missions

One Mission Many Nations

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We have known Pastors Joliam and Claudia for almost twenty-five years, served on staff under their ministry and traveled overseas twice with them. Today, I am so excited to be able to recommend to you their first book, explaining their forty-one years of mission’s experience. It all began in 1985 with God’s call and a single verse:

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV

Often God calls people to leave home and spend most of their lives on the mission field, but others, God sends to come alongside them for encouragement, training and providing resources. Many times, over the years, we have said, “We’ll be praying for you!” as Pastor Joliam left on another missionary trip, but the extent of those travels still left me dumbfounded when I read “One Mission. Many Nations.” If you have a heart for missions, or are planning on any type of overseas ministry, this new book should be required reading. Here Pastor Joliam shares not only his passion for missions, but also hundreds of practical insights for outreach work in twenty-three countries on four different continents. Having traveled with him to both India and Nepal, I can tell you that the highlights shared in these pages are only the tip of the iceberg, of the lives touched and places visited on the field. I love how Pastor Joliam reminds us that to be faithful to God’s call usually means that few will applaud us or even see what we do in the Lord’s service.

“God sees the seeds planted when no camera is present, and no one outside the community knows the name of the person who is planting them.” Dr. Joliam Sampaio

So, if you are feeling God’s call to missions or simply would like to know more about what effective missions looks like in the twenty-first century, it would well be worth the investment of your time to read through the pages of One Mission. Many Nations,” You can find the book on Amazon in both English, as well as Spanish, and Portuguese in both softcover as well as a Kindle edition.

Don’t Miss the Adventure!

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Just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 1:10:33 ESV

Do you ever struggle with wondering who to trust in a world in which we are constantly being bombarded by junk mail, telephone solicitors or even neighbors trying to sell us stuff? As I have grown older, I have developed the tendency of being skeptical of almost everyone. But then I remember Melissa. She was the daughter of one of our friends at church. When she was just about thirteen, Melissa caught me one day just as we were leaving church. “So, Mr. Caligiuri, how are you today?” she asked flashing what seemed like a sincere smile. Now I liked all the Newell kids, but I knew that something was up, so I asked her in return, “That depends on how much it’s going to cost me” “Weeeeeell,” she confessed with a sheepish grin. “If you buy a box of candy from this catalogue it will help me to go to youth camp!”

Now, you might think that she was taking advantage of our families’ friendship, but today I am delighted that I bought that candy because she not only made it to youth camp, but she and her husband now serve as missionaries in Japan. They also have a couple of sweet little girls who I bet can sell all the candy they can get their hands on! Too often we miss opportunities to bless others because we build walls to protect ourselves from everyone. But choosing to always play it safe means missing the adventure of opening our hearts in ways that reap eternal rewards, both for us and for people we may never meet on this side of eternity!

A Lesson From Kenya

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If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV

This past Saturday we had a special speaker at our monthly prayer and praise meeting at Sunshine Village. Our friend Sandy had just returned from the Generations Christian church trip to Kenya. There the team visited the work of Mission of Hope International (MOHI) and this past week she came to speak twice at senior communities where I visit. After the first meeting I discovered that the video recording didn’t come out, but the second time around I was thankfully able to capture her message. The exciting heart of the lesson that Sandy shared is a great one for all of us. “You don’t have to give everything away….and you don’t have to join a monastery, to do God’s work.” The core of the matter is whether we are living in and sharing God’s love. Has His love made a difference in our lives, and are we allowing His love to flow out of us to others. I pray you will be touched by Sandy’s testimony and that you will be motivated to ask God how you can serve Him right where you are. But, strangely enough we all must begin serving by being served. Has Jesus Christ served as your Savior, and washed your heart clean from your sins? Only i you can honestly say yes to those questions will you be able to seek how He would have you pour that love out to others, whether it is on the mission field, in your neighborhood or in nursing home ministry. Have a blessed week everyone and my prayer is that this week’s video will touch your heart and draw you closer to Christ.