Haiti (MNN) — Today we’re going to introduce to you an old friend. World Gospel Mission has been around since 1910. Over the last hundred-plus years, they may have changed strategies and methods, but their mission has remained the same: to pursue the Great Commission and invite Christians to join them.
World Gospel Mission works in several countries around the world. (Photo courtesy of World Gospel Mission)
Kristi Crisp of World Gospel says they reach out to people by meeting both their physical and spiritual needs. They do this through a variety of nine different causes: Adult and family, children and youth, church ministries, community health and development, education, evangelism, media, medical, and support ministry.
She says, “We do that by working alongside local national churches and community leaders, and we work directly with them so we’re meeting the needs of the community that can be sustainable.”
In other words, depending on the location, the ministry is shaped by the need.
“Even though we’re 100-years-old, I don’t think our purpose in the Great Commission has changed. As strong as we were in the beginning of wanting to move out to different cultures and to be able to bring the Gospel, that is still what we see as our main purpose these days,” Crisp says.
She continues to say wherever God has planted you — overseas or not — you can be an active part of this work. Some of the ways you can get involved with World Gospel Mission is to join a short-term mission trip. Click here to see the different types of trips available.
There’s also a way to serve locally — check out Men with Vision to learn how your local church can become an advocate for mission work and a help to the local community.
WGM also offers a free magazine, “The Call”, which can help you stay informed about what they’re doing and what is happening around the globe. This is a good way for you to pray alongside them.
And finally, you can respond to emergency.
Haiti disaster
(Image courtesy of World Gospel Mission)
WGM has a radio network in Haiti called Radio Lumiére. The stations located in the southern part of Haiti sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Matthew.
Paul Shingledecker of World Gospel says, “Those were pretty badly damaged during the hurricane. In fact, all but one is off the air.”
In addition, the workers of these stations and their communities have been devastated. There are a few dozen staff members who have been affected by the storm.
“The need is so tremendous, I mean you’ve got hundreds of thousands of people without drinking water, without food, without even a place to get out of the sun or to hide from the rain. It’s just mind-boggling. And yet we have to start someplace.”
WGM is raising money to repair and replace damaged technology. Getting the radio back on air is important not only as an output for information, but the hopeful message of the Gospel.
In addition, they are working with the Church to bring humanitarian relief to their staff and to others in the area. WGM works with the Evangelical Baptist Mission of South Haiti. There are between four and five hundred of these Churches in the south, and very few still have their roofs.
(Photo courtesy of World Gospel Mission)
But the faith of these believers is stout. Shingledecker says in one town, Christians showed up Sunday morning in what was left of their church, dressed in their Sunday best, ready to praise God.
“The Church definitely will step up,” Shingledecker says, “and not only in terms of its own people, but in terms of those in the community. We found that during the time of the earthquake in Haiti, thousands literally came to the Lord because of the witness of the Christians and how they were able to handle the crisis.”
If you’d like to help with this crisis relief, click here.
