(A Letter from the Founders)
I love the mixing of cultures. As I write, I am in an Eastern European country overhearing a Beyonce song on the radio and eating a delicious local fried pumpkin dish. On another street, there are stylish cafes serving $0.80 espressos amid traditional buildings—effects of the recent economic boom in the city.
I’m here with our newest Business Director, Bill Watson, learning from an excellent Business as Missions (BAM) company which is almost completely run by locals. We are visiting with them in order to learn from a business whose model is very similar to the one we plan to launch in a neighboring country later this year. Bill will be leading this new business; its purpose is to enable church planting work in that country. He will be deployed this summer, and there is much to strategize about between now and then.
I’m grateful for many things on this trip.
I thank God for partners in the gospel. Our hosts have been remarkably hospitable. They run a very successful BAM organization, valued by locals and the government. Their services are in high demand and their office is always buzzing with activity. Yet they’ve patiently spent time with us, opening up their operations and letting us understand their business from the inside out. As Bill will be launching our new business in a matter of months, this experience has been enlightening for him, allowing him to have a tangible idea of how his operations could look in a few years. A trip like this goes a long way toward helping our Business Directors take ownership of the projects they’re assigned to.
I thank God for many evidences of grace in Bill’s life. Though I’ve spent a lot of time already getting to know Bill, it’s great to see him in a more intense context. I see that Bill is a natural leader and has an evident care for others. He has much cross-cultural experience, so he’s able to establish rapport easily with locals and put them at ease. He will face challenges in his new location but has the patience and confidence to persevere. Working with mature businessmen like Bill is a privilege for me. I have so much to learn from them and I am thrilled that our teams in the field will get to work alongside them.
Finally, I thank God for the privilege of seeing His hand in calling Bill and his wife Lois to the field. In Bill and Lois’ story, we have already seen answered prayer upon answered prayer as God has guided them toward this calling. As one amazing example, recently an ophthalmologist found deterioration in Bill’s right eye that would potentially require brain surgery. This was discouraging news, as it would have been a dangerous operation and would have delayed or even perhaps halted his deployment to the field. After a few days of prayer, Bill received more in-depth tests, only to be told that the doctor no longer found any evidence of the deterioration whatsoever. When the doctor called to tell Lois the news, he could only repeat, “this doesn’t make any sense… I know what I saw and now it’s fine.”
Our God is a great God.
Please continue to pray with us as we work with Tim to start a business later this year:
- Please pray that Bill and Lois would arrive in-country without any problems
- Please pray Bill would have wisdom as he leads the business
- Please pray the business would be successful, to the glory of God and so that many will hear the gospel
Let us thank God together for the many ways he has already blessed us and for the promise of more grace in the future, for His glory alone!