September, 2015 Newsletter (pdf)

Outreach to Our “Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria”

CHRIST’S COMMISSION to His disciples – and to those who followed after – was to GO. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The beginning of obedience to this far-reaching command is to GO to those in our “Jerusalem” – the place where we live.

Summer in the United States is a time of festivals, fairs, reunions, parades, sporting events, and busy tourist attractions. These are times when people gather to celebrate, to come out into the community for something new to do and see. Many cities have annual festivals that draw people from surrounding areas – “Judea” and “Samaria” – and even include people from around the world.

Many churches and ministries get involved, realizing that God’s grace has drawn people to their area to perhaps hear the truth of His Word for the first time or to have personal contact with someone who will pray with them and introduce them to the Savior. WMP Scripture booklets play an important role to provide God’s printed Word, which is able to go home with people and speak to hearts over and over.

Michael C. wrote, “We lead people to Christ at fairs. Last year we had 4,400 salvations in Washington State. We use your booklets in our efforts. Thank you so much.”

Joan K. ordered copies of The Way to God and shared plans to man a Prayer Station Booth at the Ohio State Fair. She wrote, “Last year we prayed for 1,000 people and gave out numerous booklets.”

God’s plan for sharing Himself and His Word with the world is implemented when His people follow His command to GO.

Juanita I. was referred to WMP by a minister in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she lives. She wrote, “I have English and French-speaking neighbors who I know are not saved, and I would love the opportunity to reach out to them with the Word of God in both languages. No, I don’t speak or read French, but I’m willing to try to be a witness. We used to have a Bible study in our building for seniors, disabled vets, and other residents, but not anymore. Because I would like to try and get it started again, I am requesting a sample [booklet] display to help me.”

Many groups take WMP gospel literature on summer mission trips. A mission team from northern Indiana reported the blessing of taking Kreyol New Testaments to Haiti. Since Haiti is not a closed country and is so close to the USA, they thought everyone would have a Bible or New Testament. They were saddened to find out that many have never had one. The few Bibles they saw were hard to read, with small print on dark pages.

“The thrilling thing about WMP [New Testaments],” they wrote, “is the larger print on white pages. They are the perfect size! The Bible coloring books were a blessing beyond words! We always pray for an evangelistic tool – these were perfect.” When they return to Haiti in October, they plan to provide salvation coloring books and goodie bags for a pastor/principal who has a school of 1,000 children. “The booklets and teaching books (John and Matthew) will be handed out in the churches, encouraging evangelism among the Haitians – to reach out and share Jesus with their neighbors! Thank you so much for blessing so many!!”

Several WMP staff have also been involved in mission trips to Cuba, India, Mexico, and Nicaragua. In late July, office worker Sharon Z. took a team of five young women to Mozambique (photo below) to work with WMP’s national coordinators in various activities. Their plans included a three-day VBS (using WMP’s coloring book God Loves You in Portuguese), a one-day youth revival, and a special birthday party for orphans.

WMP’s outreach to our own community includes manning a booth at our local county fair – said to be the second largest in the U.S. While sharing Scripture booklets, there is often opportunity for one-on-one conversations and prayer with visitors who have heavy hearts.

Cal Z. asked concerning an India festival in Saginaw, Michigan: “What should we have done? Nothing? Complain about non-Christian immigrants? Or GO and evangelize.” He chose to GO, his green shoulder bag made in India filled with Hindi Scripture booklets from WMP. He reported: “Not one single Hindi-speaking person refused our Scripture booklets.” One man who had been seated when given a copy of Help From Above in Hindi, got up and followed them, exclaiming, “I value this! I value this! Please give me some more.”

As we lift our eyes and see opportunities around us, let us ask the Lord of the harvest where He would have us work for Him this day. At a local softball tournament? A city celebration? A family reunion across the street? As we GO, He has promised to be with us.

   [You can help provide Scripture materials for short-term mission trips, and for outreaches throughout the US and Canada. $25 will fund production and shipping of 500 power-packed Scripture booklets; A gift of $100 will help reach 2,000 with portions of God‘s eternal Word!]

Grateful Quotes

So Many People Groups to Reach in the Netherlands

“I pray the Lord will lead me in giving booklets, tracts, Bibles, etc. I meet people from many countries because there are so many people groups in the Netherlands. First of all I evangelize among truck drivers, but I also see other people. Last Sunday I was biking in our city, and I felt led to offer a Gospel of John to a man I saw walking along the road. I soon discovered he couldn’t talk and read Dutch very well, so I said, ‘I’m sorry to ask, but perhaps your native language isn’t Dutch?’ He admitted it. He told me he could speak Farsi, so I looked for something in Farsi. I couldn’t find Farsi so quick, and I said, ‘I see a Dari New Testament, but well, that’s not Farsi.’ He said, ‘But Dari is officially my mother language. Dari is better than Farsi!’ I have so long taken this Dari New Testament with me for nothing, but after all these years I could give it to this person!

“A week before, I was evangelizing at a parking place. There were many truck drivers. After I had given them tracts, etc. I saw a coach from Germany. Most of them were Germans. Only some of them would accept a booklet. I also saw some very dark-skinned people. I also offered them a booklet, but they couldn’t speak German.  They could speak English, but their native language was Hindi. For the first time in years I met someone who could speak Hindi, so I offered them a booklet in Hindi that I once ordered from WMP…. They were so happy!

