LIfe As A Missionary Kid

Life is not easy for the missionary kid; we move, we lose and we start again. We leave our friends and family, we learn the rough side of this world, we see things regular kids do not see, we feel things regular people don’t feel and most of all; we will never completely fit in. We learn to help ourselves and sometimes forget we need help from the outside as well. Maybe we feel like that some days, but on the other side, we learn to enjoy and take every moment as unique. We see the world and its beauties, we gain wisdom and learn to trust God, and he reveals himself to us and teaches us how to trust him.

We are blessed; we learn to fight through the tough things of this life, we see the color in people’s hearts, we learn what’s wrong with this world and we look and think about ways to fix it. We learn that we cant completely fit in because we are not like most kids, and then we embrace that difference, we learn to live with it and love it and then come to a conclusion that we are that difference. There’s always the chance that the hearts of the people we meet along the way are gray and without color, even though there’s always a chance of people making us feel different and telling us how we don’t fit in and involuntarily, they blur our eyes and we forget about our purpose and value. But even though all of those things eventually happen, we look back and see change, and then we look forward and suddenly expect greatness.

We look back at those tough moments in our lives and just can’t describe how God has always been there for us, how even though those storms seemed never-ending, He opened the clouds and gave us light again. He didn’t let go when we were certain we were about to. We felt His warmth when everything around us was cold. Then we look to our present and even though it might seem horrible and without a way out, we know someone is looking out for us, and that that someone will bring back the light again. Suddenly we feel peace and tranquility, we feel that nothing is wrong, we know that everything is going to be okay. There is a back door to our problem and our guide will help us find it.

Being in constant movement is not easy; we see even the truest of friendships die and we are forced to start new ones, we leave our friends and when we come back they are not the same. Then when we finally settle down we love, but at the same time hate, having missionary friends; we love having them because they understand what we go through, they know our situation and they sympathize with us. But as we grow accustomed to them we hate having them because we know that soon they are going to leave and we will be strangers again. But now I understand the great beauty of them, we learn to enjoy every moment together because it might be the last one, we don’t take them for granted because on a level we depend on them, they become our brothers and sisters and also a rock where we can lay down our heads and just let go of the craziness of the world around us.

What if everybody was like that? What if everybody was able to experience the world and start over again? What if friends were friends and they counted each moment as their last so there wouldn’t be any regrets?

Fernando Ramirez
Missionary Kid

Fernando Ramirez is the son of David Ramirez, field director to South America.

Using Media Missions

It is finally a reality! MediaLight will open its doors from January 5-March 21, 2010, at our base in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This is an intensive 10 week program for those who are serious about being a light to this dark world. We will cover personal life management, spirituality for ministry, the core teachings of Jesus and what it means to be a Christian leader.

Half the time and energy will be spent on learning how to be a messenger through modern media, especially video made for the Internet. Room, board and tuition for the first session will be only $2,500. Students from developing nations can benefit from a $1,250 tuition discount. All Asian nations, except Singapore, Japan and Korea, qualify for the developing nations scholarship.

* There are only 25 slots in this special, hands-on program and only 12 are left, so if you are interested you need to sign up soon. Contact Jacki Quinley at info@emergenetwork.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it, who is serving as our registrar.
* We have an outstanding slate of teachers from the Philippines, America, South Africa and Thailand, including Graham and Dianne Vermooten from Media Village in Cape Town, and also Paul Richardson from Path of Palms, a full-scale media production house.

These ten weeks could change your life!

~Chuck and Sherry Quinley,
Missionary to Thailand
Project Number 0600031

Social Networking Missions

Most of us can remember when E-mail was considered the most cutting-edge means of communication available. In recent years, the prevalence of social networking sites like Myspace, and particularly Facebook, have broadened the means for electronic communication.

Why would people elect to communicate through Facebook rather than E-mail? For many users, Facebook is an invaluable tool for gathering information in a timely manner. "People tend to log onto social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace before they check their own E-mail nowadays," says Brandon Spell, graphic designer for the World Missions Media Team. "Because of this, Facebook has become a great way to share and gather information quickly."

Vernice Blackaby, secretary to the assistant director, agrees. "Surprisingly, many missionaries send me official requests through Facebook instead of through E-mail," she says. "Many of the missionaries post their newsletters and blogs on Facebook."

Along with posting blogs, articles and photos, many social networking users communicate by sharing information through their "status updates," where users share a sentence or two about their current activities. According to Blackaby, sharing information in this way is useful for maintaining closer, more immediate contact with missionaries than would be possible through E-mail or telephone. "My favorite part about using Facebook is keeping up with [missionaries] and their families since everyone uses Facebook to write what is going on in their personal lives," she continues. "I like to know them not just as missionaries, but also through their personal every-day family lives."

Social networking sites like Facebook make it easier to connect with other users quickly in critical situations. Yvette Morales, WM projects secretary, shares, "For me, Facebook has been very useful for getting in touch with our people in the field. When attempts at gathering urgent information through E-mail and telephone contact are unsuccessful, I generally receive replies to Facebook messages in less than 15 minutes.

