Mission Work in an Ever-changing World

Today’s “international migration” is changing societies in Europe, sometimes radically whether we like it or not. The traditional thinking about missionary work in some distant country has acquired new dimensions alongside it. One of them is that missionary work is in close proximity, even in the home environment. Maybe God makes us better fulfill the command in churches and as individuals.

Still, traditional has its value. Sometimes, the concepts of evangelization and missionary work get mixed up, both are important in their own way. If only this would clarify the matter a little: The sharing of the Good News within the circle of one’s own people and culture is evangelism. Again, if linguistic and cultural borders are crossed, we talk about missionary work, even if it takes place in the home country.

The concepts do not matter, as long as we do not shame the Gospel; ”For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Our domestic mission is called Vantaa International Christian Fellowship, VICF, which functions as part of GNN, offering “a spiritual home for all nations.”
When I look at the international audience from the podium, it reminds me of the moment when we stand in front of the Throne (Rev.7:9).

Did you know that heaven is international?

– Arto Sädeaho –

East Africa: Tanzania and Uganda

Tanzania

Since 2018, we had been operating from Dar-es-Salaam to Tanzania. Francis Tusiime, a missionary from Uganda, has been our man there. He organized courses to ignite local pastors to reach new tribes and to organize children’s ministry training around regions in the country. There are nearly 30 million children under the age of 15 in Tanzania. Until then, the churches had a perception that children do not understand coming to faith. However, children are key to families and unreached  areas.

Pr. Francis had to return to his hometown of Mubende in western Uganda last Christmas to arrange funding for his elderly mother and his vocation work. However, he continues his missions from there. Now in March, Pr. Francis carried out a 2nd level mission trainings to northern Tanzania. Hundreds of pastors participated in the training sessions, during which Sunday school veterans Mirjami and Raili were present via Zoom, answering participants’ questions in Swahili.


Uganda

In the spring of 2023, together with Pastor Aki Miettinen, we trained the Christian military and police personnel of the Joint Forces association. Now Pr. Aki, a former captain of the border forces, received a new invitation sent by the major general to give additional training in June 2024. The flights were also organized with external funding. It seems that this specialized training would also extend to a neighboring country in East Africa. Uganda had never before invited missionaries to train army personnel.

 

Radio waves across borders

Our partner, Bishop John Magaba’s evangelizing programs have since the time of the pandemic brought more and more people to contact the studio, even from neighboring countries. Still, approximately 25 callers want to become followers of Jesus every week.

Nasta Magaba, John’s wife records the calls and converts are directed to the churches. Once a year, those who came to faith through the programs are invited to a radio conference in Mubende.

In March 2024, radio cooperation with Uganda, which has been going on for a decade, gained additional color, when Bp. John visited Finland with his wife and son, Jordan, as guest speakers.


 

Southeast Asia: Indonesia

Discipline builds character

This school is special. One of the course goals is the development of character. When some students complained asking why the program is so tough, they were told that if they can’t make it through the year at school, how are they going to survive in more demanding field conditions? These young people are really getting ready to face the challenges of the fields. Maybe that’s why about 90% of those sent persevere until they succeed. However, the determining factor for success is their prayer life. Morning prayers start at 4:00 a.m. and everyone participates in them if they plan to continue their studies.


Prayer chain over the decades

Another feature of the school is the prayer chain that has continued for 39 years without a hiatus. It works on a 24/7 basis. During the course, the students are responsible for the continuity one student cell at a time.

Between annual courses, the school staff is responsible for the prayer chain. I was happy to hear that GNN missions and supporters were on the prayer list from the beginning!

Fasting Fridays during the course weeks train the students to be disciplined, and even before the course ends, everyone quiets down for a three-day fast. Then, for many, their own vocation is confirmed.

Iron sharpens iron, and man sharpens man …
Around the time of the pandemic, online Bible schools started to emerge in Indonesia. Everything has its advantages, of course, but virtual education, even if it is high-quality, cannot train character. And that is exactly what is needed behind the difficult connections in the demanding field conditions, where the young pioneers are sent like sheep among wolves. But they also have prayer support behind them.

Yes, also this school also used virtual learning during the restrictions. But when other schools closed their doors for a year, even then the students stayed at this school. Teaching continued within strict health regulations and the school was kept closed to outsiders.

What kind of conditions do the pioneers face?

Agus (31) was sent in 2021 to a village of the Dayak tribe on the southern coast of Kalimantan, Indonesia. The villagers are bound by shamanism, powerful witchcraft and tribal traditions. Outsiders are treated with suspicion and avoidance.

There he started from scratch. Now, through many difficulties, a small congregation was born in the village, which meets in rented premises. Agus is currently building a prayer room on the lot which he received as a gift. Along with the Sunday meetings, he goes around meeting those who have come to faith and tries to build relationships with the villagers.

