To disciple the friends we gain in Ukraine with Gospel clarity.

MIA is an inter-denominational para-church organization. The nature of our vision and mission is too big to be confined to a single denomination. It is our aim to partner with multiple denominations as long as they have a solid grasp on the Gospel. The leadership of MIA have their personal doctrinal convictions, which we are not saying are unimportant, but the emphasis and focus of our outreach ministry is discipleship in the Gospel, practicing spiritual disciplines, assessing and addressing our idols, assessing and addressing our understanding of God’s identity and our identity in Christ, abiding daily in God’s presence and practically giving ourselves away in obedience and service to God in an outward missional context.

For us at MIA our focus in ministry is the Gospel and it’s practical implications. We strive to create an environment where people are free to differ on other theological issues, discuss those things productively and love each other well.

However, the core of our spiritual leadership and those seeking to be involved in church leadership itself must be in agreement on other key issues. For more on that visit here.

Being as MIA is made up of a network of people each person involved may have a different sending church. MIA seeks to partner exclusively with individuals and churches that share our firm convictions concerning the Gospel.

Jacoby & Lera Nelson are members of Covenant of Grace Evangelical Church in Odessa, Ukraine

First and foremost each of us are accountable to God and we take that seriously! “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9:10

MIA is a para-church organization. It’s board of directors consists of three pastors, one ministry leader and other mature Christians who oversee and prayerfully vote on all major decisions of the ministry.

Each full-time missionary of MIA is required to attend a minimum of biweekly accountability/discipleship meetings. Each missionary is carefully screened and must be anonymously recommended by two pastors and five other references. They must have a track record of leading a life above reproach and be commended for missions work. If you are curious how we go about our accountability groups, see our blog “Troubleshooting Accountability Groups”.

Lord willing it will work, and for His sake be fully staffed and funded by the end of 2018.

If things do not go according to plan we will offer everything to the Lord’s hand and happily submit to His perfect sovereign will. MIA will continue to serve in Ukraine in whatever degree the opportunities and resources provided make possible. Stepping forward in faith we will do the best we can with what we have, where we are at, by the grace of God working mightily in us!

Currently MIA serves in Ukraine by producing English Club lessons and materials for missionary partners in Odessa. We will be in Odessa in the summers with a team of short-term missionaries from the United States for English Camp and other outreach. For more on short-term missions opportunities visit here.

MIA’s goal is to return to Odessa sometime in 2018 and blaze the trail for the grand opening of the first Life Center.

Yes, and the consequences of it are tragic. It’s something we are continually in prayer about.

If you would like to keep up on the conflict in Ukraine three good sources are BBC News, Kiev Post, and Euromaidan News in English on Facebook.

In September 2015 Netflix released a great documentary on the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine, Winter of Fire Trailer.

For a summary of the events leading up to the war, read here.

For a history of the crises in Ukraine with maps visit here.

View a live map showing Russian Occupied areas in Ukraine here.

The answer to that question would depend on where you are going. There have been incidents in Odessa, but primarily the residents there have proven themselves to be pro-Ukrainian and Russia has not had her way there.

Kiev and Odessa have recently received a newly trained police force. July 21, 2015 Mikheil Saakashvili, the Governor of Ukraine’s Odessa Oblast, signed a memorandum with the United States assuring American support in the region. This memorandum was co-signed by Assistant Secretary of State for Drugs and Law Enforcement William R. Brownfield and marks the first agreement between the regional Ukrainian government and the United States.

