"Just be."

A Roma (gypsy) child in Europe.

"About six months ago, I stood at the back of a chapel listening to a young man who is giving his life to serve God in missions,” said Melissa, a U.S. high school teacher. 

“He was challenging the high schoolers I work with to think about God's love propelling them to tell others. At least I think that is what he was talking about. It was hard to focus as God was having His own conversation with me. I heard God clearly speak to my heart that morning, ‘It's time to go.’ I had been waiting for those words for several years.”  As a missionary kid, Melissa’s heart had long been to be a full-time missionary. Since graduating from college six years ago, she has regularly asked God whether it was time to go. The answer has always been, “Not now, not for a while.” 

“I was shocked when I heard God’s summons to go that morning,” Melissa continued. “I was to go on a short-trip to the Roma gypsies this summer. When I asked Him what I was to do there, He answered that it wasn't about doing anything. ‘Just be,’ He said. I was so excited about this news. During my senior year of college, I had written a paper about the Roma people and had been praying for them ever since. So now it was time to go. I found OM's website advertising short-term trips for 2011 on Google. They had a trip going to Romania to work with the Roma people. When I read the tag line for it, I almost fell out of my seat, ‘Our goal is to just BE for the Roma people.’ Those were the exact words God had given me for the trip. The rest is history…”

Creative ministry ideas at TeenStreet

As part of the TeenStreet conference in Germany this year, 2,000 teens hit the streets with:

Teens wait as a local man fills out a postcard; postage was paid by TeenStreet.

• drama
• music
• street dancing
• face-painting
• nail painting
• chatrooms
• prayer walking
• handing out roses 
• free postcards 

In partnership with the city of Offenburg, an attempt was even made to beat the record for Germany’s longest coffee table.  TeenStreet served 625 tables with coffee and cake provided by a local bakery and many encouraging conversations were started.

“We want Christians to be involved in society, making an impact by serving, being an example and sharing the love of God in practical ways," said Clarion Samuels of OM Germany, "Young people play a big part in changing society with the love of God.”

The City of Offenburg was so impressed by the event that they invited TeenStreet back to the city  for two more nights. It was not the world record that impressed the officials.  Clarion says, “They were impressed by the discipline and love the teenagers shared with other people and how they served the city. Through the teenagers of TeenStreet, locals have come to view teenagers in a new way.”

You can participate in creative ministries on a short-term mission trip.  See creative trips available here.

Go on a discipleship journey in Africa

 

You can be part of a three-month trek through southern Africa as part of a discipleship team.  Team members will help serve the growing church there through various outreaches.   Learn more here.

You are needed in Japan.

Ready for a tough assignment? Help sort through rubble in one of the most devastated areas of Japan. Learn more about the trip here and pray about going.

Buddy Hoffman: teaching pastor at Transform 2010

Aaron Keyes will be joined on the Transform 2010 platform by Buddy Hoffman, lead teaching pastor at Keyes’ home church, Grace Fellowship. Hoffman will be joining OM Director Peter Maiden in teaching a series on the Kingdom of God. Transform creator Gary Witherall says Hoffman “has a deep passion for seeing the Gospel presented effectively”. You can see a welcome message from Buddy here:

Transform2010 - Buddy Hoffman from gfc.tv Videos on Vimeo.

Pray about joining the Transform 2010 movement. Spend your summer serving God’s Kingdom. Learn more and find your outreach on the Transform 2010 page.

Aaron Keyes: worship pastor for Transform 2010

Aaron Keyes will be leading worship for Transform 2010, a movement to reach the Mediterranean this summer. A two-week conference in Rome kicks off the event before ministry teams are disbursed throughout the region, and Keyes will lead worship there.  Aaron Keyes is an Atlanta-area worship pastor who has led at other ministry events such as Catalyst. He has a gift for uniting worshippers by keeping them focused on the Word of God. He and his wife Megan, along with their four sons, host a school in their home for young worship pastors. Keyes mentors young leaders on how to first have a vibrant personal faith, then how to transcribe that relationship into a Scripture-filled corporate worship experience for others. Here is Aaron singing Psalm 62:

shoot out in Rome

OM Italy's Matt Gibson invites you to Rome, Italy, where OM will be shooting out teams to all over the Mediterranean this summer.

Pray for Haiti shipment & team

OM is partnering with Delta airlines to get supplies into Haiti. A small team left today with a shipment of cargo. Please pray that all goes well with the flight and that the supplies will get to the people who need them most.

Delta notified OM over the weekend that space on this flight would be available, so a call went out to local churches for bedding: foam pads, sheets, blankets, and mosquito nets. The response was so great, there was concern yesterday that not all the bedding would be accepted for this flight. But it was and everything collected will go to Haiti today.

