- One of the things that people told us...
- Mm. - ...whenever we started
to leave for the mission field,
fellow colleagues, they said, "you will be forgotten."
(reflective folk music)
- The COVID-19 pandemic complicated
WMU's ongoing work of connecting the church
to missions, both nationally and internationally.
Great Commission Conversations was created
out of the desire to allow mission personnel
continued opportunity to share
about their work, despite the pandemic.
- For us, GCC was an incredible opportunity.
We had taken months, I mean months,
to plan our stateside assignment.
And then all of a sudden, all of our conferences,
all of our speaking engagements,
all of our Sunday school classes were canceled.
What's amazing about the Great Commission Conversations,
it provided an avenue to not just stand
before one congregation, but to stand before people
who represent 50 or 60 congregations,
and just express our gratitude and thanks
for their giving which enabled us to go.
In addition, it gave us the chance
to share those stories of God's faithfulness
and his goodness and what he had done
and how the prayers of the faithful
allowed his word to go forth.
- Oh my goodness, Great Commission Conversations
has not only made our missionaries
seem like friends to men and women who join in,
it has offered that much needed encouragement
to our mission personnel who have found
themselves in a challenging place
during this unique time in history.
- (Drew) I also want to offer a word of encouragement
to give to the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering
because it really benefits your missionaries
that are sent out from Alabama to the ends of the earth.
And I'm here to tell you, the Great Commission
Conversations was proof that we are not forgotten.
We are known, we are loved, we're cared for.
People want to hear our stories.
We're incredible grateful for that.
(reflective folk music)