Chances for an American in Odessa minding their own business, to be in harm’s way, are slim to none. Another thing to keep in mind is because of the sensitive situation in Ukraine there are many doors opening up for the Gospel and to the West. The timing for the spread of the Gospel is opportune. Additionally, when has our safety as missionaries for the sake of the Gospel ever been The Churches highest priority? Being as God is sovereign, the risk for us living or dying no matter where we are in the world is equal. We cannot eliminate risk from our lives if we live in the safest suburb of Canada and God is perfectly able to keep us, should it be his will, in the most hostile areas of ISIS. For more on risk and missions we recommend Risk Is Right: Better to Lose Your Life Than to Waste It by John Piper

“God’s command ‘Go ye, and preach the gospel to every creature’ was the categorical imperative. The question of personal safety was wholly irrelevant.”
― Elisabeth Elliot

Being conversational or fluent in the language will definitely increase your ministry options and you will be able to more effectively communicate to a greater number of people in their heart language. However, many missionaries arrive in Odessa with little knowledge of Russian and have no problems finding a full plate of ministry opportunities. Translators for the ministry are always available and sometimes certain ministries can be done solely in English.

We recommend a minimum of 5 hours of Russian study/week before and while on the mission field.

Five sources we recommend for study are:

1. English Grammar for Students of Russian: The Study Guide for Those Learning Russian (English grammar series)

2. Schaum’s Outline of Russian Grammar, Second Edition (Schaum’s Outlines)

3. The 1,000 Most Common Russian Words

4. RussianPod101.com – The Fastest Way to Learn Russian Guaranteed

5. Living Language Mobile & Tablet Aps

This question is easy enough to answer, but unfortunately many people really feel this way. The first thing we would call attention to in response to this is God’s heart for people of every nation. If we are His Church, it should be our desire to have His heart. Secondly, it sounds an awful lot like the man who asked Jesus, “and who is my neighbor?” God never meant for us to be confined to our own nation. Throughout the centuries He has been sending disciples in all the world, out into all the world, and He continues to do that now!

If you do not have a heart for Ukraine it could be as simple as a decision and a prayer to have one. We encourage you to make that decision today.

The large majority of people in Ukraine consider themselves Eastern Orthodox. Even though most of them do not follow the religion devoutly it has had a profound influence on their mentality. Most young people are materialistic, humanistic and postmodern, given over to the spirit of the age of relativism and consider themselves Orthodox in accordance with family tradition. Others who are more in the Protestant stream largely follow a gospel of legalism, which is really no Gospel at all.

The need for a clear and true Gospel call in Ukraine cannot be stressed enough!

Life in Ukraine is much different then in America. The cultural norm is much more defined and consistent, while in America you have a much greater variety of sub-cultures merging together.

How life in Ukraine is different than life in America:

A word of advice: Please do not go to Ukraine with your American expectations and prejudices. For the sake of the Gospel, place personal preferences aside and try not to compare as if America is superior in any way.

