Then, only two years later, Eritrea fought alongside Ethiopia against a paramilitary group in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. That war ended in 2022, but in December of last year Eritrean troops were still present in Tigray. In the past two weeks, unrest has flared up again in Tigray, displacing nearly 29,000 people.

Even as concerns for the region’s long-term stability rise, an Eritrean Bible translation team is at work own people: the Kunama of Eritrea.

“They (the Kunama) have for decades experienced hardship through civil war in their country,” says Meg Hunt with Wycliffe USA. “Many of them have migrated to neighboring countries — and then actually several of them have come to North America as part of their refugee experience.” 

Population displacement due to Tigray conflict, 12 January 2021 (Photo courtesy of USAID via Wikimedia Commons)

Kunama translation teams live Ethiopia and North America. Together, they feel the effects of the regional tensions. 

“For the team that is translating the Old Testament (in Ethiopia), they are being targeted by the local government, so it’s been hard for them to continue to feel safe in that environment,” Hunt says.

“Although they have resettled into different cities (in Ethiopia), in more rural areas refugees experience fear of being relocated to refugee camps back in Northern Ethiopia where there is still unrest.”

For the North America team, who is working on the New Testament, their pressures are less dangerous but still real.

“It’s actually pretty incredible that it’s entirely volunteer-based in North America. The challenges for them are really that they’re balancing a lot. They’ve got a lot of things of care for their own families, their day jobs. But again, they’re so committed to translating God’s Word,” Hunt says. 

“One of the things that is really unique about the translation is that because they are a diaspora team, working together across multiple time zones and continents, keeping in step with one another is an opportunity and a challenge that they have.”

Meet this dedicated Bible translation team here. Several books of the Bible have already gone through community testing — one of the final steps before they go to print or audio publishing. The books are Ruth, Jonah, Haggai, Matthew and Galatians.

You can be part of this Bible translation project spanning the globe through your prayers and your partnership. Learn more and sign up for prayer updates here.

“Pray for the safety of these Kunama team members, especially those in Ethiopia. Pray for the just energy and stamina to continue this work,” Hunt says. 

Header photo of internally displaced persons in Tigray, April 2021 courtesy of Rastakwere via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

“He’s an amazing veteran, loves Jesus, and we had a great weekend together,” says Warriors Set Free Director Steve Prince. Warriors Set Free is a veterans-focused division of Set Free Ministries.

After hearing a Warriors Set Free story on MNN, Walter took action. He reached out and said, “‘Let’s go, man, how do I get involved?!’” Prince recalls.

“We happened to have an opening on our ministry weekend, and he filled that spot; I got to meet Walter in person,” Prince continues.

“It was cool to see how Mission Network News connected us with one more veteran to build the Kingdom with.”

Warriors Set Free doesn’t have a physical office in Florida yet, so for now, Walter will “be in a volunteer status; we can train him to do freedom appointments virtually. I can be on a Zoom call with him, and we can pour into one other veteran for the day,” Prince says.

“He’s going to be a part of our team. We just don’t know how God’s going to lay that out yet.”

Warriors Set Free is a ministry run by veterans for veterans. More about that here. During the ministry’s expansion to Georgia last year, God put some potential plans into action that could drastically further Warriors Set Free’s reach.

“At some point, we might need to hire more people like Walter in other states as the budget and the demand increase,” Prince says.

Now it’s your turn… will you pray, give, or go? Find your place in the story!

“If they (readers) feel led, they can have a small part in [the mission of] Warriors Set Free, wherever they’re from. We have potential volunteers nationwide who we will train and teach to do what we do,” Prince says.

Contact Warriors Set Free here to learn more.

Walter took the Lord’s words from James 1 to heart: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (Photo courtesy of Zac Cain/Unsplash)

Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says Hannah’s dirty boots left quite an impression.

Whenever “she goes to a supermarket or pharmacy, [people] know that this is a person serving in the camps because of her dirty boots,” Nuna explains.

“They would ask her, ‘Why are you here?’ That is an open door for a testimony of God’s love for people.”

Hannah contacted Triumphant Mercy Lebanon after learning about its short-term volunteer opportunities. “She wanted to serve the region and be a blessing,” Nuna recalls.

“When she came, she plugged in immediately into [the] camps with refugees and did an amazing job.”

