The truth is that God can use anyone, regardless of their profession, to further His Kingdom.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is a testament to this truth. Missionary pilots and mechanics are essential to their ministry. Yet, MAF relies on many different hands and laborers to reach isolated communities with the love of Christ — including IT, education, administration, and even human resources.

Marionne Tucker, MAF’s Chief People Officer (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Marionne Tucker, MAF’s Vice President and Chief People Officer, is a prime example of how God can use diverse talents in missions.

With a background in human resources, Tucker’s role might seem far removed from traditional missionary work. Yet, her work in managing and supporting MAF’s staff is crucial to the organization’s ability to advance the name of Jesus through aviation.

Tucker’s prayer to the Lord captures the heart of missions: “We want to give You our lives, we want to give You our talents, our skills, our treasures… for the expansion of Your work.”

MAF continually seeks individuals with various skills to join its mission. From IT specialists to teachers, there are countless ways to contribute to the Great Commission.

Beyond offering talents, Tucker emphasizes the importance of prayer and financial support. She prays for more laborers to join the mission and for the resources needed to sustain MAF’s work.

“I just pray…that they may desire to come alongside Mission Aviation Fellowship… to be a blessing, to sow into this ministry,” she says.

Whether you’re on the field or behind the scenes, God can use your talents to reach the unreached and bring His love to the ends of the earth.

Find missions roles at MAF here!

Header photo courtesy of Chuttersnap/Unsplash.

First of all, it’s important to note that there are many avenues to being a missionary. If you gathered a handful of missionaries and asked about their pathways to mission work, you would hear a number of inspiring stories.

If your church is part of a denomination or affiliation, that’s one of the best places to start. Most denominations have a pathway for missions and they’d be more than happy to help you find the right track. If you’re not part of a denomination, that’s OK, too. Here are some tips to help you blaze that trail. 

1. Pray for guidance and wisdom

(Photo courtesy of Jesus Film Project)

It all starts with prayer. If you feel called to pursue missions as a vocation, staying connected to the Lord is a must. Feeling the Holy Spirit’s guidance and empowerment will be critical to you on the mission field, so you want to forge strong spiritual disciplines early and become reliant upon God throughout the process. 

It’s also helpful to encourage others to pray for you, too!

2.  Get as much experience as possible

There’s no substitute for real-life experience, and there are plenty of opportunities for someone interested in global missions to gain first-hand knowledge. 

Short-term missions are a great way to get your feet wet. It’s a good way to familiarize yourself with different kinds of mission work, and a helpful way to get to know people from various organizations and churches who are invested in the Great Commission.

Jesus Film Project has short-term missions available to Europe, Africa, and more! We’d love for you to join us on a trip.

Internships are another way to build up experience. Internships are a strong middle ground between actually working as a missionary and serving on a short-term mission. You typically develop more specific leadership, ministry and administrative skills than you would with a short-term trip, and they can even lead to opportunities for full-time mission work. 

Check out Jesus Film Project’s internship opportunities. 

3. Check out missionary training programs

While there are many people on the mission field who have bypassed missionary training schools and programs, it can still be a vital way to learn about and experience missions, network with other missionaries and sending organizations, and develop vital skills. 

You might want to check out the resources and training offered by these organizations:

• Cru
• International Mission Board (IMB)
• Youth With a Mission (YWAM)
• Global Frontier Missions
• Ethnos 360 Bible Institute

Warren and Brenda Pfohl (Image courtesy of Jesus Film Project)

What if you can’t physically go?

Maybe you have a passion for missions but for some reason, you can’t physically go. Don’t let your limitations impact your ability to serve Jesus in the areas where He has called you. There are still many ways you can help fulfill the Great Commission. Warren and Brenda Pfohl learned that first hand.

And don’t forget to pray!

Header photo courtesy of Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash.

God may (or may not) be calling you to leave everything you know and be a missionary in Africa. But He calls every believer to do something – that’s why it’s called the Great Commission.