• Odessa (pronounced “AH-DYE-SUH”) is a beautiful and charming city in southern Ukraine hugging the northwest corner of the Black Sea. It is the 4th largest city in Ukraine with a population of over 1 million people, most of which are Ukrainians, but with many students from Africa and China, and merchants from Turkey and other surrounding areas. While the demographic mostly consists of Russians and Ukrainians you will find a wide variety of people from many different places.
• In 1794, the city of Odessa was founded by a decree of the Empress Catherine the Great. From 1819 to 1858, Odessa was a free port. During the Soviet period it was the most important port of trade in the Soviet Union and a Soviet naval base. On 1 January 2000, the Quarantine Pier at Odessa Commercial Sea Port was declared a free port and free economic zone for a period of 25 years.
• During the 19th century, it was the fourth largest city of Imperial Russia, after Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Warsaw. Its historical architecture has a style more Mediterranean than Russian, having been heavily influenced by French and Italian styles. Some buildings in the city center are built in a mixture of different styles, including Art Nouveau, Renaissance and Classicist.
• The city’s location on the coast of the Black Sea has also helped to create a booming tourist industry in Odessa. The city’s famous Arkadia beach has long been a favorite place for relaxation, both for the city’s inhabitants and its many visitors. In 2015 the number of tourists to visit Odessa increased significantly due to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
• The Russian language as spoken in Odessa is influenced by Yiddish and Ukrainian in grammar, vocabulary, and phraseology. As a result, many phrases sound inherently and uniquely humorous to Russian speakers and constitute a staple of Odessa humour. Also, the Odessa dialect of Yiddish has plenty of Russianisms.
• Odessa is often referred as “Odessa Mama”, a term that originated in Russian criminal subculture. The reputation of the city as a criminal center originated in Imperial Russian times and the early Soviet era, and is similar to the reputation of the Al Capone era in Chicago.
• Odessa is known as the city of humor. A staple of Odessa humor is to answer a question with a witty question.
• Since the founding of Odessa it had a notably large Jewish population, for many decades comprising about half the population. After the Zionist movement of the 60’s and 70’s however many Jews went to Israel. The effects of Jewish culture on Odessa remained in many forms including Odessa’s unique mannerisms, dialect and slang. This is slowly waning as more and more people come to Odessa for work or education from outside regions.
• Ukraine in religious geography lies on the boundaries separating Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Islamic spheres of influence. Traces of the cultural influence of Catholic Lithuania and Poland, of Kievan and Muscovite Orthodoxy, and of Tatar and Ottoman Islam combine with the Soviet legacy of promoting atheism to shape the various present-day beliefs and professed beliefs of Ukrainian citizens.
• According to religious statistics from 2006 on Wikipedia, 26.8% of Ukraine’s people are Eastern Orthodox, 5.9% are Catholic, 0.9% are Protestant, 0.1% are Jewish, 3.8% are other (mostly Islamic), and 62.5% are “unaware”. Of the 0.1% Protestants the majority of them are comprised of the Ukrainian Baptist Church, which has very strong elements of legalism and fear based control. However, in some churches among the new younger generation some are beginning to see some light of the true Gospel of grace.
• People in Ukraine avoid drinking the tap water as it is contaminated, however you can shower and brush your teeth with it safely. They either drink through a filter, order filtered water to be delivered or get water from a nearby well in the city. They often use tap water for cooking, coffee and tea as it has been boiled.
• People in Ukraine tend to be much more straightforward and less duplicitous. If you ask someone there, “how are you doing?” they expect you to mean it much more so than people would in the United States.
• Ukrainians do not understand why Americans tend to think they won WWII. Of course America played a key role but it was a relatively small role. Odessa was attacked by Romanian and German troops in August 1941. The heroic defense of Odessa lasted 73 days from 5 August to 16 October 1941. Odessa was one of the first four Soviet cities to be awarded the title of “Hero City” in 1945 (Leningrad, Stalingrad, Sevastopol, and Odessa).
• When visiting someone’s home you must always remove your shoes at the door and never shake hands across the threshold of the door as it is considered bad luck.
• Ukrainians by in large can be superstitious (although they believe it to be proven fact) and believe that a draft through a window can cause a cold, a women sitting on a cold curb can become infertile, strangers are not supposed to say nice things to babies they don’t know as it can curse them, and whistling in a house will cause you to not have money.
• If you meet a room full of men you know, it is common for the men to greet each man individually with a handshake, and then say goodbye to each man with a handshake before they leave.
• It is considered rude to point at people in Ukraine.
• Families that gather for a special meal will usually have three different courses, many toasts, and be prepared to sit at the table for hours. If you get up to leave too soon others may take offense or not understand. On other more informal occasions Ukrainians typically eat much smaller portions than Americans do.
• Ukrainians have very good manners and are very picky about washing their hands. Often people will want to wash their hands after coming in from outdoors.
• When visiting a guest at their home you should always bring a gift such as chocolates, wine or snacks for tea.
