plus preparing for Sabbath worship the next day, when my husband came into the room and said, “Our friend in the hills has ended his life.” Being awakened in the middle of the night with such news, one doesn’t know whether it’s a dream or reality. As I sat up in bed, the news hit me like a bucket of cold water. We were both in a state of shock. A fellow missionary friend from another country called, asking if we could be first responders, given the immense pain, judgment, and shock experienced by the church and the family. We left with the assurance that an AFM professional would guide us on how best to help and respond in this situation, as this was the first time we had faced such a scenario.
Thus, on that Friday night, while the children slept, we began to pack and prepare to leave the house by 5:30 a.m. The earliest bus was scheduled to pass at 6:00 a.m., and the funeral service was set for noon. As dawn broke, we roused ourselves. Our children had to switch from warm to cold clothing, as our destination in the mountains promised temperatures below 55 degrees.
As we waited at the bus stand, my mind was a tumult of emotions: sadness, confusion, denial, frustration and exhaustion. Finally, after more than 30 minutes, the bus arrived. Remarkably, two seats were available, a miracle given our circumstances. This bus, designed to seat 34, was packed with more than 70 passengers. Standing for five to eight hours, backpacks strapped to our backs, swaying with each stop and jolt along the harsh road, would have made for a far-from-pleasurable journey. I found a third-row seat on the right side and held baby Liam while Arlene sat directly behind us. Periodically, I drifted in and out of sleep, barely noticing as my eyes closed amidst the constant motion of the bus.
Suddenly, I heard my daughter Arlene’s voice engaging with another lady. “You know, Jesus was part of creation. He made everything,
In response to the woman’s questions, my daughter confidently shared her faith. It was a divine appointment for Arlene to witness God’s faithfulness.
including Adam and Eve. They disobeyed because the snake lied to them, and they lied to God. But Jesus loved them, so He came as a baby to forgive our sins,” she explained earnestly.
Intrigued, the lady asked, “Oh, how is that possible?”
“Jesus was born and baptized, and He made many miracles for people during His life,” Arlene responded. “He had to die on the cross for our sins. It’s only through accepting His sacrifice that we can be saved.”
The woman’s curiosity grew, “How do you know all this?”
I felt a surge of delight in the Lord and anxiety as Arlene bore testimony to a lady of Hindu faith. My only contribution was a silent prayer for divine guidance in Arlene’s words.
“It’s all in the Bible,” Arlene said confidently.
“Is the Bible true?” the lady questioned.
“Absolutely. I can even share the first verse with you: ‘In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.’” As they continued the story from this passage, Arelene shared, “God loves us so much He made a sanctuary to be with us.” (She referred to what she learned about the sanctuary’s significance from our recent missionary retreat.)
My heart raced as I listened to this profound dialogue between my eight-year-old and a woman from a different religious background.
“Do you pray?” the lady inquired.
“Of course, I pray and sing songs. Would you like me to pray for you?” Arlene offered.
The lady was moved and asked for prayers for an upcoming job exam. Arlene assured her, “If you pray to God, He can help you.” They continued their conversation, and I continued my silent prayers.
Arlene then shared more about Jesus, His baptism, miracles and teachings. The lady was fascinated and again asked, “How do you know all this?”
“It’s in the Bible,” Arlene reiterated.
The lady’s interest in the Bible and Arlene’s heritage grew. Arlene spoke of our mission to promote health and well-being, measuring people’s blood pressure and checking for diabetes, assisting them with treatment and counseling, and praying for them (discreetly avoiding mention of our missionary status due to local religious restrictions).
“Yes, please remember to pray for me,” the young lady said. Then, she asked my daughter, “What’s your name?” After Arlene replied, their conversation continued, circling back to the core of this divine encounter on a bus full of passengers.
“You know, I’m not Christian. My family is Hindu. Since I was little, my parents held beliefs distinct from our relatives and Buddhism. Yet, I’ve heard a bit about Christians,” the lady mentioned.
“Oh,” Arlene responded, “But that’s okay; you can still learn about Jesus. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist. Do you know what a Seventh-day Adventist is?”
Intrigued, the lady asked, “No, can you tell me?”
Arlene seized this opportunity to share about being a Seventhday Adventist. “Okay, ‘Seventh’ refers to the number seven, as we attend church on the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath or Saturday. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments; it talks about it there. And ‘Adventists’ means Jesus will come again.”
As I juggled attending to baby Liam and eavesdropping on this captivating exchange, it felt like a cliffhanger in a gripping movie. I continued praying for Arlene to speak God’s word. In response to the woman’s questions, my daughter confidently shared her faith. It was a divine appointment for Arlene to witness God’s faithfulness.
As she continued her conversation, I reflected on Moses’ story, where he held up his hands during battle. Similarly, I prayed for Arlene that God would give her the words this young lady needed to hear. Perhaps the other passengers, silently listening, were also touched by this conversation.
