JJ Wilburn: AIMer to Africa
Blog takeover by JJ Wilburn: AIMer to Africa
Aneissa and I met our Freshman year of Texas Bible College in 2011, and we have remained close friends since then. It is crazy to watch how God unfolds our stories. How He has beautifully sculpted us is one of the highlights in my life. Thank you for inviting me to bare my heart on your fabulous blog!
It has been said that AIMers: associates in missions are missionaries with smaller budgets and less experience, but we are missionaries nonetheless. Five and a half years ago, God put a burden for the continent of Africa on my heart. For an entire year, Africa consumed my every thought. God confirmed my calling during my senior year of Texas Bible College as a Christian Education major. His Will for my life manifested through the missionaries I will be ministering with during this current AIM term. This couple (who cannot be named for safety reasons) was in town deputizing to arrive in this country for the first time, and I was privileged to hear them preach and minister. They are the first United Pentecostal Church International missionaries to ever go into this particular country. Every day for the last four and a half years my heart has broken as I have waited on the promise of God and that one day I would AIM in this country with these missionaries.
God has opened that door! I am going to what Global Missions considers to be an Access Challenged Nation; therefore it is too dangerous for me to share the location. This country is made up of over ten million souls, only 1% of the country claims to be Christian. After the hard work and diligence of the missionaries, they are currently working to open their third church within the city. In a country of 10 million, where only 1% claims to be Christian, there are less than 100 souls that have the full truth.
I am not sure what my weekly schedule will look like, however, thanks to the diligence of the missionaries I have somewhat of an idea. Monday through Friday, five hours a day, for the duration of my AIM term I will be in a language school learning the national language and dialect. I will also be a volunteer teacher at an English school in the town. I will teach a class of students two nights a week for two hours per class. Saturday and Sunday will help the missionaries with office work, printing, teaching, etc. On the weekends there will be Saturday School and Sunday School. Saturday School is a more extended version of Sunday School that is held twice a month on Saturday mornings. Of course, Sunday services will be held as well.
I am looking forward to playing and forming connections with the children in this area! I cannot wait to see what God does in this country and all the fantastic things that are going to happen while I am there. I was in Ghana in 2016-2017 for six months, and this will be my second AIM term. I am currently an AIMer, but after this, I will begin to work toward the next level and become an Associate Missionary. My goal is to become a career missionary. God has called me to a specific Access Challenged Nation that currently has no United Pentecostal Church International work there at all. I leave April 30, 2019, and the term has been fully funded for twelve months- my current term period. I am working to raise the more funds through selling T-shirts, raising PIMs partners in missions (monthly partners) funds.
If you are interested in supporting, I have t-shirts for sale via the PayPal app. j.wilburn557@gmail.com
Small: $20.00
Medium: $20.00
Large: $20.00
Extra Large: $20.00
Shipping: $3.00
“I will make you as a light to the nations.” Isaiah 49:6
You can text “AIM59” to 71777 to give a one-time monetary donation or to enroll as a monthly partner. I am looking for individuals to partner with me at $35.00 a month for a full year to raise my budget or you can make a single donation. If you choose to partner with me, please send me your email address so I can keep you updated on the amazing things happening in on the continent of Africa!
Final thoughts:
For four and a half years, I have waited for the door to open to this country. I have shed tears daily with such a heavy heart for these people. I wondered if this day would ever really come. Now, as I sit here and type this, I leave in less than twenty-five days! There are no words to describe the emotion; I still can’t believe it is happening. There is a world full of people out there that go unnoticed, unheard, and neglected. They are real, and they are hungry for someone to tell them the Good News, to show them to the road to eternity. God has placed a deep burden inside of me for these people. The people who risk their lives to cultivate their Christian walk and will do it willingly. They are the ones that Americans cannot wrap their minds around, so they choose not to. God promised there would be persecution while living for Him. These are the souls that are willing no matter the cost because God is so worth it. I go; willingly and cheerfully, no matter the cost.