• On birthdays and major holidays it is common to call your closest friends and give them a wish. Wishes of health and happiness are common in Ukraine. People highly value if you are the first person to call them on their birthday and often close friends and family will try to be the first to do so making a toast of sorts, speaking a word of encouragement, or a blessing upon them.
• Be prepared to pay a small fee to use a public restroom.
• Many things in Ukraine are cheaper, like city transportation, taxis, utility bills, rent, cell phone usage, Internet, dental work, doctors, education, wine and food. Things which are more expensive are cars, gas, fuel, and imported electronics. Clothes can be much cheaper or more expensive depending on whether they are imported or not. Keep in mind that though things may be comparatively cheaper for Americans, salaries in Ukraine are much smaller. $500 per month in Ukraine would be considered pretty good pay.
• Refrain from accepting a taxi at the airport or the train station as they will overcharge you. It is far better to call a taxi service and ask for the price before the taxi arrives. They will text you back with the cars description and license plate number.
• In Ukraine cigarettes are very cheap and Ukraine has one of the highest rates of smokers in the world.
• The number of births in Ukraine is well below replacement level. Most women stop at one child for economic reasons. More people have moved out of Ukraine than have moved in due to high unemployment and low wages. Men have unhealthy habits of heavy smoking and drinking. HIV/Aids rates in Ukraine are among the highest in Europe. Due to all these factors Ukraine’s population is decreasing each year.
• Don’t be too surprised if someone offers you warm milk for a cough, coal for food poisoning, or tea with lemon and honey for a cold as well as chicken broth.
• If you are sick you can go to a pharmacy and purchase almost any medication without a prescription. People often ask pharmacists for advice when they are sick (sometimes with serious issues) instead of going to a doctor.
• The public buses do not have an electric strip or a cord to pull to chime a bell. You must walk to the front of the bus and tell the driver where you would like to stop. Or, if the bus is packed full of people you must pass your fair up through the crowd and say where you would like to stop. People are extremely cooperative with this in Odessa.
• In major cities payment for cell phone and Internet service can be made at small electronic kiosks placed throughout town.
• If you are in a hurry to get somewhere you can stand on the side of the road about anywhere and stick your hand out. Within 5 minutes someone will stop to pick you up and ask where you’re going. You can then negotiate a price.
• The homes in large cities are largely in apartment like flat buildings and made of thick concrete walls and floors. The rooms are generally built smaller and narrower than the designs in America. Usually when you rent a flat it comes filled with furniture. If you have to buy furniture, you will have to go new as there are no used furniture stores in Ukraine.
• All the flat buildings, even the new ones, are built like the old Soviet style concrete buildings (although the newer ones have thinner concrete walls). These buildings do not have fire escapes. Radiators controlled by a building operator heat most of these buildings.
• Coffee shops such as Starbucks are not common although they are around. You will typically not find them playing some mellow coffee house music but something much louder and more upbeat with TV screens playing music videos that do not match the music being played. The same thing will be seen in most restaurants. More common to be found are small trucks with an espresso machine built into the side or back. Cup sizes are smaller than in the States so if you would like a Venti you’ll have to order two.
• Buying food and other items at outdoor open-air markets is common in Ukraine. Ukraine has amazing chocolate, sweets, sausages, produce, and dairy products.
• Odessa has four seasons. Spring and Fall are quite nice and you will see many people out. August is typically very hot and January can be very cold some years. Odessa has a warm temperate climate. This has, over the past few centuries, aided the city greatly in creating conditions necessary for the development of tourism. During the tsarist era, Odessa’s climate was considered to be beneficial for the body, and thus many wealthy but sickly persons were sent to the city in order to relax and recuperate. This resulted in the development of a spa culture and the establishment of a number of high-end hotels in the city.
• In Ukraine in almost any neighborhood at any time of the day, if you look out the window, you will see people out and about walking somewhere. However, Odessans are not typically morning people and at 6 AM not many people are out. Definitely no coffee shops are open at this time. Outdoor markets are closed on Mondays.
Odessa is home to the largest outdoor market in all of Europe, the 7th kilometer market. It also has many outdoor markets in different neighborhoods throughout the city, including the historically famous Privoz market near the train station.
• For almost any occasion or holiday it is normal and even expected to buy a woman flowers. The number of flowers you give someone usually has some kind of significance. It is not good to give a woman an even number of flowers, make sure it is an odd number.
• Christmas trees and lights don’t go up until just before New Years and can be left up for a month or two afterwards, visiting family and friends with gifts on random days. New Years is a bigger holiday than Christmas and some people celebrate them for weeks. Although Ukraine has been called a “Christian nation”, it is next to impossible to find nativity sets for sale.
• In restaurants everything is ordered a la carte on the menu, so if you would like a salad with your meat dish you will have to have two separate orders delivered on two separate plates. Make sure the way you order your food is how it is on the menu because generally cafes do not take special orders. Smaller tips are acceptable. The 15% rule does not apply here and an equivalent in hryvnas of $1-5 dollars is plenty.
