Frontier Missions Journal

“Can I wash the feet of my father?” the new Christian lady asked.“Of course,” Teacher Cris replied.“Is it a problem if I wash my mother’s feet as well? And my husband also?”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Cristian Jara, a career missionary on the Pnong Project in Cambodia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Noi, a village woman deeply connected to the spiritual world, acts as a medium, bringing her people's infirmities before the spirits. On the outside, she projects strength and power. But on the inside, her heart cries out from a sense of hopelessness and of being all alone.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Elizabeth Kurath, a short-term missionary on the Hill Tribes of Ratanakiri Project in Cambodia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

"Eyeballs that feel like someone is inflating them with a bike pump. A rash that looks like your skin lost a fight with a cheese grater. Fatigue so brutal you could nap through a monster truck rally. Thanks, dengue fever!"                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by René Theunissen, a career missionary on the Pnong Project in Cambodia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“What would have happened if I didn’t listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit for that second, and I didn’t turn around, but I kept on walking?”                                                               ----------------Today’s first story is told by Heino Torlage, Executive Director of Abundant Life and AFM South Africa Trust. The second story is told by Helen Castillo, a career missionary on the Himadri Project in Central Asia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“I am not a child anymore. I can make decisions for myself, and nobody can influence my decisions. I want to become an evangelist.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by George Tooray, AFM career missionary on the Malinke Project in Mali, West Africa.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

The second day, when we were in the hospital, I asked the doctor, “Will my daughter survive?”“We’re going to try our best,” he replied.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Helen Castillo, AFM career missionary on the Himadri Project in Central Asia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“Your daughter has acute respiratory distress. Her blood oxygen levels are not good,” the doctor said, then paused before adding, “She might die.”With shaking hands, an aching heart and tears in my eyes, I signed the hospital admittance forms while thinking of our missionary journey so far. Finding it hard to pray, “God, let your will be done,” I said, “Whatever happens, God, may your name be glorified.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Nathan and Helen Castillo, AFM career missionaries on the Himadri Project in Central Asia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Listen as Kyle Tumberg shares his journey to becoming a cross-cultural missionary in Central Thailand.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Kyle Tumberg, a former AFM career missionary on the Central Thai Project in Thailand and now AFM's Recruitment Director.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

After young Giso’s body was badly burned during a fuel explosion, and after an urgent prayer saved him from dying at the hands of police officers after leading a life of crime, Giso, now a reformed believer, is in a spiritual battle for the life of his son.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is written by Jason Sliger, an AFM career missionary on the Gogodala Project in Papua New Guinea.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

After young Giso’s body was severely burned during a fuel explosion, his mother told him, “God has a plan for your life. That is why you are still alive.” That would be only the first near-death experience to await Giso.                                                                ----------------Today’s story is written by Jason Sliger, an AFM career missionary on the Gogodala Project in Papua New Guinea.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Using their feet, the Alangan men do a two-step shuffle. They dance on the rice to remove the seed from the stem. It looks rather like someone trying to remove mud from one foot by using the other.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Tony Ingersoll, a former AFM career missionary on the Alangan Project in the Philippines.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Deep in the mountains in the heart of Central Asia, an AFM missionary family seeks to share the gospel with the unreached people of this predominantly Hindu and Buddhist region. It’s a tall task, but what the Castillo family discovered was that God has already been working on hearts through the influence of the Holy Spirit.                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by the Castillo family, AFM career missionaries on the Himadri Project in Central Asia. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“Finally,” I said. “I want you to tell me why there are weeks.”Well, after some valiant attempts at manipulating the bucket, bottle and washbasin, representing the earth, moon and sun, my Muslim friends admitted they didn’t know why, though I could tell they really wanted to, now.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Tye & Tina Teal, former AFM career missionaries on the Malinke Project in Guinea, West Africa.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

I walked into one delivery and, by the mother, was a half-full glass of water with a coin in it. “That’s really weird! What’s that here for?” I asked.“Oh, we don’t know,” came the reply.“Okay, well, that tells me what it’s here for. Now, how is this connected to the spirits?”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Alisha Taylor, a former AFM career missionary on the Palawano Project in the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

And then we got to this part where the trail had … um … the trail fell down the mountain!                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by Alisha Taylor, a former AFM missionary to the Himadri in Central Asia.

“White man, moro! White man, moro!” the small child began shouting. The adults and older children began chuckling.“Hi! Good afternoon,” I said.“White man, moro!” the child said again, laughing before running away and hiding.                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by Keren and Orion Lawrence, AFM career missionaries on the Sepik Project in Papua New Guinea.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

I paused the story right there, and I asked, “Would you go inside the ark, too?”One little boy jumped up, and he said, “NO! I would not go inside.”“Why?”“Because it would be stinky inside!” ----------------Join us for two missionary tales from Southeast Asia with missionary Joelle Thea.

