Well trained foreign students = the perfect missionaries for their homeland!!
· They have no visa problems, culture shock, or homesickness.
· They don’t need to spend 1 to 2 years studying the language.
· They already understand their peoples’ “world view.”
· Like Isaiah 6:8, they are saying, “Here am I, send me.”
Does this spark your interest? Read on.
Friends, have you ever felt the Lord calling you to do something that’s completely “out of the box” as they say nowadays? I have been at Hartland Institute since March of 1994. But after 15 years of looking at numbers in the accounting office, the Lord has called my attention to another kind of numbers, over 6 billion of them who do not know our God. So here I am in World Mission (out of my box), and I am eager to share my vision with you.
You probably know that over the years World Mission has conducted extension schools and evangelistic seminars all over the world. While these efforts are important and will continue, my vision is to look at new ways to carry the gospel message to other countries. But wait! We have an amazing group of enthusiastic young people right under our noses who are superbly equipped to go to every kindred, nation, tongue, and people! This year is Hartland’s 25th anniversary, and we have many successful graduates all over the globe: administrators, pastors, graphic designers, medical missionaries, and the list goes on. We have trained and sent out many sincere young people from many countries who had a burning desire to serve the Lord in their homeland, but the sad truth is that they were not all successful. Some faced so many unexpected obstacles that they greatly downscaled their plans, or worse, abandoned their vision, and as a result an evangelistic lighthouse went out. As I pondered this I realized that no matter how well trained they are, they still lack experience. Some face more challenges and some just need more guidance than others. I believe we are failing to tap an unrealized wealth of evangelistic treasure, and it is my desire to develop a program that will not just encourage, but actually provide a support system for these brave young people as they step into an increasingly unfriendly and challenging world. The Lord impressed me with this idea as I was reading a magazine about missionaries who leave their homeland and struggle with cultures, languages and customs that hinders them greatly in their effort to spread the Gospel. In contrast, I realized our many foreign students are the perfect missionaries for their homeland! They have no visa problems, culture shock, or homesickness. They already know the language and they understand their people better than any foreigner possibly could. Best of all, they are ready NOW!
And so, based on Isaiah 6:8, the “Lord Send Me” (LSM) program is born. For our very first outpost project we will choose a graduate who is already in the mission field but needs help with their ministry. LSM will help them analyze their needs, set goals, and address obstacles that are hindering their progress. We want to provide logistical and organizational help, some financial support, and of course continued spiritual direction and encouragement. We will keep you informed of their progress on a monthly basis. (This will be exciting.) We will begin with just 1 or possibly 2 projects, but as the Lord blesses, we will expand. Our plan is that these first pilot sites will eventually become outposts where interns and American graduates can come for mission experience. Eventually we want to see our current students who want to go into self supporting work, raising funds for their start-up costs, anticipating obstacles, and developing realistic plans for their ministry before they even graduate so that they will be able to move more successfully into the work the Lord puts on their hearts.
While we commend the work of other missionary organizations, we strongly believe that supporting our graduates will give you far more for your missionary dollars than sending American missionaries to unfamiliar lands.
Well, are you inspired by this concept? Already we have students and graduates waiting and praying for just the kind of help we are preparing to offer. Soon we hope to begin unfolding our plans and featuring our first project in our Ministry Report and on this website. If you want to see evangelism come to life, please consider helping with this program. You may donate through this website or mail donations to Hartland World Mission, PO Box 1, Rapidan, VA 22733 Eventually you will be able to select individual projects, but for now just mark your donation “LSM Program” or simply “Evangelism”.
If we work together we can move this army of youth to the front lines and see them finish the work. They are ready, are you? Isaiah 6:8.
Thank you so much for your faith in our graduates and support for our evangelistic work.
Acting Director, World Mission Division
