EUROPE/EURASIA

New Work on a Solid Foundation

This summer, a diverse group of Christians, including three Reach Beyond doctors, conducted a weeklong series of mobile medical clinics in a region of Central Asia. The team visited four different villages and provided consultations to around 500 patients. They also ran sports camps for the village children. This marks the 15th year the team has done a caravan in this region.

With the help of local partners, team members worked with village leaders to strengthen old relationships and develop new ones. Reach Beyond doctors launched a new initiative, providing home visits to housebound patients. These patients were very grateful to be remembered by the team. The home visits helped establish relationships for Drs. Adam and Melissa*. They recently moved to the region and hope to establish a palliative care ministry, something unknown locally yet much needed.

REACH BEYOND MEDIA MINISTRIES

Building Up One Another

In April, Christians from around the world attended a conference in Southeast Asia for an opportunity to connect with and learn from brothers and sisters working in international media ministries. Attendees heard from others about how to use radio, television, social media, and other media tools to proclaim the Gospel among the nations.

EUROPE/EURASIA

Dirt Under Their Fingernails

Often, the most impactful work on the mission field is the least exciting or glamorous. During the first half of August, Reach Beyond missionaries Dave and Beth led a team of eight individuals from the Quad Cities (Iowa-Illinois border) on a trip to Romania to do just such work.

The team, ranging between 40 and 80 years old, got their hands dirty supporting a Reach Beyond ministry partner providing critical support for the flow of Ukrainian refugees still flowing into their country. Upon arrival, the team began cleaning, digging ditches, and filling packages with much-needed supplies for distribution to support the partner’s strategic needs. The team members were blessed by how God used them.

Jim, a mechanically gifted former truck driver, was able to repair and utilize a broken forklift the partner used for big jobs. Bruce, a doctor, was able to provide a young boy who could not walk with physical therapy (Bruce’s specialty), allowing the boy to begin taking steps on his own before the team departed. Neither had anticipated needing their unique skills during the trip. God had called them, and they obeyed His leading.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Equipped, Encouraged, and Sent

Five media partners from across West Africa sent a total of 19 staff members to Ghana for a Reach Beyond-sponsored training conference. Reach Beyond missionaries Wim and Alfred hosted the conference late this spring, teaching partners how to do effective, sustainable community development projects.

Attendees have already begun implementing their training in nearby communities, allowing them to build on their current media ministries. Since the conference, our partners in Togo have launched their own Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) training and will send two people to a neighboring country to gain more field experience with another Reach Beyond partner. The training also catalyzed the restart of well projects in yet another country among an unreached people group.

REACH BEYOND NETHERLANDS

One in Heart and Mind

In August, Reach Beyond Netherlands took a team of 12 individuals to assist and build stronger connections with Reach Beyond partners serving in Greece. The Dutch team, led by Reach Beyond missionaries Wim (Netherlands) and Martin (UK), consisted of nurses, teachers, and individuals with valuable technical skills.

The team provided medical services and practical assistance in support of our partners and engaged refugees from across North Africa and the Middle East through organized events and street ministry. Three nurses on the team participated in clinic days, made home visits to patients, and helped organize and catalog large amounts of donated medical supplies. Other team members worked on much-needed construction and electrical projects.

As the trip ended, two individuals expressed their interest in serving with Reach Beyond in the future. One is a nursing student who communicated a desire to return to Greece next year to support one of our partners in Athens.