Spreading the Word in Asia
Philippines
WHEN WMP CO-FOUNDER Watson Goodman first flew to the Philippines with enthusiastic supporter Dean Baker, little did he dream that a divine connection there would make such a difference to so many lives. A Filipino Christian, Bert M., was intent on contacting Watson, but it seemed a miracle that they found each other in Manila. Bert convinced the WMP team to accompany him to refugee camps in Bataan, to see for themselves the need for Scripture booklets in the languages of the people who had fled out of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Two camps, surrounded by barbed wire, housed up to 10,000 people without God’s Word. Watson promised Bert that he would go back and produce Scripture booklets for those in the camps. Soon the promised shipment of booklets arrived in Manila, and Bert was able to distribute it all among the refugees.
Just two weeks after the distribution of the booklets, when Bert returned to the camps to follow up and meet with the pastors, the camps were empty! The refugees had been dispersed to other parts of the world. The shipment from WMP had come “just in time.” The refugees had been able to take Scripture booklets in their own languages with them, wherever they went.
Bert became WMP’s volunteer national coordinator for the Philippines and served faithfully in that capacity for more than 30 years, greatly expanding the availability and effectiveness of WMP literature in the Philippines through his conviction that the Word of God was and always will be the answer for man’s needs. Recently Bert turned over the coordinator responsibilities to Pastor Rene L., mentored for this responsibility by Bert for several years.
WMP will soon be producing two containers of Scripture materials for the Philippines: one for coordinator Rene L. to share with thousands of distributors throughout the nation, and one for Every Home for Christ.
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World Missionary Press has been blessed with the opportunity to print and ship gospel literature to people all over the globe for more than fifty years. Some areas, however, are harder to supply than others. When governments disapprove of such material coming into their countries, it becomes the joy of enterprising Christians who value our booklets to handle printings within their borders. Several ministries in Asia have been doing this for many years.
Myanmar (Burma)
Martin L., WMP’s long-time contact in Myanmar, emailed us in January after an extended trip to the state of Shan, networking with Gospel Outreach Mission’s evangelists and missionaries there. GOM distributes WMP booklets at their education centers, including their newest, Damadi Home, where they have an orphanage ministry and train leaders, and which will become the main distribution center for WMP materials nationwide.
Martin wrote, “Currently our missionaries and distributors need books and booklets for distribution in the areas where we have free education centers and [where] the population is growing. These areas are slum areas and most of the people are very poor. But they are very eager to hear the good news of Jesus Christ …. Please pray for our missionaries, evangelists, and pastors who are reaching out to non-Christians in these areas.”
Martin asked WMP to fund the printing of 50,000 copies of How to Know God in Wa – the language spoken by many in Shan State – as well as 100,000 copies of Help From Above and 25,000 copies of He Is Risen! salvation coloring books in Burmese. Martin reports that WMP Bible studies have proven very useful to Mizo-speaking churches in Myanmar with classes on Sundays, both for children and adults, because of the question-and-answer, fill-in-the-blank format. The translation of Meditations in the Psalms in Mizo is currently waiting to be printed, and the translation of Help From Above into Shan is in process.
Indonesia
Frans K., WMP’s national coordinator in Indonesia, is the primary printer of our materials there. We recently gave him the go-ahead to print 50,000 copies each of WMP’s Bible studies on John and Matthew in Indonesian. With the great demand for these Bible studies, these 100,000 copies will not last long. Some were to be sent to Papua as well as Central Borneo for use in Easter outreach.
Around the same time, our other printer in Indonesia, Jan L., sent an encouraging report on his own work in the island nation. In the nine months between May, 2014 and February, 2015, various churches and Christian groups distributed 90,000 copies of How to Know God in Indonesian and Javanese to cities and villages throughout the country, resulting in 178 confirmed conversions to Christ and four new churches formed! Jan’s report came with the request to print another 100,000 How to Know God booklets in Indonesian, which WMP happily agreed to.
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Grateful Quotes
Enabled to be an outreach church in Kenya
“I am personally grateful to God for His provision for our church and Bishop Mulea (Every Home for Christ Kenya), who received a lot of gospel literature from World Missionary Press. This man of God has been generous to supply as much as we need when we have placed orders or requests to him.
“Thank God for the publications of World Missionary Press. These have enabled our church to be an outreach church this last year more than ever before; because of the many new converts, we have been able to plant three new churches (the smallest has 120 members). Glory to God in the highest!” -Pastor C., Kenya
Changed lives and living testimonies
“I am so grateful to God for His provision of literature, of which booklets from World Missionary Press have been a big blessing to many Bible study clubs and groups. This has enabled many churches across my region to come up with organized Bible study sessions from time to time.
“I have a weekly ministry to prisoners in Kitui G.K. prison. These books have transformed lives of many inmates who have gone back with changed lives and living testimonies. During the last six months, I have seen 674 prisoners give their lives fully to Jesus Christ, and these [booklets] have enabled them to grow to maturity.” -Rev. K., Kenya
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Meet the Team
Karen W. -Business Displays, Volunteer
I saw a sign in front of World Missionary Press advertising an open house and tour. As I am home-schooling my grandson, I thought this would be a great field trip for us. Our family took the tour, and all of us were impressed by the whole operation! I signed up to volunteer and was excited to know that I could bring my grandson with me and that he could make boxes or stuff envelopes.
