Can We Stop Human Trafficking With the Word of God?

Our team of leaders recently went to a country in Asia to train girls who have been rescued from human trafficking. This trip came as a result of our time with one leader who had shared his story with me.
This leader used to reach these girls with many great methods. However, when he went back to see how the girls were doing, over half of the girls had been taken again! That's when he realized the answer to this problem was a heart issue. 
He began to make the ministry’s primary focus on the spiritual well-being of the girls, not just targeting the physical and emotional well-being. As a result, this leader and his organization now experience close to a 100% success rate. This means nearly all of the girls rescued do NOT get taken and returned to human trafficking.

He invited our STS instructors to help raise these girls so that they can multiply their spiritual growth wherever the Lord takes them. The STS training went so well, the girls were asking for more before the training ever ended. Please pray for these girls. They are being raised as leaders.  Currently, this leader and I are in the beginning steps of developing a training and writing a handbook to help others implement this amazing process to help rescued girls.

Could the Word of God Stop a Gang?

Marco (name changed for his protection) serves as no ordinary missionary. On December 23, 2014, he faced death. Twenty-two gang members surrounded this young man because they “put a green light on him” (meaning, he must die) for $10,000.  Marco had been a believer for less than a few months.

Even though Marco had heard about God at 12 years old, he had no family support and went his own way. However, he knew the Lord had a purpose for him.

Tears streamed down Marco's face as he shared in Spanish what the Lord spoke to him that day standing in the middle of armed gang members, “I am the one who gives life, and I take it away. You decide what you want.”

Marco responded to God, “I want to live, but I want to live for you. If you allow it, I will become what you want me to be.” Marco continued, “It has not been easy, nor had it been impossible to serve the Lord.“

Marco now brings ByDesign Visuals flannel graph materials to Honduras, and is preparing to train others with the specialized ByDesign and STS training throughout Honduras.   Marco lives for Jesus and lives to rescue those who don’t have Him in their hearts yet.

Please pray for Marco and Hilda, they are amazing people.  These two people and another man from El Salvador helped me to understand another perspective on the immigration issue.  All three have experienced broken families in Central America because their spouses (and many other spouses) have traveled to the USA, never to return again.  These spouses have left in hopes of a better life, but have left many husbands or wives without help, and certainly many children without a parent.  The man from El Salvador shared that this current system of emigration has created a welfare mentality throughout his country.

What does a flannel graph, STS and a Gang Riddled Park have in Common?

Recently, I was invited to share about Simply The Story and God’s Story with more than 250 leaders from various churches throughout Honduras. ByDesign Visuals and we (TGSP) partnered together to till the ground with ByDesign Visuals’ amazing flannel graph materials and our training.  While working with Marco and Hilda, ByDesign Visuals’ leadership, we learned something new in the Martha & Mary story.

At one point in the story, Martha says to Jesus, “…tell my sister to come help me.”  Martha wanted her sister’s help rather than respecting the call Mary had on her life.  Marco wisely applied this truth to his life when he turned down his family’s offer to help him because he realized that his family would require him to leave what God had called him to do.

Later that evening our team went to the local park in the middle of gang territory to present an STS style Bible story using ByDesign Visuals flannel graphs. At least 31 people heard the story of Joseph in prison interpreting the dreams of the chief baker and the chief butler from Genesis 40.  One family accepted Christ and several others had discussions with our team about Jesus.

Are We Maximizing Our Opportunities with Immigrants in the USA?

A friend’s heart was struck when he and his family went to a local lake.  About 85% of the people there were from India. My friend wisely asked me, "Who's reaching who?"  

How long do we have as believers to reach immigrants? One person said that we have an average of 2 years to reach them for Christ prior to their taking root in their own community and religion.

My friend decided to take action to reach the Indian families in his community. He asks immigrants if they have anyone to call at 2 am or when they need someone? Do they need a friend or fellowship? All the people say, "yes" to these questions. 

In the past couple of months they have been able  to reach 20 Telugu speaking families, even international students are coming.  His goal is 200 families, a number he believes is from the Lord.  They meet from 11 am to 8 pm on Saturdays at homes, in parks, and wherever the Lord leads.  The people talk, have a potluck, sing, and use Simply The Story to bring the Word of God. Everyone participates and loves this time together.  The group continues to grow!

What is Happening with God's Story?

God has used our flagship program, God's Story: From Creation to Eternity, in mighty ways and in many places worldwide.  Untold thousands, if not millions, are getting the meta-narrative or overview of Scripture in a way that makes sense and is understandable.  As a result, many of these people are coming to Christ.  One man recently told me that the best tool he has for working with refugees, has been God's Story!  We now have 350 languages completed.  In some locations God’s Story is the only.

In April and May, we sent a team of 6 leaders to Ghana to learn how to translate, check and record God's Story languages faster and with a high level of accuracy.  We also sent a videographer to film the process, which will be reviewed and edited soon.  As a result of this new production, we plan to increase God's Story language production.

Our language expert shared that this was one of the best language workshops he ever taught, and that 6 languages of God's Story were completed as a result.

How Far Has Our STS Training Gone?

Every time someone asks us for training, my heart leaps because I know STS helps people learn to go deeper in the Word, and equips people how to reach out to others.  Two years ago, we were asked to train people in a country, I call the "desert", where few people get to go.  When we were asked to return again this year, we sent our European Director.  

The following are some of the initial comments from our director about the recent training.

"Attendees are going to form an STS Club that will meet to do stories with coaching via Skype from regional STS leader"

"Two elders of the church(es) council were ecstatic about the workshop (and only one of them was actually attending!!)"

"Emails were pouring in from Saturday night until yesterday about what an "incredible," "amazing," etc. workshop it was."

"Yesterday was full of unplanned strategic meetings with people, including the pastor of hosting church, all wanting to know how to go forward from here towards the raising of local leaders."

Growing Leaders Starting at 8 Years Old.

Several of our younger leaders recently led a training for the 3rd year at Calvary Chapel's Vajta, Hungary location.  One instructor wrote this about an 8-year old attendee.

"This is an 8-year old asking a question to help lead adults to discover truth in a Bible story!

“After 3 days of being in the workshop (she is daughter of a missionary couple taking this training and we encouraged the couple to let her come to the training) she has learned how tell a story and use questions to prompt discussion focused on discovering spiritual observations in a Bible story."

The instructor continued, "These kinds of experiences help me truly believe that most Christians CAN learn how to do this and lead small group fun times in Bible stories with family or friends or coworkers or even at church with just one week of training!  I was very encouraged and this reinforced some previous experiences with teenagers and young adults, as well as all other ages in several countries and among non-literate people also!"

Other Blessings from The Lord.

1. Recently, the Lord opened the door for me to share about God's Story and Simply The Story on the PrayinJesusName.org network with Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt or "Dr. Chaps." This program airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes, and www.PrayInJesusName.org. If you would like to see these 2 episodes click the links below. Leave a comment if you wish.

Andrea shares that we are in a spiritual battle.

http://tinyurl.com/DrChaps00

The God’s Story Project Changes Hearts with Audio Devices: Andrea

http://tinyurl.com/DrChaps01

Grateful to the Lord,

Andrea
Executive Director
& The whole staff of The God's Story Project (TGSP)