For over 50 years, OM has mobilized thousands of Christians to transform lives and communities
around the world. Reflecting the world's diversity, OM has five and a half thousand
workers from a hundred nationalities who work in over 110 countries and on two ships.
Over half of the world's population lives on the coast. OM's ships have reached millions
with knowledge, help, and hope through distributing educational and Christian literature, bringing
aid, mobilizing local believers into mission, and sharing the gospel of hope. Many ports
the ship visit are unreached with the gospel. Through the international crew sharing their
lives in hospitals, prisons, schools, and in conferences on board the ship, many people
are being saved. Historically, the Dark Continent has been Africa. Many people don't realize
that in fact today, Europe is the Dark Continent. It has the least number of evangelicals in
the entire world. Many of today's young Europeans have never heard the gospel. So young people
don't know very many Christian values and Christian basic knowledge. That's why the
gospel is really something new and relevant to them because they grow up in a secular
environment. In schools, for example, there is no religion in schools allowed. At home,
we never talk about Christianity, but they are not exposed to anything that has to do
with Jesus. We see fruit and we do see people opening up for the gospel and really taking
a great interest in what God has to offer. Because of OM's global presence, we are able
to respond quickly to disasters, working with other agencies to deliver aid. We do this
to break the cycle of poverty. OM partnered with local churches to bring aid to rebuild
the Hurricane Hit area. Our medical clinics brought immediate care that opened doors to
long-term work in devastated areas. Our local team delivered food and shelter when international
aid wasn't allowed in. After delivering immediate relief, we now have schools for children in
remote areas and we teach women job skills. I lost my mother at the age of two. I was married
off at the age of 15. But because I was unable to have children, my husband divorced me.
I then married my ex-husband cousin, who treated me like a slave. My life was so bad
that all I thought about was committing suicide. Then, I met an OM missionary who explained
to me that I was so precious to God that he loved me. I could not really believe what
I was hearing. But because I was so desperate, I got down on my knees and asked Jesus into
my life. My life changed. I was so filled with such joy and happiness. I spoke out for
the first time in my life. Jesus is my Savior.
As OM is one of the largest organizations working in the Muslim world, numerous lives
are changed. To protect them, many stories remain untold.
Many of India's one billion people live as slaves to poverty and society's rules that
don't allow them to move up in life. One in four Indians are Dalits, which means literally
untouchables. From my childhood, I was brought up in a Dalit environment. And I was told
from my own parents that we Dalits are less than human beings. We are created less than
animals. The word slavery, in my opinion, describes very lightly what the Dalits are
going through in our nation today.
OM is breaking this cycle of poverty and injustice by educating untouchable children and women.
This gives them a voice in society and skills to move out of extreme poverty. The biggest
difference is made through the hundreds of churches OM has helped to start. Thousands
of Indians are rejecting their idols and finding true freedom and meaning in Jesus.
These five areas are just a glimpse into OM's global ministry. God is moving today in wonderful
ways. As the prophet Habakkuk writes, look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were
told. God is doing something historic in our time. You can be a part of it as you pray,
go and give.
