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Faithful Support in Global Missions

August 18, 2014
Mark Wiersma with Sarah and George Ahiome

Mark Wiersma with Sarah and George Ahiome

The Christian Reformed Church’s work in global missions recently grew thanks to the financial support for three new Christian Reformed World Missions missionaries.

Both George and Sarah Ahiome and Mark Wiersma will be serving God’s people in Nigeria while John and Carol Vanderstoep recently left for service in Haiti.

For these missionaries, the process of sharing their future work with churches and other supporters was encouraging.

“In these past six months, we have met so many people whose stories inspire and encourage us,” said George Ahiome. “We have felt God reach out and embrace us through the encouragement and affirmation of his people.”

This encouragement and inspiration from support networks was one of the major benefits that staff at CRWM anticipated when they adopted a new, funding model for missionary support.

“The most effective approach for support raising,” said Rev. Steve Van Zanen, director for missions education and engagement, “is when individuals challenge those who know and love them to support a ministry that they are passionate about and personally involved in. God is faithful and he is moving his people.”

Van Zanen also noted the number of open positions for future CRWM missionaries. “The new support model has opened the door for four other open positions. Having this many new positions has not happened in more than a decade.”

Mark Wiersma arrived in Nigeria on Aug. 14. George and Sarah Ahiome will join Wiersma in September. John and Carol Vanderstoep left for Haiti on Aug. 6.