Help From Home

By Kristi Johnson

The question loomed over me like a huge cloud. Tim and I had served as missionaries in Spain for almost 25 years. I’d seen God’s hand move in mighty ways. I’d watched new converts choose baptism. I’d had a front-row seat as a new church was planted in a place one had never existed. But the question seemed to linger: “Go myself or help from home?”

The answer was clear. It was time to leave the mission field to help from home. Being involved in missions isn’t always about being the one who gets to go. Making strides to learn a new language. Teaching. Even planting a church.

Sometimes, it means you get to be part of the sending team—those who help from home. Those with the resources to send missionaries and partner with churches overseas. That’s what the World Missions Offering is all about.

Right now, IM shares the gospel with people in 34 countries. In some of those places, traditional missionaries live among the ones they serve. In other locations, missionaries served and trained believers; now, those believers carry on the work of the ministry. IM also has partnerships with many people around the world who take the gospel to places we could never reach on our own. They speak the language and know the culture. An extension of our missionary efforts, they reach even farther than traditional missionaries ever could.

Give to Take the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth.

This year’s World Missions Offering theme is a reminder we all have the responsibility to give. Some of the money supports the General Fund, which helps missionaries around the world. Tim Awtrey, missionary to Bulgaria, recently said, “Few people really know how essential the support of the IM staff is for missionaries. Scattered all over the world, in challenging environments, the encouragement and support given to us by IM, in part funded by the WMO, is critical. At times, Lydia and I didn’t know if we could continue on. WMO funds allowed IM staff to visit and care for us when at a crossroads in our ministry. If we hadn’t had the support of IM and the funds available through the WMO, I don’t know if the wonderful work God eventually brought about in Bulgaria would exist today.”

Other gifts send out new appointees and national workers. They also boost those with deficit or underfunded accounts. WMO funds are vital to supporting all of IM’s partnerships around the world, extending ministries through our brothers and sisters who serve in extremely difficult places.

What can you do?

• Connect with IM on social media to learn more about what God is doing around the world.
  

• Give to the World Missions Offering on August 27 and encourage others to promote the offering. Even though we have set aside a WMO Sunday, your gifts can help the WMO at any time of the year.
  

• Pray the Lord of the harvest will send forth more laborers…and more faithful people to send them.
  

If God hasn’t called you to go yourself, maybe He’s calling you to help from home. Don’t ignore that calling!

About the Writer: Kristi Johnson and her husband Tim served as IM missionaries to Spain for 25 years. She now works as the development communications manager for IM. Kristi is thrilled to tell IM’s story as she promotes the WMO. While serving in Spain was exciting, she loves getting to help from home.