This is a tale of “connections”. It the story of a couple from Latin America pursuing God’s call to love an unreached people group. One connection led to another. See how many connections you can count in the journey of this missions mobilizer.
Several years ago, a Salvadoran man named Jose heard of great needs in the African nation of Mozambique. He began to have supernatural dreams about that place. These drew him into increased prayer for the people of this Portuguese speaking country. Jose soon realized that if he was going to see a harvest for Jesus there, he had better learn Portuguese!
As he prepared to go, he also studied music. His burden for the lost of Mozambique was growing. He wanted to go to Mozambique well equipped with tools. Jose began to make his plans.
A Change In Plans
Then, Jose met Jenny. She was not in the plan!
Jose faithfully submitted his relationship with her to God. “Lord, I feel peace about getting to know her. But I also know that You have called me to serve the unreached of Mozambique.” As months passed, Jose was amazed by Jenny’s love for God and her willingness to serve Him in any way He called her to. But what about the burden that God had put on his heart?
Finally, in desperation, he cried out to the Lord. “You told me about missions and about Mozambique. You need to tell her too!”
The Lord was faithful to do that very thing. The two married and made a long-term commitment to study Portuguese. They prayed faithfully about their calling to the unreached people groups of Mozambique. All of this was before they had an actual connection with anyone in that nation.
Over time, they felt a longing to meet others who shared their passion for the lost. Just like Jose’s prayer for Jenny to catch the vision, they prayed “Please connect us with others having the same heart!”
In just a few days, they found a local YWAM base.
God’s Provision
This was a great opportunity for fellowship. Even more helpful was meeting a woman who mobilizes Latino missionaries. She invited them to attend a Frontier Missions conference in Cartegena, Colombia. God blessed their finances miraculously, and they were able to go! But still more obstacles were in their way. El Salvador is not a wealthy nation. After the conference, the two had no money left.
Prayerfully, they approached their church.
Jose says, “Some people who ask their churches for financial support do it with a prideful, superior attitude. We did not want to do that. We were willing to submit to whatever they wanted us to do. It was important to us to honor our church leaders.”
They finally spoke to their pastors. The reply was “You have been serving the church faithfully. We will consider what you are planning.”
In that meeting, Jose and Jenny told them about Church Planting Movements (CPMs). Disciple-Making Movements (DMMs) and Church Planting Movements are the same basic idea.
The leaders were very excited. The pastor wept as they spoke. He knew that YWAM did good things like evangelism and mercy ministry. But he had never heard that they helped start movements to Jesus in unreached places!
Several months passed. Jose and Jenny continued to pray. Together with their church, they wrote a vision and mission statement about their plans.
Connections in Mozambique
It was time now for Jose and Jenny to connect with the YWAM team in Mozambique.
They set up Skype calls where they prayed for the YWAM staff and for the lost. Over time they became like members of the family, although they were still on the other side of the world!
They learned that there were few Bibles and Christian resources in the Portuguese language. Jose and Jenny felt an urgent need to raise money for Bibles for the people of Mozambique. Their pastor declared “We will raise $1000 for the needed Bibles!” True to his word, he raised that and more. Over 100 Portuguese Bibles were sent out.
By now Jose and Jenny had learned about a tribe that had almost no knowledge of Jesus. They were one of the least reached tribes in Africa. With the help of the church, Jose and Jenny obtained nearly 400 New Testaments in the language of that tribe. These were illustrated with drawings that would help adults as well as children to learn about Jesus.
Jose and Jenny’s pastor gave them something that could not be bought with money. He helped them realize that part of their calling was to be “Missions Mobilizers.” When they heard God’s call and responded, the church was mobilized too. The pastors had been watching the two to see if their vision was a lasting one. When they saw Jose and Jenny’s faithfulness over the years, they were willing to invest in them.
Jenny says, “Three things were key.
1- We prayed.
2- God mobilized the pastors.
3- God told the pastors to mobilize the church!”
Funds were raised for the couple to make an exploratory trip to Mozambique. Jose and Jenny made cakes to sell, created prayer cards and bookmarks with photos and information to help people pray for the tribe. Missionaries gave to other missionaries!
“People started loving the tribe like we love them! All of these church members now know all about the tribe, as well as the unreached people groups of the world.”
Finally, A Chance to Go
At last, the day came.
They had been waiting and faithfully investing in what God was doing through others in Mozambique. Now the pair were finally able to visit the people He had put on their hearts. Speaking to nationals and missionaries, they listened to what the Lord was saying to them. They also served by teaching alongside church planters. They returned home even better mobilizers, having gone out to see the work for themselves.
What’s next for these two missions mobilizers?
Jenny has learned that there is only one hospital serving 30 communities in that part of Mozambique. She is now studying nursing and hopes to make a difference with what she learns.
The two are praying and mobilizing even more churches to be involved. They are actively connecting those churches with the unreached of Mozambique. They are helping with the Spanish translation of resources for reaching the unreached.
Jose and Jenny’s story is one that we can learn from. They will probably live near that people group one day, but this season of their lives is not wasted. There are many ways to connect and contribute. Jose and Jenny are strategic, directing their time and resources to their specific people group.
Connections
God connected Jose and Mozambique. Jose connected with Jenny. The two connected with their church.
In time, they connected with their local YWAM team, a Latino missions mobilizer, and the YWAM team in Mozambique.
Finally, they connected with the people of Mozambique, who God had caused them to love!
Could you be a “missions mobilizer”? If you have a heart for those who have not had a chance to know our Saviour, share that heart with others. You can organize prayer, give basic information, and use social media, all focusing on a people group who do not have a relevant witness of the Gospel.
We need field workers, but we need more Frontier Missions Mobilizers too!