For over 30 years, the heartbeat of our church has been tied to a mission that extends far beyond the walls of any building, beyond the borders of our city, and even beyond the boundaries of our nation. It is a mission rooted in the heart of God Himself — a mission to make His name known among the nations.
This is not a story about an organization or an event; it’s about faithfulness — God’s faithfulness and the faithfulness of His people to follow Him wherever He leads.
Gratitude and Faithfulness Across Decades
Gratitude is more than politeness; it’s a posture of the heart. It keeps us humble, reminding us that everything we have is a gift from God and that none of us arrives where we are on our own.
For three decades, faithful believers have prayed, given, and stood with those who carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. They’ve continued when it was hard, given when it was costly, and remained steadfast when it would have been easier to give up. That kind of faithfulness is rare. It’s extraordinary. And it echoes God’s goodness not just here, but in places many of us will never set foot.
The fruit of that faithfulness is seen in lives changed — not abstract statistics, but real people with names, stories, and faces.
Kolya: A Story of Hope and Redemption
One of those faces is a boy named Kolya. His life began in hardship — abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother, and left in the care of a relative trapped in addiction and exploitation. Orphanages in Russia are often unsafe, harsh places, and Kolya suffered relentless bullying because of a physical deformity. One day, overwhelmed and desperate, he climbed into his bunk and prayed the simplest prayer:
“God, I don’t even know if You exist, but if You do, will You help me?”
God heard that prayer. And not long after, a small missionary family arrived at Kolya’s orphanage. With no grand strategy — no cell phone, no GPS, no detailed plan — they simply came with a willingness to serve. Kolya attended Bible lessons at first only for the cake and cookies offered afterward, but eventually, the Word took root in his heart. He believed the gospel and became a follower of Christ.
Kolya’s story didn’t end there. He grew into a leader in ministry, attended Bible college, married a pastor’s daughter, and together they raised a family committed to the gospel. His daughter, Tyia, now serves in a region once unreached, carrying the mission forward to places where previous generations could not go.
Kolya’s story reminds us that the gospel changes lives. It’s not just an idea — it’s power. When we pray, give, and go, God uses those investments to transform individuals, families, communities, and even nations.
Ukraine: Standing with the Oppressed
When war erupted in Ukraine, missionaries faced a choice: stay in Russia, leave the field entirely, or stand with the oppressed. Loyalty was never about nationality — it was about allegiance to God and His heart for the vulnerable. And so, the mission continued on the front lines of Ukraine, among people suffering the unimaginable.
One of those people is Irina. On the first day of the invasion, her home in Bucha was struck by a grenade. As flames consumed their possessions — even the cross on the wall — soldiers stormed their home. They accused Irina’s husband, Oleg, of being a threat. He was not. He was a welder, a husband, a father. But in front of his family, he was executed.
The soldiers said they had come to “liberate” them. Irina later stood on the spot where her husband died and said, “Show them how they liberated us. Show them how we have nothing now.”
When homes burn and hearts break, God’s people cannot turn inward. Scripture calls us to go into all the world (Matthew 28), to cross the road to those in need (Luke 10), to remember the mistreated as if we were mistreated (Hebrews 13:3), and to defend the weak (Psalm 82). We must be present — and if we cannot go ourselves, we must send those who can.
Vera: Love Written in Permanent Ink
In Kyiv, as chaos and violence spread, one mother prepared for the worst. She dressed her toddler, Vera — whose name means “faith” — and with a permanent marker wrote her name, address, and birth date on her skin. She slipped an index card with the same information into her pocket.
When asked why, the mother replied, “If I’m killed and someone finds her, I want them to know who she is and maybe they’ll take care of her. She’s the most precious thing in the world to me.”
That is love — fierce, sacrificial love in the middle of fear. It’s the kind of love the church is called to embody. The gospel does not allow us to fold our hands and look away when the world is on fire. It compels us to go, to serve, and to love even when it costs us.
“Thank You That You Don’t Forget Us”
On the front lines of Ukraine, amid the sound of artillery, missionaries continue to deliver aid, share the gospel, and offer hope. In one bombed-out village, an elderly grandmother approached, walking slowly and leaning on a cane. After receiving help, she looked up with tired but steady eyes and said simply:
“Thank you that you don’t forget us.”
Six words — but they ring like a bell that will not stop. This is what the church is meant to be: a people who do not forget. Not the orphan. Not the widow. Not the oppressed. Not the broken.
The church is not at its best when it is comfortable. The church is at its best when it shows up — in the rubble, in the pain, in the darkness — and declares with word and deed that God sees, God knows, and God loves.
Refuse “Me First” — Embrace God’s Heart for the Nations
We live in a culture increasingly shaped by “me first” thinking — my city, my country, my comfort. But that is not the way of Christ. From Abraham’s calling (“I will bless you… so that you will be a blessing to the nations” – Genesis 12:2-3) to Jesus’ final words (“Go into all the world” – Mark 16:15), God’s plan has always been global.
The church must resist the temptation to build walls around our blessings. We are blessed to be a blessing. Our prayers, our giving, our hands, and our hearts must stretch beyond ourselves — into the lives of people we may never meet but whom God loves deeply.
The stories of Kolya, Irina, Vera, and countless others are not just stories — they are invitations. Invitations to reject small, self-focused living and embrace God’s larger story of redemption and hope.
The Mission Continues — And the Best Is Yet to Come
The greatest churches in the world may not yet exist. The greatest missionaries may still be waiting for their call. The greatest stories of redemption may still be unfolding. The mission is far from over — and the best is yet to come.
As we look to the future, let us commit to being a people who remember, who go, who give, and who refuse to forget. Let us be a church with open hands and open hearts for the nations — so that the next generation of Kolyas and Veras and Irinas will know they are not forgotten.
