news around the world Free Will Baptist International Missions serves churches, pastors, and people by helping them fulfill their role in establishing churches beyond North America so unreached peoples can know the joy of a relationship with the living God. To find out more about the ministry of Free Will Baptist International Missions, visit www.fwbgo.com.

Mott Chosen for Student Missions Role

Antioch, TN—Mark McPeak, director of advancement for International Missions, introduced Hanna (McCuin) Mott (pictured below) as the student missions coordinator on Monday, October 1, 2012. “We are excited about Hanna’s addition to our team at IM,” McPeak said. “She has a passion for impacting young people and engaging them in missions.” Her role incorporates recruiting and processing applicants for high school and college cross-cultural ministry trips, working with overseas missionaries and workers to ensure a successful ministry experience, and recruiting mentors and leaders for teams.

Hanna comes to the Mission from LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tennessee. A 2012 magna cum laude graduate of Welch College, Hanna has a B.S. in Psychology.

“I am so excited to start this journey as part of the IM family,” Hanna declared. “Serving Jesus in such a capacity while rubbing shoulders with missionaries who have dedicated their lives to pouring out the compassion of Jesus all over the world is a true blessing and honor. The opportunity to nurture students’ passion for serving Christ and others is a great privilege.”

Read the full release at www.fwbgo.com/news

Jaboticabal Church Celebrates 50 Years

Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil—The Jaboticabal Free Will Baptist Church celebrated its 50th anniversary October 19-21, with events commemorating the church’s past and community outreach efforts.

Approximately 70 church members participated in three performances of an evangelistic, musical dramatic presentation, “Circle of Forgiveness.” A 700-seat, rented municipal theater was filled to capacity on Saturday evening. Following the production, Pastor Jeancarlo Ache (pictured above) briefly spoke on forgiveness and invited those needing forgiveness to stand for prayer. About 50 people responded.

The church was begun by missionaries Sam and June Wilkinson and organized in 1962. It was the second Free Will Baptist church organized in Brazil. Read more information and view photos at www.fwbgo.com/missionaries/eagleton.

"Tarde Deportiva" Highlights Spiritual Need

Chame, Panama—Saturday, October 13, 2012, students and administrators of the Chame Seminary in Panama hosted a “Tarde Deportiva” (afternoon of sports and recreation) for the community. About 70 people attended.

Missionary Steve Lytle said, “I do believe it went better for not having an impossibly large group we couldn’t manage. As it was, with our students helping, the young people were divided according to age, and were able to have age-appropriate activities, refreshments, and a devotional time.”

The majority of the kids were from non-churched families. One lady and her young son went to church the following Sunday. “I think our students were touched by the great need in this town and community, as a party was going on three straight nights to around 5:00 a.m. with continuous drinking and loud music” Steve stated. “There is great spiritual darkness here, and we’d ask everyone to continue to lift Chame up in prayer.”

World Missions Offering Tops $1 Million!

Antioch, TN—“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory...” (Ephesians 3:20-21a). International Missions has experienced the reality of this promise.

In December 2011, the International Missions Board made the decision to keep missionaries stateside due to financial shortfalls. For missionaries to return to their fields of ministry required a significant increase in monthly giving as well as a record-breaking World Missions Offering (WMO). A goal was set to enlist 650 churches to participate in the WMO, based on previous years’ average of approximately $1,000 per church. “A $650,000 offering was what we were thinking, but God had exceeding abundantly more in mind for us,” explained Mark McPeak, director of advancement for the Mission.

On Monday, October 15, while at the Oklahoma state meeting, General Director Clint Morgan received a report that the WMO total had reached $999,131.00. When Brad Ransom, missions director for Oklahoma, was informed of this he committed to challenge the Oklahoma Mission Board to close the gap and reach this historic total. The Oklahoma Mission Board committed to $1,000.

Another $1,000 came from a local church. God has done exceeding abundantly above all we asked or thought, and the 2012 World Missions Offering has topped $1 million!

“We give the Lord all the glory, honor, and praise,” Morgan stressed, “and want to express our heart-felt gratitude to all our Free Will Baptist people who were obedient to give faithfully and sacrificially!”

A full news release can be found at www.fwbgo.com/news

Snapshots Around the World

Brazil: A meeting of Brazilian pastors September 28-29, resulted in Brazilian leadership determining to develop a structure for regular, cooperative efforts. They elected three people to work throughout the next year to develop a plan for organization. The women present also met to work on a plan for encouraging pastors’ wives and planning an annual women’s retreat.

France: About 75 Chinese businessmen and students attended a banquet at the Nantes FWB Church on Saturday, October 6. They heard two testimonies and a brief message in Chinese. Around 25 students returned the following day to hear Shuang's testimony and witness her baptism. Shuang attended Bible studies for almost three years before committing to Christ. Several students who attended these weekend events have continued to attend church.

Spain: The Villalba Church (above) has finally received the last of their approvals and their occupancy permit! They will now be able to put up a church sign.

Bulgaria:  The New Life FWB Church in Svishtov hosted an annual back-to-school party with the start of the new school year mid-September. The party served as an introduction to the church for local shopkeepers and youth. Several people with whom they interact on a business level entered the church for the first time.

Spain: The Johnsons and Edgmons hosted a back-to-school party at the Alpedrete Outreach Center Saturday, September 22. Thirty-six children and 29 parents and siblings filled the space.

The Hanna Project: Participants in Save-A-Life VII were in Côte d’Ivoire August 31-September 9. Workers completed the roof of an Ivorian-built Christian elementary school on Friday, September 7, while the medical team visited 10 villages and treated over 1,000 people. Twenty-two people accepted Christ.

Japan: Fifty-three people attended a charity concert at the Good News Chapel in Tokyo on September 1. Several unsaved people from the neighborhood were among the attendees.

Panama: The Penonomé mission work celebrated the baptism of two believers on Sunday, September 9. The Santiago mission work celebrated the baptism of four believers, Sunday, September 2.