Pray

You may have heard that life on the mission field isn’t always easy for a missionary, but have you considered its impact on their children? Do they experience the same highs and lows their parents do? Do they naturally follow in their parents’ footsteps, or have entirely different hopes for their future? When God calls believers to serve in missions, He doesn’t forget about their children! Though it isn’t always easy, it’s an invitation for these youth to grow closer to Him – often with some help from others.

Understanding the impact missionary work can have on children of missionaries, particularly with feelings of displacement, and desiring to provide support and tools to missionary families, Greater Europe Mission created a ministry catered to missionary children – GEM-K.

“For me,” Bryce, a GEM-K alumni, shares, “GEM-K was a space to be with other teenagers who have experienced the same challenges of cross-cultural living, as well as be poured into and deeply cared for by the staff of GEM-K. It created a unique environment to feel truly known and understood. The Lord used my time at GEM-K to greatly impact who I am today in wonderful ways. Much of my faith has grown because of the leader’s hard work to care for me and teach me who the Lord is.”

To read more, click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “How GEM Kids Navigate the Challenges of Missionary Life.”

With GEM-K prioritizing safety, authenticity, and hope, this ministry has played, and continues to play, an important role in the lives of the kids of GEM’s missionaries. If this ministry excites you, and you have a passion to disciple youth and walk alongside them as they navigate their unconventional lives, especially at their annual retreats, contact us! GEM-K is always looking for help from responsible believers.

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What do you know about Greater Europe Mission (GEM)…like, really know? Do you know why Europe is its focus? Do you know who began GEM or how it began? Many of us know about GEM in its current state; we know it is a mission organization that is passionate about spreading the Gospel across Europe and making disciples who go on to make disciples. For the sake of honouring its history and understanding its commission, let’s dive back to GEM’s origin and discover how it became the organization it is today. Click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “How Greater Europe Mission Came To Be.”

Is God calling you to be a part of this legacy? There is still so much need for the Gospel to be shared across Europe and for European believers to be encouraged and trained in the ways of disciple-making. Contact us today to find out how you can get involved! Click the link in our bio and navigate to our "Go" tab.

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This month, will you join us in prayer for Russia?

Vast. Mysterious. Diverse. Many words may come to mind when talking about Russia. This nation of over 144 million residents has a rich but often tragic history. For centuries, it was systematically plundered by those who held sway, from the Mongols to the Tsars to the Communists to the oligarchs. It endured terrible persecution between 1920 and 1990 when up to 200,000 Christian leaders died as martyrs.

Communism’s collapse in 1991 led to an outpouring of truth and ministry in Russia, including unprecedented opportunities for church planting, theological education, and Bible translation and distribution. Many missionaries began working boldly within their country, engaging in strategic evangelism. However, it also led to corruption and drug and alcohol abuse. Though the door is open for foreign missionaries to serve in Russia, new visa laws greatly restrict the amount of time they can remain in the country.

Russia has one of the world’s most elderly populations, has low immigration numbers, and a devastatingly high abortion rate. In war, the military losses in Ukraine, along with conscription and the many thousands who fled the country to avoid it, are robbing the country of much of its next generation.

In a country as vast and diverse as Russia, many missionaries are needed to take the Gospel message to the thousands of towns and villages. Russians who live in remote areas of the country have cultural barriers to the Gospel. However, there are opportunities to get involved in almost any imaginable ministry.

◾️ Pray against corruption, and that most of the population will not fall into poverty.
◾️Pray for revival, and particularly for the Orthodox believers to be born again, and for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them.
◾️Pray that the Kingdom of God will transform culture and counter the anger and corruption that divides the country.

To learn more about how you can partner with us and support our ongoing efforts in Europe, click the link in our bio!

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This month, will you join us in prayer for Lithuania?

With an abundance of hurt and broken people, this country has earned the seventh spot for the highest suicide rate in the world. Lithuanians are a people in need of restoration and hope found only in Christ.

