Share with those who are open

We're starting to wind down our ministry here in Central Asia. The large part of our summer has been spent acting as a filter for the long term workers. Going out to coffee shops, the seaside, restaurants & anything else provides us with conversation opportunities to discern where our friends are spiritually. If some of our friends seem disinterested, we'll share the Gospel as mush as we think they can absorb, and focus on others who are more interested. We've connected numerous people back to the long term workers platform, so they can continue to be poured into.

A significant stronghold we've had to overcome is the national's collective condemnation of all religion. As a result of this, an intense hatred is being formed towards all religions. It's been extremely tough trying to separate Christianity from that ideology. Regardless, relationships have been fruitful.

It's been extremely encouraging reading stories from the frontlines of the kingdom. We've prayed for the other teams and we're eager to hear all of the stories when we get to debrief.

-Ethan
Megacity Evangelism Team, Central Asia

Summer 2021: Urban Quest Megacity Evangelism

IMB job #: 18032

Location: Central Asia

Team size: 8

Field expense: $2195 plus roundtrip travel, required travel insurance, etc. 

Job description: Come be a part of reaching university students in a Central Asian megacity of 18 million! You will have the opportunity to meet, befriend, and share God’s hope with people who have never heard the gospel before in one of the least reached countries in the world. Boldness, energy, flexibility and a kind heart are all helpful in the task of reaching out and starting churches among Central Asian Muslims. Use whatever gifts and passion God has given you such as sports, music, art, drinking coffee, or exploring, to form relationships and share. You will have the opportunity to explore and trek through one of the coolest & most historic cities in the world looking for hearts where the Father is working.

MORE INFO

Dates for Summer 2021

May 31  Team leader training begins (Nehemiah Teams Training Center, Mentone, Alabama)

June 3  Team member training begins (Alabama)

June 8  Teams deploy for the field (via ATL)

July 28  Teams return to US for debrief (Alabama)

July 31  Teams return home

COVID-19 in 2021
We continue to move forward in planning for summer 2021 teams. Decisions will be made as we get into 2021 as to whether or not certain teams may need to be cancelled due to travel restrictions or local situations. Info will be posted on the website if teams are cancelled. 

Summer 2020: Refugee ESL

IMB Job #: 13851 
Location: Southeast Asia
Team size: 2 
Field expense: $3103 plus round trip airfare, immunizations, required travel insurance, passport & visa costs, etc.

Job Description: Students will help teach ESL among Persian refugees living in SE Asia. Students will then take those relationships from ESL classes to the next level by visiting in homes and sharing Truth with them. There will also be opportunity to meet people in the streets, shopping malls, etc, befriend them and share hope with them.

Students must commit to the entire program from orientation through debrief. 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 fly to your final destination for the summer. Following your ministry time you will return to the US for a joint debrief... sharing all God has done over the summer.

2020 Dates
March 15  Application deadline through www.imb.org/students
May 28  Member orientation begins
June 2  Teams travel to the field
July 27  Teams arrive at debrief
July 29 night/July 30 morning  Students return home

Summer 2020: Urban Quest Megacity Evangelism

IMB Job #: 14584
Location: Central Asia 
Team size:  8
Field expense: $2455 plus round trip airfare, immunizations, required travel insurance, passport & visa costs, etc.

Job Description: Come be a part of reaching university students in a Central Asian megacity of 18 million! You will have the opportunity to meet, befriend, and share God’s hope with people who have never heard the gospel before in one of the least reached countries in the world. Boldness, energy, flexibility and a kind heart are all helpful in the task of reaching out and starting churches among Central Asian Muslims. Use whatever gifts and passion God has given you such as sports, music, art, drinking coffee, or exploring, to form relationships and share. You will have the opportunity to explore and trek through one of the coolest & most historic cities in the world looking for hearts where the Father is working.

Students must commit to the entire program from orientation through debrief. 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 fly to your final destination for the summer. Following your ministry time you will return to the US for a joint debrief... sharing all God has done over the summer.