Facing the power of witches

In the beginning, the village shaman used his witch powers to send Agus a painful and itchy rash. No treatment given by the doctor worked. After a couple of months of suffering, Agus remembered from the Bible how the prophet Elisha cleaned the spring by throwing salts into the water. He got an idea from that and threw a handful of salt into the bath water in faith. The prayer of faith helped. He recovered from his affliction and was able to resume his work.

Life threatened

A young man in the village hated Agus because he had evangelized his grandmother. In the end, he took a hunting rifle and went with a couple of his friends to shoot Agus while he was in the toilet. After hearing two “bangs”, Agus peeked out the window and started shaking. He realized he was being targeted by three men. They fired a third time and disappeared from the scene, thinking they had succeeded.

Miraculously, Agus was spared unharmed. After later encountering Agus alive in the village, they concluded that he had greater power than themselves.

The work continues

Despite the opposition, Agus continues praying that people will come to faith and that the church will grow as a witness to the villagers, who are bound by witchcraft and prostitution.

He was motivated by Acts 20:20,

“You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house”.

Spring News

Dear Friend and Intercessor,

At the end of May, Sumatra Bible School celebrates the completion of its 39th semester. The majority of young people who graduate (103) will go on internships in churches.

However, 20 pioneers are selected to open new, untouched locations. In addition, 6 are sent to unreached tribes.

I used to watch the students leaving the lecture with the founder of the school, Jan Siwi. My friend said: “Arto, these are ordinary village boys and girls, but they have the spirit of Zebulun and Naphtali. They go to their destinations with the mindset – either win or fall.”

Some of those who have been sent have experienced enormous hardships, even martyrdom. Still, over the decades, more than 2,500 new congregations have been planted all around that vast archipelago even to neighboring countries.

From Finland, we are involved in this cooperation.


Warm regards,

Arto Sädeaho

Celebrations at VICF Church

Kimmo Sarajärvi shares:
For the past half-year, I have become acquainted with GNN’s ministry. It has been great to see how diverse the work is. A part of this is the domestic mission, Vantaa International Christian Fellowhsip.
The congregation celebrated its 15th year of ministry on Sunday 14.1.24. People from ‘every nation’ gathered together. People also sat in the balcony as the lower level promisingly filled up.
We also had Honorary guests who have been helping in this ministry over the years. The music-oriented program was uplifting and Pr. Reijo Blommendahl prompted the audience to sing along ’How Great Thou Art’ in multiple languages. Pr. Tony Ibarra from the Philippines who has served in Frankfurt for 40 years, shared a touching message of God’s grace. The message concluded with an altar call. Tony shared with me about receiving a new vision of grace a year ago after being bedridden for a week in the hospital.

The celebration finished downstairs with a tasty meal of international flavours. A Filipino kitchen team had prepared it with care. The crowd enjoyed themselves.
It’s a joy and an honour to serve the Lord alongside other internationals. Yet again, a big congratulations to the congregation of VICF on its anniversary!

Upcoming Program

Throughout the year, we plan to visit churches to share about the unreached peoples ministry. In March 2024, at VICF’s Easter Encounter, we will host our partners from Uganda’s radio ministry, Bp.  John Magaba along with his wife Nasta and their evangelist son, Jordan. 

At the end of May, the 39th annual course will graduate from the Bible school in Sumatra. Tens of graduating students will be sent out to new, unevangelised areas and tribes again. There are signs in Southeast Asia of national workers awakening to reach out to their own people groups. We plan a three-nation mission trip for October. This is an important area for prayer!

Indonesia pioneer ministry support reference: 3117
Southeast Asia’s unreached ministry: 3010

Changes in Finland

GNN Finland org. had its 15th anniversary in June 2023. When beginning this mission association, we could not imagine how extensively the work would be blessed. Without supporters and intercessors, this would not have been possible. Vantaa International Christian Fellowship (VICF) is our  domestic mission. Last year, two teaching series were arranged: 40 Days of Purpose in the first part of the year and the Alpha course in the second half. Encouraging teaching is always a necessity.

During Pr. Jonathan Lemmetti’s family’s farewell to  Australia, we blessed Pr. Edsel Klit (from the Philippines) on 4th of June 23 service as the new Associate Pastor. In Australia, Jonathan is promoting the GNN vision and joins GNN mission trips from there.

The very following week we met Pr. Kimmo Sarajärvi  who had just arrived with his family after 12 years of missions in Costa Rica. He became our new CEO after Jonathan. Thanks to Kimmo, our newsletter is also published in Swedish.

