When you give to the Children-at-Risk fund, you help children in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Nicaragua, and Thailand experience the love of Christ.

The Children-at-Risk fund supports the projects of several Mission Society missionaries who are making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children.

Imagine children in Costa Rica having a “birthday party for Jesus.” Bryan and Beth Tatum coordinate the events. Children are treated to a party, a meal, and receive a Christmas gift of their own to keep.

In Thailand, 90% of the children who are trafficked–primarily for the global sex trade–are from the Essan region. Mission Society missionaries working in Essan, like the Barbee and Attaway families, are raising funds to establish a shelter for vulnerable children in this area.

Ronnie and Angi Hopkins minister in Mira Luz, Nicaragua and are gathering school supplies for the 100 children in this village whose parents cannot afford basic items.

In one community in Ecuador, young people tend to leave the church around age 14. Missionaries Tim and Daina Datwyler have helped to start a music group which will become the worship team, to inspire kids to stay connected with the church. The church’s teenagers have a plan to raise money for musical instruments through bake sales. Your contribution will help them purchase an oven.

You can provide blankets for children and families in northern India this winter. Winter brings severely cold weather to the people of northern India. Many families have only one blanket to share among all of their children, and unfortunately, many families do not have a blanket at all. Help Peter and Esther Pereira provide blankets and share the story of Jesus with families in remote villages.

In Ghana, provide a Hepatitis B vaccine for a child. Affecting one in five children, Hepatitis B can be prevented for a lifetime with one vaccine. Dave and Ellen Bartlett are working with a primary school to vaccinate every child.

To help, donate here.

Neither of us has a background in teaching or a plan to pursue a career in education, and yet somehow we have both found ourselves in southern Thailand doing just that: teaching. We had learned in our intern training about the importance as entering cultures as “learners.” So we decided that our approach should be to spend the months in Thailand as learners, even though our role was that of teachers.

As the first group of students arrived to the classroom, our hosts, Ubolwan and Nantachai, informed us that we would be teaching, even though we had thought we would simply be observing. We didn’t have a lesson planned; we didn’t know how much English the kids could speak or read. The next hour was absolute chaos!

One of us was flipping madly through books, while the other was writing various English words on a white board and having the students read them aloud. In the midst of the insanity, we realized something very important: the skills and talents we had would not be enough. We would have to be dependent on the Lord.

He made it evident that this ministry was already established and that, above all, we were to serve our hosts and love their students without an agenda. We realized we were not here for ourselves. We were here to be used by God as a bridge for Ubolwan and Nantachai (a Thai couple who has ministered for many years among their own people) to be able to talk with their students about the character of the Savior, who loves them greatly.

Approaching this internship as learners has allowed both of us to grow in understanding of God’s character, to abandon our agendas, and to genuinely love those we come in contact with. This internship has given us a time and place to better understand our individual roles in God’s mission for the nations. Through the ups and downs of being immersed in another culture, God has spoken truth into our lives that we can carry forward into our future ministries.

In the beginning, we were not sure why the Lord had us here in Thailand, but our saying “yes” to this opportunity has allowed us to understand the importance of being obedient. Through this, we have experienced a bit of what God is doing in this nation, and we have realized that through our obedience, God reveals His plans for us.

Gaines says, “After learning much more about who God is and what He is doing in Thailand, my current plans are to finish my degree at Texas A&M and attend seminary for counseling following graduation.”

Mitchell says she wants to graduate from Georgia Southern University in December and begin school for occupational therapy. She writes, “After this, I plan to pursue medical missions with a specialization in therapy for children with disabilities–wherever the Lord leads me!”

Pray that the Lord will continue leading Kelsey and Melissa to where they are meant to be and that they will continue to rely on Him.

This is true for a young missionary couple living in India.
According to The Mission Society, the couple has set big goals to provide jobs,
offer Christ, and uplift the entire neighborhood.

This couple is living in the poorest state in India. They have seen children sold as domestic workers or into prostitution. The couple experienced this up close when their six-year-old neighbor was sold.

People looking for financial help for others often become victims of loans with impossible interest rates. The money lenders are then able to force them into bonded labor.

The couple believes that the answer to this extreme poverty and subsequent oppression lies in their spiritual reality. As a result, the missionaries are planning to start a textile business.

These products will help connect people from home to what is going on in India. They will be attached to what it means to be a developing
country, educating the buyers on poverty and trafficking. Buying the products only further supports efforts against these things.

Meanwhile, the workers of this business will be blessed in multiple ways. Not only will they have a good-paying job in a healthy and safe environment, but they will hear the Gospel.

Each morning the couple plans to tell their employees Bible stories and minister to them through prayer. They hope to be involved in their employees’ lives by providing money for their children’s education and access to medical care. Aside from that, they want to foster a supportive community and provide a good meal each day.

The couple is excited to see how God will work in the community as the residents–mostly Muslim and Hindu–hear the Gospel for the first time.

Getting the necessary permissions and paperwork has been a long and difficult process. However, the couple hopes to be able to open their business in early 2014.