Lebanon and its overcrowded refugee camps aren’t exactly a tourist hotspot in the Middle East. Yet the Holy Spirit moves in the most desperate situations. “It’s difficult to see people in such hard times, [surrounded by] fear, uncertainty, and poverty,” Nuna says.

“[Lebanon’s environment is] so difficult emotionally; it is psychologically heavy. And yet people come.”

Got some free time this summer? You can make a difference like Hannah. Triumphant Mercy Lebanon needs volunteers to help run its summer camps.

(Photo courtesy of TM Lebanon)

“Summer camps are a great time to evangelize,” Nuna says.

“We have Bible stories for the unbelievers, the Muslims; we start with the prophetic stories leading up to Jesus and explain salvation. It’s hard to start with Jesus [because] they don’t know who He is.”

Connect with TM Lebanon here to learn more.

“We send an application, people send us their availability, and then we can figure out the rest,” Nuna says.

“We’re looking for people who are believers, who are ethically good, and who are available to do whatever. They have to have a servant’s heart.”

Header and story images courtesy of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon.

Hundreds of Zoom connections and YouTube attendees allowed representatives from countries around the world to join the International Headquarters staff of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) on Friday, February 10th, to hear the results of their prayers and efforts. The goal was to reach millions of children during the Christmas season, helping them understand the true meaning of Christmas.

With more results trickling in, an astonishing 6 million children were reached — and 2.8 million were counseled for salvation.

Testimonies from people in each major region of the world brought tears to the crowd as they heard of the wonder children experienced who heard the true Christmas story for the first time.

In Ukraine, missile sirens went off, so club teachers didn’t expect anyone to come. The sirens lasted two hours but when they silenced, children came running.

(Photo courtesy of Child Evangelism Fellowship)

In other countries, children climbed ladders to meet on roofs, gathered on sandbars along the Amazon River, and even gathered in the snow, learning to worship Jesus.

Success was due to extensive training efforts during October and November when 167,000 volunteers attended 11,000 training seminars. These volunteers went out and held 169,000 Christmas Party Clubs.

The most surprising statistic was that believers in the MENA countries region succeeded in reaching the most children with the good news of the birth of Jesus, accounting for 51% of the total number.

This year’s Christmas Party Club curriculum went by the name Immanuel, to emphasize God is with us!

CEF invites all believers to help in the 2023 outreach to reach even more children in the USA and beyond. The Christmas Party Club is one of several club programs conducted by CEF, with the weekly after-school Good News Club being the best known. In all clubs, children hear a Gospel-centered Bible lesson, play games, learn a Bible verse, sing action songs and more.

Click here to get involved with CEF.

Churches that sponsor local schools for the weekly clubs benefit from CEF training for their children’s workers and from young families coming to church who wouldn’t have come otherwise. The 2022 Christmas Party Clubs resulted in commitments by volunteers to hold 20,000 new Good News Clubs in the coming school year.

Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has been teaching the Bible to children since 1937. CEF has 400 offices in the USA and is organized in most nations of the world, with over 3,700 paid staff and hundreds of thousands of volunteers. In its last ministry year, CEF ministered to over 16 million children in its face-to-face teaching ministries.

Watch the video report here!

Header photo courtesy of David Beale via Unsplash.

Imagine how many more don’t know the real reason behind Christmas in unreached regions of the world.

This December, Child Evangelism Fellowship will share Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas with 10 million children through Christmas Party Clubs around the world! Much like their year-round Good News Clubs, each Christmas Party Club features games, songs, and a Gospel-centered Bible lesson.

CEF’s Lydia Kaiser says, “The Christmas Party Club is a great opportunity for volunteers and kids to experience a CEF club so they’re more informed about making a larger commitment to volunteering or attending a weekly Good News Club during the next school semester.”

(Photo courtesy of CEF)

Kids love parties — and Christmas! So combining the two in a way to share the Gospel just makes sense. The fact that God came as a human baby and lived life as a child is really good news for kids.

Anyone can volunteer to serve at a Christmas Party Club with CEF! One volunteer shared, “Although I grew up in a Hindu family, God gave me an opportunity to listen to the message of salvation and accept Christ as Savior. During the Christmas Party Club training seminar, CEF staff gave me an opportunity to share the Gospel with children through the Christmas story.

“This was the first time in my life I learned to share with others the Gospel which changed my life. I thank God and CEF.”