Wycliffe USA’s Senior Director of Global Workforce Strategies Sarah Traverso spends her days helping believers find their place in the Bible translation movement. “I’m using this term ‘Bible translation movement’ because it’s really big. It’s bigger than I was aware of when I started working with Wycliffe,” Traverso says.

“I get to see both ends: hearing about the needs (in the field), understanding what they are, and then connecting with the U.S. public and trying to find the right people to fill these roles.”

The opportunities, as well as the need for people to fill them, are endless. See a list of volunteer opportunities here.

Are you newly retired with time on your hands? Last year, the pandemic pushed more than three million baby boomers into early retirement. Volunteering could allow you to put your time and talents to use in God’s Kingdom.

(Photo courtesy of Nathan Lemon/Unsplash)

“There are so many different ways you can serve with Wycliffe; you can do almost any role either as a volunteer or vocationally. Volunteer efforts can take place at home working remotely, as well as serving in a location outside the U.S.,” Traverso says.

“One of the biggest needs is for people who can be flexible and adaptable. Right now, the world changes very quickly, so it’s really about the attitude, the heart to serve, and that willingness to go where you’re needed.”

If you’re a recent seminary grad looking for the next step, check out a new Wycliffe USA program called “Convergence.” “They can receive a mentorship and training program to become Bible translation consultants,” Traverso says.

“There is a growing need for [Bible translation] consultants, and we’re looking at multiple ways to fill that need.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Elissa Garcia/Unsplash.

But is the Western Church’s approach in going overseas for missions always what’s needed? When does ‘go’ become ‘stay’?

Ed Weaver, CEO of Spoken Worldwide says, “I think the ‘go’ piece has been under debate in general from the West. If we’ve got a lot of indigenous leaders overseas, is our responsibility in the West to actually go? Or is it to equip and enable and let them go?… Is this the time that the West takes a different role in missions that’s more of a backseat? We’ve got so much more capacity around the world in terms of strong believers [and] people that are passionate about ministry.”

(Photo courtesy of Spoken Worldwide)

Spoken Worldwide works with indigenous believers around the world, enabling them to reach their peers with the story of Jesus in relevant and winsome ways. They conduct leadership development training and focus on people-specific messages to communicate the Gospel.

Questions around ‘going’ versus ‘staying’ are resurfacing with Western missionary-sending agencies in light of COVID-19. Both career and short-term missions overseas are largely on hold.

“It creates, in my opinion, an awkward relationship between the missionary, the missions strategy, and the indigenous leadership that is left behind — if, in fact, the Western missionary leaves. You’ve got this whole philosophy of, ‘What is the role of the Western missionary? Is there one going into the future? Or should there be?’”

And, of course, there is always the debate on what to do when believers – whether locals or expatriates – are in a country where their very lives are at stake.

“We’ve seen this issue from Boko Haram in Nigeria – people running away. Abuja’s population has skyrocketed over the last five years because a lot of Christians are escaping northern and northeastern villages to flee to safety or the appearance of safety. And you can’t really blame them. But you also want somebody to stay behind to focus on the unreached and bring the message of the Gospel to the lost.”

If all Christians pull out of dangerous contexts, there wouldn’t be anyone left to point searching and lost people to Jesus. Some of the most powerful stories happen when a persecutor meets Christ because of a believer they were persecuting.

However, Weaver cautions against making rash judgements on the decisions of believers in dangerous contexts. “The answer from God isn’t always going to be the same for everybody.

(Photo courtesy of Spoken Worldwide)

“We could say, ‘You should never leave the country. You should always stay behind, regardless of the persecution and the difficulties.’ Well, it’s easy for us to say that from the West. We’re living in a relatively luxurious environment,” Weaver says.

“But then we’ve seen people that have left, let’s say, Iran or Pakistan or any place in North Africa or the Middle East and have had phenomenal ministry via the internet and social media back into their country.

