Globe missionaries Heike and Gerson Witzlau have been serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina since 2007. Today, we’d like to report on their outreach to flood victims in Bosnia.

“We were driving along the Bosna, downriver headed north. At some point, noticing the sticks, trash and mud in the trees and bushes, we realized that the water must have risen to about a meter above the level we were at. As we continued on, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were driving right through the water. Several times throughout that day I told myself that the scenes unfolding before my eyes seemed surreal: how could this be? It just can’t be true!

The scenes unfolding before my eyes seemed surreal: how could this be? It just can’t be true!

There was the large, modern wooden bridge from Zavidovići that had gotten stuck to someone’s house after drifting along the Bosna for 20 km. The trunks of giant trees had been transported to front yards in the middle of towns. A man was sitting on his balcony, drying what personal items he’d salvaged: a Qu’ran and a framed picture of himself and his wife in younger years. The households of an entire town, beds, sofas, floors, floor coverings, wardrobes, doors, windows, books, computers, washing machines, televisions, clothing – all mixed with mud – piled high to form “mountain ranges” stretching through the town.

Am Samstag, den 27. Juni feierten wir bei Globe unser 25-jähriges Jubiläum. Vertreter aus Gemeinden, anderer Missionsgesellschaften sowie Unterstützer aus ganz Deutschland feierten mit uns dieses Ereignis mit einem bunten Programm aus Berichten, Interviews und Musik sowie mit kulinarischen Köstlichkeiten aus unterschiedlichen Ländern.

Globe Mission is a German missions agency, but did you know that we are working with missionaries from all over the earth?

Which of the following facts are new to you as well:

 

1.    Our ministry is about missionaries, not our own missions projects
 
As surprising as this may sound: as a missions agency we do not initiate our own projects (as for example a Globe school or a Globe hospital). Instead, we support people who have a calling from God and feel a desire on their heart to initiate and lead their own projects abroad.

For this reason, the missionaries are in the focus of our ministry! We support them through training, strategic counseling, book keeping, public relations, member care and much more.
 
 
2.    Our Globe center is located in a small, unknown city at the edge of Germany

Never heard of Hamminkeln before? This has to change! After all, Hamminkeln, the nice city close to the Netherlands, has more than 25,000 inhabitants, a beautiful old windmill, many cows and horses, and… us, Globe Mission!

Our missions agency is located next to the local train station. Our guests and visitors are amazed about the beautiful nature, the many fields and the rural silence. We love Hamminkeln. Come and visit us sometime!
 
 
3.    Small is beautiful: we are a pretty small team

Who would imagine that all our work is managed by only two full-time and five part-time staff members? Aside of the directors’ tasks and the seminars, much work is to be done in the secretary’s office, public relations, translation and book keeping.

Add a handful volunteers on request and … there you go, this is the team of our missions agency!
 
 
4.    Our missionaries work in around 30 nations
 
Globe missionaries and missions partners serve in Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America (if you have a calling for Australia/Oceania please contact us). Our people are active abroad in Paraguay, Kenya, South Africa and Costa Rica as well as in Romania, Norway and Greenland, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ among the people.

The ministries vary as much as the nations: Globe missionaries help in church and bible school plantings, aid projects for poor, widows and orphans, evangelisms, humanitarian and medical services, training projects, emergency relief and other ministries for the glory of God.
 
 
5.    Our missionaries are not all Germans - in fact, many have other nationalities
 
Even though we are a German missions agency, many of our missionaries are not Germans. We have Globe family members from the Philippines, the US, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Cameroon, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Brazil, Peru …

This makes it easy to believe that the majority of our missionary couples are intercultural marriages. We are very thankful for the great cultural variety among our missionaries!
 
 
6.    "Globe" does not only exist in Germany
 
Globe Mission is part of the Globe Network, which is operating worldwide. Since 1973, Globe missions agencies have been started in the US, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The next partner in the line is Globe in Mexico!

In the future, we desire to further enlarge the Globe Network! We want to promote the founding of new missionary sending and equipping agencies in more regions, so that the Good News of Jesus Christ can be shared in a way that truly meets people’s contexts.
 
 
7.    This year, we celebrate our 25 year anniversary!
 
In 2015, we look back on 25 years that have been filled with God’s faithfulness and working. Globe was founded in 1990 in order to create structures that enable Germans to go into world missions. Today, Globe supports around 80 missionaries and missions partners from various countries worldwide. We are thankful for God’s moving among the nations!