October Update
When Women on Mission met Oct. 14, Gail Osbrink shared many testimonies of how God touched the lives of those who went to the Jerusalem Prayer Center (JPC), where she and husband Larry were directors for four years.
One story involved a Christian lady who was very vocal with her faith, yet when she went to the Prayer Center, the Lord convicted her that "until she forgave him, He (the Lord) could not forgive her." For years, her witness had been marred by the fact that she refused to forgive the man who had killed her sister. Convicted, she forgave her sister's murderer and found peace and a new vitality in her witness.
Larry and Gail left the United States in 1991, spending time in France before serving in Senegal. They returned to France in 2000 to work with immigrants in the greater Paris area. Their last nine years overseas were spent in Israel, working with volunteers at a camp and conference center and later as directors of the JPC. Gail and Larry now serve as volunteers in the role of global engagement directors at the Pinnacle Retreat Center in Clayton, GA. Larry works as bus driver for the Rabun County school system and uses every opportunity to minister to the students placed in his care. Gail’s business is developing, preparing, and selling culinary herb blends.
Gail described the Jerusalem Prayer Center, which sits at the boundary between the Muslim and Jewish quarters in Jerusalem, as “a quiet place where people come to pray” and a place to encounter God. In the years that she and Larry were directors at the Center, people from 121 nations came through their doors, she said. In another testimony, Gail told of a time when she was considering resigning and encountered a Presbyterian minister at the center who had a vision about the Holy Spirit sending him to the JPC to confirm her and Larry as directors so they could affect God’s harvest fields throughout the world.
Banners throughout the center’s prayer room display scripture in English, Arabic, and Hebrew. The center also has a dedicated area where families can pray together called “Samuel’s Space.” Gail herself wrote an 11-month curriculum on how to pray together as a family that she used with the Georgia WMU. She and Larry intentionally prayed over every square inch of the JPC building once a week, she said.
Gail noted that 70% of Israelis are secular atheists, including many Orthodox Jews. The JPC has provided New Testaments that show how Jesus fulfilled Jewish scripture. She encouraged the WOM attendees by speaking to “the power of a praying woman: step it up a notch,” she said, and pray with other women.
Coming In November
Amrit Ashish will be the guest speaker when Women on Mission meet again on Nov. 11. After 10 years in India, Amrit will begin working with Sojourner Home in Seattle, WA, where he and wife Soni will serve new legal immigrants by supporting them with longer-term housing, friendship, guidance, and services such as language learning, housing assistance, and acclimating to America. Amrit and Soni are uniquely equipped for this position, as they understand the perspective and plight of immigrants first-hand. They have used their home, their possessions, and their lives to reach out to Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, animists, and many others.
Sojourner Home accomplishes this by educating people about the plight of refugees, connecting volunteers with refugees through practical service projects, and empowering people to be champions for refugees. Amrit and Soni will be onsite directors, living with their four sons on the campus and creating daily rhythms of community, facilitating connections and services, and bringing hope to those who have been forcibly displaced from their home and culture.
Sojourner Home partners with All Nations to defy fear and show love to immigrants. Sojourner Home recognizes that in today’s world, immigration is a volatile and often misunderstood topic. Sojourner Home believes it is important to provide protection to all residents from terrorism, human trafficking, illegal drugs, and from others who want to bring harm to the nation.
The Nov. 11 meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a covered dish luncheon in the Buchanan Hall at First Baptist, followed by the speakers’ presentation at noon.
Ongoing Activities
WOM also supports Hope House of Union County by collecting personal hygiene items such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, etc., which are distributed free of charge to Hope House clients. Through offerings collected monthly and budget funding from First Baptist, WOM are supporting the following ministries:
- Cowboy Church of Jerusalem to purchase food and new boots.
- Pure Love Pure Water for more filters to be sent to missionaries.
- The Clarkston After-School Ministry, which provides a meal for the children and to purchase supplies for the children.
SERVICE PROJECTS
At the Oct. 14 meeting, Director Nancy Brock thanked the Women on Mission and others at First Baptist for donating 117 blankets to send to western North Carolina to bring warmth to those who lost everything in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
In November, Women on Mission will be putting together New Neighbor Kitchen Kits to send to Clarkston, GA, to be distributed to newly arrived refugees from overseas. Items in each kit will include: four plates, bowls, cups, and saucers; four forks, knives, and spoons; pots, pans, and baking sheets; mixing bowls; a manual can opener; kitchen knife and cutting board; and kitchen towels and dishcloths.
Who We Are
WOMEN ON MISSION have a passion for missions. We meet the second Monday of each month at 11:30 in the Buchanan Hall under the Rock Chapel. Each month a special speaker is invited to share with us his/her time of ministry on the field, whether it be overseas or here in the United States. We have heard speakers from Russia, Albania, Turkey, Peru, Honduras, Tanzania, and many other places around the globe, as well as representatives from the ministry to refugees in Clarkston, GA, Out of Darkness Ministry in Atlanta, Voice of the Martyrs, and many other U.S.-based mission groups. We each receive a blessing from hearing the testimonies of these speakers. Often we learn of ways we can be involved in reaching out to the lost through these ministries.
Be a part of WOM
WOM supports a different missionary each year by sending them a monthly love gift. We also save and collect our loose pocket change to provide water filters for missionaries who do not have access to potable water. Periodically, we provide toiletry items which Hope House of Blairsville can share with its clients. As the Lord leads, we engage in projects which help missionaries or reach out to the lost. In all that we do, we aim to bring glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We encourage you to come and join us on the second Monday of any given month. Participation is open to ALL women — young, old, or in between.
If you have questions, feel free to contact Nancy Brock at untilhisreturn@gmail.com or 706-781-6358 for further information.