As I waited for my husband, Steve, to finish the tour (he was observing the new six-color press), I was eating a hot dog and talking to Marie Mack. When she told me that they were looking for someone to fill a part-time position in the Finance Department, I asked for an application. I loved the thought of being part of a team working to get God’s Word out to the world. I had always wanted to be a missionary and being part of the mission at WMP meant I could be on the mission field 20 minutes from home!
I am so thankful that God brought me here. I love it! The people are wonderful! I thank God for our “Press family” and the privilege of serving Him.
I worked in the Finance Department until last October, when, due to family illness, I had to be at home more. I still volunteer as much as I can. I like the fact that my son and grandson can also volunteer.
In my free time, I like to read and fish and garden. I like to can or dehydrate the food I have grown so that we can enjoy it in the winter. I also like to spend time with my family.
Steve W. -Quality Assurance Coordinator
My wife, Karen, heard about a free tour of World Missionary Press, and we decided to use it as a “field trip” for our grandson, Keith, whom we home school. When I mentioned to one of the tour guides that I had taught some printing classes and I liked seeing the operation of the large presses, he told me that WMP was hiring and that maybe I should apply. When I got to the car, I heard my wife was also told that she should apply if she would like to work here, so we both applied and were hired in July, 2014.
I am the Quality Assurance Coordinator and I also work in the prepress department. I love the atmosphere here at WMP. I am a retired public school teacher from South Bend, and I really appreciate the lack of “drama” here. People cooperate with each other, and we get the Lord’s work accomplished.
When I’m not working, I enjoy fishing, woodworking, and construction as hobbies. I also enjoy family time. I think I like working at WMP as much as any hobby. I have a wonderful wife, adopted grandson, and stepson living with me. Most of my extended family likes to fish, swim, or go for boat rides. As we live next to Lake Wawasee, we enjoy water sports all summer.
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WMP Partners Around the World
Steve B., Nicaragua
Steve B. (center) and the Messiah Project have used WMP literature to reach the far corners of Nicaragua since 2004. By helping to translate WMP Scripture booklets and A Bible Study on John into the Miskito language, they introduced God’s Word to a people who had never heard of God’s love for them.
WMP: Please describe your background and ministry.
Steve: As a new believer, I began sharing the gospel in Northeast Oklahoma. Two years later, the Lord opened the door for ministry in Mexico, when I first began using WMP literature. In 2002 He opened another door – Nicaragua. For the past 12 years, the Lord has opened numerous doors for the Messiah Project (MP) to share the gospel, even to remote unreached regions – doors such as helping bring the written Word of God to the Miskito Indians of the Rio Coco for the first time, reaching mountainous villages throughout northern Nicaragua, and traveling the rivers of the Sumu Indians.
WMP: How has free literature affected evangelism?
Steve: Having free materials available increases exponentially our ability to share the gospel. Virtually everyone receives a Scripture booklet gladly. The gesture of offering a booklet to an individual as a “gift” often becomes a door to talk about Jesus.
Men, women, and children who otherwise might feel inadequate to share the gospel are often willing to share Scripture booklets, enabling more people to be involved in evangelism outreach. Often these individuals go on to be involved in hospital or jail visitations or become street preachers, pastors, or even MP missionaries. The value of the booklets in raising people to share the gospel is indispensable.
Each month native MP missionaries, loaded with WMP literature, are sent on short-term trips throughout northern Nicaragua. These missionaries – native pastors and church leaders prepared by the Lord through years of faithfully sharing the gospel locally – report God’s goodness and grace through numerous miracles and salvations each month.
Scripture booklets play an important role in 568 feeding centers, where more than 58,000 children, pregnant women, elderly, and disabled receive a vitamin-enriched meal along with the Word of God.
WMP: How effective are the topical Scripture booklets in your country?
Steve: After years of experiencing their impact first hand, I believe that God truly inspired the topical format of the Scripture booklets, as they have proven an effective way to introduce the Word of God to people in a “bite-size” approach. Many in rural and remote regions haven’t had the benefit of a highschool education, but – with the help of the Holy Spirit – are able to grasp a topic through the selected verses. People of all education levels are able to focus on a particular topic without distraction. Plus, the format makes it easier for missionaries with less experience to share the gospel more effectively and with more confidence.
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President’s Corner
Last month’s newsletter included a table of freight shipments awaiting production. I thought it would be helpful to summarize this information each month, to keep you up to date with what we have “in the works.” Each month we get new requests; work with the requesting coordinator or major distributor to refine, plan, and prioritize the requested shipment; and add it to our queue. Combined with the Shipment Status Report table we have been including in our newsletters, this monthly summary of waiting requests will help give you an overview of what’s happening here and insight on how best to pray for our ministry.
We use a standard unit of measure for planning and tracking production we refer to as “equivalency,” based on a 48-page English Help From Abovebooklet. For measuring our volume, items produced such as Bible studies, coloring books, and New Testaments are related to the equivalent number of Help From Above booklets.
Thank you so much for your partnership with World Missionary Press! We greatly appreciate your prayers and donations, helping send millions of portions of God’s eternal Word throughout the world each month. May He bless our efforts together with much lasting fruit!
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