Team Building has been the main focus of our work as we have navigated the COVID-19 restrictions in our ministry. The challenges of the pandemic have limited the ability to travel and have kept us in Marion, IN since our sudden return from Kenya on March 13. The local offices of World Gospel Mission have been closed since March 16 and we are now in our 10th week of working from home and expect to be continuing this through at least mid-June.
The opportunities for us to do ministry over technology have soared, as we are regularly connecting with persons around the world to provide support and care to our Global Workers. It has been a challenging but fulfilling time for us as every day has us somewhere else around the world and we don't even have to board a plane, cross a time zone, or pack a suitcase. It has been quite an adjustment for us to not be planning where we are traveling next, or who are we going to go visit next. It has been a blessings to continue this ministry through technology.
Another unexpected blessing we have had during this time is more time to meet with our team. Team building can happen through technology as well. The picture above was from a retreat we had back in January of this year, before any of us knew about COVID-19. Since this time we have been able to all locate in either Indiana or Ohio to organize and advance our ministry plans. God has blessed us with a very gifted team, persons that come from many helping professions. Our team is made up of several helping professions such as counselor, pastor, nurse, nurse practitioner. life coach, chaplain, IT specialist, administrative assistants and even a chef! Wow! God has brought an incredible team together to do member care to our servants.
We have met together every week via zoom calls and have developed many ministry plans, policies, and shared ideas for the growth and development of this vital work. We are often reminded of the story of Joshua in Exodus 17. He is in the heat of battle, and on the hilltop Moses is praying with his arms lifted. As the weight of the prayer takes its toll on his arms, they go down and Joshua loses in battle. God sends along Aaron and Hur to hold up Moses's arms in prayer and Joshua wins the battle! Our team are the Aaron's and the Hur's to our Global Workers. We literally help to hold up the arms of our missionaries in prayer and support so that they can stay strong on the front lines and win the battle.
Every Wednesday morning we have zoomed together with our team in a hang out as we enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or diet coke while we chat. At the close of our time, we pray together. These types of opportunities have helped us to build our team and get to know one another in deeper and more meaningful ways. We look forward to when we can get back together in person and be able to travel to our fields of ministry. This summer all of our training events have been moved to an on-line virtual format. They are being adjusted and retooled to fit this venue and we ask an interest in your prayers that they will be effective and encouraging to our people. We are hopeful that the Fall events will be able to be held in person and travels will resume.
We have been blessed at WGM to have continued and regular financial support come in. The mission as a whole has had giving remain stable and on par with other years, even throughout this pandemic. We are so thankful that God has continued to provide for the needs of spreading His word around the world. The vast majority of our Global Workers have remained in their countries of service and are continuing their ministries and outreaches to the people to whom God has called them. Every day at 10:02AM, we are reminded to pray for workers to be sent into the harvest field. The prayer is based on Luke 10:2, to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers. We are currently working with persons desiring to answer that call and we will be resuming sending people as soon as possible.
We thank you for your gifts and continued financial support for our ministry. While we are not traveling, we are still very engaged in ministry and working with this great group of servants to continue to do the best member care we can offer. Your gifts and your prayers make this a reality and we thank you from our hearts.
We trust that as you read this update, you will find God's peace, His blessings, and His protection for you and your loved ones. It is our prayer that you are healthy and that you may experience the presence of God near. We would love to hear from you, pray for you, and know how you are doing in this turbulent time. We would love to hear from you and know better how to pray for you. Please email us at ned@straightpaths.org
Sincerely,
Ned and Marlene McGrady
Directors of Member Health