2020 Dates
March 15  Application deadline through www.imb.org/students
May 28  Member orientation begins
June 2  Teams travel to the field
July 27  Teams arrive at debrief
July 29 night/July 30 morning  Students return home

Team of the Day: CrossFit Language

Location: North Africa & Middle East
Team size: 4

Job description: The Circassian people came to Jordan about 150 yours ago after being driven from their homeland in Southern Russia. They have prospered in Jordan & earned a reputation for honesty & integrity. They love art, dance & sports. Many will speak English. It's our desire that you will have opportunity to learn Circassian dance. You will receive invitations to play soccer, attend wrestling matches, go hiking, etc. Be prepared to accept frequent invitation to drink coffee or tea. Be prepared to share the Gospel anytime, anywhere with anyone. Athletic ability or experience playing sports aren't as important as a willingness to talk with people.

Central Asia update

We have been in our city for about three weeks now and are already seeing God work around us.  Through hosting English Clubs five times a week, we have began to make many friends (Squirt, Cammy, and Kory).  Now we are in the process of building true relationships with students one on one, outside of the classroom.  We have also been playing sports with younger kids in a park near the girls' apartment.  

Our team would appreciate prayers for:

• The Father to show us specific persons of peace to invest in during our short time here. 
• That our friends' (P, R, A, and A) hearts would be soften by the Spirit and be prepared to accept Truth. 
• That our team would set examples with our lives for our friends even when we can't speak with them.

Praise:

• We are thankful that a local brother from a different city and a brother from East Asia that came to work with us for 10 days.  Our local brother seems to have grown during this experience and our East Asian brother was a great encouragement for new brothers here in our city.

Open Opportunities

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Traffic in the city- part of daily life

Much of the time, I feel that I have no idea what I am doing here.  I am torn back and forth between excitement and sadness that our trip is almost half over.  We have struggled through many things, most of which have been minute-by-minute living to get through.  Obedience is key, and when we are obedient, God shows up.

 Both of us have overcome sickness in the past week, we have spent more time walking than I want to think about, and I am simply overwhelmed by the amount of people we have met and come into contact with.  Yet, I remember that when I am weak, maybe a bit discouraged, He is made perfect. Because of this, I am all that more willing to admit my weaknesses.

As we were out shopping earlier today, one of the vendors asked if we were participating in Ramadan. This brought up an awesome opportunity for a conversation, and we asked why he was participating. He told us that he knew that if he did enough good things to please God, then he would be allowed into heaven. We asked if he was sure that he was going to heaven when he died, and he said that he hoped that he had done enough good things. We told him that we knew for sure that we were going to heaven, and it was not because of any of the good things we had done. We could do nothing to please God. Please pray for this man as we plan to go back to talk with him again about the differences between his religion and our faith.

Several prayer requests:
–Pray for the discouragement on some days when we don’t feel productive in our work
–Pray for the 12+ teams we have encountered here (from several different organizations) to be faithful and strong in their work as well
–Pray for the millions of lost souls in this city to be open and have an opportunity to encounter the truth of the gospel
–During the month of Ramadan, people tend to be more vulnerable and even more open to talk about their faith. Even those who are not fasting understand it is happening which can lead to great conversations. Pray that we will be faithful in sharing when there are open opportunities.

Living Life While Loving Others

We have been living in the city for three weeks now, and some days it seems we are tourists wandering around aimlessly, with no goal.  Fortunately, God has provided many opportunities for interaction with other believers that are also living in the city, as well as many non- believers, including our new friends:

Though it does not look like (and it definitely doesn't feel like) hard work, we are working to meet our goals.  This summer, we are seeking to do four things:

1) Understand the gospel in light of the cultural context
2) Grow in our own personal relationship with Christ
3) Edify the local workers and believers
4) Develop relationships with the locals that will last far beyond this summer, with the goal to see them in heaven for eternity at Jesus' feet

We are simply here to live life while loving others.

This is not to say it has been easy or simple. There has been a fair share of culture shock and things we have had to come to terms with, but God has been teaching us.  There were three other Americans that were working with us for the first two weeks, but they left several days ago.  It has been an adjustment to learn to get along without them, but God has provided more short term American teams from several different organizations for us to work with for the rest of our time here.

Please pray:
--for the hearts of our friends to be open to the Truth
--for the locals we will encounter and the conversations we have to be spiritually guided
--for the direction of our team for the next five weeks as we seek to build relationships

Meet the Team... BBC ESL Team

Left: My name is Lily. I attend Tennessee Temple University but was born and raised in Laramie, WY.  This summer, I am most excited to see the culture and learn the language of the people we are living among.  

Right: I'm Megan and from Knoxville, TN.  I recently graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  I am extremely grateful for the provision and support provided in order for me to have this opportunity this summer.