“There are nationalities I meet very often, like Polish, Lithuanian, Bulgarian truckers, but I try to take as many languages with me as I can. I always think I might meet a ‘new nationality.’ In those years I couldn’t once offer anything. Those people were from Ethiopia or Eritrea, I don’t remember exactly. I would like to also order languages I didn’t meet until now because I know there are people of those languages in my country. May God bless you.”     –Francis W.

   Francis ordered booklets in 27 languages, including the Gospel of John in Dari.

 

Meet the Team

Dale C., Small Orders

I found a Help From Above in the tract rack in my church in Wisconsin and sent for a sample packet. I was planning a three-day vacation, pondering where to go, saw the newsletter on the coffee table, and decided to come for a visit and volunteer. I worked in a variety of jobs while here and asked the president to keep me in mind if they ever needed a pressman. About four weeks later I was employed at WMP.

I first learned how to run a printing press in the basement of my church in Wisconsin, printing the Gospel of John and Romans. While working in the printing ministry at church, I was able to get a job in a commercial print shop. I prayed many times asking the Lord to let me work full time printing His Word. As useful as other tracts may be, I felt the Word of God was the best piece of literature a lost soul could receive.

I’ve been working at WMP for 22 years. Currently I work in the Small Orders Department with eight faithful and dedicated volunteers, fulfilling domestic and foreign orders from one booklet up to 50 ten-pound boxes. Over the years I have also worked on the web press, printing the insides of booklets, and the two-color Hashimoto press printing the covers of the booklets.

God reveals Himself through His Word. He reveals the true condition of a person’s heart toward God, the need for forgiveness of sin, and the worship due to the true and living God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He has saved me for this purpose and that I would be a laborer in His harvest field. I see how God is using others by the number of different languages requested, and sending the booklets all over the world to the people who have prayed asking the Lord to supply a means for reaching the lost. We at WMP are privileged to be a part of God’s answer to their prayer.

I enjoy gardening and woodworking as well as being a frustrated student of the hammer dulcimer. I am also head greeter at church and involved in a men’s prayer group and nursing home ministry. I am married to the most beautiful, godly woman I know. I see much of Jesus in her and she encourages me much in Christlikeness. God has blessed Marilyn with great piano accompaniment skill and much patience as we attempt to play our instruments together.

   [Dale and Marilyn met at WMP and were married July 18, 2015. Marilyn will be featured in next month’s Meet the Team.]

 

WMP Partners Around the World

Ricardo M., Costa Rica

Pastor Ricardo has served as WMP’s national coordinator in Costa Rica since 2010. Availability of WMP literature has energized believers in Costa Rica, leading to greater outreach. On a visit to the U.S., Pastor Ricardo encouraged our staff with his enthusiasm and gratitude for the Scripture booklets. He will soon receive another 20-foot container of Scripture booklets for Costa Rica as well as for a new, developing ministry in Belize.

   WMP: Please describe how you are currently reaching your country with the gospel.

   Ricardo: As a missionary/pastor in the Republic of Costa Rica, it has been a great blessing of God to be able to count on the help of WMP to reach more lives in communities and cities. [Your material] is a powerful tool for pastoral work in the various denominations and ministries of Costa Rica. One of the greatest things that has happened is that [it has] united the body of Christ, breaking down denominational divisions and lifting up the powerful name of Christ.

   WMP: How long have you been distributing WMP literature?

   Ricardo: In 2008 I met Brother Adalberto S. [WMP’s national coordinator in Puerto Rico] at a Voice of the Martyrs conference in Costa Rica. He visited us where we did street evangelism. When I saw the booklets, my soul was happy. I told him that we needed booklets in Costa Rica, as we did not have any.  He gave us about 800 booklets in a bag and told us that we would soon receive more. We began to learn about WMP and to receive booklets by mail. A year later we received 2 skids of booklets [95,000 Scripture booklets plus Bible studies and salvation coloring books] that provoked great joy in the people of God. We have been distributing them for six years. Every year we have received more. Last time there were 1,782 boxes, and with this new order, we hope for 2,000 boxes.  (He will receive 2,560 boxes – 1,186,340 items –  in the upcoming 20-foot container shipment.)

WMP: How does having free literature affect evangelism in your country?

   Ricardo: Since Scripture booklets became available, we have been able to develop massive campaigns in communities, which have brought growth to the congregations. It’s a blessing of God to see both children and adults reaching people for Christ. Organizing churches to work together, not considering denominations, has brought down walls that had divided them. There is much work in the streets, and many desire to reach out with the gospel.

It has helped the churches deepen their faith, and we have made discipleship classes with the children on Sundays. Those who do not have a Bible now have a New Testament and can read the Word of the Lord. What a blessing it has been to respond to these questions! We desire rich and abundant blessing in the Lord to all that comprise WMP!

   [WMP is planning the next shipment for Brother Ricardo in Costa Rica. You can help impact lives for eternity! A gift of $26.70 will fund a box of 30 Spanish New Testaments; $50 will provide 1,000 48-page Scripture booklets.]