There’s a story of a priest who lived in a fishing village near the sea. One year, in his annual congregational report, he announced that “nine fishermen had been lost at sea in inclement weather.” The church was shocked, amazed, and confused. “Who are these nine people—why isn’t the entire village talking about this?” The priest replied, “Last month eleven fishermen requested prayers for their outing, and only two returned to give thanks for their safe return. So, I assume the other nine were lost at sea.”

Thankfulness often times doesn’t come naturally. Our tendency is to dwell on what we lack rather than be thankful for what we have, or how God’s been mighty in our lives. Accordingly, Paul’s epistles are littered with commands to be thankful: “Give thanks in all circumstances” (I Thess. 5:18), and “Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).

With all the challenges and demands associated with running a missionary movement, setting aside God’s command to be thankful—and forfeiting the joy that accompanies it—can be a temptation for the AFM staff. But not this year…

Fourteen months ago (November 2018), AFM staff and volunteers put forth ambitions faith-goals for 2019, the year of AFM’s Silver Anniversary. We launched The Door is Open, The Time is Now campaign to achieve them. Our two main goals were:

• Recruiting 15 new cross-cultural workers to spread the gospel among the least-reached peoples in restricted-access countries.
• Raising $250,000 to support these new missionaries and new mission initiatives.

By the grace and power of God, AFM achieved these two goals in 2019. So, at the beginning of a new year, as we “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 107:1), I also want to express my gratitude to you, friends, prayer warriors, financial partners, and volunteers of AFM.  AFM couldn’t have attained these lofty goals without you.

Thank you for your heart for peoples still waiting to hear the Christmas message for the very first time. Thank you for concretely expressing your heart through the ministry of AFM. 

The Rev. Christopher Royer
Executive Director of AFM