I recently read this quote from a book of mission quotes compiled by Marvin J. Newell called Expect Great Things. I think it would do us all good to read it and adopt the heart it speaks of.
During the last world war, on the Gold Coast of Africa, there lived an elderly African man who had honorably served his Majesty’s government and had been given a small pension. With it he retired to the hills to farm. One day while he was working with his hoe, he heard a message come by drumbeat across the jungle forest. He stopped to listen and to translate it for himself. He learned that a Great War had begun and that his Majesty’s government was in great need of help. About a week later at the little ramshackle post office down on the coast, the postmaster processed a grimy little postcard on which this eloquent message was written, “Your Majesty, I am coming.” May God hear that from hundreds of hearts today; “Here am I, send me.”
Warren Webster (WW1)
At Saving Grace World Missions, we desire to minister with that attitude of surrender and availability and to train up those whose hearts echo that cry. Calvary School of Missions is a program the Lord birthed out of our ministry to equip called individuals for the work of full-time ministry in a foreign context. This month was a month of incredible growth and sanctification for our 11 students and there are still two weeks to go!
I have had the privilege of facilitating the School from the office and would love to share a few highlights I’ve read in the students’ weekly updates.
Last week the students learned about the 3 billion people of the world who have no access to the Bible, Churches, or Christians and this is what Spencer Pierschbacher had to say, “Class time this week was very heavy and eye-opening. We were learning about the state of the gospel in the world and the fact that there are still 3 billion people in the world who do not have access to it. What does that mean? They cannot even make the decision to accept or reject Jesus because they don’t even have access to that message. It’s not, “They don’t want to be Christian”, it’s “They don’t even have the ability to be Christian.” Does that rock you? It rocks me. It troubles me. It hurts me. I pray God sends me one day, but for now I know what He’s asking me to do.”
The students have been stirred up and brokenhearted for the lost people of the world even more than they were when they started the school and that’s exactly what we want! We wanted to further spur them on into the call that God has for them and show them the urgency of this task we’ve all been given. The School is designed to identify and catalyze the call of God upon future missionaries and we in the office are so excited to read the weekly updates as the Lord does just that.
The students and staff of this year’s School have also conducted weekly COVID outreaches in the communities around them in Mexico. These outreaches have included arts, crafts, and games for kids, short messages shared by students, food distribution, and manual labor. The outreaches are essential for the students to put into practice all that they learn in the classroom, but, more than that, they’re essential for people’s eternal souls! We’re seeing many people put their faith in Christ through these events! You can read all of the student updates for yourself on the CSOM page of our website.
I have been preparing the office to receive some of these soon-to-be School of Missions Alumni as SGWM Interns where they will continue to be discipled and equipped for full-time mission work wherever the Lord would call them. I have been working with our department head, Pastor Tim Pappas, to further develop our training program and overall internship based on the things we learned from our pilot year in 2019. We are so excited to see which of our students the Lord has called as interns for the next year!
It is such a privilege to partner with these zealous future missionaries as they answer the call to go on behalf of the Gospel and as they daily cry out, “Here am I, send me.”
Thank you for partnering with me in this work of preparing them, sending them, and supporting them.
Prayer Requests
Please keep our students and staff in Mexico in your prayers!
Please pray that the Lord would separate out those He has chosen for the Internship.
Please pray for the Lord’s provision as SGWM continues to bring COVID relief around the world.
Praise Reports
I am a married woman! Our wedding was a blessing and NO ONE got sick! We made sure that Christ was the main focus and that the Gospel went forth.
We are seeing fruit from last year’s School of Missions and Intern program (a year of sowing for us, many years of sowing for God) as several of our alumni/interns are preparing to launch into the field.
I got to share the Gospel with many unsaved family members and friends at my uncle’s Celebration of Life.
Below are some photos from some of our missionaries’ updates this month that I would like to share as praise reports.