“So it’s clear that there are times when God leads somebody out of the country in order for them to establish a different launching point.”

Every difficult decision when it comes to our Christian witness must be bathed in prayer as we seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit.

For Christians in the West, Weaver encourages, “Whether they’re sitting in a church pew, whether they are working for a mission agency, whether they are a funding entity or a donor, everybody should, I believe, take this opportunity to get more well-educated on what the issues are.’”

Please pray for and with Christians around the world facing difficult decisions related to going or staying in their context. Ask the Lord to bless their minds with wisdom, their hearts with peace, and their hands with grace as they serve in whatever capacity He leads them.

“I think this is really a heart issue and really an openhanded issue, saying, ‘God move and show me how you’re moving.’”

Learn more about Spoken Worldwide’s ministry here!

v

Header photo courtesy of Dunamis Church via Unsplash.

Creating Sustainability

During the early days of this project, OM’s Cindy Shinabarger says the previous hydroponic system was complicated. It used modern technology, required hook-ups, electricity, and circulation.

“When we started we looked like Disney. We had all the agronomics, the pumps, the sprays…so what we found was it was extremely challenging for us to keep pumps going, filters not getting clogged, just so much maintenance,” Shinabarger explains.

Global Food Garden Hydroponics with a previous OM prototype. (Header photo and photo courtesy of OMI).

After being challenged to make the project sustainable, and what she calls an epiphany from God, this all changed. Shinabarger’s project team then created a 10-week growing competition amongst itself by trying to test multiple ways of growing plants via hydroponics. But, everyone had to follow one rule: all prototypes had to be able to run for eight hours without electricity.

Data from the 10-week competition proved plants grew in all the hydroponic systems tested, regardless of the level of technology involved. However, the system which produced the highest yield was the simplest.

From there, the focus shifted to making the project as simple as possible and creating a planter that could fit apartment balconies. What Shinabarger found was a simple hydroponic system with a non-circulating technique didn’t require electricity. She thinks it is easy enough to use that it might even turn a brown thumb green.

“What we were able to do is create a very, very simple hydroponic, faster growing, no watering—all the things that people love—planter. There’s nothing like it on the market,” Shinabarger says.

The Go Grow Planters Difference

What makes the Go Grow Planter unique is its simplicity, functionality, and its “balcony planter” design. The Go Grow Planter’s lid is semi-sealed to lock out rain and light and prevent algae growth. It also prevents evaporation and nutrients from being diluted in the plant water.

“The shape of our planters is designed so that as the roots grow, they absorb the nutrients and they drop at a rate that keeps the roots in the nutrient solution,” Shinabarger shares.

Furthermore, the planter is made of powder-coated aluminum, making it light-weight, rust-resistant, extremely durable, and easy on the eyes. The Go Grow Planters also sell nutrient packs to mix with the water in the planter. These nutrients provide the plant with the necessary ingredients to thrive.

But, why choose the Go Grow Planters over a typical flower bed with dirt? Well, water. The Go Grow Planters require significantly less watering time, have zero weeds, require less maitnenance, and produce faster-growing plants. Shinabarger says full-grown plants can go up to two-weeks without watering in the planters. Plus, there’s no need to buy the tools and accessories which usually necessary when planting in dirt planters.

The Go Grow Planters work best for fast-growing types of plants and annuals. They can also be used inside or outside. However, Shinabarger reminds that this planter won’t make an outdoor plant an indoor plant or vice versa.

Connecting Plants to Sustainability

Still, how does it connect to the Hydroponic Sustainability Project?

“The idea is we provide the technology, the training, and a sample…if they’re successful, then they can come back and say, ‘hey, here’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to feed my family. I’d like to feed my village. I’d like to use it as creative access.’,” Shinabarger shares.

Vision Slide for Go Grow Planters sustainability (Photo/screenshot courtesy of Cindy Shinabarger)

Because of the planters’ design, nationals can use whatever material is available to build their own planters and then use the technology and training to grow food. In this sense, the nationals make the planter projects their own.

