Those preparing for international mission trips will be especially interested in some new tools, training and resources that are being used to impact needy people around the world.
e3 Resources has just introduced the MalariaCube, which is the size and shape of a Rubik’s Cube, but has panels that open with pictures on it. The tool is used to educate people about the prevention and causes of malaria, which affects millions of people each year, especially in Africa. Although the tool focuses on the mosquito-borne disease, there is another use. “Our goal at the end of the day is to share the gospel. And in the area of malaria, it’s such a problem that we can tell this story and grab people’s attention—where their heart beats. And then we share the gospel as well,” said Casey See, Executive Director of e3 Resources in a recent interview with Mission Network News. e3’s other “cube” resources include the Evangecube, which has been used by tens of thousands of people world-wide to share the gospel, and the HopeCube, which teaches about HIV/AIDS.
White buckets by the thousands are heading to Africa to help those ministering to people with AIDS. The In-Home Care Kit program of Baptist Global Response (BGR), an international relief and development organization, has provided medical and hygiene supplies to help Christian caregivers and ease the suffering of people affected by terminal illnesses. According to a recent Baptist Press report, more than 4,700 of the five-gallon plastic buckets have been sent over the past two years to South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Guinea and Niger. BGR is hoping to send 6,000 this year. The buckets are filled by U.S. churches and then BGR distributes them through their African network.
With a large percentage of the world that cannot or does not learn from reading, the importance of using stories to share the gospel is taking on more prominence. Many short term teams are getting training in oral communications strategies, and more and more mission agencies are dedicating staff and resources to it. Several of these organizations sponsor workshops to equip people to use stories to tell Bible events and biblical truths. One organization, Mission Aviation Fellowship, is sponsoring a training next month in Boise, Idaho. You can get more information at http://www.maflt.org.
Just a reminder that whether you are taking a mission trip to Africa, tackling a humanitarian project in South America, or flying anywhere for missionary or humanitarian purposes, Ministry Travel can help you save money on missionary airfares. You can request a no-obligation quote from one of our travel consultants at www.ministrytravel.com.