Dear friend and intercessor,

We are approaching Christmas time with gratitude!  We will share about our recent mission trip to three different nations in Southeast Asia. This was to have been done in 2019 but the pandemic prevented the trip. Now 4 years later, in the Autumn of 2023, the journey was finally made.

The backstory for this trip was a vision I had received decades ago for national workers to takeownership of shining the light into the darkness of the yet unreached people groups in their area. Only then can we fulfil the Great Commission. There are still 684 unreached people groups in Southeast Asia.

– Arto Sädeaho –

God’s Timetables are Reliable

Based on previous experiences, we knew that the fulfilment of this mission was not self-evident. Our trips have often been hindered at the last minute by various obstacles, illnesses, and even accidents. That’s why I appealed in the autumn letter for your prayers.

Thanks to all who remembered our journey in prayers and giving!

This time, the biggest challenge was the travel budget. Even on the threshold of our departure, it felt like it was still hanging by a loose thread.

GNN is a faith-based mission association that operates in trusting that God stirs up the desire and action within donors’ hearts to give. Even small gifts are important to see the task fulfilled. May the Lord bless faithful supporters!

Despite being short of over half of the travel budget, we decided to go ahead by faith. I trusted that “help comes from above” and so it did!

When the first training week in Saigon (HCM), Vietnam had already commenced, Orvokki sent a message on the 19.9, that a larger sum had been gifted into the account. It was encouraging to see the travel budget being covered over halfway now! During the following week in Indonesia, I received a message while at the Bible school in Sumatra, that on the 4.10, we had received another big donation. The budget began to come together promisingly!

And then during the last part of the third seminar week in Borneo, East Malaysia, we received a final gift from Australia. The remainder of the budget was complete.

Thanks to God who does not allow our feet to stumble! Although the answer may sometimes be delayed, in God’s Kingdom it is never late.

My new co-worker Kimmo Sarajärvi noted that giving is a part of spiritual warfare. Although the lack of funds may limit the fulfilment of our calling, it strangely invigorates the prayer life.

Would you like to be part of expanding the most important calling in the world – to reach the unreached? Donate by using the reference 3010 (greatest need).

Southeast Asia (10 ASEAN countries) has over 700 million people residents. The numbers cover 1,748 ethnic groups, 665 of them still unreached (44% of the population).

In 1984, I was searching for direction for my life. I fasted and prayed for 10 days. At the end, Southeast Asia appeared before my soul’s eyes, shrouded in darkness. Here and there were small points of light that stood out, somewhere larger concentrations of light were visible. I understood that those who have light should take it into the middle of darkness.

Four years later I headed with my wife Orvokki to Indonesia. The relationships formed there have lasted until today. Even though that sight is sometimes forgotten during everyday life, I am reminded of it from time to time.

That they would hear!

The gospel must be preached to all nations – gather a great multitude that no one could read, from all tribes and kindreds and nations and languages.

These thoughts have been imprinted on my heart over the course of 51⁄2 years where I served in GNN Finland missions and at home.

The last period has been valuable – I learned various things from Pastors Arto and Orvokki, as well as their enthusiasm in the work of unreached people groups.

Together with Pr. Arto, we did multiple mission trips to East Africa and Southeast Asia. In some evenings we held “vision-casting” seminars in Finnish local churches. Representing GNN, we delivered more than 150 “that they would hear” radio programs which are heard on Tuesdays and Saturdays on Radio Patmos’ channel in Finland.

Our time in Finland has come to an end and a new chapter is waiting for us in Australia, but “that they would hear,” vision will remain. Thank you Arto and Orvokki for being faithful to your calling.

Pastor Jonathan returns to Australia

Jonathan Lemmetti, from Australia, became my colleague five and a half years ago. Energetic and helpful, he joined me in GNN missions and was working part- time as an assistant pastor in Vantaa’s VICF church. He has been a well-liked person both in his home country and in the target countries.

However, there is a time for everything. Pr. Jonathan’s contract with GNN Finland reg. ended in 31.5.2023. In July, along with his family, they will migrate back to Australia. In the beginning of the year, two of the eldest children have already began studies there. We are grateful for the contribution of Pr. Jonathan’s family both here and in the mission destinations. However, it doesn’t all end here!

At first I mourned the departure of a good colleague, but then it came to mind that his loss could be turned into a blessing – what if GNN’s vision of unreached people groups expanded to Australia, where significant missionary work has been done e.g. in Papua New Guinea.

What if the new generation would take on unreached people groups as their own challenge? There are approx. 700 such people groups in Southeast Asian countries alone. We have agreed that Jonathan would try to continue coordinating GNN Africa from Australia …

That’s several prayer topics all at once!