“Some of the fields are coming back and saying ‘we actually want to sell Go Grow. We don’t want to do the primitive because we are in the middle of a city and there are all kinds of expats, or there are all kinds of nationals that would love this same kind of thing for their balcony’.” Shinabarger recounts.

Preparing for the Future

Plus, the finances which go into supporting the “on the field” work are already built into the price of the Go Grow Planters. But, to keep the Go Grow Planters project alive, OM is releasing Go Grow Planters as its own company.

“When we got this opportunity to go to Home Depot or any big store, to go big, to really make it a business, we wanted to reduce the risk to OM. Plus, have the ability to have investors provide the funds to buy inventory,” Shinabarger explains.

“So allowing it to become a for-profit company with the give-back built into the price, allows it to be run in a more profitable way, with OM still maintaining a minority ownership, so if it ever gets sold to one of the big companies…OM would be paid back, but they’d also get a royalty.”

So, the next time you feel the itch to grow flowers, vegetables, or herbs—consider purchasing a planter from Go Grow Planters. Then, be encouraged by the fact that a portion of the cost is going to the field to help someone else not only be equipped to provide food for themselves, but that the project is also creating a touchpoint for OM workers to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Tune in tomorrow to learn more about how the Go Grow Planters project is opening doors for OM workers across the world.

Learn more about Go Grow Planters or purchase one here!

“God answers prayers beyond our belief,” affirms Doug Haag of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA.

The Akebu translation team.
(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe USA)

The Akebu Bible translation project stands as a testament to answered prayers.

Learn more about the Akebu people of Togo here.

Following Haag’s 24-hour bike ride in 2015, his home church, Faith Assembly, began supporting Bible translation in the Akebu language. A year later, an Akebu pastor asked the translation team to pray with them for a church building.

“It touched my heart because I knew our church had been building tabernacles throughout West Africa,” says Haag. “I reached out to our missions pastor and I posed the question: ‘How cool would it be to build buildings for the Akebu, the same place where we’re supporting a Bible translation?’ What a blessing that would be.”

Through God’s divine planning, the blessing became reality.

Faith Assembly construction teams built three churches in Akebu villages earlier this year. Dozens came to Christ after watching the JESUS Film in their heart language.

Construction teams working on a church building for the Akebu.
(Photo courtesy of Spoke ‘N Word Facebook page)

“For the group from our church, it was an absolute unique experience and total immersion in Akebu culture,” Haag says.

“It was an answer to prayers beyond what we could’ve imagined. We couldn’t have planned it had we tried.”

Add the Akebu to your prayer list. Then, ask the Lord if He wants you to become a financial partner.

The $64,000 goal of this campaign represents the estimated funding need for the Akebu team to carry on translation in 2017.

“We hope that this story, as it’s shared, would inspire other churches,” shares Haag. “God will use us if we’re willing to be an answer to our own prayers.”

Dean Vander Mey, Executive Director of Set Free Ministries says these three categories are vital for the work they do. It’s not just about logistics, either, but about the battle each follower of Christ is engaged in.

The Gospel of Jesus sets us free from our slavery to sin. This is the great victory. However, Christians can still fall prey to the lies of the enemy. Set Free Ministries helps believers embrace the truths of Scripture that negate these lies.

In addition to this, they also fight the physical bondages of slavery and poverty through their international support of schools and orphanages.

It is this work that makes Set Free Ministries a target of both spiritual and physical enemies. Vander Mey brings to mind Revelation 12:17 which mentions Satan making war on those who keep God’s commandments and represent Jesus.

“If you’re truly engaged in doing the mission of Jesus, it is war. There will be attacks. There will be pushback, just like there was on Jesus,” he says.

This is why it is so important for the Church to support one another in whatever way they can. Vander Mey shared a beautiful example of this.

Uganda ministry

About a decade ago, Set Free began assisting a group of young orphaned children in Uganda. You can read a little more about the work they’ve been doing there through schools and orphanages here.

