My Hope Is Dying. I’m Giving Up Now.

“My hope is dying. I’m giving up now.”

These words came in response to a simple question: “How can we pray for you in Jesus’ name?” It was part of our digital engagement campaign during the Olympics, and the message was a desperate cry for help.

The response came from a woman in South Africa, and across the globe, a digital responder named Mary in Indiana was ready with words of hope. But soon, Mary realized she needed someone closer to take over.

That’s when the European Olympic digital engagement team connected Sara to IMB missionaries Patti and Doug Irvin, who were serving in South Africa. Sara hadn’t eaten in days and was starving. Without hesitation, Patti and Doug bought groceries and made the hour-long trip to her home, meeting both her physical and spiritual needs.

Sara was astonished by their care. She wept when she found a fruitcake in the grocery box—something she had prayed for just to taste. After failed suicide attempts in the past, Sara was now overwhelmed with gratitude to be alive. She felt seen, heard, and loved by God.

This beautiful moment was made possible by many people playing their part around the world.

Today, Sara is a believer who spent years in hiding, but now, filled with renewed hope, she is sharing her story with other women, pointing them to the life-changing hope found in Jesus.

“There are so many more ‘Saras’ out there who need our prayers. And countless more people who may never hear the gospel unless we go to the digital mission field.” — Brant Bauman, IMB digital engagement strategist in Europe.

Olympics Digital Campaign

The story of Sara is just one example of how a simple Facebook ad during the 2024 Olympics can bring hope to someone in desperate need. Nearly 50 people made decisions to follow Jesus as a result of the gospel shared online. Hundreds more engaged in conversations or requested prayer.

One surprising detail: many of these online conversations took place between US-based volunteers and people overseas. In fact, over 120 volunteers from the US responded to messages that originated from our Olympic digital engagement efforts. This opens exciting new doors for partnership between those in the US and those of us living overseas.

We praise God for the work He accomplished through this campaign and look forward to what’s ahead!

Prayer Requests

As we move forward, we’re preparing a new digital engagement project to reach people in Lima, Peru. We ask for your prayers, specifically for God to connect us with people who have not yet believed but are open to hearing the gospel.

We’ve made significant progress so far, including launching a website, creating a Discord community, setting up social media pages, and establishing a WhatsApp line. However, the most crucial piece is still missing—our national partners.

Please pray for me and our team as we invite Peruvian brothers and sisters to join us in this effort. Personally, I’m feeling a bit unsure about my ability to communicate and lead in Spanish, which will be a stretch for me. But I know this is an opportunity to lean on God’s strength.

God has already placed a desire to help on the hearts of at least two individuals, but we continue to pray for more volunteers to join us in this mission.

Family Updates

It’s been an exciting time for our family! Joshua recently became a teenager, turning 13, and Elizabeth celebrated her 11th birthday with a Harry Potter-themed party. Both Joshua and I enjoyed a father-son outing to mark his transition into his teen years. The kids are also growing in their Spanish skills, which has been encouraging to watch.

Amy has made a new friend, a fellow missionary with twin baby girls. Amy’s been able to help with babysitting and offering support. It’s been a blessing for Amy to serve this young mom, and they’ll be teaming up for future ministry opportunities, which is an answer to prayer.

As for me, I've been busy with various digital engagement projects, including building a website for the Americas affinity and coaching IMB teams. Recently, I've also had the chance to give presentations to several visiting teams, and we hosted a group of NAMB church planters just last week.

Amy and I recently attended a marriage retreat and had the chance to reconnect with some close friends from language school. We enjoyed a short vacation together, though it was tough to say goodbye.

Below, you’ll find some pictures from the past month. We’re grateful for your continued prayers and support!