The couple asks you to pray along with them as they wait to see the transformation in the lives and hearts of the people they minister to.

This is true for a young missionary couple living in India.
According to The Mission Society, the couple has set big goals to provide jobs,
offer Christ, and uplift the entire neighborhood.

This couple is living in the poorest state in India. They
have seen children sold as domestic workers or into prostitution. The couple experienced
this up close when their six-year-old neighbor was sold.

People looking for financial help for others often become
victims of loans with impossible interest rates. The money lenders are then
able to force them into bonded labor.

The couple believes that the answer to this extreme poverty
and subsequent oppression lies in their spiritual reality. As a result, the
missionaries are planning to start a textile business.

These products will help connect people from home to what is
going on in India. They will be attached to what it means to be a developing
country, educating the buyers on poverty and trafficking. Buying the products
only further supports efforts against these things.

Meanwhile, the workers of this business will be blessed in
multiple ways. Not only will they have a good-paying job in a healthy and safe
environment, but they will hear the Gospel.

Each morning the couple plans to tell their employees Bible
stories and minister to them through prayer. They hope to be involved in their
employees' lives by providing money for their children's education and access to
medical care. Aside from that, they want to foster a supportive community and
provide a good meal each day.

The couple is excited to see how God will work in the
community as the residents–mostly Muslim and Hindu–hear the Gospel for the
first time.

Getting the necessary permissions and paperwork has been a
long and difficult process. However, the couple hopes to be able to open their business in early
2014.

The couple asks you to pray along with them as they wait to
see the transformation in the lives and hearts of the people they minister to.

Oxford University Press, ironically, first printed the Bible in 1675

United Kingdom (MNN) — Church may look different in the United Kingdom if evangelicals hope to reach the lost in what’s being called a post-Christian nation.

The Johnny Winkle with the Mission Society spent a year there. He used the Alpha Course to provide opportunities to talk about Christ. “It creates a welcoming space for non-believers to come in and ask questions and get to meet believers, hear testimonies of who Jesus is, hear authenticity of the Bible and just get some of that evidence.”

This type of an approach seems to work. “Their hearts seem really hardened, but over time through the course and through our time together we can really see them become more open, even if they didn’t make a decision for Christ.”

Because many are closed to Christ, some Christians have opened coffee houses that also serve as a church as a way to encourage people to join the spiritual conversation. Winkle says, “We found a couple of British pastors who were really doing dynamic ministry.”

Winkle says many have been hurt by the church there. He says the church may need to be recreated. “In such a way that it meets people where they are, where people can come in and have a conversation around the table, get into a Bible study and through those relationships lead them into the believing and worshiping community.”

He says, “They are really being intentional about really sharing life with others, loving people and caring for them and caring about their lives. That can be transformational. Getting involved in people’s lives — people take notice of that.”

These are cross-cultural principles. If you’d like more information about the Mission Society, click on the link here.

Johnny Winkle with the Mission Society spent a year there using the Alpha Course to provide opportunities to talk about Christ. "It creates a welcoming space for non-believers to come in and ask questions and get to meet believers, hear testimonies of who Jesus is, hear authenticity of the Bible, and just get some of that evidence."

This type of an approach seems to work. "Their hearts seem really hardened, but over time through the course and through our time together, we can really see them become more open, even if they didn't make a decision for Christ."

Because many are closed to Christ, some Christians have opened coffee houses that also serve as a church, as a way to encourage people to join the spiritual conversation. Winkle says, "We found a couple of British pastors who were really doing dynamic ministry."

Winkle says many have been hurt by the church there, which is why the church may need to be recreated "in such a way that it meets people where they are, where people can come in and have a conversation around the table, get into a Bible study, and through those relationships lead them into the believing and worshiping community."

He says, "They are really being intentional about really sharing life with others, loving people and caring for them and caring about their lives. That can be transformational. Getting involved in people's lives: people take notice of that."

These are cross-cultural principles. If you'd like more information about the Mission Society, click on the link here.

"It's really good to be back; it feels like home in a lot of ways," Clements says.

Even though Clements said it feels like home to be back, she says it is different. The first time she was in Mexico, Clements remembers people staying out on the streets late and everyone being social and welcoming. "In 2009 it started getting pretty violent with the drug cartels," she says.

Now that Clements is in Mexico full-time, her role will change; but for now she is waiting for her work visa. As she waits, she is focusing on a small group of college students. "We hang out and eat, and then have a Bible study.

"It's been so good, because they are much more mature now, and they are really wanting to learn and to grow. Some of them are really following Jesus," Clements says.

"Most of my ministry right now is just being with people, spending time with them, building relationships, and doing a little bit of tutoring on the side."

Clements sees the difference Christ can make in a community that is mainly Catholic. "A lot of people know about Jesus, and they've heard of Him, but I wouldn't say that all people know that He is Savior and that He can do exactly what they are praying to Mary for and what they are praying to the saints for."

Clements is serving the Lord in every way possible. She asks for prayer "that I would continue to be patient as I wait for God to open doors for what I am doing."