In 1387, the Lithuanian people adopted Roman Catholicism, making them the last European nation to be Christianized. While most Lithuanian’s still claim this religion today, the many decades of Nazi and Soviet rule have repressed their faith and broken their trust in authority. In fact, few Catholics are currently active with the church, Evangelical believers make up about one percent of the population, and many people claim no faith at all.

Though freedom has brought good progress, it has also brought dangers like greed for material goods, selfish pleasure-seeking, and a belief that traditional morals have no value. Substance abuse, suicide, and trafficking of women for prostitution all damage the social foundations. Spiritual transformation must accompany economic growth.

Thankfully, the Evangelical community has grown in the post-Soviet era, and relationships between denominations are better than in most former Soviet states. Though many Lithuanians follow their Catholic faith nominally, younger leaders are seeking change and renewal in the church, and young people have also increasingly been seeking spiritual answers.

◾️Pray for churches to experience unity and continue to focus on Christ and His Word.
◾️ Pray that young expatriates will experience Christ through believers in Poland and other countries in which they are temporarily living.
◾️Pray that God’s Spirit will move among Lithuanians, increasing their desire to follow and help others become disciple makers.

To learn more about how you can partner with us and support our ongoing efforts in Europe, click the link in our bio!

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What does it take to become a full-time missionary? What does the preparation process look like? Is it difficult? It can be hard to fully comprehend the complexities of this journey; an appointee commonly goes through a whirlwind of experiences, including a wide range of emotions and a furthering of their dependency on God.

Much of the time between getting appointed and arriving in the serving country is spent contacting and meeting with churches, friends, family, and even strangers. It’s a time of sharing one’s vision and extending an invitation to support one’s cause financially and prayerfully. It's also a time of relying on the Lord and discerning His timing to begin ministry, trusting that He knows what growth or equipping each appointee may need before becoming a missionary.

Raising financial support isn’t the only item on an appointee’s agenda. There are books to be read, resources to be accessed, and leaders to meet with – all for the sake of ensuring appointees are well equipped for the road ahead. Events like Mission Prep are important for further preparing the person for the massive life change they’re embarking on.

Whether a person is an appointee for only a few months before reaching missionary status, or a few years, it’s a busy and productive time! Between raising financial and prayer support, taking any necessary classes, and meeting all other requirements for moving into a new land, it’s an exciting, and often exhausting time. If you know an appointee, we encourage you to reach out and offer your support. A word of encouragement goes a long way and knowing they are being prayed for is often the fuel they need to continue on! If you don't know an appointee, but are looking to offer your support, please contact our office today and we’ll connect you with someone! You can email info@gemission.ca or call our toll-free number: (866) 241-3579

Katarina Colegrove, now in her first year overseas, and Joel Kennedy, a current appointee, share their personal journeys of becoming full-time missionaries. To read more, click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “The Appointee's Journey To Becoming A Full-time Missionary.”

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While the Christian Church in North America continues to mass-produce gymnasiums, stadiums, atriums, and chic cafés, it's both convicting and refreshing to read about the makeshift orphanages, hospitals, clinics, and schools being put together in Eastern Europe. (We used to do that; what happened?)

Click through to be inspired by what's happening to help these dear people displaced by the intense conflict in Ukraine. Greater Europe Mission - Canada is doing some incredible work and I'm proud to partner with them in it through prayer and finances. Can you consider helping, too?
#GEMCanada #PrayForUkraine

Posted withregram • gemissionca The amount of love and support the world has been showing Ukraine through their adversity has been inspiring. Although there are currently no GEM workers serving within Ukraine, labourers in the surrounding countries have been working tirelessly with the waves of incoming refugees. Many of the GEM workers who have stepped up are doing so alongside partnering agencies, showcasing a beautiful display of unity within the global church.

Interestingly, the countries seeing the most action have some of Europe’s highest number of believers. “Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine had some of the highest percentages of evangelical Christians before this conflict [ranging from 3-5% of the population],” GEM missionary Dwight Poggemiller states. “There’s not only a significant number of believers there, but they’re also very united… and it’s been a great example of the body of Christ working in unity and reaching out with Christ’s love.”