• Homosexuality is extremely rare in Ukraine and if you went to a village some people there have never even heard of it.
• Men’s underwear in Ukraine is usually small tight briefs! If this is not your style be sure to bring plenty of your own.
• Doctors, teachers, and police have some of the lowest paying jobs in Ukraine, which leads to bribery and corruption. To help find a good doctor people don’t generally trust ads but go by word of mouth and experiences of friends.
• If you have a friend who specializes in a certain career and you go to them for help with that service they may be offended if you try to pay them. You can ask but be careful the way you do it. Usually if someone considers you a friend paying them might imply you don’t consider them a friend.
• Never carry your wallets in your back pocket, as your back pocket can be everyone’s pocket. Do not flash around cash or wear flashy items when out in town.
• Ukraine’s streets are littered with stray dogs and cats. Try not to act afraid of the dogs. If you’re not afraid of them they will leave you alone.
• Odessa has no freeways, so be prepared to spend at least an hour on a bus weaving through the narrow patchwork of streets if you have to go to the other side of town. Unfortunately because of the catacombs they deemed it unsafe to build a subway system.
• If you’re going to Ukraine, I hope you like sour cream, as they love to eat it with many meals. Bread is often served dry without butter and mashed potatoes without gravy. Do not complain. Potatoes are part of a meal all the time and prepared in many different ways. All kinds of pickled vegetables are common. Ukraine has the best pickles!
• Ukrainians are surprisingly hospitable people and will continue to bring you tray after tray of different items, all of which no human being could possibly eat. Be sure to try the salo!
• It isn’t unusual to have multiple generations of family members living in the same flat. Young adults aren’t generally expected to leave the house when they are 18 and parents who likely don’t have a lot will bend over backwards to help their children pay for an education or an apartment. Sometimes the grandparents raise the children more so than their own parents do.
• According to the U.N. Ukraine has one of the highest divorce rates in the world. Most couples get married young being carried away by their emotions, which is not inherently bad. The problem is that feelings alone cannot solve any problems once the initial wave of emotions has faded, leaving bare routine and reality. The post-Soviet economic conditions Ukraine has been trying to climb out of for years has resulted in many Ukrainians having little confidence in the future or themselves.
• The favorite sport is soccer and lots of kids are really good at it. And it’s not called soccer it’s called football, but you knew that right? Basketball and ping pong are also fairly popular.
• If you’re a guy and you really want to fit in there bring black dress shoes and a black jacket. Girls, bring a fur coat and high heels. However, to be an effective missionary in Ukraine, this is not necessarily necessary.
• If you are renting a flat you can expect at random for the electricity, the Internet, the elevator, or the water to stop working, anywhere from an hour to a week. Be prepared with candles, Internet through your phone, workout pants for the stairs, and back up jugs of water.
• Voltage in Ukraine is 220v so leave your electronic appliances at home if you are traveling there from the States, unless you bring an electrical converter. Cell phones and laptops are designed to be international and you will simply need a new charge cord or an adaptor. From time to time currents can surge in homes so it is recommended to purchase surge protectors in Ukraine for expensive items, and possibly a voltage regulator.
• Ukrainians and Russians have their own version of Facebook called Vkontkte. It means “Contact”. However, many use facebook as well.
• It’s a lot easier and a lot more regular for people to download things illegally on the Internet including music, movies, books, software, etc.
• One good thing about Ukraine is there haven’t been any earthquakes, tornadoes or tsunami’s there. There has been an occasional flood either from snow melting in the Carpathians in spring or from a heavy rainfall in the city and litter clogging the drains in the streets.
• The beach along Odessa is great although it gets very crowded sometimes. People in Ukraine tend to be pretty unashamed of their bodies and don’t have many inhibitions about themselves either. In one way I suppose that’s a good thing. The water is a little polluted but everyone usually swims anyway. You would be wise to refrain from swimming in the Black Sea after a heavy rain if you are in the city. Runoff from the city streets has been known to make people pretty sick.
• Girls in Ukraine definitely like to flaunt their femininity in somewhat of a glamorous way. Revealing clothes, high heels and boots are everywhere.
• In public buildings people don’t actually stand in lines. If there is a line for some public service people randomly sit around the room. So, what you do when you enter the room is ask who is last in line, and you are next.
• It isn’t too out of the ordinary if people on the street get a little edgy or hot tempered with each other and then all of a sudden go about their business as if nothing happened. Of course if you don’t speak Russian, witnessing the interaction can come as somewhat of a surprise.
• It is common to find etiquette and manners that has been forgotten in the States. For example you will see young men giving up their seats on the bus for older women or ladies with a child or you might see a man holding his women’s hand as she steps off the bus.
• Ukrainians are beautiful people with a beautiful culture. If you are fortunate to make friends there you will quickly see the dynamic of the friendship can be much deeper than friendships that are formed in America.
•Fascinating reading for those who’d like to learn more about Odessa and Ukraine:

The Lighter Side of a Serious Mission by Kenyon Powers
Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams by Charles King
Ukraine – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture by Anna Shevchenko
Ukraine: A History by Orest Subtelny

The processes to apply for short-term missions and long-term missions are different.

To participate in a short-term trip applicants must be recommended by one pastor and two other people from their local church, and complete the application packet found here. After a personal interview they will then complete some training courses, read one book, and raise the necessary funds for the trip, possibly with the help of their church.

All the necessary information for long-term missions applicants can be found here.

We are partial to long-term trips as people going for a short time can appear to make progress, but their work can easily be swept away, much like the rising tide beating against a sand-castle which took a day to build. Missions has a much more lasting impact when time is taken to dig a deep foundation and a tall skyscraper is erected over the years, floor by floor. However, when short-term missions is in conjunction with long term follow-up and discipleship it can be a great way to effectively impact lives.

Sometimes short-term missions trips can be a poor use of time and resources. When the people going are going more so for a cultural experience than for serving God it may not be the best idea, although even this can be used to open people’s eyes to the needs around the world. There are times when the people going on the trip, to perhaps build a building for example, could have accomplished far more by simply sending money oversees. However, when the trip is connected to a local ongoing ministry where discipleship and follow-up can take place, it can create a very powerful ministry dynamic.

The short-term missionaries which come to Ukraine using MIA’s missions methods help us build relationships in a way that would have taken months to otherwise.

Come prepared to be stretched, to serve, and to make new friends, and your time and resources will have served the Kingdom well!

For a short-term trip flights from New York to Odessa range from $350-$1,000 depending on how far in advance and what time of the year the tickets are purchased. Generally you can fly one way for under $600. This does not include travel to New York or possible luggage fees.

On a short-term trip of one or two weeks with MIA you could estimate $1,200-$1,500 for round trip travel (including luggage and food), $300-$500 for hospitality/souvenirs, and $500-$1,000 donated to help cover outreach costs and keep things affordable for Ukrainian participants. This ranges to a total between $2,000 and $3,000. A room will be provided. Exact costs are determined on a case by case basis.

