Standing with the suffering
By Josie Oldenburg —
Every morning, I make my coffee and sit down to read the news. Not the news paper
, mind you, but the news letters
that flow in from SEND missionaries around the world.
Thankfully, the good-news-to-bad-news ratio is better in these newsletters than in the newspaper. Beautiful baptisms, good attendance at outreaches, many opportunities to engage the unreached in new places. People are hearing the gospel and responding with faith!
But in the past year, as I’ve read hundreds of newsletters, I’ve noticed an alarming uptick in bad news.
Some of it is personal — unexplained pain, cancer, arthritis, elderly parents in sudden need of care. Of course, health issues are common to man, but they can be particularly disruptive when you’re on the mission field and have to board a plane, leaving your ministry behind, in order to seek reliable medical care.
I’ve been most disturbed by report after report of growing persecution against our brothers and sisters around the world.
In Eastern Ukraine, where deadly conflict between separatists and the Ukrainian Army continues, Protestant believers face extreme restrictions. Many churches have been seized, and some of our brethren have taken to gathering in the forest. “This Sunday we will go with the church on a hike. Everyone in sports clothes. We will hold the service in nature.” They carried fishing poles to make their ruse more believable.
In a country we cannot even mention without endangering our ministry there, a national co-worker learned that the police were coming for him. His crime? He told children that Jesus loves them. He packed his bags and fled overnight.
In another unmentionable country, our workers continue to minister, even as the government crackdown draws ever closer. They know they might need to leave. When the time comes, they will be ready. But they’re determined to use every moment that God gives them to keep sharing his love in that land.
These are unstable times. Read the newspaper, and you’ll sense it. Read the newsletters, and you’ll realize that your own brothers and sisters on the mission field serve on some of the shakiest ground.
Of course, in all of this, Jesus remains their firm foundation. And, in service of the Lord, we who work at SEND’s US Office provide the support our missionaries need to safely navigate uncertainty. Secure email that keeps government eyes from watching what they write. Health insurance for when illness strikes. Access to counseling services to help them deal with trauma. Expert security advice. Above all, prayer.
We want what you want for missionaries: Solid support for an uncertain future.
• Our total commitment to Jesus Christ fuels all that we do.
Read SEND’s statement of faith.
• Learn about SEND International's mission, focus, and values .
• Learn about SEND International's mission, focus, and values .
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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