This is the time of year when we compile all our international partner field reports from around the harvest fields of Africa and Asia from the past year. Our Bridges partners and their networks of leaders work diligently at reporting on their NGO/network activities and send us their year-end impact reports. We receive hundreds of stories of transformation each year and the process is quite laborsome. It is not easy to decide which ones, out of the hundreds we receive, to feature in our 2024 Annual Report.

The SIU Board of Directors has adopted a “Care and Integrity of the Leader” standard recommended by the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Accountability). As a part of this, the board recently took me through a performance review. It was a good thorough evaluation. It brought many good things to light, as well as some things I need to work on as a leader. Constructive feedback is hard to hear sometimes. However, it is much appreciated, and I receive it with an open heart and mind. The Lord does this with His chosen leaders, correcting and rebuking when necessary because HE loves us! One story in particular stands out to me.

“What kind of IMPACT will we see if we donation to Scriptures in Use?” You may be thinking something like this as you consider where to make your year-end giving. We hear this question quite often as we raise funds to equip indigenous leaders through SIU Bridges training events in Africa, Asia, and around the world. “What IMPACT will my gift have?” When I answer this question, I often tell people that they will not find a better return on ministry (ROI for the business-oriented types) than SIU. I’ve been in the international missions/ministry environment for over 23 years. Let me explain why I say this.

Windows open, doors open…some might stay open for a short time, and then “wham” suddenly they close. We see the same with harvest opportunities in the field. We are currently seeing many new training opportunities among unreached people groups through our existing partners. Some of these opportunities are a result of new translations of our “Bridges” equipping and training curriculum, including Arabic. Our existing partners in Africa and other regions are using creative approaches to expand access to the “Bridges” training and are equipping believers to go into new areas and countries, making strategic use of their local proximity and established connections. Using these new translations of the “Bridges” training material is just one way we have been able to increase access to this training model.