Our recommended method for finding affordable flights is to search on bookingbuddy.com. Find the lowest fairs there, checking various dates and nearby airports. Whichever airlines have the better deals go directly to that airlines website and search on the same dates there. Ordering tickets at least two months in advance, being flexible on your dates, and checking different airports will increase your chance of finding a bargain. Sometimes purchasing on a Tuesday has been said to help as well.

Those wishing to serve in Ukraine on a long-term basis will form a need based budget which must be approved by the MIA board of directors. Individuals might get by in Odessa for as little as $1,500/month, including mandatory health insurance. The health insurance MIA uses is Samaritan Ministries International.

Visit Long-Term Missions for more information.

The finances invested in the ministry of MIA are being stewarded in various ways including:

• Giving back to God in worship
• Ministry Overhead
• Savings
• Investments in marketing and fundraising
• Training and Mobilizing Missionaries
• Rent/Utilities for Life Centers
• Ukrainian Staff
• Needed Materials and Equipment (sports, media and office)
• Buses, insurance, and gas
• MIA Community Events
• Ministry advertisements in Ukraine

MIA’s board of directors oversee all the major decisions of the ministry.

After being an official 501(c)3 for one year MIA will be eligible to be approved by the EFCA, which is our goal. Financial accountability and transparency are important to us and our budgets are available to the public by request. We choose to not post it on the web due to governmental corruption in Ukraine.

We will not defend or deny whether tithing is biblical or not. What we know for certain is God asks us to give willingly, generously, cheerfully, sacrificially, regularly, and worshipfully. When we are giving like this it makes the tithe debate seem trivial. We believe the tithe (and the % may vary depending on income) should be a starting point rather than a goal, but it is never an obligation, although it is a joy! However, often tithing can be a good way to keep track of one’s personal budget in which case we encourage it, as long as it is not done in a spirit of legalism. This being said, giving should be done first and foremost to one’s local church and then as God has given us grace we should invest generously and intentionally into Kingdom building as opposed to building our own. Wealth is given us merely to be channels of blessing to others.

Some people do not understand this but it is quite common for missionaries to be in need while in the U.S. for a time, building a prayer base and the financial support they need. If they are unable to reach their minimum financial goals it may be indicative that God is keeping them off the mission field. Giving to missionaries who are on furlough or are preparing to go out for the first time helps to confirm their missionary call, meet 100% their minimum need, and keep them from having to work so they can focus on intensive preparation for the field. Even part-time work can be terribly distracting and fundraising/training often demands putting in overtime. One thing to keep in mind is that fundraising is actually a ministry in several ways. Read below for more on that.

Additionally, it is good for us all to be in the worshipful habit of giving to missionaries on a long-term basis no matter what season they are in in their mission, especially if they have proven to be faithful stewards of the Gospel and the calling on their life. It is common for missionaries to visit home for a year after 2, 3, or 4 years on the field. During this time we would encourage you to encourage them however you are able.

What many people don’t understand is that George Mueller’s orphanages were well known. He was surrounded by a supportive and prayerful network of people. Basically, his needs were often made known. While George Mueller’s faith and maturity are inspiring, our examples are taken from the Word of God, Christ, and the Apostles.

MIA understands the spiritual battle involved in missions and everything must be accomplished first and foremost through prayer, secondly in action. We take everything before God in prayer, give our all in planting seeds, and leave the outcome in God’s hands.

We believe asking people to take part in missions by sending people out through prayer and finances is a ministry because:

• People are giving to God, not to MIA.
• It gives people an opportunity to take part in global missions.
• It’s making a real difference in many people’s lives.
• It gives people an opportunity to worship God in giving.
• It gives people an opportunity to be blessed by being a blessing.
• It gives people an opportunity for eternal reward and the joy of being involved.
• It encourages biblical principles for Christian living regarding money.
• It encourages people to pray for missions when they are giving financially.
• It is biblical. For further research on why it is biblical we recommend these three books on the subject:

Funding Your Ministry by Scott Morton

The God Ask: A Fresh, Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising by Steve Shadrach

People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Funds by William P. Dillon