“Schools.” That was the consistent response I got when I asked leaders from the Nuba Mountains, a war-torn region of Sudan, the question, “What’s the most important way we can we help?” That request came before food or healthcare or other forms of humanitarian assistance. Even in contexts of extreme poverty, parents use whatever means necessary to pay school fees so that the next generation has opportunities they were…
About First Fruit
Of Greater Worth Than Gold
In the early hours of April 2, 2015, gunmen took over 700 students hostage on the campus of Garissa University College, freeing Muslims and killing those who identified as Christians. 147 people were murdered and at least 79 were injured. As in the Westgate shopping mall attack in 2013, the militant group, Al-Shabaab, took responsibility….
North Korea: A Ministry of Reconciliation
70 years ago, opposing sides of the Cold War divided the Korean Peninsula, which led to the establishment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea. North Korea is one of the most secretive and reclusive regimes in the world. There have been recurring famines and humanitarian crises, claiming the lives of millions of people. The…
Can We Bring Back That Lost Light in the Face of Radicalism?
If only the murderous rampage at the Charlie Hebdo headquarters were an isolated incident. It may have garnered worldwide attention because it occurred on French soil, but rising radicalism has been cutting a wide swath, most relentlessly in places like Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The initial reaction for most of us is shock…
What we call the edge, God calls the center
For our first post of 2015, we invited a trusted friend, Stephan Bauman, President of World Relief, to be our guest blogger. Mixing in personal reflection, Stephan reminds us that real change — beautiful, winsome, and profound — happens in those seemingly unimpressive communities of people who live with a sense of a “constant need of repentance and conversion.” For some…
No Longer Lost in Translation
Over the last 38 years in more than 100 countries, First Fruit has had a front row seat to witness how God is drawing people to Himself. It has been a thrilling privilege. One of our largest areas of investment, and one of the most touching to be a part of, is helping make the Bible accessible to more people in their heart language. The…
Rethinking the Good News of Clean Water
“Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.” Deuteronomy 23:10-13 (NIV) While the above passage is not likely to be highlighted or often referenced, it reveals to…
Africa’s Tension Belt: The Changing Face of Mission
Exploring a mission call in the early 1990s, I developed a romantic notion of what it meant to be a missionary — rural, rugged, sacrificial, cross-cultural, frontline. But also in my mind it was mostly the West to the rest of the world. Adding to the image was my own heritage — more than a century ago…
Iran: Behind the Headlines
Nuclear threat. Political and religious oppression. Human rights violations. Economic sanctions. Rogue state. What does the media’s fiendish portrayal of Iran’s power structures say, if anything, about its citizenry? David Yeghnazar, Executive Director of Elam Ministries, reminds us in the following interview to be careful not to conflate the two. First Fruit: What is the Iranian story behind the headlines? David:…
Fighting Ebola: A Call to Sacrifice
Amidst worldwide apprehension about the rampant spread of Ebola, a 120-year-old Christian mission, SIM USA, has become an unlikely focal point in the fight against the epidemic in West Africa. We caught up with Bruce Johnson, President of SIM USA, to get an update from the frontlines. First Fruit: Some of your staff have been infected…