Is This You?

Personal stories that you can relate to!

Have you ever wanted to know people’s personal stories of how they came to the place where they took a step to investigate and finally decided to do missions?  What you will find as your read below is that these people are not very different from you. Discover what some ordinary individuals have to say about the changes that took place in their lives. You'll learn that the changes didn't take place overnight. It became a journey, a process. Let these words from the heart be an encouragement to you.

Austin - Eastern Europe:

As a child, my family never talked much about missions work and I never considered it as something that I might do. However, during my life God opened doors that directed me towards the mission field. During high school, two coaches lead me to the Lord by their Christian leadership and prayer. Through this, God gave me a heart for him and a heart for teaching and coaching soccer. In college, during my student teaching, I co-led a high school soccer-missions trip to Acapulco, Mexico. We helped with the construction of an orphanage, donated soccer equipment, and ran soccer clinics for the orphan kids. This experience opened my heart to the beauty of different cultures and also opened my eyes to the physical and spiritual need of others. 

God was leading me towards missions, but He also wanted to fulfill my desires to teach and coach. He opened doors for me to teach middle school social studies and coach middle school soccer at International Christian School of Budapest (ICSB). At ICSB I can support missionaries by providing quality, Christian education to their children. I can also actively spread the Gospel by forming relationships with Hungarians through playing soccer and other means. I'm thankful that God has me here doing His work and that He has allowed me to teach and coach, something I feel I was made to do.

Todd & Ellen - South Asia:

My husband felt God calling him to missions but one of the biggest hindrances to missions in my own mind was the mystery of “the call” to missions.  How does God call a Christian couple into missions - individually or as a couple? What if my husband feels called but I don’t?  George W. Peters writes in A Biblical Theology of Missions, "no one should be disturbed at not having experienced a special 'call.’' The very fact that we 'volunteer' for missions is an indication that we have imbibed the great and supreme purposes of God for our age.  Unconsciously, we are being prepared for it until we 'volunteer' for it.  As a volunteer, God makes this calling sure to us in our conscience, reason and consciousness as we wait before Him."

• A calling is an inner conviction or compulsion, rarely a special calling.

• God also superintends the events, timing and circumstances of our lives, which directs people to the mission field.

• There was for me, a conviction that this was a good investment of my life and a good investment in the Kingdom of God.  Time is short. 

Finally, no matter how unpopular or degrading this might sound in today’s society, I felt my special calling was to help my husband to be as successful in his calling as I possibly could.  My friend has a phrase she uses for her role as a supporter and encourager for her husband, she calls it "holding the flashlight".  This is often what we do for our husbands when they are doing tasks around the house, why not apply this to supporting our husbands in what they feel God is calling them to do? 

Kari - Western Europe:

I never thought I would want to be a missionary – I’d heard all the stories of weird things to eat, extreme weather and hostile situations.  A few years ago, I had the opportunity to do two short-term mission trips, after which I felt God was telling me He wanted me to be involved in missions.  I agreed to pray, give and be active on the mission team at church, but I still didn’t want to be a full-time cross-cultural worker.  It took another few years for me to finally submit my will to God and look into doing this full-time.  I’ve long had a passion for France and a compassion for the French; praise God, He led me to United World Mission, who was forming a new team to go to France.  Sometimes it’s still difficult to believe that I’m giving up a wonderful job and the safety of family, friends and my home church to do this, but then I realize that’s the flesh talking, not the Spirit.  I’m excited to be a part of what God is doing around the world, and you know what?  It is worth it!

Chad & Ruthanne - South America:

Ruthanne and I have been seeking to follow God's call to cross-cultural ministries for over 10 years.  We successfully owned our own business in hopes of finding time for annual short-term mission expeditions.  Unfortunately, life became consuming and work responsibilities hindered this short-term mission plan.  But then God provided an opportunity for a change in our lives.  Reflecting on our stewardship of God's calling, we decided to pack the family and pursue full-time missionary work.  During our years of waiting, God intently directed us towards involvement with Hispanic ministries.  These experiences have helped determine our focus of ministry.  We now look forward to ministering among the Mapuche Indians of Chile, South America.  What an amazing journey!  Only through obedience can we fulfill the ultimate purpose of life; glorifying God!

Nancy - Northern Europe:

Several years prior to getting involved in missions, I began telling my family and friends that I felt my career was winding down but I didn't know why. Then the opportunity arose to go to Ecuador on a short term trip and I came back convinced God was directing me down a new career path. After many months of research into Christian missions, much prayer and a dialogue with a UWM couple back on furlough confirmed that God was moving me toward the mission field.  It blows my mind that God can take an ordinary person like me and use me to further His kingdom. The journey has stretched my faith and taken me deeper and it has only just begun!

John & Zsofi - Eastern Europe:

For a long time, we've had the desire that our lives would accomplish something greater than simply raising a family, having good jobs, and playing golf on the weekends.  These can be good things in themselves (especially golf!), but we wanted to be able to look back one day and see how our lives had made an eternal impact.  After we got married, we prayed and asked God to guide us how to use the talents he has given us, and through a longer process, we decided to serve in Hungary (Central Europe) with UWM. Looking back we see God's call on our lives through things like our desires, our personal experiences and histories, as well as the particular talents and interests we have.

Being on this journey has been an adventure and one that continues to strengthen our faith muscles.  It is also an amazing task and privilege to be part of God's redemptive plan for our world.

Victor & Lori - South Asia:

We both felt called to ministry and missions shortly after we accepted the Lord in our teen years.  In Venezuela, Victor went to United World Mission's Bible School and became a pastor.  When I met him in Venezuela he had been a pastor for 9 years there.  So when we felt the time was right to move our family to the mission field, we all assumed it would be to South America.  God had other plans!  He has radically called our family to India and confirmed it in many exciting ways, not the least of which is a love and passion in our hearts.  We are more than excited to go and be part of a great team that is already there church planting among one of the most unreached populations of the world. 

Paula - Eastern Europe:

I had always felt called to teach.  Reaching students was my ministry, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life.  Last year I began to feel unsettled, though.  I wanted to keep teaching, but I knew there was more.  Then I learned about education for missionary kids.  It has been so exciting to use my gifts in a way that directly serves missionaries.  What an encouragement to know that God can use someone who never really considered mission work at all!

If these personal stories excite you in regards to missions, please contact us to take that next step in your own story.