The Journey Begins

13 October 2011 

We have had quite the adventure so far on our way up to South Sudan. We have faced hardships and trials and had some really incredible times of ministry as well. Every step of the way the Lord’s hand has been in it all as He has given us opportunities to share the Gospel with people along the way. We had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a Muslim man who really was hungry for the Gospel the other day due to a delay that we had. It was really amazing to see that, this man was the whole reason we were right where we were at that moment in time. He had a Christian father and a Muslim mother and he believed that both religions were basically the same. We were able to challenge him gently and lovingly with some truth and he went away saying that he was going to have to read his Bible and stop taking for granted what his imam told him to be true about Christianity. It was so good to be able to speak the truth to someone who was so hungry for the Lord.

            The farther north we are getting the more and more I am feeling like I am in Africa. When we got into Tanzania I felt for the first time since being here that I am now really in Africa as everything is very rural and undeveloped. Now that we are in Uganda I feel even more so that I am in Africa. Kampala is absolutely the most chaotic yet intriguing place I have ever been. There are cars everywhere with pedestrians and bicycles mingled into the mix. There are about 30 shops in a space that in the States would only have 5 stores in a shopping center. And these shops are mostly about 20 square feet with things just packed on every square inch of the walls. But the country is absolutely stunning, beautiful, lush with vegetation, and the people are also much happier than the other countries we have been in.

            Now as we are preparing for the ministry that lies ahead of us, we would greatly appreciate your prayers. Pray that we would be used to bring glory to our Lord and Savior and that He alone would be glorified through us. Pray that He leads us every step of the way as we continue to work our way to South Sudan and as we prepare to do leadership training in the world’s newest country.   

Hungry For the Truth

6 October 2011

While we were still in South Africa before we crossed the boarder I had the chance to share the Gospel with a man who was very open and ready to hear about Christ. The man was a security guard who was watching people’s vehicles in the parking lot. I handed him a tract and I asked him what he thought would happen to him if he were to die.

He told me very plainly, “I don’t know.”

 I said to him, “Isn’t that important to know since we will spend much more time dead than we will alive?”

He told me yes but that he maybe someday when he went back to church he could go to heaven then. I told him that going to church won’t save him and neither will all the good works he ever could do. I asked him if he had ever told a lie. And I began going through the Ten Commandments with him. He knew that he was guilty and deserving of hell. So I asked him if he knew what Jesus did for him. He somberly shook his head and said, “no.” So I told him that God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for his sins to take the punishment that he and I both deserved. He died and was crushed for our sin and after three days rose from the dead, which proved that he was God. Now Jesus is alive forevermore and is reigning at the right hand of the Father. I told the man that the only way we could be saved is by trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. When we do that we can know for sure that we are saved. Not by our works or going to church or anything else but solely by the work of Jesus.

            Immediately the mans’ face lite up. A smile grew across his face. He said that he was so happy to hear that. Looking down at the tract he said, “I must go tell my friends about what God has done for them.” I told him, “yes you should!” I also left him with a gospel of John because unfortunately I didn’t have a whole bible.  It was such an incredible experience and I feel blessed that God would have been so gracious to put a man so ready and hungry for the truth in my path.

I am reminded of what Jesus told His disciples in John 15:11: “These thing I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” When we begin to follow the Lord in obedience we experience His joy. When out of the overflow of our hearts we serve Him, He gives us joy that is inexplicable. I encourage you to walk in intimacy with the Savior today and to follow Him in obedience. He will give you a joy that can only come from Him. We are loved perfectly by our Lord Jesus Christ because He has died for us, that is why we live for Him. He has redeemed us (1 Pet. 1:18-19), He has adopted us into His family (Eph. 1:5), He loves us unconditionally (Rom. 8:31-37), He died for You while you were a wretched sinner (Rom. 5:8), You were dead and by His power alone He made you alive (Eph. 2:1-10), You deserved Hell but now will receive heaven, and this is all because of Jesus not anything you have done! Serve our Savior today who has given everything for us. It is a joy to live and walk with Him the Only One, Who could ever love us perfectly.

September 2011

Engagement and Future Plans

Exciting News From the Tip of Africa

            The most exciting news of the trip so far is that not only has God allowed me to take part in some incredible ministry, but also Andrea and I are now engaged! Right before I left for the mission trip to Zambia I asked Mr. Hammond for his blessing to propose to Andrea and to my surprise he said, “Yes” (Well it was a much more in depth answer than that, but that was the gist of it). The conditions were that I was allowed to ask Andrea, but we weren’t allowed to make it public until I successfully completed the mission outreach to Loziland.

