(Every summer AFM trains and sends short-term cross-cultural workers (CCWs) to unreached people groups around the world. The report below is from Abby, an AFM short-term CCW who spent several weeks serving with Muslim children in the Middle East.)
In the summer of 2023 I went to the Middle East through Anglican Frontier Missions. From the beginning, I prayed that God would teach me what it means to fully rely on the Spirit in everything. I arrived unsure of what my days would look like but was ready to assist wherever was needed. I spent the first half of my days at a summer camp teaching English, Bible, and crafts to five different classes of children ages 3-14.
As someone who struggles with perfectionism, I initially felt the pressure to prepare and teach lessons that were perfectly engaging and valuable. However, I quickly realized two things about this culture: first, they waste no time making outsiders feel right at home, and second flexibility in the midst of chaos is the way of their world. This culture values relationships above perfection.
When I realized that the children and teachers simply desired my presence rather than my performance, my task felt much lighter! I was reminded that God also desires my undistracted, authentic self rather than perfection. To fully rely on the Spirit, I needed to offer this to Him first—which, I was humbled to realize, is something that the children were already naturally living out.
“Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God.” Mark 10:14
God used these precious children to transform my heart as I watched them embrace this principle each day through laughter, tears, unfiltered questions, and lots of bear hugs. My time spent with them is something that I will always cherish!
Outside of teaching, my wonderful long-term AFM missionary hosts took me to explore other cities where I was able to engage with locals and visit places of worship for Muslims and Yazidis. Through these new experiences, I was again struck by the tremendous hospitality of the locals, seeing a piece of God’s character shine through these people. I also felt how heavily Islam pressed into every aspect of this culture. Whether or not they are devout in their Islamic practices, families and communities root their identity in being Muslim to such an extent that denying this religion seems terrifying and unimaginable to most people. My time in this country deepened my desire to understand how AFM cross-cultural workers seek to share the Gospel.
I had the opportunity to engage with several local ministries, churches, and believers during my time. Each group had different methods and beliefs, yet carried out their convictions with confidence. In Romans 14, Paul explains that God desires that believers faithfully live out what we are fully convinced God has called us to do. We are called to love one another and to pursue relationship with those who are not like us. My time observing these different ministries reminded me that God uses diverse and imperfect personalities and methods to bring people into the Kingdom. In John 17, Jesus prays that we will be “perfected in unity.” Perfection does not result from sameness, but oneness. As I continue on in ministry, I hope to be obedient to God’s specific calling on my life and to humbly unite with diverse believers to make Jesus’ Name great among the nations.
Finally, I want to underscore to you, the reader, that my short-term preparation, launch, and on-field support would not have been possible without you, the prayer partners and financial supporters of AFM. So, as I thank you for the opportunity to serve God short-term last summer through AFM in the Middle East, I also invite you to prayerfully consider a generous, one-time gift to AFM’s annual St. Barnabas Day Campaign. Your generosity enables the AFM staff to train, send, and support both short-term CCWs (like me!) as well as long-term CCWs.
Thank you for partnership with AFM to make Jesus known and worshiped among the nations!
Abby
