"Be the Connection!"
 “Dear Friends, As you know, after two years of COVID-19 things in the world are a little different. During the crisis, people didn’t get out. As a result, there were less people to witness to in the plazas and streets. Our ministry leadership (at Mexico for Jesus) woke up to the reality that just about everyone has a cell phone – using the internet, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and so on. So during the crisis we started sending the Scripture booklet, How to Know God, to their WhatsApp, Twitter and so on. You would not believe the response! People started responding, so we started small groups via Zoom to study the Scripture booklet. From there, many have gone on to study the New Testament. Some have completed that and are now in the process of going through the Old Testament. God has helped us to invent new ways to make disciples, on the internet, here in person, and across Mexico.” —Jim J., Mexico
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 After more than a year of limited opportunities for outreach, many in Latin America are discovering new avenues for evangelism and increased interest by those looking for answers to life’s vital questions. WMP Scripture booklets are a vital part of this growing vision. “We are delivering literature in various cities of our country,” wrote Victor S. from Chile. “After the pandemic, there has been an awakening to evangelize, so the demand we have for booklets is great. We want to reach every corner, every house in our country with the message of the Gospel!”  Challenges to ship to the world have become formidable. Rising prices, closed ports, congested ports, limited shipping lanes and berths, waiting for available empty containers—all make for uncertain schedules, but day after day God shows that He is sovereign and that He will make His Word known to the world. Containers that had been stored, waiting for shipping assignments, found a berth and were on the way. At times WMP had 20-30 shipments afloat en route to waiting consignees. Although delays were often encountered, shipments arrived intact and found their way to the prescribed destination.
None were lost or damaged. Surely God had His hand on His Word! This past fiscal year, more than 100 separate freight shipments (including a record high 81 containers) were sent to 96 countries, covering the globe! Shipments carried booklets in languages such as Quechua, Malagasy, German, Polish, Thai, Cebuano, and Hausa. Millions will receive God’s Word, some for the first time in their own language.  "Praise God for what the Lord is doing in the Philippines! Despite the challenges brought by Covid-19, the spread of the Gospel continues. WMP Scripture booklets are being delivered, door-to-door, through the church in more than 60 provinces. Others give out the booklets while doing street evangelism. Our God is unstoppable and His work in the lives of many people continues.
Since March of 2020, God has opened many ways to spread hope to the people during this difficult time. We are giving bags of groceries to the community in many parts of the country. Inside each bag, a Gospel booklet or a Bible portion is included. One of the pastors says that people accepting the grocery bag will always have a big smile on their faces and tears in their eyes. The Truth and Love of Jesus are shared with everyone, everywhere. WMP booklets are very much needed as our stock is almost gone. We are all praying for the arrival of the container for the Philippines." -Emer F. Added Note: The Shipment has arrived!  "I am currently a student at Eastern New Mexico University. As a student, I encounter many people from all over the world. Recently I have noticed many people turning away from God or becoming very depressed due to Covid-19. Where I live, we are still in lockdown so many people are suffering from mental health disorders. My hope with these booklets is to give others hope in Jesus. I became very depressed a few weeks back and God brought me out. Since then I have dedicated all my time to growing and learning in Christ. My life has changed for the better and I have a newfound peace. There is no better way to do God's work than to get out there and share the good news. That is my hope with these booklets."
-Andrea R., U.S.A. 2/11/21  In South Africa, Pastor M and his team of volunteers handed out The Way to God booklets along with food parcels. They reported that the community was highly appreciative not only for the relief parcels but also for the Scripture booklets as they were printed in the vernacular languages, making them easy to understand and share. Volunteers were able to continue to spread the gospel despite the limitations of a lockdown. “Many pastors have been requesting The Way to God booklets as they have seen how people value them. Many people have turned to Christ amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and need guidance. This booklet makes the work of the evangelist very easy.”  "Despite the great challenge 2020 presented, it was one of the years that we had the most results in completing the support system. At one point everything was stopped, and yet a young evangelist from the other side of the city came to my house with a backpack looking for evangelistic materials, which I gave him. He would go to the market to buy food and use the opportunity to preach. He said people were so heartbroken that you didn’t even have to hand out the booklets. As you put them on the table, people came and took them. The pace of the work decreased a lot, but we were not stopped. More and more, every day God puts in our path men and women with a lot of love for evangelism. Each one does his part, and in Christ Jesus we reach the target."
-Peniel D.  In Mexico, a ministry to the women in many communities and churches was limited when the border with the USA was closed to non-essential traffic and a WMP distributor was unable to get many of the supplies and booklets to the pastors and churches. Undaunted, she found a hand cart which she loaded with 10-pound boxes of WMP Scripture booklets, and walked across the border regularly as allowed to keep the supplies flowing. COVID-19 has NOT stopped the Gospel from reaching hearts and changing lives!  The challenges of reaching Asia’s 4.5 billion people are often overwhelming. WMP ministry partners in Asia have developed unique evangelism methods, some as basic as an itinerate missionary walking or riding a bicycle from village to village, carrying a box of Scripture booklets. Others use tourist gift bags which include WMP Scripture booklets. In restrictive environments, the Holy Spirit leads believers to places where open hearts are waiting to hear the gospel. Each one relies on the printed Word to go where they may not be able to go, providing a continuing opportunity for someone to read the words of life.
In the Philippines, a partner ministry continues to share the gospel in the face of new restrictions. “We are grateful for the materials that WMP is sending. Since the Covid-19 lockdown started, there [has been] no available public transportation. We send our gospel materials to different parts of the country through express delivery. Covid-19 cannot stop us in sharing God’s Word! We find ways to bring them to every home. Happy are the pastors who receive the delivery. As the churches go, prayer is important to open the hearts and minds of the people receiving the printed message of the gospel.” —E.E., Philippines Shipments to S. Asia, Thailand, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and other areas in the South Pacific have either been shipped recently or are being prepared for delivery in 2021.  The combination of a viral pandemic, restricting activity, and straining resources, with natural disasters, has not only brought suffering to millions of people, but it has also awakened many churches as to how to meet the overwhelming needs. God has revealed new avenues of service, ways to reach into villages long shut to the gospel, and how to demonstrate His love in practical ways. A testimony from a WMP partner ministry working in Nicaragua is representative of many such reports: “All around there are many needs. Sometimes we feel powerless because we cannot respond to every need. However, we cannot sit still. We are to pray for others, but we must also take action. I got permission to go into the hospital, with some restrictions. While we were ministering, people were asking for prayer and even those just passing by on the street stopped. There were tears on their faces and we heard some say how much they needed this. About 20 taxi drivers stopped to request prayer and listen to the message. We saw 20 people receive Jesus there!” —K., Nicaragua |
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