Flexibility in Ministry
Have you ever had your plans unexpectedly rearranged? That’s exactly what happened during my visit to a refugee family.
After greeting each other and saying hello to the family, I was led into the living room where one of the windows was shattered. The curtains billowed as the cold wind rushed through the open space.
“Well, the children were playing, and the ball you gave them went through the window!” the father explained.
What—the ball I gave them? Was this somehow my fault?
He showed me the broken window and asked, “Can you help us? It is starting to turn cold. Where do you buy glass, and how do you fix it?”
I laughed and agreed to help. Thankfully, I always carry a toolbox in my car. Together, we carefully removed the remaining shards of glass, measured the frame, and went to the hardware store to find a replacement. Fixing it was a bit of a challenge since it was an older house, and the frame did not come off easily. But by the end of the day, we fixed the window, and the family’s home was ready for the cold winter months.
It wasn’t how I had planned to spend my visit, but it was exactly what was needed. Working with refugees and immigrants is like that—you have to be flexible and ready for anything! The window repair, along with the simple lunch they served me as a thank-you, gave me valuable time with this family. As we worked, I learned more about their lives, asked about their children, and had the opportunity to pray for them.
That is how you build relationships with Muslims—one step at a time. Stopping by to check in, helping with practical needs, and giving your time speaks volumes because most people don’t give them any time or attention. Do you have room in your schedule to respond to unexpected needs?
Making Room for the Unexpected
Another example comes to mind. A few months ago, I had just finished teaching an English class and had 30 minutes before I needed to head to the airport. I decided to visit a family who had recently arrived in the country. As I drove, I debated whether a short visit would be worth it or maybe skipping it would be better. But in the end, I followed God’s prompting to go.
When I arrived, it became apparent very quickly that the wife was quite ill and needed to go to the emergency room right away! That 30-minute visit turned into a 7-hour stay as I accompanied them through the long ER process of registration, exams, and tests.
I called someone else to cover my airport run and cleared my schedule to be with this family in their time of need. I know we can’t always fit sudden changes into our schedules. But, through this visit, my relationship with this family suddenly went much deeper than it was before. I have been able to pray and share more with this family than I had been able to previously.
Whenever possible, I encourage you to leave some room in your calendar to help you adapt to sudden changes. God can use the unexpected to open doors to people’s lives.
Planning for Ramadan
Ramadan, the Muslim month of Fasting, starts around March 1st. There are several resources to help Christians and churches pray for the Muslim world during this time. I would encourage you to connect with some or all of them. Please share these resources with your church and consider hosting a special prayer time.
After greeting each other and saying hello to the family, I was led into the living room where one of the windows was shattered. The curtains billowed as the cold wind rushed through the open space.
“Well, the children were playing, and the ball you gave them went through the window!” the father explained.
What—the ball I gave them? Was this somehow my fault?
He showed me the broken window and asked, “Can you help us? It is starting to turn cold. Where do you buy glass, and how do you fix it?”
I laughed and agreed to help. Thankfully, I always carry a toolbox in my car. Together, we carefully removed the remaining shards of glass, measured the frame, and went to the hardware store to find a replacement. Fixing it was a bit of a challenge since it was an older house, and the frame did not come off easily. But by the end of the day, we fixed the window, and the family’s home was ready for the cold winter months.
It wasn’t how I had planned to spend my visit, but it was exactly what was needed. Working with refugees and immigrants is like that—you have to be flexible and ready for anything! The window repair, along with the simple lunch they served me as a thank-you, gave me valuable time with this family. As we worked, I learned more about their lives, asked about their children, and had the opportunity to pray for them.
That is how you build relationships with Muslims—one step at a time. Stopping by to check in, helping with practical needs, and giving your time speaks volumes because most people don’t give them any time or attention. Do you have room in your schedule to respond to unexpected needs?
Making Room for the Unexpected
Another example comes to mind. A few months ago, I had just finished teaching an English class and had 30 minutes before I needed to head to the airport. I decided to visit a family who had recently arrived in the country. As I drove, I debated whether a short visit would be worth it or maybe skipping it would be better. But in the end, I followed God’s prompting to go.
When I arrived, it became apparent very quickly that the wife was quite ill and needed to go to the emergency room right away! That 30-minute visit turned into a 7-hour stay as I accompanied them through the long ER process of registration, exams, and tests.
I called someone else to cover my airport run and cleared my schedule to be with this family in their time of need. I know we can’t always fit sudden changes into our schedules. But, through this visit, my relationship with this family suddenly went much deeper than it was before. I have been able to pray and share more with this family than I had been able to previously.
Whenever possible, I encourage you to leave some room in your calendar to help you adapt to sudden changes. God can use the unexpected to open doors to people’s lives.
Planning for Ramadan
Ramadan, the Muslim month of Fasting, starts around March 1st. There are several resources to help Christians and churches pray for the Muslim world during this time. I would encourage you to connect with some or all of them. Please share these resources with your church and consider hosting a special prayer time.
- Ramadan 30-Day Prayer Guide booklet : Available as a hard copy or PDF.
- Prayercast : A wonderful resource website with many videos on the Muslim world. If you sign up, you can receive daily prayer videos, which work well in Sunday services to help raise awareness of the need for prayer for the Muslim world.
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?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
