RICHMOND, Va. – Shirley Clark and her husband, Charles, served as missionaries in Venezuela for more than 30 years. They were appointed in 1951, studied the Spanish language in Costa Rica for one year, then moved to Venezuela as church planters. For more than three decades, they served among the Venezuelans. Charles served in roles including pastor, Executive Director of the Venezuela Baptist Convention, and professor at the Venezuela Baptist Seminary. Both Charles and Shirley served during … [Read more...]
Japanese Family Comes to Faith
FUKUOKA, Japan – When IMB worker Jack Wattanawongsawang and his wife, Prinna, moved to Fukuoka, Japan, at the end of 2016, one of the first things they began to do was prayerwalk. They’d leave their apartment, pick a direction, and just start walking. Along the way, they’d pray for God to lead them to the people He had prepared for them to meet, and for God to direct them to the places He’d prepared for them to go. And then, they’d pray one more thing. They’d pray specifically for God … [Read more...]
‘They call me Mom’: God gives unexpected family to single missionary
THAILAND (IMB) – The words weren’t easy for Angela to hear: “If you go back as a single career missionary, you probably will never get married.” She understood that her adviser wanted her to consider the sacrifice she might have to make by committing to long-term missions. A one-way ticket to another country could greatly decrease her chances of meeting a husband and having a family. “It was a count-the-cost moment,” Angela says, though she was not deterred from God’s call on her life. In … [Read more...]
IMB’s first virtual Sending Celebration scheduled for June 9, 2020
RICHMOND, Va.– Since 1845, nearly 25,000 Southern Baptist missionaries have shared the gospel, made disciples, planted churches and settled their families in 185 countries around the world. Sending Celebrations are a time to commission new missionaries who are furthering the vision of reaching all peoples with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Considering the necessary cancellation of the SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, where the Sending Celebration was to take place, IMB has moved … [Read more...]
Gospel advances in South Asia despite travel restrictions
SOUTH ASIA (IMB) – Dasya* was at the end of his rope. He needed to provide for his family and had no means of doing so in his village. He walked three days on foot, sleeping on the side of the road, to search for work in a larger city. When Dasya arrived in the city, he had no food, no place to stay and no work prospects. A friend suggested that he pray to Jesus for help. Dasya did, and the Lord answered by sending a stranger who gave him enough money to pay for a place to live in the … [Read more...]
Baptism continues, though Rome church services canceled
Church planter explains impact of coronavirus response in Italy EDITOR'S NOTE: The Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) has a missions partnership in northeast Italy. To learn more about this partnership, contact MBC Multiplying Churches Director Rick Hedger (rhedger@mobaptist.org) or visit https://mobaptist.org/partnership-missions/ends-of-the-earth/. The article below is written by Reid Karr, a church planter with the IMB serving in Italy. ROME, Italy – Although the actual number of … [Read more...]
IMB recommends mission volunteers postpone travel due to coronavirus risk
In light of the continuing global expansion of the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus), the International Mission Board’s coronavirus task force and senior leadership recommend that mission volunteers from U.S. churches postpone international mission-trip travel through April 30. This date could be extended and will be reevaluated by April 15. IMB also recommends that people who have not yet purchased tickets for future travel wait and monitor continued risks of travel before buying tickets. … [Read more...]
Response to gospel evident in the Balkans, despite challenges
MACEDONIA – Before she met Jesus, Gryta* had a very low self-esteem. Her past holds experiences of abuse, neglect and health issues. A few years ago, she met Amy Williams, an IMB missionary, at an ESL class. Amy befriended Gryta and told her about the boundless love of the Savior. Gryta then went to a Bible study where she received more kindness and acceptance from other Christian women. Unfortunately, her patterns of destructive behavior continued. Gryta lives in Macedonia, officially … [Read more...]
Social media proving key to reaching young adults
Guadalajara, Mexico – Young adults of Latin America have grown up wired, as in many other cultures. They use smartphones to interact but not just when they are apart. Young people in the same room text each other, simultaneously following separate chats, interacting over shared photos and videos. They use phones to check webpages for homework assignments and they email one-paragraph reports to teachers who cut to the chase in lectures, preparing students to communicate in the soundbites of … [Read more...]
South Carolina volunteers reach refugees in Greece with gospel
GREECE – During the summer of 2019, South Carolina Baptist volunteers developed a greater understanding of the plight of refugees. Tom Hilliard* and Brett May*, two of the state’s volunteers spent a month ministering to refugees crowded into a camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Their service was arranged through South Carolina Baptist Convention’s Missions Mobilization office. Hilliard and May looked into the eyes of desperate, exhausted people who fled Syria’s war or Afghanistan’s … [Read more...]
IMB worker learns from delayed harvests
More than a decade ago, Liam Remington*, an IMB worker new to the mission field, found himself in a riverside town in the mountains. That same day, a young nomad named L.T.* came to the same town. Remington, a trained linguist, was hoping to conduct language surveys in the area. L.T. happened to be from the people group Remington was hoping to meet. Remington and L.T. happened to meet on a street corner. It was a divine encounter. Remington was a willing witness and L.T. was a seeking … [Read more...]
IMB missionary: ‘I’ll continue to pray’
CENTRAL ASIA – Praying in the local language is one of the hardest things I’ve done on the mission field. My face has flushed hot with embarrassment as I trip over grammar and falter over each word. I can’t count how many times I’ve wondered if any of the spiritual words I’m stringing together in prayer make sense. But I’m convinced praying in the local language is one of the most important things I’ve done. I recently visited my neighbor who had just celebrated her 98th birthday. She … [Read more...]
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