The night sky was covered by threatening clouds, and distant thunder promised rain. Streaks of lightning arced across the horizon and eerily illuminated the hillside. In the midst of my deep concentration, I was startled by a faint noise.                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by Herb Prandl, a former AFM career missionary on the Lobi Project in Burkina Faso and Sandy Ackmoody, a former AFM career missionary on the Malinke Project in Guinea.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“My mind was relieved that little Gladys’ mother was alive! However, I will admit I felt betrayed . . . and disgusted, with thoughts like, ‘That little liar!’ going through my mind.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Margaret Unglaub, former AFM career missionary on the Lobi Project in Burkina Faso. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

As Keren Lawrence lay awake, battling malaria, she heard the sound of angry shouting and intense fighting coming from inside the village.Awakening her husband and alerting him, she urged, “Please, can we pray together?”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Keren Lawrence, an AFM missionary serving at the Sepik project in Papua New Guinea.

"If you didn’t make it with clean water, like if it was made it with swamp water, it will taste a little like swamps. If you make it from the flowing river water, it tastes a little better."Hmm….you hungry? Listen up to learn how you can make Sago.                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Keren Lawrence, an AFM missionary serving at the Sepik project in Papua New Guinea.

“Yup, everything looks good,” the old doctor said.I smiled and paid him, but didn’t really rely on his X-ray reading.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Carly Tirado, an AFM missionary serving at the Great River People project in Cambodia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“An angel opened my Bible as I dreamed and started showing me the verses that I should preach from. When I stood in the pulpit the next morning, I could see all that the angel had shown me.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by John Holbrook, an AFM missionary serving on the Tawbuid Project in the Philippines.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Have you ever felt that, because of your sins, God has disconnected from you and does not want anything to do with you anymore? So did the Alangan tribe . . . until they learned that God hadn’t abandoned them, was interested in them, and was actually trying to bring His people back into a relationship with Him.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by John Holbrook, an AFM missionary serving on the Tawbuid Project in the Philippines.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

It was really, really tough. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people out of work. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And if you don’t get paid, you don’t eat.                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Bruce Hayward, a current AFM Field Director in Asia.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

God’s timing is always perfect. I pray that whenever Jesus calls Elizabeth to do something for Him, her response will be, “Sure, I’ll come.”                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Lori Erickson, a current AFM Field Director and former missionary on the Gogodala Project in Papua New Guinea.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

A teacher came running out of her office and straight for our bus.“Sir, we are so happy that you are here at our school. We have had a tragedy, and it is as if God has sent you here today. One of our young teachers died last night, and we don’t know how to handle the situation.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Heino Torlage, Director of AFM South Africa and Abundant Life Ministries.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

As the week of prayer came to a close, demons attacked Annabelle and three of her friends. When a dark figure appeared on a trail and called out to some of the girls, they fainted out of fright.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Eva Truitt, a former AFM student missionary who served on the Palawano Project in the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Lord, I love my students and want to see them thrive. How do I teach them that cheating is wrong?                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Eva Truitt, a former AFM student missionary who served on the Palawano Project in the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“You know, there’s a man who lives in those clouds. Usually, he sleeps. But when he does wake up, he will open his eyes and do something between a grimace and a smile. When he does that, lightning will flash out from his large front tooth.”                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by Dawn Spoon, former AFM career missionary on the Palawano Project in the Philippines, and John Kent, former AFM career missionary on the Iwam Project in Papua New Guinea. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s stories!

Ding Dong! I went downstairs and saw the younger neighborhood kids I had befriended. I was shocked. How did these little detectives know where I lived? I didn’t tell them. “Hi,” I said.“Hey. We saw your shoes and your dog.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by the Aleman family, AFM missionaries serving on the Isan Thai Project in Thailand. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

One quiet evening in Reva’s home, the children suddenly awoke to strange noises echoing through the room, breaking the silence.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Bala Patel, a former AFM missionary who served on the Himadri Project in the Himalayas. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“Loneliness belongs only to Allah,” Hakan wrote. “It’s an old proverb in our culture. Loneliness is exclusive or unique to Allah.”I stared at the words as if I had just stumbled upon the devil’s smoking gun.                                                                ----------------Today’s stories are told by Jacob Bridger, AFM career missionary on the Turkish Project in Turkey. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s stories!

