‘You will be my witnesses… in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8)
For World Horizons members, Tim and Cath, that meant leaving the UK and beginning a new chapter in the Basque Country of France. Their story reminds us that God’s call can come at any stage of life – and always leads to new discoveries of His faithfulness.
Even in unexpected places, God is at work. Noah and Martha’s journey in the Gulf shows how God’s mission reaches the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Our third Acts 1:8 story is from Jader, who previously served in West Africa and North Africa, and has been back in Brazil working among the Amazonian people for the past four years.
Our second Acts 1:8 story is from Bev, who first served in the Middle East and Spain, and has been back in the UK in Luton for the past ten years.
We are excited to share with you stories from our members in the coming weeks who have gone on their own versions of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth as Jesus commissioned us in Acts 1:8.
Deepa, has served with World Horizons for more than twenty years. She and her husband Jesus Ayala, served in South Asia for ten years before returning to Venezuela to lead the training of Venezuelan mission candidates.
The militant Islamist insurgency is background to much that is happening in West Africa. As well as suffering brought to Muslims and Christians alike with millions of people forced to flee their homes, the church is increasingly targeted. Several of our friends have been attacked, kidnapped, or killed. But in many places, the church continues to stand, and to reach out with love and the gospel.
We have been here in Paraguay as a missionary family since 2015, living in the countryside in a small town called Coronel Oviedo. I, Talita and my husband Rodolfo, together with and our two kids, we have been experiencing the challenges of planting a church and training local people to the glory of God.
One day, when I was on my way to the office, an elderly gentleman asked me to help him get off at the bus stop. He was blind. Holding his arm, he thanked me a lot, speaking words of blessing to me. Then he asked me, “my son, do you know Jesus?”
I got a fright! Well, I was there to witness for Him to people through my behavior and words! But there I was, holding an elderly man’s arm, being asked if I knew Jesus.
We have the fabulous remit to love the world and to do this well we need to be balanced emotionally, physically and spiritually. If we are not, we don’t have much to give (and we tend to end up thinking mainly about ourselves!).
