Behold… A New Thing
by Page Fulgham, Missions Associate
“Behold…a New Thing” is the theme for Mission Sunday, October 20, 2024. It is inspired by Isaiah 43:19, where the prophet speaks of God’s doing a new thing, offering hope and solutions in our complex world. Just as the Jewish exiles in Babylon faced daunting challenges and were encouraged to look forward to God’s new way, we too are called to embrace this divine renewal.
Our goal for Mission Sunday is $50,000 for the Offering for Global Missions of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). The Fellowship’s overall goal is $4,000,000, with every dollar given going to the support of field personnel (missionaries). The funds pay for the salary, housing, and benefits for the 48 men and women serving through CBF in the United States and in 18 other countries around the world.
This year, we are honored to have Lita and Rick Samples as our featured speakers. As field personnel for CBF, Lita and Rick have dedicated over 20 years to serving the Afghan refugee population in the Bay area of northern California. When a new wave of Afghan refugees arrived in the U.S. in 2021, the Samples were ready to meet their needs.
The benefits of long-term field missionaries include working alongside people, building relationships, and sharing the presence of Christ. Lita and Rick set up an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) program for adults and a homework club for children. They gathered emergency food and found furniture and supplies to stock Afghan families’ apartments. Through their efforts, these families found not just a warm welcome, but hope for a new life in a new country.
Their extensive network of contacts has been crucial in identifying and meeting the needs of new arrivals. Lita and Rick’s work began after 9/11 and continues to address the overwhelming needs of Afghan refugees. As some of the longest-tenured CBF global missionaries, they are living out a lifetime calling to serve “the least of these.”
“We’re always sharing our stories, our lives,” Lita said. At every event, the gospel story is always told. “It takes a long time for people of other faiths and cultures to consider the gospel. Our job is not to convert; our job is to tell the story.” Remarkably, in recent years, Afghan adults have come to know Jesus. “If we reach the head of the household, it influences the whole family.”
While most of the refugees with whom the Samples work are Muslim Afghans, the Bay area also hosts refugees from the Karen people group, originally from Burma or Myanmar. Many of the Karen are Christians and celebrate a joyful faith.
Lita and Rick’s ministry reflects a holistic approach to missions, addressing both the physical and spiritual needs of people. Their work is a sterling example of the whole gospel approach to missions.
Smoke Rise has supported the Samples’ ministry with a gift of $2000 for 2024-25. This year, our World Mission Offering will be pledged to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s worldwide mission effort. Through our participation in CBF Global Missions, we help present hope in places and among people of unreached groups in war-torn Eastern Europe, Togo, the Southwestern U.S., and Northern California. Thank you for your pledge and gift. All money given to SRBC World Mission Offering through March 31, 2025, will support CBF Global Missions.
We invite you to join us on October 20 for Mission Sunday to hear more about Lita and Rick’s incredible journey and to pledge your support for these essential missions. Your contributions make a significant difference in the lives of those in need and help us continue to support impactful ministries like that of Lita and Rick Samples.