“Go and talk to Him.”Lord, I don’t know who He is.What do you say to a total stranger who’s in the hospital?“Oh, hi. I’m your neighbor from across the hallway. And I’m talkative, and I like to talk to new people,” I said to the teenage boy.                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by Claudette Aleman, AFM career missionary on the Isan Project of Northeast Thailand. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s stories!

The next thing we knew, we had twenty-eight players. “What are we going to do now? We have to either rent a bigger field or we have to rent two fields.”When Rene Aleman shared with God that he wanted to reach people through sports, God more than delivered.                                                               ----------------Today’s stories are told by René Aleman, AFM career missionary on the Isan Project of Northeast Thailand, and Bethany Nicholaides, of the Hill Tribes Project in Northeast Cambodia. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s stories!

The phone rings.The man on the other side is crying, desperate for help and wants to meet us. He is in deep trouble.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by John Smith, a missionary serving on the Turkish Project. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“Oh, you’ve given me a special book. It’s about Jesus,” the police officer said.“Yes,” Tafara replied.“Well, I don’t believe in Jesus. I believe in ancestors,” the officer followed up.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Tafara Chogugudza, a young man serving with Abundant Life, a sister organization to AFM South Africa. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Listen to today's radio flashback and discover what life was like in Albania about 30 years ago, when AFM missionaries first entered the country.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Anna Kvanli, a career missionary on the Shqiptaret project in Albania about 30 years ago. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Poverty, alcoholism and childhood neglect loomed large over Priscilla’s early life. She and her loved ones walked a path marked by brokenness and despair. But an unwavering power of prayer and unshakeable faith in God transformed not just her life, but the lives of her entire family.                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Priscilla Lepilla, a student missionary in South Africa. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“I must keep listening to the Godpod,” the witch doctor said. “If I stop . . . the spirits will oppress me again.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Alisha Taylor of the Palawano Project in the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“Talal is a man of God. We are the kafir, the apostates, not him,” Usman said, his words an arrow to the conscience.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Gabriella Lincoln of the Sahara Project in West Africa. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

With their car bottomed out on a sand bank after a deluge on Sunday, it was now Tuesday night. The Havenga family was certain they would be rescued on Wednesday. As they readied themselves to sleep in their car, it started to pour. Again!                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Jo-anne Havenga and comes from our AFM South Africa office and Abundant Life Ministry. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

We drove into a torrential rainstorm, trying to maintain momentum to avoid getting stuck in the muddy sand. Hitting a deep pool of water, our car slipped onto an embankment. Now we were stuck! “We may as well make ourselves comfortable, spend the night in the car and investigate in the morning,” we decided.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Jo-anne Havenga and comes from our AFM South Africa office and Abundant Life Ministry. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Our conversation remained void of anything religious throughout our entire visit, leaving me a little confused.“I thought we were coming here to witness and minister.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Elisha Joy of the Sinim Project in Southeast Asia. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

For three days, we took turns manually ventilating Maman’s wife so she could breathe. It was an agonizing time when life and death crossed paths.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Andre Rodrigues, a former student missionary at the Palawano Project of the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Thorns and leeches made the journey more painful. Knees and ankles begged for mercy. We were tired. It had been more than 20 hours since we left Kamantian. Fatigue discouraged us, but the urgency restored our determination as a life was at risk.                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Andre Rodrigues, a former student missionary at the Palawano Project of the Philippines. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“As a teenager, I saw a movie about somebody who healed people and loved people and was so kind. And at the end of the movie, he ended up dying, nailed to a cross, with a whole bunch of people who he had helped and loved watching him, and he forgave them,” Dena said.“Wow! That’s Jesus,” Elisha replied.                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Elisha Joy of the Sinim Project in Southeast Asia. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

Usually, when I share the gospel with people, I don’t yell at them. But in that car, as I was being yelled at, I don’t know what happened. I got emotional, and I started yelling back.“Remember this day! Not only your son, but YOU will be running to our church before your son.”                                                               ----------------Today’s story is told by Sergo Namoradze, a member of AFM's International Field Operations department.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

He tore down his room in searching for his Bible, pretending he was making some renovations in his room so that his parents wouldn’t suspect anything.                                                               ----------------Today’s story, coming from the Georgian project, is told by Sergo Namoradze, a member of AFM's International Field Operations department.Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!

“By blocking the wheels of a foreigner’s car, it is more than just an aggressive move. It is a symbolic accusation of being a thief. In our West African culture, that is a serious insult to a guest. You are not only making yourself look bad, you are dishonoring your country.”                                                                ----------------Today’s story is told by Michée Badé, AFM missionary formerly to the Otamarri and Dendi Projects in Benin, West Africa. Subscribe and leave us a review if you enjoyed listening to today’s story!