As the holiday season approaches, we reflect on all that took place in the passing year. For TEAM, 2022 has been a year with its own share of challenges and trials, but also its joys and triumphs. In short, we see the ever-faithful hand of God, and we know we have much to be thankful for.
We reached out to TEAM’s 500+ global workers around the world and asked them to share praises of how God has moved this year. What encouraging reports we received! Truly we can say, “How Great is Our God!” As we read through various testimonials, we saw common themes surface of how God has blessed and answered the prayers of these faithful servants of the Lord.
For this month’s Prayer Focus, we invite you to join us in lifting up PRAISE and ADORATION to our God for these blessings…
We Praise God for Progress in Ministry Initiatives
TEAM workers from every region of the globe reported that the Lord has been abundantly good in advancing ministry initiatives and special projects to further His kingdom. These reports are far too numerous to mention them all, but they include:
- South Africa: Durban Bible College has wanted to relocate for about 20 years. Praise God that a new location has been found and that the college should be able to move next year.
- Italy: After years of preparation and prayer, a safe house and recovery program opened this year, providing survivors of trafficking with the first place in the country where they can receive biblically-based, trauma-informed care.
- Ukraine: The Russian invasion necessitated the evacuation of TEAM Ukraine’s two workers. However, both have remained steadfast in serving Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries, and recently one of the workers has been able to return to service inside Ukraine’s borders.
- Guatemala: An online Bible training program is thriving and TEAM workers report being very encouraged by the students’ learning and progress.
- East Asia: In a closed country, after many years of faithful work, God is drawing together believers in a “house club” group. This project is gaining momentum among hard-to-reach and pre-literate villagers.
- Middle East: People come from nearly 200 different nations to live and work in middle eastern countries. TEAM is involved in an expatriate ministry that reaches this diverse group, sharing the Gospel and making disciples “among the nations” in a unique way.
Students at Durban Bible College in South Africa thank God for His provision of a new location.
We Praise God for Reconnection After COVID
Each of us felt the isolation the pandemic brought for upwards of two years, but global workers were arguably among those most deeply impacted. Many countries experienced significant travel restrictions if not complete lockdowns. For missionaries living abroad, this meant long stretches of time with no opportunities for furlough, visits from family, or even to connect with fellow workers in the field.
Thankfully, 2022 brought a degree of normalcy, and many global workers rejoiced in reunion with family and friends through:
- Long awaited home assignments/furloughs in their sending country.
- Attendance at conferences and events, including TEAM gatherings in Slovenia and the Middle East.
- Field visits from TEAM Member Care Specialists who were finally able to provide face-to-face care, encouragement, and spiritual guidance.
We Praise God for Church Partnerships
Another prevailing theme that arose from these praise reports was how thankful TEAM workers are for their sending churches. Despite the economic downturn and social isolation caused by COVID, TEAM workers praise the Lord for the faithful churches that continue to support them both financially and in prayer.
It is no surprise that the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of people around the world continue to increase, and the support of sending churches is more crucial than ever. If you are a part of a missionary-sending congregation, we praise God for you! You are impacting the world for Christ!
We Praise God for Healing and Resolution of Medical Needs
One of the many challenges of serving on the mission field is when health issues arise for workers or their families. Professional medical care may be difficult to find, particularly when diagnostic testing or specialists are required to address a medical issue.
Several TEAM workers reported instances of how God provided medical personnel, supplies, and even miraculous healing to resolve ongoing medical issues. Others spoke of God’s faithfulness, comfort, and peace in the midst of unresolved health challenges. We join these families in praising God who is our Great Physician.
We Praise God for Raising Up the Global Church
As we’ve shared often in recent TEAM communications, an exciting shift is occurring in global missions. A time is coming when the U.S. and Canada will no longer be the primary sending countries for global workers. Instead, God is raising up workers from all over the globe, sending them to reach other nations in fulfilling His Great Commission.
In collecting these praise reports from TEAM workers, examples of the globalization of missions abounded. Here are just a few:
- Latin America: God is raising up a generation of Latin American believers who are ready to deploy to the far corners of the globe to further the Gospel. (See a great video about it here.)
- Pakistan: Zarephath Bible Seminary celebrated 40 years of training local and national church leaders to impact their community for Christ, and the pandemic has even opened up new doors through remote learning.
- France (and beyond): TEAM workers in France, as well as other parts of Europe and in the U.S., serve displaced Muslim populations, sharing Christ with them in their new context. This opens the door for new believers to impact others within their culture.
- Czech Republic: Workers from multiple countries and three continents came together to renovate a farmhouse for Ukrainian refugees.
- Indonesia: Hatam families, transformed by Christ, are now traveling to other remote villages and tribes to share the saving knowledge of Jesus.
- Asia: A leadership training program identifies potential leaders and trainers among Asian believers. Those trainers then oversee the preparation and sending of national workers to enter closed regions of Asia.
- Japan: Outreach ministries in a busy Tokyo park touch lives daily, through the work of Japanese churches, assisted by believers and global workers from Korea as well as western countries.
Thank you for joining us in praising our gracious Heavenly Father for all He has done and is doing! We are so thankful for YOU!
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