My life as a missionary started when I was young, not yet eighteen. At that time, I was excited that I would be serving as a student missionary with a fledgling mission organization.
Culture shock started at training. Only a few student missionaries knew English. The food was different. The training wasn’t in English. It wasn’t easy, but I was excited as I prepared to launch.
God used my year overseas to teach me reliance upon Him. The opportunity to grow was great, but something was missing. I didn’t have an organization helping me, checking on me, and supporting me through the challenges. I was with a very small organization without the resources needed to help.
Seven years later, I was ready to serve overseas again, this time as a career missionary. My year as a student missionary would have been more effective if I had better support. Now I looked for an organization that would better prepare me with solid training and ongoing support during service. Adventist Frontier Missions stood out with a program designed to support missionaries.
Initially, missionary candidates learn how to raise a solid support team, a team that helps financially and with prayers.
Before launching, missionaries undergo three months of intensive training, learning principles of disciple-making, how to study language and care for tropical diseases and much more. Throughout this training, they are encouraged in their spiritual walk because spiritual health is vital to mission success.
Upon launching, field directors help missionaries transition into the field and keep them accountable. AFM office staff is always ready to help. The finance department helps donors update their donation information. The communications department edits newsletters and produces a monthly magazine that encourages readers in their spiritual walk. There is also the mailroom, where mail to our missionaries, donor receipts and newsletters are sent out. The training department not only provides initial training before missionaries launch but also ongoing training in the field.
I made up my mind. I knew AFM would offer the support I needed! I applied, thus starting my fifteen years of service overseas. I have returned stateside and am now part of the office support team, providing lift for our missionaries on the front lines.
Working with each missionary, we seek to keep their budget low without shortchanging needs. To do this, we have a special fund to keep the office running in order to support our missionaries. When you give to the Go Fund, you support ALL our missionaries throughout their journey.
Would you consider giving to the Go Fund today?
