Christmas in July

.

Last week, I was driving home from work and listening to Christmas music on the radio and was instantly taken back to one particular evening in my favorite coffee shop in Southeast Asia. We spent a lot of time in this particular coffee shop, consuming more iced coffee, tea, and smoothies than we probably should have. Sometimes we would hang out there simply because it had air con, fans, and ice- a nice relief for the scorching heat and humidity. Other times, we would go there because we didn't have any other plans and just weren't sure what else to do.

One day, my teammates and I were just sitting there staring at each other, running out of things to talk about, when I finally suggested that since we spend so much time at the coffee shop, we should get to know the workers! I'm not sure why this hadn't crossed our minds before, but it may, in part, be due to the fact that the workers never spoke English to us so we assumed that they didn't speak any English. It turns out that they spoke quite a bit of English but had just been too "shy" to talk to us. We ended up building a friendship with them that was mostly based on laughter (those boys are hilarious) and would go to that coffee shop during the afternoon (when business was slow) specifically to hang out with them. We had shared a couple of random stories from the Bible which they thought were cool, but that was about the extent of that. One day, as a team, we decided that we needed to start praying more boldly and more specifically, rather than generally.

Shortly after making that decision, we were once again hanging out in our favorite coffee shop when, all of a sudden, "Silent Night" starts playing overhead. This was extremely surprising because 1) it was the middle of July, and 2) you don't hear songs about God in this country. The coffee shop workers are the ones who choose which song will play next as they typically just search different songs on YouTube. We excitedly ran up to the counter and I told the coffee shop boy, "Hey, I love this song!", and then asked him if he knew what it was about. He thought about it for a second and then proceeded to tell us that he thought the song was about "a boy breaking up with a girl." :)  Trying not to laugh, I acknowledged his clever thought, and told him that I could tell him what the song was really about! We then got to share the meaning of "Silent Night", then the meaning of Christmas, which led into sharing the whole Gospel message. Our coffee shop boy listened intently

to the stories, but did not ask many questions. Afterwards, we shared some more of our favorite Christmas songs and he looked up the lyrics to each one and read and listened as we explained what they all meant. It was such a sweet, sweet time. The coffee shop boy may not have made any sort of decision that afternoon, but he came one step closer...he heard the greatest news of all time for the very first time!

As we were heading home that day, my teammate, A, said she had been silently praying for a specific opportunity to be able to share with those boys just minutes before Silent Night (randomly, but not so randomly) started playing! God is so good and I can tell you without a doubt that He answers prayers. I learned to pray specifically, pray boldly, and have faith that God is big enough to answer prayers. This Christmas season, and even throughout the upcoming year (July, maybe?), I encourage you to pray for opportunities to share the story of Jesus' birth with someone who has not yet had the chance to hear!

-Megan

#whywego     #ntp52

Please tell me how I can go to heaven!

Over the course of the past summer, my friends and I encountered so many wonderful people. There were times when we were tired, worn out, perplexed, and discouraged but, the Lord constantly sent people our way who would encourage us to keep going.

Toward the last leg of the summer, we had been hiking for many miles in the beating sun. We approached a village that seemed like all the rest. I recall this day being specifically hot and draining and we were desperate for rest.

Our team gathered under the platform of the village leader's home, where we hoped to rest for the night. With much sincerity, the village leader apologized when he informed us there was no room for us in his home. It was relatively small and his whole family still lived there with him. My selfishness drove me to being annoyed with this village, though I made every effort not to let my actions show it. I was honestly ready to strap up our packs and head out to the next village.

Moments later, an elderly woman came out of her home insisting that we all stay with her. She was a widow, who had been living alone for many years. My teammates and I were overjoyed that the Lord was working in our waiting and, that He provided even when I doubted.

We rested well that night and enjoyed most of the next day in that village. When we returned to the lady's house that evening we found her weeping in her kitchen along with her friend (who was also a widow). We were concerned about the situation and we asked what was going on. She proceeded to tell us that she felt a peaceful presence in her home while we were there and when we left for the day it was gone. We told her with confidence that it was completely the presence of the Holy Spirit with us.

"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." - 1 John 1:27

From that statement, the conversation transitioned to a spiritual topic and this woman wanted to know how she could know Jesus. She explained how she had not fulfilled all the requirements of her faith, and she feared she would surely go to hell.

I'll never forget her words: "Please tell me how I can go to heaven!"

Her friend who had been with her in her mourning had been hearing the entire conversation as well. By the end of the conversation we were all compelled to tears and the two ladies asked Jesus to save them.

It was so beautiful to see what God had done even in my selfishness and even though we were so exhausted. The presence of the King was with us and we brought His Kingdom to a small platform home in a remote village of Southeast Asia.