            The next day, I went with Mrs. Hammond to buy the engagement ring. That afternoon Andrea and I had made plans to drive along the coast and see the tip of Africa (Cape Point). We made it to Cape Point about forty-five minutes before it closed and began the slow ascent up the steep hill where the lighthouse stands in perfect tranquility. We stopped many times along the way to enjoy the view and to record our adventure by taking photographs. Before reaching the top of the hill where the lighthouse stood, we paused at one of the lookouts. As the ocean lapped against the mighty shores of Africa, hundreds of feet below, Andrea and I took many pictures of the beautiful scene that lay before us. By then, many were beginning to leave and make their way back to the cars, and so the crowd dissipated, leaving behind a far more peaceful atmosphere.

            Once we finally reached the lighthouse, we were both thrilled to have the place to ourselves! Although I wasn’t sure where exactly I was going to ask her to marry me, the thought began to run through my head, “this is the perfect opportunity to ask her.” At the tip of Africa, the continent Andrea and I desire to serve the Lord in for the rest of our lives, I finally mustered up enough courage to get down on one knee. I nervously asked her, as I pulled the ring out from behind my back, “Will you follow me as I seek to follow the Lord in Africa on the mission field and until the day we die?” At that point she began to sob and said, “Yes! I will marry you!”

            I couldn’t have imagined it being more perfect than it was. I really am so blessed that God has placed such an amazing woman in my life, and that I, out of all the men in the entire world, get to marry her. The Lord is so good to us! I am excited to see how the next few months unfold as we prepare to get married in December in Cape Town, South Africa.

           

A Change of Plans

            The Lord has recently closed the door for me to study in the states the next Semester at Phoenix Seminary but He also has opened up the door for me to stay on with Frontline Fellowship for another exciting new overland mission up to South Sudan. I have decided to stay on with Frontline until December and by the time you are reading this newsletter I have already embarked on the 11,000-mile trip to South Sudan (to give you an idea of the distance of the trip it is the equivalent of driving from Miami, Florida to Juno, Alaska with the pavement ending in Mississippi and having practically no nice facilities in route).

The Christian South Sudan recently celebrated its Independence from the oppressive, hostile, Islamic north. Now as the newly born country is striving to rebuild itself out of the ashes of a long civil war there is great need for discipleship training. Schools need Biblically based textbooks; churches need discipleship materials; pastors, as well as the average Christian, desperately need discipleship training and materials.

In addition to ministry in South Sudan there would be many opportunities to minister in countries on the way there and back. There especially is need of discipleship training in the communist country of Zimbabwe. Our goal is to encourage believers, give discipleship materials to Christians in need, and of course to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ everywhere we go along the way. This mission will be an incredible opportunity to take part in fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord and discipling nations, as we will be ministering in nine different countries. However, as it stands now the funds are insufficient for us to be able to depart on this much-needed trip. But we serve the living God who is not short of wealth and we are confident that as we seek to further His Kingdom and to spread the Gospel to all the nations He will supply all of our needs (Matt. 28:18-20; Phil. 4:19).

So You’re Doing What Now?

Recently, we decided that it would work best with wedding plans, the mission trip and everything else for Andrea to stay on in Cape Town in order to plan the wedding with her mom and sister (Daniela). She will be taking a semester off at ACU to serve at Frontline Fellowship headquarters in Cape Town, to join her father on another mission trip, and to plan our wedding. She will be heading back to University in January.

Future Plans

I will no longer be going to Phoenix Seminary this fall semester (August) but will hopefully be attending in the Spring (January), Lord willing. Therefore, both of us will not be back to the States until late December and then we hope to both be getting started back with our degrees (she will be finishing her Bachelors in Communications at ACU and I will be starting a Masters in Leadership Development at Phoenix Seminary). Our dream is that through our studies God will further prepare us for the mission field. I hope to work with Frontline in the future training and equipping pastors in Africa to be able to disciple their own people, as it is most effective if the locals can minister to their own people. Andrea plans to be a journalist who can give factual reports of what is happening in different countries in Africa (as most of the news today has been distorted by the media). However, for now Andrea I are trusting the Lord for this next step and beyond that we will let Him lead us as we seek to follow Him. 

Thank you again for all your prayers and support! I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am to you for helping make this trip possible. God bless!

In Christ,

               Hunter

Mission Accomplished

Dear Friends and Family,

God has been at work in many incredible ways since I last updated you. We have safely returned from our missions trip to Zambia in which we saw God’s hand incredibly at work. But first I must update you with what all has happen since then.

The Great Commission Course

The GCC was very fast paced and was full of lectures, practicals, outreaches, and hikes. It was an incredible three weeks of learning and putting our learning into practice as we went out daily and evangelized people in streets and door to door. God provided the opportunity for us to protest outside of an abortion clinic, to evangelize in bus stations, Muslim neighborhoods, outside of a porn shop, and in a rundown neighborhood. It was incredible learning what it means to put our faith into action. This is the very thing I have been longing to do all of my Christian life.