Pray also that people will come to know Christ through The Mission Society's work in Mexico. In the words of Clements, "It's all in His time, and He'll do what He wants to do when He wants to do it."

"Mary" travels in and out of creative access nations to help disciple and train Christians who are oral learners. She says the need for this type of ministry is huge. "It's like the Holy Spirit is running, not walking. In India, they're coming in the thousands. In China, we're hearing thousands and thousands are coming to Christ. In the Middle East, within Islam they're coming to Christ. They're being drawn by signs and wonders. They're coming by His Word."

While this is good news for church growth, "Mary" says it's also a challenge. "Once they come to know to Lord and meet Him personally, then there's no one to disciple them. And this is where it's breaking down in so many countries."

That's when these new believers either fall away from the faith or begin to moving into some very strange ways of worshiping, says "Mary."

"Mary's" job is to go in and out of countries to train faithful reliable people to use God's Word and to disciple those in their small communities of faith who learn orally. "They may be functionally illiterate, or they may just have a tradition of passing down important information orally rather than writing or reading."

However, she's not focusing on pastors and evangelists, but on everyday people. And it is successful. With "this method of using God's story and doing it orally–going through it six times and doing it inductively, they can turn about the next day and tell someone else."

Because of this oral discipleship, you don't have to wait for a Bible to be translated into a person's heart language to begin evangelism. "It spreads like wildfire," says "Mary."

It's also covert for people in countries antagonistic to Christianity. "There's nothing that any official can confiscate. I don't even have to take my Bible. There's nothing to incriminate them; there's no evidence. The Word passes from my heart to their heart, and they have it."

If you'd like more information about The Mission Society and their oral learning discipleship program, click here.

Christians, however, are doing all they can to be their voice in the wilderness and to be their support both physically and spiritually.

Rich Lively is a missionary with The Mission Society in Thailand. "The war against the Karen has gone unstopped. There are Karen who are fighting in the liberation army. It's in the third generation now, and all they've known is hiding in the jungles and basically fighting for their very lives."

The situation isn't getting any better. In fact, international groups are condemning the atrocities. "Amnesty International has officially called it 'war crimes against humanity' The United States Human Rights Watch is calling for an international investigation as to the allegations of war crimes," Lively says.

He continues, "Make no mistake: [the government's] goal is to completely wipe out the Karen — completely wipe them out, or at least completely subjugate them. But really, they'd prefer just to wipe them out."

That's why many Karen have fled their homes. Two million have crossed the border into Thailand.

While there are many organizations helping along the border, Lively says many of the refugees have migrated further south into the jungle regions where they've created new villages. And they need help. "We do medical clinics every month, where we go out in very remote villages and try to offer basic care  with medical personnel. We also provide children's homes that are staffed by Karen."

Lively says in addition, their ministry helps with preschool education, and now they're being asked to build community centers.

Lively says it's all done to help them share the Gospel. "We want to just continue to show them the love of Christ. And as our leaders do the same thing, [the kids] will be curious and say, 'Wow, this is different than the way we've been treated before. What is it?' And then we share with them."

You can help Lively and His work in the region. Click here to get connected.

Ben Reyes, a missionary with The Mission Society, has been ministering in Latin America for the past several years. Reyes and his wife have been working mainly in Brazil and Paraguay planting churches and working with mobile medical clinics.

In recent years, however, the Reyes have felt called to raise missionaries in Latin America, especially Brazil.

"The Latin American church as a whole [has been] awakening over the past four to six years to their responsibility to the harvest," says Reyes.

Because the church in Latin America does have its own needs, sending missionaries has been, until now, somewhat off the radar. This is all starting to change.

"Before, the church in these countries throughout Latin America saw their own needs very greatly, and there are still very large needs that can be met. But despite this, they've also seen the greater need of reaching out to those that have not heard the Gospel," says Reyes. "So we're seeing more and more missionaries throughout Latin America going not only into missions, but requesting specifically for training going into the 10/40 Window."

The 10/40 Window is a region of the world between 10 and 40 degrees north in latitude, which includes North Africa, the Middle East and much of Asia. The generally-Muslim countries of the 10/40 Window provide a perfect mission field for the Latin American church.

"Because of the similarity of culture, skin tone ([which] is something that is very important [in this case]), and then the non-history of violence with other countries, Latin Americans are more acceptable in these countries."

To prepare these upcoming missionaries, for the last three years The Mission Society has provided training in Brazil. It is the same training used for Mission Society missionaries on staff. Although no one Reyes knows is prepared to go to the 10/40 Window just yet, some trained Brazilian missionaries have already been sent to France, Senegal, and Norway.

The passion for missions is certainly there; Reyes says the only major setback is funding. Because sponsoring missionaries had been out of the question for most Brazilian churches for years due to economic struggles, it is difficult now to get churches to commit to long-term support. Pray that the local churches would take initiative in financing their own missionaries.

If you would like to help Ben and Jenny Reyes in their efforts to plant churches and raise up missionaries, click here. To learn more about The Mission Society in general, click here.