Want to learn more? Kaiser says, “If people want to get involved, they can go to chapters.cefonline.com and look up your nearest CEF chapter and ask them how they would like volunteers for this Christmas. There are just so many different ways to volunteer. You don’t have to teach a Club. You can just attend and see how it works!”

Header photo courtesy of Robert Thiemann via Unsplash.

These two intersect at the Wycliffe Associates International headquarters in Orlando, Florida. Over one hundred volunteers work at Wycliffe during the winter, living in an RV park just next door.

Cheryl Stauter says, “We have also 40 apartments right here. They are fully furnished. We live in the apartments, but there are quite a few that bring their rigs down and enjoy the RV park living as well.”

Wycliffe’s mission

Wycliffe Associates works with international churches and partners who translate the Bible into their native languages. The ministry doesn’t do the actual translation, but they do provide the tools. They call this process Church Owned Bible Translation.

Stauter talks about different programs volunteers might work on. “Supporting translation services, which includes English language learning for national translators support. This also supports written and oral languages, like Deaf-owned translations or “SUN” which is a symbolic representation of all the words in Scripture.”

Volunteers might also work in the kitchens, on the maintenance crew, or in marketing. Cheryl herself started volunteering in 2015, helping teach English to international partners. She and her husband heard about the program from a friend at their church.

Get involved

Want to participate in this program? Click here for more information. Stauter says, “We talk to them and find out when they’re coming and what kind of housing they need. We talk about whether they would fit into the programs that we are needing volunteers for in that specific year.”

Pray the work of Wycliffe Associates would introduce many to Jesus.

Header photo courtesy of Andrew_Poynton on Pixabay. 

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.

Crossroads Prison Ministries connects Christian mentors with men and women in prison through mail-in Bible studies. And it’s the perfect opportunity to encourage someone else with the Gospel.

Last week, we talked about volunteers from South Church in Lansing, Michigan who partnered with Crossroads to encourage inmates by writing letters.

Marlene Tebben, a Crossroads mentor from South Church. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)

Today, we’re sharing the experience of Marlene Tebben, a South Church volunteer who has been with Crossroads on-and-off for 30 years.

Tebben explains, “I have the tier-one students. I write to a different one every week. And then I have two tier-two students, and those are ones that are specifically paired with me. I’m the only one that writes to them. I get about one a month from each of them. So that’s an opportunity to build a relationship with one prisoner in a deeper way.”

As Tebben engages the students in prison and leads them through the Crossroads Bible studies, it fosters authentic conversations about life and faith.

“It’s just an incredible blessing. I think if you’re praying about how you can share your faith with someone, this is a wonderful opportunity because you’re sharing with new believers, you’re encouraging them, you’re giving truth to seekers, and then you’re also discipling people who have been in the faith but find themselves behind prison walls.”

One of the ways Crossroads supports its mentors is through a monthly newsletter. It offers tips on what to talk about with Bible study students as well as insight into what prisoners deal with on a daily basis.

(Image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)

Through something as simple as exchanging letters with prisoners to communicate Christ’s love, Tebben has seen lives changed – including her own.

“I think it has really deepened my gratitude for what I have and it has very much strengthened my reliance on the Holy Spirit to figure out words that I can write for this specific prisoner. And it’s amazing — when I pray before I write the letter — what starts coming out of my pen that I had not intended to say.”

The following letter is a meaningful response Tebben received from a Crossroads student:

“Dear my Crossroads mentor, I pray this letter brings you as much joy as your letters bring me. May all God’s love, peace, truth, and grace be in your heart and life. I wanted to write you and say thank you for taking the time to comment on my studies with encouraging feedback. I appreciate your prayers. Being a servant and reflecting Jesus’s love to the world is what it’s about. So may you continue to serve Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. God is transforming me into His likeness more and more every day. It’s all praise to Him. I know God has a huge calling for me as a chosen agent in this kingdom. So I’m just trusting in Him and following the Holy Spirit. I lead a little Bible study on the yard and it’s such an honor and privilege to be used as an instrument of righteousness to give Him glory. And it brings me a feeling of joy and fulfillment to be a part of something bigger than me in the world. I wanted to share a word of encouragement with you since you are a blessing in my life. During these times, cling to Jesus, stay in the throne room because our country needs prayer more than ever. I like to remind myself that adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God. Take care. May God keep you safe and healthy.”

