FRM Newsletter
August 2024: God’s Crucible
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I have been under aerial bombardment probably over a dozen times in my years in Africa. And, I have experienced more killing than most can imagine, but I have always known that I was in the center of God’s will, which can give you great strength in hard conditions.
In 2000 our base was bombed, and the first chaplain, Marcello, was killed and seven other chaplains were wounded. That day we had been running a generator which was quite loud, so the men did not hear the incoming bomber which they would normally hear long before the bombs are dropped, giving plenty of time to take cover. But by the time the alarm was set off, the bombs were already on their way. Our base took a direct hit and while Marchello was running, he was stuck with a fatal blow. His left arm was completely blown off, and the bomb almost cut him in half. Marchello only lived about 45 seconds then looked up to heaven and was gone. But he was not alone at the time of his death, a couple men got to him even though we were still under attack and put a blanket on him and held his hand including his best friend, Joseph. Joseph was weeping very hard when Rick Deam, who has also gone to be with the Lord, came over and said, “Joseph, the cost of following Jesus Christ can be very costly. Are you still called to this ministry?” Joseph would learn a hard lesson that day about following Christ, but he did say I am still called. The Lord had spoken to me many years ago in Psalms 91:7 letting me know until He is finished with me, I am safe. Psalm 91:7 says a thousand may fall at one side and ten thousand at the other, but it will not come near you. This concept is difficult for the non-believer or young Christian to understand. So, teaching faith is something you should live out so others can observe and learn by the way you lead and trust the Lord.
Luke and I met with Ukrainian officers in charge of training their chaplains and showed them pictures of our base and training center in South Sudan. We showed them videos of the chaplain silent drill team we use for evangelical outreach. Just like the Marine Corps silent-drill team, our men do a 15-minute drill without any verbal command. The men then share God’s Word, and many soldiers get saved. I am not sure if the officers that Luke and I met with are truly saved, but both were very respectful. At the end of our conversation, the senior officer asked how I would motivate his men as their military is very demoralized. At this moment in our conversation, I knew this was a time to give them something of substance that they could relate to. I said that at the future chaplain training school there would be a large aquarium, and, on the bottom, there would be a sunken battleship with the word Moskva on it. I knew that this would be meaningful to them. You see, at one of the worst times in the war, when it looked as if all might be lost, Ukraine miraculously got two Neptune missiles working. They fired them at the Moskva, the flagship of the fleet while it was in port, and amazingly, they hit the ship. Not wanting to accept defeat, they pulled the ship out to sea and said it had sunk in heavy seas, but truthfully, it was the damage the Ukrainian army inflicted on the ship that sank it. This was the largest ship in the fleet, and nothing like this has happened since the Second World War. I told the officers about the war in South Sudan and said that we refused to surrender when we were outmanned and outgunned but not outfought, and we won the war. The two men laughed and said that we had a great strategy for encouraging the men. Sometimes, men need to be reminded to never give up and never surrender. They need to understand that they have a God given role to protect women and children, even at the cost of one’s life. See folks we do not fear men, we fear the Lord. As men we were made for battle; we were made to protect those that cannot protect themselves. It is important that Luke and I live trusting the Lord so that those around us can see what true faith looks like. This is why we go to the frontlines. Many times, non-believers do not understand why we would go to such dangerous places, but you see this action opens the door to share about the Lord.
I was in Europe when a missile hit a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Ukraine, killing mothers and children. One photo, in particular, troubled me. The photo was of a baby girl covering her ears and holding on to her mother. It is hard for me to see children afraid. Even worse, the death of a parent is devastating for a child. In an instant, the love and security they have known is gone—leaving the child utterly traumatized. Ukraine continues to be at war, but no one can justify targeting a hospital with innocent women and children. It is critical in times like this that believers do not shrink back but stand with people in their hour of suffering. Far Reaching Ministries (FRM) has earned a good reputation with people and the military because we have stood by them during their times of war. Far Reaching Ministries is working in five war zones, so we must move from front to front to deal with the most pressing needs, and hunger is one of them. Right now, believers in Indonesia, Pakistan, Burma, and South Sudan are really suffering.
