For two centuries, BMS World Mission has been motivating, training, sending and resourcing Christians from the UK to share the gospel amongst the world's poorest peoples. That mission continues today and each year hundreds of people work with BMS overseas.
Baptist minister Peter Butchers, his wife Vicki and their four children, live alongside the urban poor in a slum area of Guayaquil in Ecuador. Last month, three new believers were baptised on the new site of the Baptist church that the Butchers have planted, which is in the process of being built.
All three were mothers of children who started coming to church through their children's involvement at a pre-school. Peter says, "More than 50 people from the community witnessed these mothers giving their powerful testimonies before being baptised".
Carpenter Ian Blaze, from Surrey, has recently returned after volunteering at the Dar El Awlad School in Beirut, Lebanon. He used his skills and experience to teach design and technology and also help take care of boys at the orphanage. Writing whilst in Beirut, Ian said, "A couple of the boys who are disruptive in class behave very differently when they are given a bit of one-on-one attention. I feel it makes a difference, even if it is only to one or two".
Meanwhile, in South Africa, the BMS Action Team - Barney, Iain, Esther and Sarah - are working in an orphanage and day creche in Soshanguve. They recently helped out at the creche's graduation party, before the six year-olds started school.
The team wrote, "It was an extremely proud moment for parents and we were all teary eyed as the children recited things they had learnt and songs we had taught them."
These are just three examples of BMS' work and show that there's a great deal to praise God for. Thank God for the exceptional mission work of BMS personnel and for BMS partners across the world.
However, like the verse in Matthew 9:'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.' BMS recognises that there are many ways to serve overseas. The opportunity to go is also there for everyone, including students and ministers, individuals and on teams.
Please pray for more mission and for more workers. Pray that more and more young people come to serve on Action Teams (there are selection weekends coming up) and that more are challenged to consider the incredible impact they can make by serving overseas long-term.
So, be they long or mid-term, teams or volunteers, pray for more - a greater number and a greater impact, and that many people's lives will be changed for the better. There must be more to mission!
Could it be you? For more information about mission opportunities with BMS, click here. Alternatively call 01235 517653 or e-mail opportunities@bmsworldmission.org