What they didn’t know was while they were pouring into the lives of children by supporting the orphanage, the children were ministering back.

(Photo courtesy of Set Free Ministries)

Vander Mey explains, “I went there last year to visit some of them, and I didn’t know this, but those young kids who we first helped remembered us as little children. They are now 15, 16, 17, they say they pray and fast for us on Wednesday to Thursday, they don’t eat for 24 hours. They have become our intercessors.”

While these children weren’t able to give any treasure, and they weren’t able to directly give back in talent, they knew they could give of their time. They could pray.

It’s because they know that the work Set Free Ministries does to rescue people from spiritual and physical bondage makes them a target of spiritual and physical enemies.

“We need prayer warriors. We need a lot of people interceding and praying for us because we are on the frontlines every day, not only here in West Michigan, but globally we’re impacting and reaching places that are unreached,” Vander Mey says.

What about you?

So the question is, how will you help? Can you give of your time, treasure, or talent?

(Photo courtesy of Set Free Ministries)

You can pray for Set Free — that God would give them strength, perseverance, and protection.

Set Free offers training to churches and individuals to learn how to lead people through the Seven Steps of Freedom. You can contact them here if you’re interested.

If you’d like to support Set Free financially so they can continue to offer free counseling sessions, click here.

And finally, if you’re needing to talk to somebody about a spiritual struggle, give Set Free Ministries a call at (616) 726-5400, or visit their website to fill out an application.

Matt Morrison of e3 Partners, a ministry dedicated to spreading the Gospel, says having a heart for missions becomes evident in every area of your life.

“To me, what I really believe it is, is living intentionally, living in such a way that you’re not just focused on what your job is that day or how to manage your relationships that day, but really seeing what God wants to do through those relationships, through your job in your life.”

In other words, you’re using your sphere of influence to propel the Gospel forward — whether that’s at work, home, or in your neighborhood. However, there are many challenges to keeping this perspective day-in and day-out.

“It’s kind of like Peter stepping out of the boat. You know, he starts to notice how big the storm is and how big the waves are and gets his focus off Jesus and he starts to sink — I think the same thing starts to happen with our focus, we get to that place where we’re just seeing all the waves crashing around us, we get our eyes off Jesus, and then suddenly we’re not so intentional about doing something with the opportunities and the passions that God’s given us.”

Morrison says we can often find ourselves in survival mode — just trying to get through the day, defending our own interests. But God has called His people to live offensively for His Kingdom.

“I think we sometimes think God blesses us with certain things in life for our enjoyment, but that’s not really the case. He’s blessing us with those things so we can use them,” he explains.

So the question is, how do we begin to use the gifts God has given us for His glory, and to tell others about Him? Morrison says it’s about intentionality. He shares three steps to begin that journey.

Pray

Prayer is a huge part of mission work. In fact, many people believe it is the most important component. Morrison says, “What we have found overseas is that prayer is everything.”

Recently on a short-term mission trip to Germany, Morrison and the team spent the first few days walking around the community, praying for opportunities to speak to the refugees there.

“What I noticed is every day we came back out on the mission field and it seemed like the ground was just getting a little bit looser, it seemed like the people were becoming a little friendlier, and it seemed like opportunities were opening up.”

Eventually, they were having deep conversations with refugees who wanted to know more about Jesus.

“I honestly believe, had we not started all of that with prayer, there’s no way we would have experienced that harvest at the end of the week. The prayer was basically the foundation to everything else we did that week.”

Similarly, ask God to show you how you can get involved in the Great Commission.

“Just let God use those opportunities, use those passions, those giftings that He’s given you. Because He’s built you in a very specific way and He’s going to use you to impact the world in a very specific way. So just, basically, offer those up to the Lord and say, ‘Lord, take these passions, take these longings, these giftings, these talents, and Lord, just use them,’ and you’ll be amazed at what He does from there.”