In South Sudan, things have gotten very difficult because of the amount of insecurity. People are not able to cultivate because they fear being abducted, being killed, or being made a sex slave. Hunting and fishing have cost many their lives, and I have started moving some of the families from the most dangerous areas. One of our senior chaplains, Peter Akech, told me that his children often would not eat for two days and when they did eat, they would have only one small plate of food to be shared. So, I decided to move him and his family to our farm in Uganda. We had a home built for Peter, which cost about $6,000 and gave him an acre of land worth $1,000. Now the family can have food on the table and live free of fear while Peter is away at the front fighting. Real followers of Jesus understand that it is the love of God that compels people to repentance. Because of the medical supplies we have been sending to the Nuba Mountains, many are coming to Christ. Michael and I were driving from the chaplain base to the capital of Uganda, and he said, “Brother, everywhere in the Nuba Mountains, people know your name and love you even though they have never met you. They hear the testimonies of the medical supplies that FRM has sent and that all have forgotten them except FRM or Wes.” He went on to say that if I travel back this year, they will have a great celebration to thank me. But truthfully, it is not me but all of you who have given. I know that many of you do not realize how many lives you have saved. In the last three years alone, we have sent a tremendous amount of medical relief to the Nuba Mountains and will continue to do so. In August, we hope to send another $50,000-$70,000 of medical supplies. I pray that many of you will join us in this and in feeding these believers, and we could also use at least this amount for Indonesia.
Recently, when I spoke with Tirza from our Dutch office, she informed me that the Christians in Burma are desperate and asked if we had any funds to meet the need. She went on to explain that they are out of food and medicine. I told her we had sent everything we had but would pray and ask for more. On another note, there is a Calvary pastor in Guatemala with a wife and several children. He needed open heart surgery and was told he would die very soon without it. The brothers in South America called me and told me the operation would cost $10,000, so I said we would cover the cost for this life-saving procedure. But by the next day, the doctors informed him that his heart was in such terrible condition that he needed a far more complicated surgery, and the price increased to $50,000 and then to $100,000. I have personally never met this pastor, nor his family, but one of the things I teach my men is when you know what the right thing to do is, do it immediately or you will compromise in your relationship with the Lord.
When we begin sponsorship programs for pastors or children, we raise extra support for things just like this within these ministries for such needs and crises. I did not need to think about the cost, just what the Lord would have me do and I said we would pay the $100,000. Then, Pastor McClure, a Calvary pastor, got involved and called several Calvary Chapels to ask them to help save this man’s life, and many gave very generously. The Lord provided in such a way that we only needed to give the original $10,000. In this moment, I had to choose to do what was right before I knew that the Lord would deliver beyond our expectations. How could I allow this father, with a wife and children, to die when it was within our ability to provide the funds needed to save his life? Who knows what the Lord may still do with this man.
Over the years, people have said that you could sponsor a pastor for $75 a month, but this is not true. The least I have found that a pastor can be supported for is about $300, but this is just scraping by. This is why FRM raises what is truly adequate to lessen the burden of having to provide for their family while serving in ministry. We have purchased over 40 cars and vans for pastors around the world plus built many churches. We have even put Christian missionaries through medical school to become doctors, and all of this takes money. There are great men of God who are changing the world, but they just come from poor countries. It is not right for an American to believe that just because someone is from another country, they should never have meat on their table or be able to get their teeth fixed. I view those less fortunate than us as part of our family and will do what is right in God’s eyes, not man’s. But what I can tell you is that every dollar raised is used to advance the Kingdom of God and care for His people. God puts leaders and Christians through the crucible of life to teach us to make right decisions; when we do what is right, the Lord gives us greater things. As the Word says if you are faithful in the small things, God will give you greater things. When people see faith in action, such as caring for widows and orphans, even those still in the world are often touched, and in time, come to know Christ as Lord.
I pray we learn this lesson.
Wes Bentley
Far Reaching Ministries