Muslim Evangelism

One of the highlights from the course was going door-to-door in a Muslim neighborhood and sharing the Gospel. At one apartment complex, an elder Muslim man answered the door. We stood there with our sheet of paper and said, “We are doing a survey of people’s religious backgrounds. Do you mind if we ask you some questions?” The grey-haired man graciously invited us into his home, happy to answer our questions. Little did he know that our questions were designed to point him toward his need for a Savior.

Once we found out that he had a Muslim background we asked him, “Would you consider yourself to be a good person?” to which he replied, “yes.” Then we asked, “Have you ever told a lie?” He stumbled a bit answering us, but then he admitted he had, in fact, told a lie. We continued to go through several of the other Ten Commandments with him and he admitted to being guilty in breaking these Laws of God. So we began to ask him, “If you were to die and stand before God would you be guilty, or would you be innocent?” He fumbled around with his answer a bit and appealed to the mercy of allah to save him. We asked, “But how would God be able to forgive you?” He said something about how, by praying and doing good, God would be merciful and would forgive him. We insisted that there needed to be a punishment for our sins and this dialogue went on for a bit. We then shared that it was only through the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf that we could be forgiven for our sins. Although the man did not agree with us, it was amazing simply being able to share the truth of the Gospel with him. 1 Corinthians 1:18 comes to mind when I think of this experience, “For the Word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” We can only hope and pray that God planted a seed in this man’s heart and that he will see his need for the Savior and turn to Him.

           

Mission to Zambia

The Great Commission Course was three weeks of intense learning and putting our faith into action, but the mission outreach was an even deeper application of this learning. Over the course of our mission we had eight flat tires, several mechanical issues, our truck got stuck in the mud and in the water on two occasions, we were short on fuel for our boat, and to make things worse I was very sick during our time of outreach in the field, but God used it all for His glory. There were many obstacles that had to be overcome in order to simply get to Zambia, but by the grace of God we made it there in time. Although, the set-backs were not in our plans we saw the Lord at work in all of it.

We ended up taking a different route than we had originally planned to Zambia, which allowed us to get there and minister much sooner. We stayed for a while in Zambia helping at a remote mission station, which was overseen by a gentle old man Uncle Bob, and his sweet wife Aunt Beth. There we helped out in whatever ways we were needed. Although it didn’t seem like we were that much help, Uncle Bob continued to thank us and tell us how big a blessing it was that we were there to assist them as they were in great need of people to help. I was tremendously encouraged seeing the faith of this older man and I was inspired by the way he continually pointed us toward Christ while we were there. He has been in Zambia on the mission field for the majority of his life serving the Lord. Getting the chance to see the faith and example of this man inspired me greatly as my desire is to serve Christ with my life on the mission field.

River Mission

 The highlight of the trip was spending a week evangelizing local tribes around an unreached area of the Zambezi River. Our team split up and half of us went with interpreters along the road and the other half on a boat along the river so that we were able to reach the most people possible. As our team was going along the road the first day trying to reach our first village to share the Gospel, we got stuck in the mud. It wasn’t long until the locals came and watched us as we struggled. For some reason the Africans, especially in rural areas, are fascinated with white people. They love to watch everything white people do when they show up. It’s as if a bunch of aliens showed up in their neighborhood and the locals are gathering around to watch to see what how the strange life forms are going to behave. Finally after we struggled for four hours to get out of this whole situation we managed to get the truck out of the mud!

It didn’t make sense why we would be delayed for that whole day from preaching the Gospel to these villagers in need of Christ. But I was reminded of what I had read that morning in Galatians 4:13, “You know that it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the Gospel to you at first…” God used Paul’s sickness to reach the Galatians with the Gospel. Even though Paul did not plan on getting sick or having this “ailment” God used that situation for His glory. In the same way, we saw God work through our truck getting stuck in the mud. It was through this that God opened a door for us to be able to show the Jesus film in a nearby village where all these people were from.

There was a young man there, Nyambe, who was very hungry for God. He asked for a Bible and unfortunately all we had was an English Bible, but his face lit up when we gave it to him because he knew some English. When he received the Bible he seemed as ecstatic as if we handed him a large sum of money. It was such a blessing to be able to give him a copy of God’s Word. It made me realize how blessed we are to have God’s Word so readily available to us, while this man was so hungry for the Word and the best we could give this him was a Bible in a language that wasn’t even in his native tongue. 