Start local

If you’re wondering what action to take next, it’s a good idea to start with the opportunities around you. Check out the local ministries in your community or through your church. Take classes on how to share the Gospel relationally and effectively. Take time to investigate something you’re passionate about.

These starting points will help you build upon the intentional ministry Morrison is talking about.

Pray again

His final advice is to pray about whatever situation or cause God is calling you towards. Pray that He would give you opportunity and show you how He wants you to help. This could be people at your work, in your community, or women overseas who are caught in human trafficking. Ask Him to help you take the next step.

Short-term mission trips

Perhaps your next step is go on a short-term mission trip. E3 Partners has many trips all over the world each year dealing with a variety of humanitarian work, in addition to Gospel outreach. These trips are usually about 10 to 12-days long. They are shorter than many other short-term trips, but they also give people enough time to learn about the work going on in different parts of the world.

(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners via Facebook)

For many, Morrison says, these types of trips amplify the call God is giving them to enter the mission field.

“What we’ve found, especially for college students, is they’ll go on one of these mission trips thinking they’re called to missions, and then God just really amplifies that call, He really makes it a lot clearer in their lives.”

Another thing these mission trips accomplish is they inspire people to make a real impact. Recently, e3 surveyed people who had gone on a short-term mission trip and those who had never been, asking them what they expected out of a mission trip.

“There’s a very distinct change in priority. We noticed people who have never been overseas in a mission setting, they would say, ‘I’m looking for a great experience, I’m looking for great personal discipleship, I’m looking for a life-changing experience or the chance to meet new cultures.’”

For those who had gone and served, however, the expectation was completely different.

“They want to go to a place where they can start to make a bigger impact. They want to go on a trip that’s well organized so that they can make sure whatever they’re doing over there has a long-term effect.”

To learn more about upcoming mission trips with e3 Partners, click here. You can also find resources about how you can be involved with mission work through prayer, giving, and going.

“Most people ask me, first of all, I have nothing to offer, I’m not a counselor, I’m not a pastor, I’m not an evangelist, I’m not a Sunday school teacher, so what is it that I could bring to an India Partners team?,” says Kaytie Fiedler of India Partners.

But the skills you need are much simpler. If you can smile, show love, provide prayer, and of course, blow up a balloon, Fielder says you’re perfect for the job. As for understanding a new culture, India Partners won’t leave you hanging.

“What we do is provide the training and the cultural information, all the support you need getting ready to go in country so that when you show up, you do have a really good sense of how you’re going to be used on a team.”

(Photo courtesy of India Partners)

Each team meets and discusses how best to put their gifts to use. From worship leader to organizing kid’s crafts, there’s a spot for everyone, and it varies based on the team.

Each trip takes about 14 to 16 days, and features two main mission fields.

First, “we work with an organization that deals primarily with anti human trafficking efforts” in Mumbai.

“These really precious, precious people are going out into highly volatile areas every day, reaching out to a population that is very hard to reach and sharing God’s love with them,” explains Fiedler.

Next is the more rural villages.

“We’ll go on and work with one of these rural ministries and we’ll work with children, we’ll go out to villages and work in their churches that they have planted in these very remote villages, we’ll encourage the local Christian community.”

Fiedler says that even as teams try to impact those in the cities and the villages, many times the life-changing experiences work both ways.

“We make all of these plans to go and bring our teachings and trainings and bring all kinds of what we think will be really inspiring and new information…. And what happens in return is [we see] the way that people are living and working as Christians in this country is so difficult.”

(Photo courtesy of India Partners)

For many Indian believers, their faith comes at a cost and defies generations of tradition. Being a Christian means pain and a complete reliance on their Father and King.

“When they have nowhere else to turn, they are turning to this God that someone introduced them to that said, ‘If you follow Me, if you put all your trust in Me, I will meet all of your needs, I am a good Shepherd, I will never forsake you, I will always be there as your Provider.’”

They have a trip coming up in November, and they are still looking for participants.

