Summer 2025 Publication
Lasting Results of Alan’s Hugs
Dr. Joanna Winter Grimes, Frontline Missions
Over the years of traveling to Flower Mountain, one young girl stood out as a leader. Marta was amazing; as a 10-year-old, she could motivate and direct all the local children to participate in our mission team activities. One simply had to share the plan of events with Marta, and immediately, she would have the place packed with children. We all grew to love Marta and began to see God’s potential in her.
Eight years after Alan’s abrupt passing, and sixteen years after his own daughter, now Dr. Joanna Grimes, had been there, Joanna was able to return to Flower Mountain with her family and see what was still holding true from her father’s ministry. This is her response:
“A timid young lady eagerly approached me, sharing how a few words of encouragement spoken by Alan and the teams decades ago had changed the trajectory of her life. Marta recounted how being told that she, like all of us, had a special destiny created by God, empowered her. Her eyes began to light up as she spoke of the hope ignited within her upon learning of her distinct place among the Body of Christ, which is available to us all.
I later learned that her early embrace of the Gospel and enthusiasm for learning new things made her stand out so that several families invested in her education to become a teacher. Marta’s eyes abruptly fell as she slowly described how the children in her classroom stiffened when accepting her embrace, explaining that no one in their families ever did such a thing. She agreed that deep pain unresolved can lead to a distancing from those we love. She then told us that she really needed people to come tell the children that they are loved and to hug them.
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We laughed together, saying she needed a “Hugging Ministry.” Then I said that I would pray and share her story so we could see how God would move on the hearts of His People. She turned serious again and added, “We also need people to come and walk around the community, praying that the hearts of the parents would be softened to the love of Christ.”
Several weeks later, Marta excitedly sent pictures of her students being taught to say a prayer of thanks before a heaping plate of food. These children, who had previously been eating a few solid meals a week, were now additionally receiving a hot lunch every school day. She said even initially hesitant parents were now commenting on what a difference that one hot meal each day was making for their community.
Tears of joy rolled down my face:
beginning with a few words of
encouragement, a young Tolupan
girl, whose life was changed by
the Gospel, had begun changing
an entire community through
her creativity and persistence
as the Holy Spirit leads.
​
A New Perspective Atop an Elephant!
Sandi Haner, Frontline Missions
Everything looks different atop an elephant; at least that is what I found as we bumped through the jungle in Nepal, pushing through brush, and clambering down 45-degree embankments to wade through crocodile-infested waters. I never knew what our next view would be—perhaps monkeys jumping from branch to branch, a flying squirrel, or rhinos basking in the sunlight. The elephant we rode was the true master of the jungle, as she refused to go down a certain path, bellowing with her trunk in the air of a danger unseen to us. Our driver wisely chose a new, albeit uncharted, path.
This is a perfect picture of the uncharted wildness of Nepal—from hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist temples and idols to poverty unseen in our nation. The extremes are exemplified by the exhilarating peak of Mount Everest behind the Hindu temples’ nauseating aroma of burning bodies, supposedly ending the cycle of reincarnation. Oppressive darkness envelopes this nation—similar to the unseen enemies we were warned of by our elephant guide.
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However, in the midst of unseen dangers and darkness, we felt safe and even exuberant as we rode on our towering beast.
Our eyes were opened to the wonder of God’s
creation, and we heard the song of the jungle.
God’s Kingdom bursting forth into the
darkness was evident as we traveled
to new churches birthed from our
Evangelical Christian College (ECC), with
whom we partner. We worshipped alongside
new believers. As we prayed, God healed
many who had come to hear of this unknown
Jesus Christ. We observed young people
who had been marvelously discipled both
from remote villages and from Kathmandu,
the capital of Nepal.
Our view is always affected by our
perspective. Nepal, viewed from the
vantage point of Christ, is not merely a
dark location with unknown dangers
but a land being transformed with the brightness
of the Gospel.
Last April, Kevin and I met for the first time when I went to Flower Mountain, Honduras. We instantly clicked, and I felt led to share the Gospel with him. He seemed very interested, and the very next day, he wanted to give his life to Jesus. After praying together for him to receive Christ, we spent all the time we could for the next few days together. Then, too quickly, it was time to say goodbye, and that was so hard.
Right away, we connected by WhatsApp, and we began calling daily. We had so much to talk about. It was remarkable how he was seeking God. Then, when I came back five months later on the summer trip, Kevin had been thinking about being water baptized, and he wanted ME to do it. I could not believe it! I had never baptized anyone before. Being very honored, I actually got to baptize Kevin, and now he is a totally changed man. He loves Jesus fully. We stay in contact continually, and I love watching him grow in his relationship with Jesus. I never knew that God could bring such growth through a long-distance friendship.
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