What does it feel like to send?

Our congregation has recently sent out a young couple to North Africa with AWM-Pioneers. This was our first experience of sending in many years and consequently we had a mixture of emotions from genuine excitement to apprehension!

Sharing in their journey

The couple’s love for God was clear and their sense of calling was tangible. They regularly chatted to others about their journey towards service, as they too wrestled with mixed emotions. They also shared their journey in more formal settings such as our Youth Fellowship and prayer meetings. It was therefore our joy to hear about, be part of and learn from, what God was doing in their lives, and to watch as each obstacle in their journey was defeated.

This excitement was tempered by fears such as, would they be safe going to North Africa? Would we, as a church, be able to adequately support them spiritually and practically given our lack of experience in this regard? Would our congregation give sacrificially towards their support or would giving simply be diverted from other funds?

Partnership in action

Assurances around many of our concerns were allayed through meetings involving AWM-Pioneers, the couple themselves and church representatives. These meetings were an opportunity to openly discuss what our responsibilities as the ‘sending congregation’ would be and to chat through how we might best support the couple, learning from the broader experience of the AWM-Pioneers’ team. Importantly, the meetings also supported the development of long-term relationships between our congregation and AWM-Pioneers, a vital source of ongoing support and partnership for us now that the couple have been sent.

We trust that this new experience for us will challenge others in our
congregation to consider going out themselves or to become more aware of the mission field where God has placed them to be a witness for Him or indeed to pray for mission.