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Vince McCarty, Executive Director of Global Missions

Trusting God in His Calling 
By Heather Hunsaker 
Missionary to Mexico
  
Here we are, a couple in our early thirties serving on the mission field. How did we get here? To be honest, the Lord is the most sufficient answer that either of us can give. My husband, Travis, grew up in the church and I recommitted my life to Christ as a young adult. We served in our church in whatever capacity was needed, never really taking ownership of any ministry.

We married at a young age, owned our first home by the time we were 21, took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace classes, and were working toward debt free living, retirement saving, and following all the good and wise advice the world tells you to do with your money. Our time and our life's plan were our own (or so we thought).
 
Then we read a few good books that completely wrecked our worldview and our view of our own autonomous plans for life like Hole in the Gospel, by Richard Stearns and Radical, by Kyle Idleman. It was then that the Lord brought us to the point of "not enough." We had always asked the Lord to bless our plans but in this growing sense of restlessness, God was asking us to seek Him and His will and plan for our life.

Living in a camper while itinerating (raising funds) as a family.
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Through a series of God-designed circumstances, obedience, and prayer, this is where the call was, at a ministry base called Puente de Amistad (Bridge of Friendship) in Tijuana, Mexico. This is where all the open doors in our life led. In the end, it all came down to one question: "Do we trust God enough to follow Him into not only unknown territory, but also to an unknown end?" We had life planned for the foreseeable future. We had identifiable goals of where we wanted to be in five, ten, and twenty years down the road, but now that has all changed. We know this is the call of the LORD on our lives and we plan to do it even though we have no idea what the next step looks like or when it will be taken.

Paul sums up our current position in Galatians 2: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (vs. 20) David Platt says it well in his book Follow Me:

"Ultimately our reason for living changes. Possessions and position are no longer our priority. Comfort and security are no longer our concerns. Safety is no longer our goal because self is no longer our God. We now want God's glory more than we want our OWN lives" (emphasis mine).

The transition from Iowa to Mexico was a welcomed one. We were excited for the adventure to begin and were excited for the change. Like most things in life, nothing is ever exactly as we anticipate it to be. Putting our children, Wesley and Mya, in a Spanish-speaking school was a much harder transition than anticipated. A lot of tears were shed by both mom and children as we adjusted to this part of our new life. Now, ten months down the road we are finally settling into this new life and it is getting easier with far fewer frustrations. Living in a different country and different culture is really all about learning how to do life all over again. In the U.S. you pay your bills by a check in the mail or on the Internet. In Mexico you pay many bills in person at a designated location. If you are lucky it is at the neighborhood gas station or at the government office.

But here we are. By the grace of God our first season at Puente de Amistad is under our belts. We made it! Thank you to our many faithful prayer partners and donors. We couldn't have done it without you. We have experienced and grown so much throughout the last three years. Thinking back to how we started out as interns at Puente de Amistad for a summer, starting the process to become missionaries shortly after that, and then raising funds for our family to move to Mexico to minister to those in need is surreal. Through all of that we have developed a much closer walk with the Lord. We are trusting in Him for the planning and answers that we need to fulfill His calling for our family, for His glory, not ours.

   


Missionaries Travis and Heather Hunsaker minister at the Puente de Amistad (Bridge of Friendship) missions base in Tijuana, Mexico. Puente is a Christ-centered base where visiting groups and individuals stay during their time of ministry in orphanages, in neighborhood Vacation Bible Schools, in men's drug and alcohol rehabs, or while feeding the homeless in downtown Tijuana. The Hunsakers assist incoming missions teams as they willingly step outside their comfort zones to minister in another culture.

Click here to donate towards their ministry online or, if giving by check, make check payable to Open Bible Churches with Hunsaker in the memo line and mail to Open Bible Churches, 2020 Bell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315.

Hunsakers


Rebuilding Liberia
The country of Liberia has suffered two horrific civil wars which lasted 14 years. During this time the nation's infrastructure, along with most major business, were destroyed or heavily damaged. Liberia is still trying to recover from the ravages of war. Even though the war has ended there is no running water or electricity in the capital creating an entire generation that is functionally illiterate city of Monrovia. During the 14-year civil war, all public and private schools were closed due to danger. This has caused a tremendous deficit in the reading and writing skills of Liberia's children and youth. 
 
Our goal is to raise funds to set up literacy learning centers in strategic parts of the country. These learning centers will help train our Open Bible family and the people of Liberia so they can have the education necessary to move forward and restore the country's infrastructure. In addition, we will initiate the INSTE program as the majority of our pastors and leaders have had no biblical or theological training
 
The Lord says in Joel 2:25, "Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten." The enemy tried to destroy Liberia and our Open Bible work there. Now we have the opportunity to Rebuild Open Bible Churches of Liberia.

We greatly appreciate your support and partnership with our Open Bible family worldwide. Join us as we Rebuild Open Bible Churches of Liberia by providing the education they need to turn their lives and their country around.



Global Harvest Offering '17 
Click here to donate online towards Rebuilding Liberia, Global Missions 2017 Global Harvest Offering. You may also send a check payable to Open Bible Churches with Global Harvest Offering in the memo line and mail to Open Bible Churches, 2020 Bell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315.

www.globalharvestoffering.org

Trusting God throughout our Spiritual Journey
By Michael George 
  Field Director in India 
 
"I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Psalm 34:1

The Lord touched my heart in a unique way in 1985. I was working for the oil industry in Saudi Arabia when I came into contact with the underground Church. In 1987 God called me into His service. My wife, Sujamol, and I were married in Kerala (an Indian state in South India) in 1988. Our first child, Joshua, was born in 1989. Between 1987 and 1991 I traveled to many different places sharing the Gospel. During that time the Lord helped me start two churches in Kerala.

Church in Kommu
In 1992 under God's divine direction my family and a ministry team moved to the remote village of Kommu. In that year our daughter, Elizabeth, was born and the first church in Andhra Pradesh was established by God's grace. Many people in the area came to know the Lord. We had many new experiences and difficult hardships that shaped my family and our future in missions. One such difficulty was that our church and house were made of leaves that were infested with flies, mosquitoes, ants, and snakes but God moved mightily anyway. Many people were added to the church through divine healing and deliverance from bondage.

Baptism
The ministry team and I began our first training center for the formation of leaders in Kommu. Once leaders were trained, they began to evangelize in nearby villages. The Lord enabled us to enlarge our ministry with the help of many churches of like-minded leaders who joined God's movement. Today there are about 100 leaders working at various native places. We established an extension training program to equip mature leaders to make disciples in the churches.



Base Camp in Satyavaram
In 2011 the Lord burdened my heart for the people living in the remote mountain regions. By God's direction, we started working in Satyavaram (a village in Andhra Pradesh) and began holding church services there. Despite severe trials and hardships, a mission base was developed there. We have now expanded into Dabbadi (a sub-district of Satyavaram), where we also hold regular church services.

There are 4,000 villages in 23 sub-districts surrounding Satyavaram. These villages have many needs in the areas of
Inauguration of the Satyavaram base camp
health, education, and agriculture. Malaria, typhoid, and tuberculosis are still rampant in these places. Please pray that the light and love of Jesus will be poured out on the people who live in these places.



Michael George is one of Open Bible's field directors in India. Please pray for Michael George and his family
and the Open Bible work in India.