You may have seen blogs and video postings with reports from a team of Alabama students who are serving in Brazil at the World Cup. We’ve also had teams serve in various capacities at the Southern Baptist Convention in Baltimore earlier this summer, and a team has just returned home after a trip to an Alabama Acts 1:8 partner in Wichita, Kansas.
There are other One Mission Student summer missionaries serving in 20 countries and eight states this summer, including several locations in Alabama. From the most remote villages to urban cities to the Gulf Coast, our students are reporting awesome stories of how they’ve seen God at work.
My email is filled with reports from student summer missionaries with statements like:
- “We’ve had the opportunity to see many come to Christ this summer – seven in this past week alone!”
- “We will be a part of a baptism service of four people in our village this Sunday!”
- “I was the leader of a group of 13 boys. Five of them made a decision to give their life to Christ, and two rededicated their life to Christ. It was amazing!”
- “We have met a lot of students who have never heard the Gospel and are really happy to hear — and they want to hear more!”
It’s a privilege for me to walk alongside these students and see how God is using their obedience to draw others to Him. These students are living out their faith – taking advantage of their summer break to be obedient to God’s call to make disciples of all nations. Their journey hasn’t been easy. Spiritual warfare is real and takes on a variety of forms:
- “I’m having a hard time disconnecting from home. Lift us up as we continue to live in such a dark place.”
- “There have been much sickness and medical issues on our team that have slowed us down quite a bit. Pray for physical healing.”
- “Pray for unity among our team.”
Through the highs and lows of their summer missions experience, they are seeking to remain faithful to God’s call on their lives. Join me in praying that they finish this summer strong, seeking to bring God alone the glory from Alabama to India to the uttermost parts – and back to their campuses this fall!
State Missionary Chris Mills is an associate in the Office of Collegiate & Student Ministries. He may be contacted at 1-800-264-1225, ext. 379, or (334) 613-2379, [email protected].
