Page 7 - Western Recorder NOVEMBER 2020

One of the missionary families from Living Hope has served in a southern European country for the past 10 years. Will (last name withheld for security purposes) and his wife, with their five sons ages 11 and below, are able to “completely share the gospel” with a massive influx of refugees in that country.
The orthodox religion that exists there, by government decree, makes it illegal to share the gospel with anyone under age 18. For those over that age, evangelism “can be tricky,” Will noted. “Thus far, missionaries have not been deterred from evangelistic efforts,” he said, but they do find opposition from the culture. Also, those who convert to Christianity may be blacklisted by family and community.
“The refugee movement is a reality from God,” Will said. “God has allowed a mass movement of people, as you see in Acts, 17, so some may seek Him and find Him. That is what we experience today.
“We see the opportunity the Lord has given us to witness
to very hard-to-reach people. And they have the ability to respond and gather together, which is nothing like the situa- tion in their home countries — such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Syria and the Congo.”
Will says the global pandemic has affected life there, but there have been some positives as a result. “It has forced some of our larger gatherings to split up, so we are able to raise up more leaders.” It has also prompted online training — once refugees go through the training, they can launch training in their home countries.
However, evangelizing “on the street” has become more difficult. But Will notes the country, in general, had diffi- culties pre-COVID because of the deflated economy and refugee crisis.
“But as difficult as the recession and refugee crisis are, we still see God at work,” he said. And that results in Lottie Moon giving being needed “more than ever,” Will said.
“We need more resources, more personnel. This is an excit- ing time to join God in what He is doing. We are seeing God orchestrate this mass movement so His kingdom will grow.” He said refugees make it to Europe, then spread to Canada, the U.S., Middle East, south and central Asia.
“We say a huge ‘thank you’ (to those who give through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering). We love what we do, and we couldn’t do it if Southern Baptist churches didn’t give.” In addition to supporting the LMCO, Will asked Kentucky Baptists to pray for its five national partners. “Four of them
Faces are obscured for security reasons at a church worship service in southern Europe. – Submitted photo
He observes that the Niger region is “becoming an increas- ingly dangerous place to live.” Previously they could travel
as they wished, but now they must have an armed escort to leave the capital city. “We live where wisdom and faith inter- sect — to be wise but cowards or to be faithful but foolish
is not helpful. We don’t want one without the other, so we covet your prayers for us to be faithfully wise.”
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were refugees, and we have worked with them for years. Pray that God will continue to use them. Pray He will give them strength, encouragement and fruit. It impacts their hearts, knowing about people in volatile, suffering situations — that can be draining on them.”
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Mark Phillips and his wife, Parker, and their children served at Living Hope before going to the mission field. His father, Don, was a long-time minister of music at First Baptist in Franklin, Ky. Mark and his family have served in Niger, West Africa, since 2006, and are grateful for faithful giving through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
“Your faithful and sacrificial giving in times of calm positioned us to faithfully and sacrificially serve the nations in a time
of crisis,” Phillips said. “We cannot say thank you enough for your constant support, which makes what we and thousands of other IMB missionaries do possible. Because you give, people who had never heard are hearing the gospel, disciples are being made among former imams and witch doctors and the church is being planted and growing as light begins to shine in a dark place.”
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