There are people like this all over the world who are saying "Please tell me how I can go to Heaven!" They will never know if we never go! We serve a living God. Go and see what He WILL do through you this summer. But I warn you, do not go if you are not willing to learn more about God, push yourself to new limits, or see people come to know Jesus as Lord of their life.

-Coty

#whywego      #ntp52

Team of the Week: Disciple Maker in Cambodia

This country is a nation still recovering from the national genocide of the late 1970's. Because of the millions who died in that era, the youth of today are TRULY the future of Cambodia. Approximately 75% of the population is under the age of 30. Less than 1% know Christ. Your purpose? Make Christ known among the youth of the country. Your team will labor in sharing the gospel, building relationships, communicating Christ, discipling young believers,
and forming small groups.

Your first stop will be a joint orientation with other Nehemiah Teams. Learning the skills needed to carry out your assignment as well as team building will fill these first few days. Your team will then fly to your final destination for the summer. Following your ministry time you will return to the US for a join debrief... sharing all God has done over the summer.

IMB Job #: 111931
Location: Cambodia
Team size: 6
Field expense: $1815 plus round trip airfare, passport & visa costs, and required travel insurance

Click for MORE INFO or TO APPLY

Dates for Summer 2016
May 23  Team leader orientation begins
May 26  Team member orientation begins
May 31  Teams leave for the field
July 26  Teams arrive back for debrief
July 29  Students return home

Why the "Lottie Moon" Christmas Offering???

Watch and learn about the woman and her impact on Southern Baptist missions until today.

#whywego

#whywegive

Week of Prayer: Day 7

Training the Next Generation in the Philippines

When someone shouted, “Your uncle is coming,” everyone in the Philippine village knew it was the secret code that really meant “run and hide.” Neighbors disappeared into small concrete homes until IMB missionaries Dave and Ivette Daggett had come and gone.

A few, including curious children and teenagers, stuck around to hear what the foreigners had to say.

The Daggetts led Bible studies, and some youth came against their parents’ wishes.

Now, 11 years later, a church meets here, led by some of the same children and youth who met with the Daggetts years ago. They have even seen God use them to help start several Deaf churches.

“It’s the younger ones who have stepped up in leadership,” Dave said. “They share the gospel and are going with us to evangelize in other areas.”

Through weekly training sessions and Bible studies, Dave and Ivette continue discipling youth in the Philippines to go out and train others to lead. They give them opportunities to lead and to share their faith through events such as medical and dental clinics, anti-smoking and dental hygiene seminars, and True Love Waits seminars.

“The more fruit we see, the more joy we have,” Dave said. “We don’t want to slow down or hold back.”

---

PRAYER POINTS

» Pray young leaders will grow in their faith and disciple more youth who are ready to become leaders.

» Pray for the Daggetts as they have accepted the Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI) and are retiring from the IMB.

Click HERE to read more & watch videos.

Week of Prayer: Day 6

Called as a Church Family in Mexico

“Wherever you go, we go.”

First Baptist Church in Oxford, Mississippi, made this commitment to Jeff and Liesa Holeman long before they began serving as IMB missionaries in 2008.

Investing in young lives has come full circle. The Holemans now mentor dozens of students and young adults from across the United States each year, many who return to the missions field for extended terms of service. 

“That’s who first invested in me — my church,” Liesa says. “We want other churches to do the same. … God called the church to do this. And we as missionaries have a responsibility to help our churches touch, feel and understand our stories … to help them understand the importance of going to the nations.”

In the three years since the Holemans began serving as cluster strategy leaders in Oaxaca, Mexico, the Oxford church has adopted the Tlacolula Valley Zapotec.

“We have a huge support group behind us … they don’t let go of us,” Jeff says. “That’s a two-way street. We value our relationship with one another. Just because we’re out of sight, we’re not out of mind. We know this because of the way they love us.”

---

PRAYER POINTS

» Pray for the Holemans as they reach people groups in Mexico, some who have no access to the gospel.

» Pray for more churches to send missionaries to the nations, and thank God for the Holemans’ partnership with the Oxford church.

Click HERE to read more & watch videos

Team of the Week: Global City Outreach

Destination: Southeast Asia Global City. Share the Gospel in English with one of the largest people groups in the world. Encourage local believers. Minister to refugees & marginalized. If you enjoy city living or ever wanted to try it, this is the opportunity for you.

Your first stop will be a joint orientation with other Nehemiah Teams, learning the skills you need to carry out your assignment. You will then travel to the field to spend your summer carrying out the task you've prepared for. At the end of the summer, travel back to a joint debrief, sharing all that God has done over the summer.