The people of Ukraine who have fled, now in the range of over 5 million people, depend on the compassion of strangers. This has become an amazing opportunity for the church to step up and show Christ’s love to those desperate for hope.

...to read stories from Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Spain, click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “Practical and Spiritual Support of Ukrainian Refugees.”

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Ten months ago, Russia began wreaking havoc in Ukraine, displacing many Ukrainians into surrounding countries and beyond. With emotions running high and uncertainty still in the air, this Christmas season will undoubtedly present its own set of significant and hard challenges and change. Together, let’s meet some of these brave refugees currently in Romania as they reveal how they’ll be embracing this year’s holiday season.

First, let’s meet Holly - a global worker currently serving in Craiova, Romania. She serves specifically in the refugee ministry, translating when needed and visiting regularly with the refugees. Listening to, praying for, and serving the Ukrainian refugees has built trust, making space for them to comfortably and openly share their unique outlooks on Christmas with Holly - and with us!

While it is true that some don’t even know which country they’ll be in come Christmas - never mind what they’ll do to celebrate - there are some, like Olga, Nastya, Marina, Liudmila, and Anna, who are considering their options and still plan to commemorate the holiday.

Olga, from Nikolaev, is presently in Romania with her son. With an aching soul and longing to be back home, she still plans to celebrate. “To keep up the traditions, to remember home and loved ones, we’re going to prepare the twelve dishes: Kutia from wheat, with poppy seeds, nuts, honey, raisins, prunes, and varenyky and cabbage rolls with bacon. It’s all shared with family, but this time it’s just me and my son. Of course, we’ll have a video call with relatives, but we [won’t] show them our table, because in Ukraine they won’t have what we have.”

...To read more of their stories and learn how you can be praying for those impacted by the war in Ukraine as well as those strategically supporting Ukrainian refugees, click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “A Ukrainian Refugee Christmas Away from Home.”

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With the consistent rise in immigrants, tourists, and general movement of expats, there comes an equal rise in the need for language learning.

Learning a language takes time and often requires the prolonged company of both teachers and fellow students. The communal nature of language learning provides opportunities for networking, forming relationships, and having deeper conversations outside of the classroom. For those yearning to share God’s love with others, this is an ideal environment with many chances to talk with people who need the hope that Jesus offers.

Global workers Peggy and Heather are two of many who serve in a continually sought after, globally relevant, and always needed vocation - education.

...to read about their experience, click the link in our bio and navigate to our blog post, “Teaching English as a Ministry Tool for the Gospel.”

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This month, will you join us in praying for Denmark?

While Danes are known for their Viking invasions, the Kingdom of Denmark was united and officially “Christianized” in 965 A.D. In 1536, Danish leaders declared the country Lutheran. Today, although the core of Christian traditions and values in its social laws and values remains, Denmark is no longer considered religious. In fact, much of the population is now agnostic or atheist, with less than four percent having a relationship with Jesus. This downward spiral of Christianity has left many churches with only a handful of attendees any given Sunday, and sadly, many Danes believe baptism, usually as an infant or child, is enough to guarantee their entrance into heaven.

That said, because Danish people have a hospitable, compassionate, and optimistic spirit, they are often open to the Gospel message and relational evangelism. Danes of all ages know little of biblical Christianity; therefore, believers can make a huge impact! Danish believers are currently planting churches among Danes as well as among Islamic immigrants. Tens of thousands of immigrants from all over have recently settled in Denmark; many of which have never heard the Gospel before, yet whom remain open to it. Some may prove to be a significant force for spiritual renewal in Denmark, since a number of these migrants are Christian. It is estimated that one-third of people in church on a given Sunday attend a foreign-run congregation.

◾️ Pray that God would create a hunger among Danes for Jesus and His Word, and that they would see the difference between an active, personal relationship with their Saviour and empty, traditional religion.
◾️ Pray that Danish believers will continue to be bold to share the Gospel in the cities, with this generation and among immigrants.
◾️ Pray that more young people will become disciple makers with a biblical worldview.

To learn more about how you can partner with us and support our ongoing efforts in Europe, click the link in our bio!

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