news around the world

IM 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 IM, visit www.IMINC.org

Victoria Little Granted Leave of Absence

Victoria Little requested a leave of absence effective September 1, 2020. Victoria stated, "This has been a very different year for me as I navigated the waters of returning from Kenya, moving to Nashville, and continuing to invest in an ever-growing relationship with my now fiancé, Bryse Paffile."

The couple married September 18. Bryse, a physical therapist, and Victoria will live in Vancouver, Washington. Victoria plans to brush up her nursing skills and keep her license current.

When asked about returning to the mission field, Victoria answered, "Our hearts are for others to know Christ, and we both desire to work overseas using our medical skills to meet physical needs to reach spiritual ones. We do not know exactly what that looks like, but know the Lord will guide us as we faithfully pursue Him."

Victoria added, "I want to give a very special thanks to every person who gave with their finances, prayers, and encouragement. I've learned so much about the Body of Christ and love how I have experienced Him working among FWB."

Clint Morgan commented, “Victoria served in Kenya in an exemplary manner. Her commitment to Christ, passion for souls, and love for people endeared her deeply to the Samburu people and the whole IM family. We anxiously await the day God directs Bryse and Victoria to their next cross-cultural ministry and pray, somewhat selfishly, it will be with IM.”

Sandra Bishop With the Lord

Tifton, GA—Sandra Ogletree Bishop entered her Savior’s presence Saturday, July 18, 2020, after a brief battle with cancer. Born August 27, 1949, in Tift County, Georgia, to Julia Faye Franks Ogletree and the late Leonard Ogletree, Sandra was 70 when she transitioned to life everlasting.
Sandra received her bachelor’s degree from Welch College in 1971. The following year she served on a short-term mission team to Sapporo (Hokkaido), Japan, to minister during the 1972 Winter Olympics.

In May 1973, Sandra married Dale Bishop. Three months later IM, Inc. (formerly Free Will Baptist International Missions) appointed the couple as career missionaries to Japan. Loved, admired, and appreciated by both missionary colleagues and the Japanese people, Sandra is remembered by her associates as humble, fun loving, kind, hardworking, determined, committed, and hospitable, among many other admirable qualities. At the time of her passing, Sandra resided in Tifton, Georgia. The couple retired on December 31, 2017, after 44 years of faithful service in Japan.

Her son Doug and his family presently serve as missionaries in Japan. They arrived in the States only a few days before her passing to spend precious moments with Sandra and the family.

In addition to her father, Sandra’s brother Derrick Ogletree preceded her in death. She is survived by her mother; husband Larry Dale Bishop; her sons Jeffery Bishop of Atlanta, Georgia; Kevin Bishop of Denver, Colorado; and Douglas (Miriam) Bishop of Japan; her daughter, Jennifer (James) Cornelius of Nashville, Tennessee; seven grandchildren—Alex, Oliver, Abby, Scarlet, Hazel, Felix, and Arthur; and one brother, Gregory P. Ogletree of Tifton, Georgia.

Corinth Free Will Baptist Church, Sandra’s home church, hosted a private memorial service Tuesday, July 21, in Tifton. The family requests donations to IM, Inc. in Sandra’s honor, by mail (PO Box 5002, Antioch, TN 37011-5002) or online (iminc.org/give).

Church Planters See Fruit in Brazil

Alagoas, Brazil—Clóvis and Cristina Leandro, church-planters in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, have seen God move in hearts and experienced several salvations and baptisms in recent weeks. Among those, Ednaldo committed his life to Christ in early August. Three adult sisters who accepted Christ as Savior completed discipleship studies in August in preparation for baptism.

The couple ministers through a partnership between IM, Inc. and Free Will Baptists in Brazil to plant a church in a community with no evangelical church of any denomination. This partnership allowed them to buy property to build a multi-purpose church building in the future. For now, they hold home services in different areas of the community.

Snapshots Around the World

Côte d’Ivoire: The First FWB Church in Bouna, Ivory Coast (pictured below), baptized 32 people on Sunday, July 5.

Japan: Ken and Judy Bailey met with a former Kamifukuoka Christ Church “Mommy and Me” class family on September 14. The family transferred from the area a year ago, but just moved back and wanted to meet with them. The Baileys left Tokyo two days later, September 16, for stateside assignment. Rusty and Brenda Carney assumed Ken and Judy Bailey’s responsibilities at the Kamifukuoka Church in Tokyo while the Baileys are stateside.

Côte d’Ivoire: Three men finished their classroom work at the Bible institute in Bouna, Ivory Coast, in July. They will complete a year of pastoral internship before their training concludes.

France: After 11 weeks of closure due to COVID-19, The Hanna Project center in southern France reopened for English classes on June 2. The team followed government regulations for social distancing and sanitization. Grateful students participated in classes until July 15, when the center closed for summer break. New computer and English classes began in September.

Spain: Spanish national missionaries, Manu and Noemí, welcomed their son Benjamín into their family on August 6. The family ministers to immigrant families in southern Spain and has one other son, Levy.

Bulgaria: A friend of Josh and Lydia Provow, recently made the commitment to follow Christ. At first, he kept his decision secret, because every member of his extended family is Muslim. Recently, he decided to tell everyone. Outside of church family, he has received almost zero support. His parents are debating whether or not to kick him out of the house. In the midst of this, his faith continues to grow, and he wants nothing more than for his entire family to experience the salvation available only through the Son of God!