Want to get involved? We’ll connect you right here if you want to apply for a trip or get involved with a donation. But, before you even take that step, remember to pray.

Fiedler says, “I just ask that those of you that are called to intercede, that you’d focus on the leadership for those organizations, that God would continue to supply them with all of their physical, spiritual, and mental provision that they need to continue to be able to do the job.”

Cambodia remains one of the poorest nations in SE Asia as well as the world.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Cambodia (MNN) — You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Pregnant single moms in Cambodia live it out day after day.

Many vulnerable women end up having abortions because they feel like they have no other choice.

Extreme poverty drives them to eke out an existence in the muddy slums outside Poipet.

Each morning, they cross the border into Thailand with thousands of their peers, searching for enough money to make it through one more day.

“Amplify any of the issues that we have here in the United States many times over, and that’s what these young moms are experiencing,” says Kurt Dillinger, founder of LIFE International.

This photo shows subjects affected by the issue of child labour.
(© ILO/Jeffrey Leventhal shared via CreativeCommons)

“When you have a couple of children, and you’re hardly able to feed those two, and then you become pregnant: it becomes extremely difficult.”

Abortion seems a better alternative to putting one more child at-risk of trafficking and exploitation. That’s why LIFE International teams make visits to countries like Cambodia to provide life-giving training.

Through the Hope Center, pro-life Cambodian Christians are offering scared moms-to-be another option.

The Hope Center

Before a foundation was laid or funds were raised, the idea for a Hope Center grew out of LIFE International’s pro-life training held in 2009.

(Photo courtesy LIFE International)

At their training sessions, LIFE International staff works through God’s design for life, marriage, and family with national church leaders. They also discuss what happens when people live outside that intended plan, and how things like STDs and abortion factor in.

“They [church leaders] work through a whole period of repenting and recognizing what that sin was in their life,” Dillinger adds, “and they are freed up.”

From a newfound place of freedom, church leaders share what they’ve learned with their congregations and communities. Out of unfettered and empowered congregations and leaders come life-giving projects like the Hope Center.

Officially opened in 2013, the Hope Center shines as a beacon of Gospel light amid the slums outside Poipet.

Physical needs aren’t the only ones being met, though.

“So often, the Gospel does such powerful work in their hearts. When they come to know Jesus, there’s a hope. There is new energy; you can see the change in their eyes, and they understand that God is able,” Dillinger shares.

“We hear of miracles all the time: how God has helped–once they make choices for life–how God helps, every step of the way, through all of the challenges that they face.”

One prime example came via e-mail just a few days ago.

Hope blooms

(Photo credit: Ivo Posthumus via Flickr)

In an impoverished village about six kilometers (roughly four miles) from the Hope Center, national staff met *“Botum” — a young mom caring for her newborn and three-year-old son.

Along with Botum’s mother, they’re squatting on a piece of land outside Poipet with no running water, no toilet, no kitchen, and no money. Their “home sweet home” consists of shabby walls and a plastic roof.

Yet, amid rampant poverty, Botum and her small family have hope.

The outlook is a stark contrast to Botum’s perspective a few months ago. That’s when her husband left without warning. He hasn’t been seen since.

“Here she was: without a husband, pregnant, living in a little hut [with] a plastic roof,” says Dillinger. “She thought, ‘There’s no way I can have another baby; I need to abort this child.’”

Representative photo
(Photo credit: Cambodia4Kids.org via Flickr)

Learning of Botum’s decision, her mother spoke up.

“Her mother reminded her of the training that they went through [in 2009],” Dillinger recalls.

“‘Remember that abortion is a sin. No matter how difficult it is, we need to give life to this baby.’”

After further discussion, Botum conceded and gave birth to a healthy baby girl a few days ago. According to LIFE International, the hospital sent her back to the shelter a few hours after she gave birth, because Botum has no money.

There’s room for you to get involved, too.

1. Pray
2. Sow
3. Go

* name changed for security reasons