GOD IS STILL "CALLING" SPECIAL MISSIONARIES, LIKE THE 58 VOLUNTEERS TO HIS MISSION CENTRAL!
It doesn't seem possible, but nearly 18 years ago, old Missionary Gary, retired as president of the Mapleton Trust & Savings Bank to do the work that the Good Lord had been preparing him to do for 33 years in the banking industry. Yes, it's clear now, it wasn't about banking....it was about telling people in darkness about Jesus!
Who would have thought that there could have been anything like Mission Central? This was not something that Gary did...it's all about what God can do and what HE did in the middle of a cornfield with an old set of farmbuildings.
Operating with "no overhead" just can't happen, and a number of people have brought that to the attention of Mission Central. One man said, "You can't operate with no overhead!"...that's correct...you can't normally do that, however, God can! He sends special people who want to help with expenses at "just the right time"...and who would have thought 18 years ago that the Lord would "call" a total of 58 volunteers to help with the work at Mission Central. None of the volunteers get paid or re-imbursed for their expenses. It's an amazing "miracle". That assures people that when a gift is given to the missionaries, their gift goes directly to the missionaries and not for expenses at Mission Central.
The Lord has called the LWML ladies of Iowa and Nebraska to provide gift cards for the meals and supplies here at Mission Central, so that when people come they do not have to pay for any of the meals served by our Volunteer Meal Staff. Each of our volunteers has a specific title and duty, as God has called them all to special work. We have 9 Volunteer typists that do a great deal of work and the stationary is donated by a family in Nebraska and the typists secure the funding for their postage, so that each letter that is sent out from Mission Central by our volunteer typists goes at no expense. The typists work in their own homes and the dictation is sent to them to complete. A volunteer printer and publicity director was sent and has been helping for 16 years, and a special webmaster who works so hard keeping the website up to date, where nearly 8000 visitors visted our website in one month! Volunteer electricians, carpenters, cleaners, museum cleaners, builders, lawn mowers, filers, e-mail specialists, ebay purchasing specialist, video director, heating and airconditioning specialist, chapel creators, cement specialists, volunteer devotional writer, and an amazing volunteer cooking staff. These are all members of the "Body of Christ" and each one is a part of moving the mission forward for the Lord Jesus.
This group of Volunteers gets together once a year for a special catered meal that was provided by a volunteer. That Annual Meeting was held on July 16th, 2011 and pictured here are part of the volunteer staff as not all of them were able to attend. It was a very special day and a report was given that reflected that this past year was the most blessed year ever for Mission Central, as this group is now, by far, the largest mission supporting agency in the entire United States for our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. We now have 8000 individuals and families that are praying for and supporting missionaries and projects, and 1100 churches that are helping in special ways!
The Lord's promises are so true...the Apostle Peter said in Acts 2:39: "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.....for ALL WHOM THE LORD OUR GOD WILL CALL!" Yes, God's still calling people....just like all the volunteers at a place called Mission Central in the middle of the hills of western Iowa in the middle of a cornfield!
