The Asia-Pacific Region Nazarene Missions International (NMI) has been connecting missionaries around the region to the local churches and districts. This is one way of letting the missionaries know many people are journeying with them and that they are not alone in the mission field. This event is called NMI Love for Missions, and this is the fourth year that Asia-Pacific NMI is hosting this event.
For Care and Connection to flourish in the Asia-Pacific Region, NMI is officially endorsing the twenty (20) missionary units to the six (6) fields in the Region: Australia, New Zealand, East Asia Field, Melanesia South Pacific, Philippines-Micronesia, SEALANDS, and SEAFIELD during this event.
To begin the activity, Rev. Marcio Batista, Regional Mobilization Coordinator, warmly welcomed all the participants and the Links Missionaries to the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Regional NMI Coordinator, Christine T. Mosuela, gave her welcome remarks. “Today, we come together not just as a group of individuals, but as a community united in purpose—to learn, pray, and be inspired by the great commission given to us…Missions are not just about traveling to faraway places. It’s about carrying God’s love, hope, and truth to every corner of the world—starting right where we are. It’s about hearts ignited with compassion and lives laid down in service.” She shared.
The host engaged the Links Missionaries by interviewing them. This is a significant time to get to know the missionaries as they shared about themselves, their families, and the kind of work they do. They also shared about how they received their call to missions and how God confirmed their calling. They also had the opportunity to share about their current ministry and prayer requests.
Highlights of the conversations included the significance of Prayer, one of the Five Areas of Impact of NMI. When the missionaries were asked what kept them in the mission field, hurdles and all, the common answer was the prayer of the global church for them.
One of the missionaries from a Creative Access Area shared a message to the would-be missionaries: “When God calls, it will be very clear; anxiousness will be part of it… But we need to heed the call.” He said that God is a global God. “He is bigger than our denomination.”
In the conversation, Missionary Couple Jeremy and Reetu Height shared the benefits and excitement of being a mixed-race couple serving in a cross-cultural mission. They serve in a foreign country, learning the culture and the local language, and sharing meals is like “being at the table with Christ-like people.” They request prayers for the English-speaking Grace Point Church in Africa that God will send laborers, for the harvest is plentiful.
Couple Evans and Njeri Katanga narrated how they realized that people in Ghana and Nigeria are very religious and open to the gospel. Sunday is considered sacred, and shops are closed. Sabbath is indeed real in this part of the globe.
Bro. Carlos Gordon, who is serving in South Africa, said, “Living away from anything familiar, we have to believe that God smoothens everything out.” He encourages people, young and old, to embrace short-term mission trips and the call. He added that “God can use any one of us.”
Missionaries assigned to the Asia-Pacific Region are those currently serving and those who have served in the mission field and are now in the phase of wrapping up. We appreciate the presence of the missionary couple, Gary and Penny Sidle. They served for 24 years in Zambia, Africa. They used to be the Field Education Coordinator and were involved in Children’s Ministry and NCM.
Now that they have retired, they are in a “start over” phase. They need prayers as they look for a place to live. That is one of the concerns of long-term missionaries when they return to their passport country, as they invested all their time, talent, and treasure in the mission field. Because of these transitions, they are also having a culture shock and need to learn and relearn things. They may have retired, but still want to be part of missions and be used by the Lord.
In his challenge to the missionaries, Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Dr. Kafoa Muaror, praised the Lord for the missionaries and their families. He reflected on Matthew 9:37-28, highlighting the readiness for harvest. He encouraged the missionaries by saying, “God is with you, you may not feel it, but He is…God is present in times of having sick children, financial needs, and the complexities of life. Despite all these, we continue to worship. There are disruptions, but even in difficult situations, God is present. There may be denial, betrayal – challenges from a loved one or a perceived loved one – He is with you”, he emphasized the presence of God. He ended His message by saying, “Live our calling in the power of the resurrection.”
Our Regional Missiologist, Dr. Eileen Ruger, said that the word “missionary” does not appear in the Bible. However, the whole Bible speaks about God’s mission.
Care and Connection is one of NMI’s Five Areas of Impact. Links is a network of personal connections between missionaries and Nazarene districts around the world. Participating missionaries are assigned to districts to help foster a personal connection between them and the local church.
BY: CHRISTINE T. MOSUELA, AP NMI COORDINATOR