By: Madison Trost, Former WM Communications Coordinator

Welcome back to the From the Field blog! 

For those of you who are new to the world of World Missions, I worked as the communications coordinator before Shelby Greven, who is now rocking the position. She asked me back to reflect a little bit on my experience telling stories from the field. 

When I first started, I had so much to learn about social media communication, graphic design, and email marketing funnels. I look back at those first few Instagram posts… yikes. But even with a steep learning curve in front of me, there was one thing that consistently excited me about my job: finding the untold stories of the lives of our missionaries and sharing them with you. 

Here are a couple lessons I learned about God’s work in international missions from the view of the AFLC headquarters building: 

Stories of God’s faithfulness are everywhere

If we believe God is at work, then we should not be surprised when we see His Kingdom being built in unexpected places and in unexpected ways. Sometimes we imagine “mission work” as dramatic moments or measurable outcomes, but more often it looks like faithfulness lived out slowly, relationally, and quietly. 

I remember my first trip to the field in Mexico, visiting Todd and Barb as they faithfully served their church. We spent time driving around their neighborhood during visitations, stopping to talk, listen, and pray. One of my favorite photos from that trip is of Todd laughing with an elderly woman they had built a long-term relationship with. That picture warmed my heart—not because it captured a big event, but because it revealed years of patient investment and genuine love in that community. 

These moments are worth telling. Stories of God’s faithfulness—especially the ordinary, unseen ones—shaped my own understanding of mission work. They reminded me that God is always working, even when the fruit is quiet and the progress feels slow. I know these stories can inspire you in the same way. 

Stories of God’s faithfulness encourages the congregation 

In my position at World Missions, I had the privilege of connecting with many of you at annual conferences, corporation meetings, or through a good old-fashioned phone call. Again and again, I saw how stories from the field connected people back home to the mission of God’s Kingdom in their own communities. 

One woman who stands out in my memory is Priscilla Dutcher, who is now with Jesus. She would call every month to make her donation toward missionary support. But she never rushed the call. She asked for news from the field. She wanted to know how the missionaries were doing. She listened carefully and prayed intentionally. 

For those who may feel removed from mission work—geographically or vocationally—these stories serve as a bridge. They remind us that we are not spectators but participants. Hearing how God is working encourages prayer, generosity, and a renewed sense of shared calling. The mission field is not “over there”; it is something the whole Church carries together. 

A Call to Participate 

As you read these stories, I invite you to do more than just be encouraged. Pray intentionally for our missionaries. Ask questions. Share their stories with your congregation, your family, and your friends. And if God stirs something deeper in you—whether toward giving, going, or simply listening more closely—don’t ignore that nudge. 

God is still at work. His faithfulness is still being written into real lives across the world. Let’s keep telling those stories, together.