THE BRETHREN CHURCH

Being a missionary was never on my mind. I always thought, "Living overseas is for other people," or "Missionary work is for someone else. I want to stay in the U.S. and stick with what I am used to." I wanted to get through college with my Early Childhood and Elementary Education degree, begin my career, and establish myself wherever I got a teaching job. My plans changed during the spring and summer of my fourth year of college at Ohio University. During my five years at Ohio University, I was actively involved with an organization called Cru, formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ. Through Cru, I was allowed to live as a missionary in Bratislava, Slovakia, for a year. I went on a mission trip with Cru at OU to Bratislava, Slovakia, for a month in the summer of 2022, between my fourth and fifth years. On the summer mission, I had the opportunity to interact with and initiate conversations with university students studying in Bratislava. I shared the gospel with them and how my relationship with God has impacted me. During the trip, I felt the Lord soften my heart towards Slovaks and grow my heart for the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). While on the trip, two of the staff members with Cru at OU approached me about the idea of living in Bratislava for a year as an intern with Cru. At the time, I was very unsure and intimidated by the idea, but as I prayed and laid this decision before the Lord, I felt a strong pull toward being a missionary in Slovakia. So, in the fall of 2022, I applied to go to Bratislava for a year with Cru and was accepted. I left for Slovakia on August 18th, 2023, and stayed there until June 26th, 2024. Being in Slovakia for nearly a year was one of the most fruitful and difficult years of my life. It was, of course, challenging to be so far from home, but there were also many other difficulties during my year in Slovakia. My team and I faced challenges acquiring temporary residency, navigating cultural barriers, and communicating clearly. I also faced many personal challenges. I believe one reason the Lord called me to Slovakia this past year was to remove me from the crutches and distractions I had back home in the U.S. The way I describe this is through the image of treating a bullet wound. For a bullet wound to heal properly, first you need to remove the bullet, then clean the wound, and bandage it. In my case, the bullet represented the hurt, brokenness, or trauma I had experienced in the past. While I was in the U.S., I felt like I left the bullet in, put a bandage over the wound, and pretended everything was fine. All the crutches I had at home distracted me from the hurt I was dealing with. I didn't process things well and would force down the hurt I was experiencing, moving on without addressing it. While I was in Bratislava, God really slowed me down and brought my brokenness to the surface. He removed the "bandages" I had put over my wounds, and He brought forth proper healing. While the process of healing and addressing past hurts and trauma was difficult, it was also freeing. So, even though different things were difficult, I wouldn't change anything about this past year because of the healing and growth I experienced. As I mentioned, I also experienced a lot of fruit this past year. God is doing amazing things in Bratislava and Slovakia as a whole. There has been a Cru movement in Bratislava, Slovakia, for a little over 30 years now. But when COVID hit in 2020, the movement in Bratislava dwindled. So, Cru at Ohio University and Ohio State University partnered with Cru in Bratislava to help revive the movement there. When my team and I arrived and joined the team already established in Bratislava, there were zero students involved with the ministry. By the time we left in June, we had a solid group of about 20 students involved. I met one-on-one with three guys on a weekly basis. One of the guys I met volunteered with Cru in Slovakia at a camp they host each summer. He invited his brothers to the camp, and one of his brothers accepted Christ into his heart! One of the other students I was meeting with was not a believer when I initially met him, but before I left in June, he accepted Christ! We also established a weekly meeting where we would worship, watch an episode of a TV show called "The Chosen" on Jesus' life, and then discuss the episode afterward. We also established a weekly men's Bible study. We went from having zero students involved to having two weekly events and a strong core group of students excited to deepen their relationships with God. Praise the Lord! While leaving Slovakia was sad, I trust that the Lord will continue to move and work in the lives of Slovaks. I trust that the students I invested in this past year are in the Lord's hands and that He will lead and guide them. I pray that a community of faith would continue to develop there and that revival would take place. God is good all the time. I am now in Athens, Ohio, working with the Cru team at Ohio University. It is such a blessing to be back at my alma mater and with the staff team that had such an impact on me when I was in college at OU. I do not know what is next beyond this year, but I trust that the Lord will lead me to where He wants me, just as He has always done. Matthew Boyd Five Stones Community Church Ashland, Ohio

Last month, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE): Evangelical Chaplain Commission hosted a training on Pastoral Crisis Intervention in Charleston, SC. All three of our actively serving military chaplains were present at the training, and enjoyed getting to reconnect with each other. The NAE provides the ecclesiastical endorsement for Brethren Chaplains that allows them to serve in the military. Our three military chaplains pictured here (left to right) are David Miller (Air National Guard), Matthew Incorvaia (Air National Guard), and Timothy DeLaughter (Navy). Serving in the military as a chaplain is one incredible place to shine the light of God outside the walls of the church. If you are interested in becoming a military chaplain - or feel like God may be leading you in that direction - and want to talk through it with someone, let us know. There is a clear pathway to military chaplaincy and we can walk you through each step to make it as smooth as possible.