We reached our destination, and before parting, my daughter encouraged the young lady to practice the Bible verse in Genesis 1:1 again, and they did. Witnessing my daughter confidently share God’s word was profoundly moving as a missionary. It reinforced that God cares for our family and even uses children for His glory. It also affirmed me in leaving my children in God’s hands and trusting in His plan. I am grateful for the memories that we are making as a family. In a culture where women and children are often not expected to share God’s word, it was a powerful testament to God using ‘the insignificant’ to spread His promises.
Please pray for our friends, family and church in their grief. Pray for missionary parents and children around the world, for the woman on the bus, and for everyone, regardless of age, nationality, or gender, to be a witness to God in every corner of the world. As Jeremiah 1:7 reminds us, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am too young.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.’”
NATHAN,
HELEN, ARLENE & LIAM CASTILLO
(Himadri Project, launched 2022)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY ELISHA JOY
I Know God Will Take Care of Me
Tall, with curly brown hair and light brown skin, she was of Hispanic origin, or so I thought. Later, I found out Lizette was from Haiti. I had just shared a presentation at her church about our work among the Sinim when she gave me a contact form with her information. She had to run, so I did not get much chance to talk with her.
Her church was ethnically diverse, and delicious curries, noodles and tempting desserts like purple taro cake were spread across the potluck table. Taking my plate of food, I sat down with recent immigrants from the Dominican Republic and the Philippines. One member took years to pass her nursing exam, and another man worked on a cruise ship for many years.
Later, I called Lizette, and in her melodious Francophone accent, she told me how she had been raised Catholic and immigrated to the United States a decade ago when her children were still young. Despite all her struggles to make it in the Big Apple, New York City, she never lost sight of her faith in God. There, she discovered the Adventist truth and joined the church, attending ever since.
I didn’t know what kind of work she did, but I assumed things were tight with living in the city. Most first-generation immigrants I knew were financially supporting their families back home. “Would you be willing to support us at $50 a month, Lizette?” I asked timidly.
She immediately replied, “I really believe in what you are doing. I’m not saying God has to bless me for giving to Him, but I just know God will take care of me. I want to give you guys $100 a month.”
I was very touched by Lizette’s sacrifice. I pray that God will also provide for each of you, giving to His work among the unreached.
FURLOUGH LESSONS
Partway into our first furlough, we are learning what it means to be homeless in our home country, spending four months as nomads visiting friends and supporters. The first shock happened when we walked into a small-town Walmart, and the whole family stopped and gazed at the full shelves stacked high with inventory around us. Awed, Christian whispered, “There’s so much stuff to spend money on here!” Jason wondered if there could be more kinds of merchandise in this Walmart than in all of Papua New Guinea.
A couple of days later, we were reminded how complicated it is to attend church here. Jason and I had kept Sabbath clothes in his mom’s closet, but the children needed everything purchased new: dresses, sweaters, tights, and dress shoes for each of the girls; and for Christian, slacks, a belt, dress shirt, tie, dress socks, and nice shoes. He also wanted a suit jacket to match! Once we attended church, the girls found they lacked church purses and hair bows. Making sure one has appropriate clothes and accessories in the U.S. is exhausting. Attending church in PNG seems delightfully simple in comparison!
ELISHA, EUN, ESAU & ESSIE JOY (Sinim Project)
Contact: PO Box 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
SPEAKING APPOINTMENT
July 6 @ 11:00 a.m. Columbia, KY SDA Church Columbia, KY
BY MIDORI SLIGER
Wherever we go, we continue to be amazed when we meet or hear of brothers and sisters in Christ who have not ceased to pray for us. One man continually raises his hand in prayer meetings to remind the church, “Let’s not forget our missionaries in Papua New Guinea.” Another friend told us that his children always remember us in their family prayers almost five years after we saw them last. And thank you for reading this article and caring about missionaries and our efforts to preach the gospel. Indeed, seeing people’s interest in our work and love for the lost is the best thing about furlough.
JASON, MIDORI, EVANGELINE, CHRISTIAN & VERITY SLIGER
(Gogodala Project, launched 2020)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY AARON JONAS
WALKING IN THE SKY
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. . . . I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:14, 16 NIV).
The story of the shepherd looking for one lost sheep out of his flock of 100 is a familiar parable. If you were raised in church, you have undoubtedly heard it many times since childhood.
But according to this text in John, the Good Shepherd is looking for sheep that don’t even belong to His flock! He is diligently searching, knowing that they will recognize His voice.
Mariam contacted us recently about her dream:
“Assalamualaikum. In my dream, I saw a thunderstorm in my garden. I closed the windows and went up the stairs to close the rest of the windows. When I looked out of the window in the upper room, I saw a blue, clear sky and a man with a sheep walking in the sky. He was not very far because I could see what he was wearing. This man, I suspect, is the prophet Isa. He was looking down and searching for something. What does this dream mean?”