Praise the Lord for His provision. Pray that these materials might bring comfort to a nation that has been sleeping outside for over a month. Pray this team could discern any other immediate needs. Thank the Lord for this new partnership with Delta.

Are you going to Transform 2010?!

Spend a few weeks in the Mediterranean next with Transform 2010. Here's a video overview:

partnership gets team to Haiti

The team packs at OM USA.

The search and rescue team that left for Haiti yesterday spent some time at OM USA before they left. They met members of New Hope Baptist, an Atlanta-area church who partners with the same orphanages this team will be serving. New Hope member Rhodena Buck was able to show pictures from the area and brief the team on who they would meet and what they could expect. During the briefing, the team was treated to lunch by a local Chick-fil-a, with plenty left over to take with them.

Former OM member Rusty Garrison put this 6-man team together and watched as the Lord provided everything they needed. First, each man on this team is certified in search and rescue, a must at this stage in Haiti's earthquake recovery. To get there, a local businessman offered the use of his corporate jet, saving the team $6,000 in last-minute airfare. Another business leader is offering his jet for the return trip, possibly bringing a fresh team with him. A local branch of the NAACP was hosting a parade and rally for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and half of the funds they raised will go toward OM's relief work in Haiti.

Thanks for your continued support of this team. As you pray and give, you are joining with them.

team en route to Haitian orphanage

Kids before the earthquake, at the orphanage where OM is sending a team.

OM USA is sending out a six-member emergency response team to serve several orphanages in Haiti. Each team member is certified in search and rescue. The group will first search the rubble of a school just outside Port au Prince for possible survivors. As many as 2,000 children may be buried there beneath the rubble. No rescue teams have yet been in the area where they are going.

Water is the greatest need for an orphanage that was miraculously spared. The kids are sleeping outside since it is unknown how safe their building is, but praise God for protecting these children. The town around this orphanage was completely destroyed so the orphanage is providing aid to the neighborhood survivors. Pray for this team as they go, that the Lord will protect them and that they will be able to find anyone still alive. Subscribe to this blog for more updates. And click here to give to OM relief work in Haiti.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress.
James 1:27

transformers wanted

Gary Witherall tells the story behind Transform 2010, the Mediterranean outreach happening next summer. It starts in Rome with a conference then teams fan out across the region. Pray about going!

Transform 2010 from OM USA Video on Vimeo.

New video on OMUSA.org

Check out the front page of OMUSA.org for a new video overview of OM's ministry. Also read about an exciting short-term outreach in the Mediterranean next summer.

Studies Show: Short-term Mission Trips Can Change Your Heart

Did you know that The Barna Group...

...pioneered the discipline of faith-related statistics?
...has studied the effects of short-term mission trips?

Did you know that OM...

...pioneered the short-term mission movement?
...would love for you to read the Barna study?
...can customize a short-term mission trip for your small group?

You can be a statistic!

Be one of the few who have shared God's love in another culture. Go, and keep taking friends with you until the next Barna study shows that you are in the majority.

Notes from an OM trekker...

The Richness of God in Nepal

I've been in Nepal for just over three months; days rich with experiences of God's goodness.

One of the major ministries in Nepal is trekking, in which we sell books in remote areas where people often have never heard of God's Son. The time is an amazing experience, as you depend on God to provide for all your needs, including food and a place to stay each night.

I went on my second trek a few weeks ago, this time as the leader. I was uncomfortable with that position for many reasons, not the least of which is my still limited Nepali. Continually God assured me He would take care of everything we needed, and I saw this in wonderful ways.

On the top of a mountain in a tiny village, my friend and I were talking with a group of women. They seemed interested, but we had shared everything we could in Nepali. At that time, a man came who told us he was a Nepali believer. He bought one of the books and started sharing its truths with one woman. He suggested she buy the book and read for herself, and when she said she had no money, he gave her his copy and bought another!

Every time, God sent someone to share when we couldn't. Plus, every night, He provided us with a place to stay. Twice we slept outside, and when the storms came, He provided a shelter. God provided exactly what we needed at every moment.

[Would you like to see firsthand the richness of God in Nepal? The next trek starts in November. Get more information.]

Another free book from George (!) and a chance to get involved

George Verwer talks about Transform 2010, a short-term mission focus on the Mediterranean, with leader Witherall. At the end he tells you about a special book offer.

Bryan College short term missions trip

At OM USA we coordinate short term college groups that want to go on a missions trip. One of the groups was a team from Bryan College (Dayton, TN). Over Spring Break they went to Birmingham (UK). OM has a ministry there called LifeHope.
The team served with different churches in the city and worked with children and the elderly. They also visited 1000 homes door-to-door, inviting people for local Easter events.

It is encouraging to read the report from the team and see some of the pictures.

Mission Trip to Mexico