One of the monthly features on the Eurasia Community Blog is about our Financial Partnership Development program, led by Jenn Fortner. In FPD, our associates receive small group training and coaching as they invite individuals and churches to partner with them financially in the work God has called to in Eurasia.
For our workers coming to Eurasia, the process of raising funds is an important, but long and often difficult part of getting to the field.
Ideally, as they share their calling with individuals and churches, they are able to gather a team who believes in and supports what they do in Eurasia.
But sometimes, the team doesn’t come together quite as quickly as easily as you might expect. It can be easy, in those moments, for our workers to get discouraged.
Ethan, one of our workers currently raising funds to come to Southern Asia, knows what this is like.
Sometimes the encouragement we need comes straight from the Lord.
Just after his pre-field orientation, Ethan was feeling a little apprehensive about his job. He does seasonal work for the government, and usually only gets a week (or less) notice before his job ends.
He wanted to schedule some church services to share about his calling to Eurasia, and so he prayed specifically that he would get plenty of notice before he was laid off. He got an email about the layoffs a month before they happened.
Ethan felt like this was the Lord’s way of affirming his calling and reminding Ethan that he wasn’t alone.
But encouragement for our workers should come from us, too.
Ethan said about one of the churches he visited recently: “They just really honored me. I don’t know how else to explain it.”
He went on to say that it wasn’t so much about the offering (although the church was generous), but more about the way the people greeted him, and were enthusiastic about the work he is coming to Eurasia to do.
When we ask you to support our workers, we don’t just mean that we want you to support them financially—although we would love that. Those giving their lives for the gospel in Eurasia do need financial support, but they also need your prayers, your advocacy, and your encouragement.
Could you speak life-giving words to one of our workers this week, through an email, or a Facebook post? Or if they visit your church, could you stop by their table after service and tell them how important their work for the Kingdom of God is?
You never know how one kind word might really lift their spirits, and strengthen their hearts to continue their fight against the darkness in Eurasia.
Thanks for being a part of this community. We really couldn’t do this without you.