Unreached people search for truth amid darkness in the mountains of South Africa. An Alabama missionary in the valley below reaches into his pocket to see if he has enough rands (South African currency) to hire a horse to take him — and the gospel — to those waiting to hear of salvation.
He does have enough. Thankfully for him, it’s a gift horse he rides — a direct result of sacrificial gifts from Baptists back home. Each time they put money in the offering envelope marked “Lottie Moon Christmas Offering,” (LMCO) it’s one step farther he gets to take the gospel.
Just ask Darrell Cook, an Alabamian serving as an International Mission Board (IMB) missionary and regional treasurer alongside his wife, Elaine, in South Africa. He sees firsthand where the gifts go in his corner of the world, from medical supplies needed in Tanzania to theology books for young Christian men in South Africa who can’t afford to go to a Bible school.
“Thankfully Southern Baptists emphasize both (missions and giving), and they go hand in hand,” Cook said.
Ann Espy, an Alabama Baptist serving in south Wales, said she and her husband, Tom, are grateful for the gifts Baptists back home give to the LMCO, a seasonal offering that funds the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program specifically on behalf of international missions. “Our house rent is paid, and we have a car to drive, as we say, ‘Thanks to Aunt Lottie,’” Espy said.
Through the funds they receive from Lottie Moon, the Espys work with asylum seekers and refugees in Cardiff, offering English lessons, sewing classes for women and recreation times for men. “Because of these outreach opportunities, we have a good relationship with a good number of people from countries where they have not had the opportunity to hear the gospel,” she said.
Espy told the story of one such person, a young Arab man who came to faith and freedom from Islam because of the outreach made possible by the gifts of Baptists.
“All who contribute to Lottie Moon have had a part in this,” she said. “The monies are greatly used and appreciated here.”
Another Alabama Baptist worker in the Middle East said his ministry among Arabs is also fueled by support from back home. He often goes to the Muslim villages that dot the hillsides nearby, acting as a representative of the only Christian organization present there.
“To get to the villages, I have to drive to the border and walk, for political reasons. I walk across the border and take a taxi to the village. The car, the parking fees and the taxi are all provided by Lottie Moon,” he said. “Without, first of all, your prayers and, second of all, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, our work would be severely limited. We are grateful for both.”
Lottie-fueled transportation in Jennifer and David Hoglens’ place of service, Belgium, means the two Alabama Baptists have vans to take much-needed food and clothing to immigrants. And in the Dominican Republic, where Alabamians John and Dana Gunter serve, the gifts fuel not only their car but also their new church starts — from the chairs to the Bible study materials. “Because of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, no matter how big or small the gift is, we never have to worry about money. We can concentrate on sharing the gospel, discipling new Christians and planting churches in the Dominican Republic,” Dana Gunter said.
Jennifier Barger, an Alabama Baptist who serves with her husband, Donald, in Mexico, seconds that. In their region — as well as many, many others — more money means more workers and more people reached with the gospel.
“This past year, IMB funds made up from the LMCO and Cooperative Program gifts have helped place five new families working with indigenous people groups in Mexico. During this year, the gifts helped outfit these new missionaries for ministry, pay for language training, provide field housing and help meet transportation needs,” she said.
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said without the generous and sacrificial giving of Baptists to the LMCO, “the largest missionary force in the world would be reduced dramatically and the kingdom of God would be impacted negatively.”
“Alabama Baptists have been pacesetting leaders in giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in years past. I pray that we will continue to set the pace for giving in the future,” Lance said. “Christmas means more than gift-buying and gift-giving. It means making a sacrificial contribution to Lottie Moon for international missions.”
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