SOUTH ASIA – Sampson* grew up in a Christian home where his father was the pastor of a large, traditional church in South Asia. When Sampson got married, God began to stir his heart for a new work in one of the largest cities in South Asia—more than 250 miles from his home and family. The first few years of ministry were difficult. Sampson and his wife lost their newborn shortly after birth. Then, one day as they gathered for worship and fellowship with friends, their house caught fire … [Read more...]
In Central Asia, Defne shares her faith boldly, faithfully despite struggles
CENTRAL ASIA – Two years ago, Defne* got her hands on a Bible. The love of a Father-God attracted her — it was foreign to anything she had ever experienced in her 22 years of life. Abandoned by her parents, Defne grew up with her grandmother and the constant reminder that no one wanted her. No one loved her, that is, until she met Jesus. When Defne found out about a church of Central Asian believers in a nearby town, she boarded a bus and suffered through a two-hour ride. The believers … [Read more...]
Southern Baptist workers introduce Kenyan family to the Great Physician
KENYA – Fatuma* is raising her five children in a one-room metal house in the slum-of-slums of Nairobi, Kenya. Fatuma knows that despite the squalid living conditions, her children have something she never had as a child: love. After she was orphaned, Fatuma was sent to be raised by her aunt and uncle. They treated her like a servant and kept her home from school to clean. Her hunger to learn once resulted in a beating after she leafed through a cousin’s school book. Prayers for … [Read more...]
Asian believers struggle in search of truth
CENTRAL ASIA – Melisa* and her university-aged daughter Ada* came to faith and were baptized in their hometown in Central Asia a few years ago. They later moved to another city for Ada’s education and got connected with the local church. Their attendance at church, however, has deteriorated into periodic participation in informal church events. Ada often prioritizes an English class on Sundays to church fellowship. Melisa, only 16 years older than her daughter, prefers to stay home from … [Read more...]
Hope reaches the deaf in South Asia
SOUTH ASIA – The imam placed his copy of the Quran carefully on the table and called the men at the memorial service to attention. He opened the book, lifted his hands toward heaven, and began to chant in honor of the man who had died. The Deaf men in the room copied the stance but remained silent, as they couldn’t hear the verbal entreaty. At least the men were able to see the ceremony; the Deaf women in the next room covered their heads and wondered what was happening. One thing was … [Read more...]
Pakistani voices his faith to fellow migrant workers
GREECE (BP) – Waseem* could never be accused of lacking passion. Having grown up in a Christian family in Pakistan, Waseem often defended his faith in heated religious debates with Muslims on the streets of Lahore. He brought his fervor with him to southern Europe where he sought work -- and more arguments about the Gospel with fellow Pakistani migrants. Over time, God used the counsel of other Christians, and even a stint in jail, to redirect Waseem's energies toward a biblical model for … [Read more...]
Singermans see cooperative gospel effort in Sub-Saharan Africa
BENIN, West Africa – In the country that birthed voodoo, Beninese Baptists are working collectively to pray for and support the spread of the gospel. It’s a story IMB missionary Barbara Singerman can’t share without tearing up. “They are investing in missions,” she said. “They are expressing a love and appreciation and oneness —participation in the work. We are completely overwhelmed.” She and her husband, Jeff, lived in the West African country of Benin for 24 years. When they moved to … [Read more...]
Looking for work, Venezuelan refugee finds hope in God’s Word
VENEZUELA – Fernando* felt like a failure. For a month-and-a-half he had been looking for work in Colombia, where he didn’t know anyone. He longed to hold his wife and daughter again, but he couldn’t return to Venezuela without a solution. He and his wife had agreed: if they wanted a better future for their daughter, he needed to go. Although Fernando had maintained a good job in Venezuela, the country’s growing instability — poor schooling, a lack of basic medicine and food, and a … [Read more...]
IMB’s Platt: When we pray, God works
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- No matter what the story is, whether it's a family planting a church in a doctor's office in Japan or a young man sharing truth over coffee with university students in Mexico City, International Mission Board president David Platt says two things are true: God is at work through missionaries around the world and praying for them matters. "This isn't just a rushed or mechanical exercise. God has ordained our prayer as a means to accomplish His purpose in the world," … [Read more...]
Prayerwalking: Reaching a city on foot
INDONESIA (BP) – It started with a map and a book. The map laid out the sprawling city in which International Mission Board worker Howard Brackey* lives. The book challenged Howard to put feet to his prayers for the city. The book hit close to home. In “That None Should Perish: How to Reach Entire Cities for Christ Through Prayer Evangelism,” author Ed Silvoso described undertaking the task of prayerwalking a large South American city. As Howard read the book, he thought about his … [Read more...]
In Indonesia, opportunities for healing abound
INDONESIA (BP) – It wasn’t tropical tourism that first brought Rosemary Brackey* to Indonesia more than a decade ago. It was her desire to offer healing hands to the country after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed an estimated 170,000 Indonesians alone. At the time, Rosemary was a telemetry nurse, monitoring patients’ vital signs for Liberty Hospital in a Kansas City suburb. She and her husband Howard* had felt called to global missions but were waiting for the Lord’s timing. Nearly 88 … [Read more...]
BREAKING: IMB announces final phase of organizational reset
RICHMOND, Va. – The International Mission Board is in a position, financially, where no missionaries will be required to leave the field as the organization wraps up its two-phase reset, IMB President David Platt announced Thursday, Jan. 14. In the second phase of the IMB’s plan to address revenue shortfalls and complete a reset of the organization, leadership also announced details of a Hand Raising Opportunity (HRO) during two town hall meetings. The HRO plan, leaders shared, … [Read more...]