Overview of the Missions Carried Out Last Year

UGANDA
Along with Pr. Aki Miettinen, at the ’Joint Forces’ event, we held seminars  for the Christian army and police officers in the outskirts of Kampala. Many of them had been in peacekeeping forces in Somalia and Western Africa. During free time, they shared the Gospel with unreached Muslim villages nearby.

From Kampala, we headed towards western Uganda. There, in Mubende, we shared the Gospel in numerous radio broadcasts. Bp. John Magaba hosts these programs in the early morning hours. The programs even reach neighbouring countries and people get saved weekly. Also, we gave training to one Somali convert who came from Nairobi. Muslims are tracking her because of her faith. Before the Sunday services and our departure to Tanzania, we held a seminar for 50 pastors about UPG (unreached people groups).

TANZANIA
Thirty-five pastors who participated in our Sending Seminar in Dar-es-Salaam were interested in ’How to  Get Started with Missions?’. The host of the seminar,  Pastor Temba, began to expand his ministry into new  areas shortly afterwards. He also became part of the GNN -team which arranges children’s ministry training for the remaining national regions.

Last year, this team trained 583 participants in 6 regions. In three years, we have trained 1860 Sunday school teachers, pastors and bishops throughout 18 of the nation’s 31 administrative regions. The video teaching series (in Swahili) being used
comprises two 8-part lectures.

Note! We were forced to postpone these important seminars for this year to the remaining 13 regions. Contributions towards these efforts have been minimal. Yet, Children are the largest unreached people group in the world and children’s ministry has mostly been a key to reach families and new tribes.

African pioneer ministry support reference is 3560

SOUTHEAST ASIA

During the graduation ceremony of the Bible school in Sumatra at the end of May, 37 pioneers were sent to new areas and 9 of them to unreached people groups. God has surprisingly opened up new doors in Southeast Asia. During the latter part of the year, we began to put our focus more on those nations.

Last September/October we headed to Vietnam, the Bible school in Indonesia and East Malaysia in Borneo with a week of teaching in each place. Our Asian coordinator, Pr. Shierley Siwi, superbly arranged the teaching programs. Throughout our training, we strived to awaken the national workers to reach out to their own nation’s people groups. Even the shortfall in the budget was taken care of, confirming we were doing the right thing! God is never late!

At the end of the year, we also received donations for the purchase of 2 boats, it’s the only way to travel up the turbulent jungle river to a new tribe in the interior of Sumatra. The other boat is of aid to the work amongst the Akid tribe in the archipelago near Sumatra.

Christmas Greetings 2023

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).

Promising News from the Autumn Mission to Southeast Asia

VIETNAM

Pr. Kimmo Sarajärvi, our new CEO, shares

We were expecting pastors and evangelists to the training week in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), but a group of about 40 people, mostly young evangelists, were waiting there. Many of them seemed to be still searching for their calling. Thus, it was a suitable place where we were free to encourage the participants to reach out to the unreached people groups in their country.

The teaching team was made up of Pastors Arto Sädeaho (Finland), Dr. Paul Ng (Singapore), Shierley Siwi (Indonesia) and myself. This enabled versatile contributions to the training week. It was topped off with exciting field news from pioneer ministry work that Pr. Shierley leads from the Bible school.

Our host for the week in Vietnam was the IEM-movement (International Evangelical Mission). We heard of an outpouring of the Spirit that took place in the 1980’s has resulted in the birth of more than 200 congregations throughout the country and another 50 in Cambodia. IEM’s special emphasis has been to reach Vietnam’s 54 UPG’s, of which they have already begun work in 27 of them. They are currently in a phase of training young people to go into the remaining 27 people groups. They plan to build a training centre for this purpose.

It seems as though a new opportunity is opening up for us with the need to train and inspire people to reach the unreached.

 

INDONESIA

Pr. Arto Sädeaho shares

After Vietnam, we arrived to Jakarta for the weekend where we strengthened relationships with old contacts. Pr. Aki Miettinen from Finland joined the team and Pr. Jonathan came from Australia for the remainder of the mission. Pr. Kimmo preached on Sunday morning at our friend Joni Bangun’s church. (In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, Joni and I worked together to rebuild a village for 100 families in Banda Aceh. I launched that project on behalf of the Finns, with Nordic funding.)

On Monday, we began our training week at the Bible School. Last June, 37 graduates from the previous course were sent to pioneer in 24 new areas and 9 others went to work amongst 4 different tribes. This is currently the 39th year course with 96 young people. Aki’s standard topic for the 2nd level class was spiritual leadership, whilst Kimmo and Jonathan took care of teaching the 1st level class.

With a strong friendship formed 20 years ago in YWAM, they taught the lectures with excitement which inspired the students while I was fighting against the flu. On Thursday, these 2 friends were able to visit a pioneering ministry. Having already recovered, I took care of that day’s 6 lectures in Indonesian.