AM I THE ONLY ONE?
Reflections from the Bus
Amber Smith, PIONEERS missionary, Poland

I was still waking up as the bus rolled to a stop. I stepped in and stood by the doors. Grandmothers in heavy fur coats with shopping bags in hand prepared for the morning sales. Men and women in business attire hurried to another day of work. Students, cell phones and school bags in hand, stood and somehow remained upright as the bus lurched toward the university.

During the mundane morning commute to language school, I glanced at advertisements for anything from the police academy to belly dancing classes. It was hard not to watch my fellow passengers, however, and wonder, Who are you? Where are you going? Is there life beyond your daily tasks?

Then the thought struck me, simple, but devastating to my otherwise peaceful morning: Am I the only one on this bus who knows Jesus?

As I got off the bus at the university stop, I wondered what filled the minds and lives of the students as they hurried to class. Were they as depressed as I that the days were growing shorter?

>>Read More.

IN THIS ISSUE:
• Pray: Asia to the World
• Give: Advocate Circles
• Discover: Story'08 Recap

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FROM CENTRAL ASIA TO THE WORLD
By a PIONEERS missionary, Central Asia

Luke is a believer from Central Asia. We consider him to be the first of many whom we envision coming to our city to learn a marketable skill and receive ministry tools–all for the sake of going to those places throughout Central Asia (and beyond) where many have not yet heard the Good News. This bi-vocational training school is in its early stages, but the excitement that it's been generating among local believers is phenomenal. Many are hearing His call to go to nearby towns and villages to share the gospel. Some have even heard the call to go to places like Western China, Afghanistan and Turkey. But they must go with some trade or skill that will provide both an income and an identity for them. This training school will equip these future missionaries to go where no others have gone before to plant churches!

We had the privilege to share about this school with some key leaders from the national church. A number of them were in our city attending a three-month leadership school specifically designed for them. We had the privilege of being with these leaders for one whole week. As we shared about the bi-vocational school, we could see their hearts burn with the possibility of being sent out to nearby lands for the sake of the gospel. God is doing something powerful here in our city. We ourselves can't wait to see how it unfolds!

>>Pray for Luke and other Central Asians as they prepare to be sent out as missionaries to unreached peoples.

ADVOCATE CIRCLES

Advocate Circles are gatherings of mission-minded people who pool their resources for PIONEERS global projects with the goal of giving strategically, making a greater collective impact and joining in God's redemptive plan for the nations. One participant writes, "My wife and I can’t afford to give a whole lot, but our Advocate Circle allows us to combine our gifts with others and make a bigger impact than we could have by ourselves."

>>Learn more.

What People Are Saying About Story'08

Three hundred people attended Story'08, PIONEERS first-ever mission conference held in Orlando, December 28-31. Here are a few comments from attendees:

• "Last night was amazing! I [have] never felt that close to God. It was the ideal way to start off the New Year! I loved Story'08. It was great to hear from all these different missionaries and to meet new people."
  
  
• "Story'08 was a taste of heaven: strong spiritual focus, awesome music, messages grounded in the Word. As the missionaries shared in their stories that their hearts were broken for the people groups they served, my heart was broken for the missionaries. I was challenged to continue to teach cross-culturally in inner-city ministries in NYC and to be a light to my staff, families and children at our site. Already we are spreading the word to others to attend future PIONEERS Story conferences."

More than a third of the Story'08 attendees gave a combined $15,600 to field projects and the mobilization of new missionaries. Due to a matching gift for 50 percent of these contributions, the impact of the Story'08 giving is $23,400.