You can become a mentor with Crossroads too and advance the Gospel with men and women in prison. Click here to learn more!

Header photo of Marlene Tebben (left) and her friend, Julie (right), both mentors with Crossroads Prison Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Marlene Tebben.)

Christmas cards going out to men and women in prison. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)

Doug Cupery with Crossroads Prison Ministries says, “Especially at this time of year, it’s really a struggle inside prisons and jails…. It tends to be a season of grieving for those we serve — grieving for what has been, what could have been, for the things that they have done that brought themselves into incarceration. Many of those that we serve are parents, brothers, and sisters.”

Crossroads recently mailed 17,000 Christmas letters to men and women in prison.

Cupery says this is the first year the ministry has taken on such a massive Christmas card endeavor in-house.

“Many changes have happened with the mail systems within prisons and jails,” Cupery says. “They have become rather rigid on what can come in. So, historically, we asked our mentors to go ahead and send a card in, but many of those were not getting inside the facilities. They would have glitter on them or they would have color on them. These things just can’t go in anymore. So we made these 17,000 cards in such a way that they could actually get inside the facilities.”

However, they are still encouraging mentors to attempt to send their own notes of encouragement to Crossroads students as well. Because every card that reaches someone in prison is cherished.

“For so many of them, it’s the only word that they have gotten from outside the prison walls all month.”

(Image courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)

Going into the New Year, Crossroads is looking for more mentors to write letters with their students in prison. It’s a meaningful opportunity to love others like Jesus.

Cupery says, “Jesus tells us that when we visit the prisoner, we visit Him. We have to ask ourselves, ‘What does that mean?’ Well, really, it’s a call to get involved to reach the least of these. So we would love to hear from those that may just want to explore, ask a few questions, or actually take that next step and become a mentor in reaching behind prison walls.”

Learn more about becoming a mentor with Crossroads here!

“When we finally figure out that we are all broken people — all of us are broken — it’s just a beautiful picture when we as the broken Church walk alongside broken people.”

Header photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries.

“I had to dig for more,” Schofield says, “so I contacted Mission Cry and got involved.”

Getting Involved

Schofield began collecting his own used Bibles and books, then wondered if he could do even more.

“I knew from the interview that most households have 5 or 6 Bibles that aren’t being used. That certainly resonated with me. Then I started thinking a little bit broader,” Schofield says.

“I involved my church and [held] a Bible drive. I came up with about 200 Bibles in my first year just from my own church alone. I couldn’t mail all those, so I decided to take a trip up to Michigan [to Mission Cry].”

Photo courtesy of Samantha Sophia via Unsplash

Schofield dropped off the Bibles he collected and met Woolford on his visit. The relationship grew from there. Schofield is a state coordinator, overseeing Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. He collects Bibles and books from people in these states when he has time and drives them to Mission Cry once a year.

“It’s basically [a] 100 hundred mile radius, which I feel is pretty reasonable for me to be willing to travel to get Bibles, although I’ll go beyond that just because I believe in this,” he explains.

Power of the Word

Ultimately, Schofield sacrifices his time and energy to collect Bibles because he believes in the power of the Word of God.

“The Word of God is so incredibly important. When you think about it, you’ve got the most powerful thing in the world sitting on your shelf or in your closet in your home. What a great opportunity to be a part of sending His Word out around the world.”

Schofield wasn’t sure how many Bibles he would be able to collect during the pandemic. However, God remained faithful even with the complications caused by COVID-19.

“Even during the pandemic, when most churches were closed and a lot of partners were not open to, God still provided 400 Bibles this year,” he says.

Photo courtesy of Ben White via Unsplash

Schofield reiterates how God is faithful to work through those who are willing to serve.

“I think that if you step forward and you say, ‘I’m willing to do this, I’ll give it a try’ you’ll be amazed at what God will do through you,” he says.

Prayer and Support

Woolford encourages people to pray about how they can get involved like Schofield has.

“[Everyone] has the opportunity [to] be a missionary right here in the United States, collecting Bibles and Christian books and figuring out a way to get them to Mission Cry,” he says.

To learn more about how you can support and be involved in Mission Cry’s ministry, visit their website here.

Header image courtesy of Jonathan Simcoe via Unsplash