A Muslim woman and a much older Catholic man marry in West Africa. They have children, then divorce. For eight years, the daughter lives with her mother. Then her father takes her to live with him. For several years, life is good. Then the elderly father cannot find work, so the little girl sells candy to make money to survive. Eventually she is given to a family friend who agrees to provide for her needs. Instead the girl is treated like a slave and is severely abused. To this day, she has scars on her body from the beatings.
But then, through the incredible workings of the Holy Spirit, this girl becomes a Seventh-day Adventist through the AFM Susu Project in Guinea, begun by Marc and Cathy Coleman. Today, this lady and her husband are planting churches cross-culturally. They are the third generation—the spiritual grandchildren of Marc and Cathy.
Adventist Frontier Missions has been planting churches among the unreached for 31 years. We now have children of former missionaries going out as student missionaries and even career missionaries. What a blessing to have both spiritual and physical offspring sharing the good news of Jesus Christ around the world!
Praise God for His working! I hope you feel a deep sense of joy and triumph, because these are your victories as well. How? A short story in 1 Samuel 30 gives us a glimpse into how God works.
David and his men returned to Ziklag, only to find the settlement burned and their wives and children taken captive by the Amalekites. The men were tired and angry and threatened to stone David. David turned to the Lord and asked what to do. God said, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and recover all.” However, during the journey, a third of the men were too tired to continue, so they stayed behind to watch the supplies as David and the others pursued the Amalekites. And as God promised, David and his men recovered all their wives, children and livestock plus all the spoil from the other settlements the Amalekites had plundered.
When the rescue party arrived back where the other men were watching the supplies, some of the fighters didn’t want to share the spoils with those who had stayed behind, offering only to return their wives and children. However, David would have none of this selfishness, and he rebuked them. “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”
Two applications can be made from this story. The first is for people who say, “I always wanted to be a missionary, but God had other plans.” Or, “I’m afraid I won’t have any stars in my crown.” Even if you do not fight on the front lines, 1 Samuel 30 is clear that God sees your giving in behalf of the unreached. He hears your prayers and knows your heart. Missionaries who go to battle and supporters who stay behind share equally in the reward for souls won to the kingdom.
Another application is for the AFM staff who stay behind to manage the supplies. They, too, labor for the sake of the missionaries and the unreached. Whether working with banks, transferring funds internationally, printing and mailing newsletters, creating this magazine, researching best soul-winning training or traveling to recruit new missionaries, they pour out their lives and energies to support the front-line missionaries.
When you give to the AFM GO Fund, you free our missionaries to share Jesus with the unreached. Rejoice in your rightful share in the victories God provides as you give to the AFM GO fund this month!