IMB Job #: 112083
Location: Southeast Asia
Team size:  12
Field expense: $1627 plus round trip airfare, passport expenses, immunizations, required travel insurance, etc.

Click for MORE INFO or TO APPLY 

Dates for Summer 2016

May 23  Team Leaders arrive at orientation

May 26  Team members arrive at orientation

May 31  Teams depart for the field

July 26  Teams arrive back for debrief

July 29  Students return home

Week of Prayer: Day 5

Church Takes Gospel to Unreached in Southeast Asia

Old Town Baptist Church had no idea their prayers to take the gospel to an unreached people group would lead them from North Carolina to remote Southeast Asia villages.

The church already participated in international missions by going on missions trips and supporting missionaries by giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

But knowing billions without hope in Christ is intolerable, they wanted to do more.

“We have an ongoing commitment to supporting the missions offering,” said Mark Harrison, Old Town missions pastor. “We also have a deep commitment to come alongside our IMB partners and work with them on the ground.”

As the church prayed, God led them to the “T” people. Most are Buddhist and have never heard about Jesus.

Missionaries helped Harrison learn about the T people and Southeast Asian culture. Since then, Harrison and Old Town members have made multiple trips a year to help take the gospel to the T people.

“The T people have been very isolated for a long time and it’s difficult to get where they are,” said Harrison. “But they have welcomed us and are in the process, many of them, of beginning to understand what it means to follow Jesus.”

---

PRAYER POINTS

» Pray for the T people who are coming to faith in Jesus to stand firm in the face of opposition and persecution.

» Pray for more churches to partner with missionaries in reaching people groups who have yet to hear the gospel.

Click HERE to read more and see videos

Reminders

Today I'm really missing Indonesia, my team, and especially my little friend Ambre! I was super homesick the day I met Ambre, but his smile and kind heart reminded of the real reason I was there! It's the little things that really make the biggest impact on your life! Forever missing the experiences I had this summer! 
‪#‎IndonesianAtHeart‬    #NTP52

Week of Prayer: Day 4

Syria's Hope

It’s hard to imagine anything but a continued descending darkness closing in on Syrian and Iraqi refugees, victims of a rebellion being fought against the Syrian regime and brutality caused by ISIS and other Islamic extremists.

While images and reports of beheadings, cruelty, and pure evil continue to shadow refugees — numbering in the millions — from any light of hope, there is hope in the good news of Jesus Christ.

Only a loving God Who cares deeply for all who are fleeing violence can push back that darkness. Christian worker Peter Matheson* works tirelessly to bring refugees God’s shining hope. But his work comes at great cost to the many he serves and to him, personally, as he ministers in the midst of tremendous suffering.

“The hardest thing in this ministry is just sitting down and listening to their hurts,” Matheson says. “They come, they arrive with little children just with the clothes on their back, because back in Syria their homes are destroyed, their businesses are destroyed … women have been raped … real torture goes on among men and young men in Syria.”

Through the support of Southern Baptists, Matheson is able to work along the Syrian border, distributing boxes of food and other critical necessities.

As more Syrians flee the violence, Matheson hopes he can provide a way out of their current condition and give hope through Christ — a message they have never heard.

*Name changed

PRAYER POINTS

» Pray for open hearts among hurting Syrian refugees as Matheson tells them of God’s love.

» Pray for strength, boldness, and wisdom for Matheson to minister in the midst of overwhelming needs.

Click HERE to see more pictures & videos

Week of Prayer: Day 3

Trading karma for compassion in South Asia

Karma. Its meaning goes beyond “what comes around, goes around.” For Hindus, karma means undergoing a cycle of actions and consequences. To them, being saved from it would rob them of paying the price for their deeds and hoping for a better future through reincarnation.

That’s why the neighbors of a wounded man crying out in pain also cried out — not for help but in complaint that he was too loud and unaccepting of his fate, especially since he had lit himself on fire in a fit of drunkenness and dissatisfaction over his dirt-poor life.

It would be easy to call those neighbors crass, but many of them don’t recognize any other way to believe. And yet God desires and deserves the worship of all people.

Donald and Helen McKinney* have reached out to the downtrodden in South Asia. Helen has used Lottie Moon Christmas Offering funds to distribute food and school supplies to women and children.

Click HERE to see videos & prayer requests from the McKinney's.

Children Around the World

Oh, the joys of knowing and loving children from different places in the world❤ This is Naam and Biw. Please pray for these two and the children at Grace house in Thailand where I stayed over the summer. These children are the future of Thailand. Please pray for them to grow strong in the Lord.

-Alyssa
2015 Thai Dorm Team