OM News Front page

Wounded feet, healed heart - Moldova

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Their desire to help leads a Love Moldova outreach team to a woman whose loss of her toes leads to the salvation of her soul.

‘We must help these people’

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 05:52:14 +0000

OM Greece

A speedboat approached the gritty beach of the Greek island of Lesbos carrying around a dozen people. It quickly dumped their luggage into the choppy sea before racing away. After some emotional greetings, the OM Greece team and others offered the newcomers towels, water and bananas. The team soon discovered that they were three generations of Syrian Christians, grandparents to grandchildren, fleeing to Europe's safety.

The team's hearts sank when the Syrians told them that the same boat, which charged them a steep 2000 € per person for the 30-minute trip was to make another journey to bring the rest of the family from Turkey. The team had seen the harbour police arrest the pilot and had to break the bad news to them that their relatives' fate was uncertain.

And so the trials and difficulties continue for the hundreds of thousands fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan making their way to Greece's shores in the hopes of moving onward into Europe. OM Greece continues to demonstrate God's love and compassion there.

The OM Greece team on Lesbos has enjoyed chatting with the refugees—something not many other relief workers are doing.

"A young Iraqi guy approached us and excitedly told us the he, too, wanted to become a Christian," recounted the team leader, heading up efforts on the island, where many of the refugees land.

"Stunned, we immediately gave him a Christian tract in Arabic we had picked up earlier that day, and those gathered around began reading it."

Waves of new arrivals of Syrian and other refugees to Greece's shores are overwhelming relief groups and authorities in the biggest humanitarian emergency since World War II.

Despite the early onset of autumn's rains, more than 2,500 mainly Syrian and Afghan refugees, soaked and exhausted, reached Lesbos in just a matter of hours this week alone. This marks a sharp rise in the rate of arrivals making the dangerous sea crossing from Turkey, aid officials said.

Most refugees traveling in unsafe dinghies and boats, squeezing about 40 to 45 people aboard, came in the pouring rain. Some suffered from hypothermia.

Over 430,000 refugees fleeing mayhem in the Middle East already have worked their way this year from Turkey to Greece. Despite Greece's dire economic crisis, many Greeks have been welcoming the refugees even though resources are scarce and many Greeks are also looking for help.

Gabby Markus, OM Greece country leader, also coordinates humanitarian assistance provided by numerous churches in the Athens area to ensure more effective cooperation and aid on behalf of the fleeing refugees.

Government and local officials have appreciated OM Greece and the local churches' quick ability to organise Arabic and Farsi/Dari translators to help communicate with the refugees as well as the practical provision of badly needed water, clothing and cooked meals. A clothing bank, shower facility, possible WiFi/Internet access points, and a potential campsite for temporary stay by the refugees are also in the planning.

"You tell us and we will get the people," Gabby told an official of Greece's Migration Policy Ministry. As a registered Greece-based organisation and with work in 110 countries worldwide, OM is strategically placed to help the refugees in their hour of need.

This week, the Athens team has helped numerous Afghans, including Harazas, sheltering in a sports stadium after a torrential downpour drove them out of one of Athen's outdoor parks.

Inside the stadium, where colorful pup tents lined the floor, young Afghan men danced to a throbbing, ethnic beat. Their arms sliced the air and bodies spun, enrapturing Afghan and Greek onlookers alike.
Greek doctors were on hand to carry out health checks on those who made the strenuous journey from their war-torn homeland.

"We had 45 people packed inside our flimsy rubber dinghy," 20-year-old Habib told OM. It was a dangerous journey and we were very frightened. Now we're exhausted, but we must continue to move on," said the youth, with dark, intense eyes.

Other OM Greece workers participate in cooking and serving meals to refugees gathered at churches in a food-share project. They also assist in meal distributions in parks where refugees congregate in the Greek capital.

"We must help these people who have left everything behind," Gabby said.

OM Greece needs your prayer and financial support to continue and intensify its aid efforts for Syrian and other refugees fleeing conflict to Europe.

A developing OM project, called Safe Passage, focuses on meeting refugees at their initial entry points, providing information as well as water, food and essentials. To give specifically to projects in Greece, please mark your gift to be given to Greece. To give to OM Europe's general relief efforts, or for more information about how to get involved, please contact your local OM office.

The headman's story - Zambia

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Dimas, the headman of a small village along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, shares about the challenges of being a headman and Christian.

On the road throughout Europe - International

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Throughout the year Bus4Life provides encouragement to local pastors and OM teams in Eastern Europe, partnering with them to share the Gospel.

Ten years later hearts are changing - North Africa

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

After 10 years in North Africa, an OM worker sees a change in the hearts of neighbours and friends.

‘It’s always about the people’ - Near East

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Friends Derek and Josiah, who grew up in OM, talk about their most recent adventure: one year producing videos in the Middle East and North Africa.

Friendship first - Finland

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

OM Finland extends love and fellowship to immigrant mothers through friendship groups, open conversation and learning together.

Transit through the storm - Macedonia

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

“The timing couldn’t have been worse for refugees from Syria passing through Macedonia.” An OM worker shares about conditions in a Macedonian refugee transit camp.

Together we make a difference - Hungary

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

OM Hungary works alongside partner organisations to bring comfort and Jesus’ love to refugees in Budapest.

OM EAST and local partners raise a banner in Roma villages - Austria

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

This summer nearly 1,000 Roma children in Roma villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe heard the Gospel.

From rickshaws to the Gospel - Bangladesh

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Winning a rickshaw in a race sponsored by the OM sports ministry team in Bangladesh changes Anwar's life and his family's life.

Climbing for the Jogini Girls in India - Australia

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

On 22 August, 150 people climbed in the inaugural OM Boonah Freedom Climb to raise awareness and funding for the Jogini girls of India.

Haven of hope in Syria - Near East

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

OM partner finds young men on the street and offers them jobs and a place to study the Bible.

Broken but saved by grace - Chile

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

OM Chile team member Marloes Achterveld witnesses God change the life of a homeless man.

Persecuted, not forsaken - Laos

Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

A young lady in a small Laotian village is pressured to recant her faith or jeopardize her educational future.

Brazil scores again - Brazil

Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

OM SportsLink in Brazil hosts 85 children from a slum in São José dos Campos at their futsal school. They are amazed by open doors.

Lessons of faith - Egypt

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Three short-term volunteers spending the summer in North Africa learn life-changing lessons from a Transform outreach.

While in His presence - Ecuador

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The figures of impact were impressive during a recent medical outreach in the indigenous region of Guamote in Ecuador. But only because He showed up.

Victory over death in a cemetery - Zimbabwe

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

An OM team has a rare opportunity to share the Gospel with the Doma people at the funeral of a senior member of the community.

Truth gift-wrapped - Kosovo

Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Two villages. 207 New Testaments. Countless steps. The Transform team walk from home to home, sustained by prayer.

Life after trafficking - Mexico

Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

For 10 years she was forced into prostitution by her husband. With the help of OM Mexico, Rocio is now building a new life.