INDIA – Things were going as planned until the day we all arrived in India. Two trainers joined me on this trip—one from South Africa and the other from America. The city where the church planting training was to take place had two major problems. First, there was flooding. I was shown a video of the building that was provided for the meeting. The street was like white water rapids. In the video, I saw three people swept away while others on the sidewalks tried to save them. I didn’t see … [Read more...]
The neighborhood bully shows us how to repent
CENTRAL ASIA – Anger consumed the “old Ali,” and he didn’t hesitate to act out on it. Muscular and young, he was confident in his own ability to win any fistfight. All the neighbors on his street in Central Asia knew they shouldn’t cross him. When Ali started yelling, they walked away. Rarely did a week pass when he wasn’t involved in a fistfight with another man or in physical abuse toward his own wife. Yet Ali knew something was deeply wrong in his heart. When Eric Marshall* and Gary … [Read more...]
Deaf Thais start a church where you can’t ‘fake’ it
CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Sombat Apichai* understood only 50 percent of the Thai Sign Language interpretation of the sermon at his church in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The sermon was translated into what is known as word signing, which is in Thai word order, and is different from Thai Sign Language, thus making the translation choppy. To complicate things further, Thai religious vocabulary is hard to understand, even for hearing Thais. Sombat and other Deaf Christians were unable to truly … [Read more...]
IMB worker Andy Leininger of Missouri dies at 56
BOLIVAR, Mo. – Andrew (Andy) N. Leininger, who served as a Christian worker in the former Soviet Union for 22 years, died in his home state of Missouri on Oct. 13. He was 56. In November 2016, Leininger was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive cancer that caused a brain tumor. In the months that followed, he had multiple surgeries and treatments. On October 12, 2019, his wife Elizabeth shared an update on Facebook that Leininger had moved to hospice care. On October 13, … [Read more...]
Southeast Asian earthquake victims find physical, spiritual healing in Christ
SOUTHEAST ASIA—Cahya* sped home on his motorbike, desperate to see his family in the wake of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. He had waited 30 minutes — long enough to let the tremors subside — but a sudden landslide took him by surprise. The treacherous trip affected Cahya’s life forever. When he resumed consciousness, he had two broken legs. Unable to afford medical care, Cahya and his parents sought out the shaman for healing, but his efforts were painful and fruitless. About six … [Read more...]
Southern Baptists engage in Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics, Rugby World Cup
TOKYO, Japan – The world will converge on Tokyo, Japan, twice in the span of a year for two international sporting events, the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Olympics. Southern Baptists and their local church partners in Tokyo will be there to share the gospel with the players, coaches, and fans. Between the Rugby World Cup matches this month, rugby fans supporting the twenty qualifying countries are joining the crowds in Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing. Southern Baptist volunteers from … [Read more...]
From desert to ocean: East Asian believer celebrates journey to faith
EAST ASIA – There are times when the vast lostness in East Asia feels abstract, and others when the statistics fade, replaced by real stories of people I love, like my close friend Karen.* She heard the gospel for the first time after she moved to my city for college. Living in a small town with a Buddhist mother and an atheist father, Karen had never even met a Christian until she moved to the city where I serve. Still today, no one in her family shares her faith, and she doesn’t know … [Read more...]
Muslim who became Hindu for love finds Jesus in South Asia
SOUTH ASIA – Zoya’s* family life was a mess. She had fallen in love with a Hindu man, and consequently, her Muslim family disowned her. As the years went by, she became the mother of two and a dutiful Hindu. But her marriage suffered when her husband Azad* began drinking too much. A friend brought Zoya to the home of Baptist workers Alexander and Lillian Traverston,* where Zoya found a job as a language tutor. As they studied, Lillian shared stories from a children’s Bible. And as time … [Read more...]
Deaf adults in South Asia learn stories about the One True God
CAROLINE ANDERSON/IMB SOUTH ASIA – IMB missionary Bethany Forrester* meets regularly with a group of four Deaf friends from South Asia. These friends are Hindus and are very interested in knowing more about the One True God. Forrester teaches the group Bible stories in sign language. They are eager to remember the stories and to learn more. Each night, Forrester and the group discuss a different story, and she has presented the gospel multiple times. They’ve talked about baptism and … [Read more...]
Master’s Gardeners program cultivates work in the Lord’s fields
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is by Madeline Arthington, a writer who serves with IMB in Central Asia. HUNGARY—IMB missionaries Gary and Carolyn Miller are tapping into a Hungarian love of nature to build bridges for gospel work through a program called “The Master’s Gardeners.” The idea of using a horticultural program to share the gospel came to Gary several years ago while he was prayerwalking. He stopped to chat with an elderly woman hoeing her garden. His background in farming led … [Read more...]
Deaf adults in South Asia learn stories about the One True God
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was written by Caroline Anderson, who serves in southeast Asia as a writer and media specialist for the IMB. SOUTH ASIA—International Mission Board (IMB) missionary Bethany Forrester* meets regularly with a group of four Deaf friends from South Asia. These friends are Hindus and are very interested in knowing more about the One True God. Forrester teaches the group Bible stories in sign language. They are eager to remember the stories and to learn … [Read more...]
Men in the Middle East delve into God’s Word
THE MIDDLE EAST – Nasser* is a local believer who is faithfully leading a Bible study for a group of his friends in the Middle East. These men all grew up following the teachings of Muhammad, but now they have made the life-altering decision to follow Christ. They face persecution and discrimination because of their choice. When they gather to study God’s Word, Nasser and his friends first talk about how they are growing in their faith. They then move into a time of worship, followed … [Read more...]