"This is a very effective tool and it really does make my job easier," Morales concludes. “I’m grateful for the role social networking plays in helping to reach the lost around the world.”

~ Lisa Campagna, World Missions staff member
Lisa is also part of the heart, vision, action team of World Missions

Ministering to Muslims

Vance Massengill, education coordinator for the Mediterranean and Middle East shares:

I recently returned to Croatia after a summer of classes. In the coming months, we are planning on making trips to Israel, Greece, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and hopefully Lebanon.

Although school was really tiring, it certainly recharged my batteries. One of my classes focused on Muslim evangelism and church planting. The Muslim world is growing so fast, even in the United States. During the class, we visited a mosque... in Springfield, Missouri. It was absolutely full of people. Although Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, God is at work and moving in the Muslim world. There is so much to be done, but with the power of the Holy Spirit and a determined church body, the tides can be turned and Muslims can come to understand the love of Christ.

My second class was on using a cultural anthropological approach to leadership training. This fall I will be teaching "cultural anthropology" and "leadership development." We are excited and challenged at the opportunity to work in the Middle East (the front lines of the Great Commission) and help develop and train the leaders, ministers and missionaries of God's future church.

We are excited and challenged at the opportunity to work in the Middle East and help develop and train the leaders, ministers and missionaries. To be able to minister to the Muslim world today and prepare others to do it tomorrow is our heart's greatest desire and we thank God for the blessing we have to do both.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vance and Kari Massengill
Education Coordinator
Mediterranean/Middle East
Project Number 0650069

A Testimony of Perseverance

The following is a testimony from Sudan:

Gabriel was led by the Lord to preach to the Chad tribe in the Nuba Mountains. There is a very strong Muslim presence in this tribe. Although the people of the village were very friendly towards Gabriel and his friends, the men told the women not to give them any food.

As the days went by, Gabriel realized they weren’t going to get any nourishment. He decided to stay and fast, but his friends went back to their village. As time went by, Gabriel realized they were going to starve him to death. He decided to travel to a nearby village, buy some food and return to the Chad tribe. He traveled by foot and it took him a day to get there. He ate his own food for two or three days and then went without for a few days.

This went on for nine months. Gabriel’s friends, who came to visit him, pleaded with him to go back to his own village and stop witnessing to the Chad tribe but he refused. As the rainy season approached, he realized he needed to go back to his own village for the time of the rainy season. Before he left, God opened the ears of some of the young children to listen to him. He told them he would return after the rainy season. The adults of the village laughed as he left, saying this preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ will never come back again.

A few months later, Gabriel returned to the village of the Chad tribe, preaching again the gospel of Jesus Christ. The adults were very surprised when he returned. How wrong he would prove them to be! Today there is a small church in the Chad tribe because a servant of God chose to preach the gospel in and out of season!

World Missions Centennial

World Missions is gearing up for our 100th anniversary in January 2010!

Please visit our centennial website for details on all the celebratory events and to read about our history.

Click here: Centennial Website

Backpacking A Success

Backpacks seem like a strange tool for sharing the Gospel but when God gives an idea there is a purpose. They have helped open doors, first with the local partners but more importantly with the people on the streets.

Our first four days were spent in the city of Debrecen, Hungary's second largest city. After meetings with the local partners to introducing ourselves, they invited us to see their ministries. The Reformed Church has a day shelter where they feed up to 60 people. They also have Bible study and worship time. In the evening several of these same people find refuge in a government-funded night shelter.

Much of our time was spent on the streets visiting homeless in various places. Our guide was Christina, a full time social worker and committed servant. She took us to many places including the woods where two brothers lived in a makeshift tent, to the dump where a couple lived in an old train car trailer and then to the train station. We visited the homeless in parks, on the street and in temporary shelters out in fields.

As we presented the backpacks, we told them that many people and churches back in America were involved with gathering goods and putting together the gifts. "Those same people are praying for you even now," we told them. We showed them the many items in the bag and explained the space blanket. Then we gave the most important gift in the bag...the Bible. Some were familiar with the Bible others were not. Some had tears as we told them of God's love for them and shared the message of His word. Especially moving were the words, “God knows you, He loves you, and He has not forgotten you. He hears your prayers.”

The impressions left on all of us will not fade easily. I know without a doubt some lives were changed as the result of a simple backpack. Of the 30 bags given in Debrecen, for certain five people had a visible encounter with the living Spirit of God. Of course there were the naysayers in the balcony telling us our efforts were in vain. They said many of the backpacks were sold for alcohol or cigarettes at a fraction of their value. They did not understand. We did not come to watch the people carry backpacks and use the contents of these gifts. We were there to obey the Father’s directive to be givers in His name. The results are in the mighty hands of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. May His name be blessed!

As a result of this trip a new ministry is being birthed here in Debrecen. Someday they hope to have a rehabilitation center complete with a church just for the homeless. The ultimate vision is to bring the talents of each organization together to change lives in Jesus’ name. God's plan is large and He will enlist our many hands.

~Jason and Valeria Wiser (Missionaries to Ukraine)