God is at work, speaking to men and women unfamiliar with these stories from Scripture, knowing they will recognize His voice when He speaks to them. We shared with her that for those who choose to follow Him, He offers this wonderful promise:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal spiritual life, and they will never be destroyed. No one can grab them from my hand” (John 10:27, 28 paraphrased).
Pray for our sister Mariam as she responds to this invitation and makes her decision to follow the Good Shepherd.
Thank you for your continued support. Your gifts help us as we cooperate with the Good Shepherd to find His sheep. There are still many more sheep to find who are not of this fold.
AARON, REBECCA AND DOMINIC JONAS
(Reach-Out, launched 2013)
Contact: PO 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
BY ANDY MURPHY
Barbershops and Divine Appointments
Divine appointments come in all shapes and sizes. Recently, I had a divine appointment while getting my hair cut. I had tried another barber before, and they did well enough, so I headed in that direction, only to notice that his shop was not open.
Earlier in the day, I ran an errand that took me to a different part of town, where I noticed another barber shop. So, I headed there. Many might have been closer, but I didn’t know where they were.
Not long after I arrived, as I was waiting for my haircut, another gentleman came in with two children.
As soon as they walked in, the boy spoke to me in perfect English, introducing himself and asking where I was from. I soon was conversing with the father, who I found out had spent some time in the U.S. and spoke perfect English. His children, twins, are about the same age as my children and speak English better than the local language. The father said he would love to get together sometime to let our children play and give them friends who can understand each other better.
I saw this as a divine appointment. Please pray that we will be able to share about Jesus with this man and his family.
ANDY, MARY, JOHN & GRACE MURPHY
(Tai-Kadai Project, launched 2012)
Contact: PO Box 286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Run the Race –Win the Gold
BY JOHN BAXTER
Runners, on your marks. Get set. Go! The pistol fired, and the runners took off like a swift breeze sweeping across the English Channel. The race took place 100 years ago at the Olympics held in Paris, France, in 1924. This was the final of the men’s 400 meters. All but one of the contestants had trained exclusively for this event, and they set a rapid pace on the inside lanes of the track.
On the very outside lane was the man who was not supposed to be in this race. He sprinted out at breakneck speed, a sweltering pace that the other runners were sure he could not sustain. He could not see his competitors behind him because of his lane position. He soon considered that he had to continue at that rapid speed, or the others would catch him. He jolted like a thoroughbred around the track, his head lurched back, with his arms flailing. As he later declared, “When I run, I sense the pleasure of God.”
Eric Liddell was supposed to race at a shorter distance. However, he was a devout Christian, and because of his convictions regarding Sabbath observance,* he would not run the 100-meter dash to be held that weekend. Instead, when the 400-meter race was over, Eric Liddell, the man who was not supposed to run that distance, had set new Olympic and World records as he claimed the gold medal.
Now that he was an Olympic champion, multiple doors to wealth, fame and success opened to him. However, Eric Liddell was committed to a work that he felt was more important. Eric Liddell was committed to Jesus, and he knew that Christ had called him to be a missionary in China. Although he was dubbed “the flying Scot” in the press, Eric claimed a different heritage: “God made me for China.”
The year following his Olympic victory, Eric Liddell returned to relative obscurity as a missionary in a remote school in rural China. He served as an English and Bible teacher for twenty years, encouraging young people to be champions for Christ through athletics and academics.
He married Florence Mackenzie, and together they had three children. However, Eric never met his third child because his pregnant wife and the two older children were evacuated out of China during WWII. Eric remained behind to support his Chinese Christian brothers and sisters when the Japanese invaded. He was taken captive by the Japanese and interred in a prisoner-of-war camp. During his incarceration, he remained active in ministry, so much so that an atheist inmate of the camp referred to him as a saint. Sadly, Eric developed a tumor on his brain while in the camp and died shortly after the diagnosis.
One hundred years ago, this man, Eric Liddell, stood for Sabbath principles amidst pressure from teammates, the public and the press. He was victorious and won gold in a race no one thought he would win.
More importantly, Eric Liddell was faithful to his calling as a disciple of Jesus. He knew that God had made him for China, and his faith — much more precious than gold that perishes — shone brightly on the Olympic track and in the mission field to the praise, honor and glory of Jesus Christ.
Each of us is called to run the race of life. Comparatively few will win Olympic gold. All of us are called to live by principle. Many are called to mission service; few choose to fulfill their commitment to follow Christ in service. If sometime in the last few years you expressed an interest in mission service, take the next step of faith. As you hear the voice of Jesus urging you to run the frontier mission race, please connect with us. We want to help you win gold!
*Eric Liddell mistakenly honored Sunday as the Sabbath; nevertheless, he lived by his principles. His Olympic experience was portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire (1981).
Maghreb Muslims of Morocco Zoroastrians of India Buddhists of Inner Mongolia Hausa Muslims of Niger Konkani Catholics of India
love Jesus and
