As a child in her native Finland, Marjaana always wanted to be a missionary in Africa. At a church service, when a Kenyan nurse known as Sister Freda urged the people, “Come to Africa!” Marjaana’s heart was pounding, “I’m going! I’m going!” She was one of the first to sign up for the next trip.

Once in Kenya, Marjaana’s group was taken to a small congregation that met in a metal shack. The pastor had started a polytechnic school there, teaching manual skills, even though he had only two sewing machines for the 200 people who wanted to learn to sew!

Pastor Shadrack was doing so much with so little. Marjaana asked herself, “What am I doing with the resources I have? Nothing!”

Back at home, Marjaana was determined to return to Kenya, this time with the other five (scared!) members of her ladies’ small group. When she asked Pastor Shadrack how to prepare for the trip, he suggested, “Why don’t you bring a medical team and do a clinic? And how about a Women’s Conference?” Marjaana’s group had absolutely no medical experience and no public speakers. But when the time came, more than 3000 people were treated over the two-day period of the clinic. They showed the Jesus Film for people waiting to be treated, and more than 100 accepted Christ!

These ordinary women have grown a ministry called Outreach to the World, providing resources for needy children to find care, not in orphanages, but housed with a widowed grandmother or other relative.

The Holy Spirit said to a group in the early New Testament church, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”[1] What has God called you to do? Listen to your heart, and then take the first step to see that dream come true.

[1] Acts 13:2.