Loziland for Christ

Over the course of this time of ministry God so graciously used our team to reach hundreds of Lozi and Luvali people in Zambia with the Gospel. The Lord used us broken vessels to bring Christ’s message of reconciliation to these lost and dying people. In 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God.” Paul reminds that God is the One who makes His appeal to people “through us.” And we did in fact see God mightily working in the hearts of many people who were eager and ready to receive the Gospel. Also, we don’t know how many seeds God planted in people’s hearts through sharing the Gospel, but I am confident that God worked in far greater ways than we could possibly understand.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Even though things didn’t always go according to our plan God used it all to work together for good and for His glory. Praise God that He brought many people to the foot of the Cross through this mission. Thank you all again so much for your prayers and support, which God certainly did use to bring about a far more successful mission trip than we could have ever imagined.

“Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

In Christ,

            Hunter

           

Two weeks down

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all doing well.  Sorry for my lack of communication but things have been going non-stop since I got here two weeks ago. It has been a ton of fun so far and God really has been teaching me a lot about living in obedience to Him. By now we have completed the first part of the course (the Biblical Worldview Summit) and are now on to the second part (the Great Commission Course), which deals more with the practical side of missions. We’ve already had the chance to go on several outreaches, which have been really incredible. The first outreach we went on was during the BWS and we went to a township (a lower-class, rundown, community made of shacks) and we went door to door sharing the Gospel. But so that we would be a little less blatant we also went to people’s houses with literature on preventing TB, then after this we would lead into preaching the Gospel. It was a stretching experience especially since most of the people didn’t really speak English very well. This was the most challenging part of the outreach but overall it was amazing to realize that God wants to use me to spread His Word to the world. I am realizing that it would be unfaithful of me as a servant of Christ not to use the mouth He gave me to preach the Gospel and to not use my feet to go and tell people of His love despite our wretchedness (Rom. 10:14-15). God surely has been using this time to grow me in Him during this time and for that I am grateful.

Another lesson the Lord has been teaching me is to be ready to preach the Word at all times. So far I have had to speak on two different occasions and both have been with less than a days warning. “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). The first time I spoke was for a devotional, which only was about ten minutes, so it wasn’t that challenging. However, yesterday I had to give a sermon in a church service (my first sermon I’ve ever preached mind you) and I was only told about 12 hours in advance (so the night before). So I got up early before church and prepared for the sermon. I preached over Romans 12:1-2 and then looked back in the context of Roman to discuss what Paul means when he says that we are to give our lives as “living sacrifices” to God in light of  “the mercies of God.” I really felt very blessed that God gave me this opportunity to preach His Word. I absolutely loved being able to speak truth to people and being given the platform where I was welcomed to do so. God really is so good to us! I praise God that He would choose to use me to speak of His goodness and of His desire for us to follow Him wholeheartedly.

This is what the schedule is like for the GCC (the second half of the course, which I am now on). Everyday we wake up and have PT (physical training) at 6:30. Then we have about an hour and a half to shower, eat, and do devotions. After that we either have an event (like protesting at an abortion clinic, which we did the other day) or lectures. Then we eat lunch around 12:30 or 1:00. The next part of the afternoon we will have other activities like outreaches that we go out on. Then we will come back and eat supper and have more lectures and then maybe a night hike (or watch a movie) and at around midnight we go to bed. And then we start it all over six and a half hours later. It has been an adventure so far. I can’t wait to tell you more but for now I must be getting to sleep.

This is us at the top of Lion's Head (a night hike we did on the night we got back from the BWS).

A picture of Cape Town as we were coming back down Lion's Head

Some penguins we saw at Boulder's Beach, which is a beach we were really close to Rocklands where the BWS took place at.

Lion's Head

Thank you all so much for your prayers and for partnering with me as I have been on this trip. God is so good to us!

In Christ,

             Hunter

Mission Trip to Africa

Dear Friends and Family, 

God has given me a wonderful opportunity this summer to serve Him in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. I have already paid for the plane ticket with money that God graciously provided for me while working last summer. I leave on June 19^th for Cape Town, South Africa to attend a required Great Commission Course led by Frontline Fellowship. This is essential for learning how to deal with real life ministry situations that I will face and to prepare me with cultural knowledge so that I will be better equipped to minister to the African people. Following the training course, I will be traveling with the Frontline Fellowship field Director and a team of other missionaries for a 3–week 4,500 mile mission trip to Zimbabwe and Zambia. 

This trip will provide an opportunity to minister and serve the people in those countries by taking Bibles, medical supplies, Christian books and literature, as well as food into these countries. There is a great deal of persecution in Zimbabwe in particular due to the tyranny of the communist government.

Frontline Fellowship is a missions organization that “seeks to glorify God through: evangelizing in war zones, assisting persecuted churches, and working for reformation and revival in Africa.” (For more information, you can check out this website http://www.frontline.org.za/aboutus.htm). 

The cost of the trip is going to be roughly $3,850 (including the plane ticket I've already paid for). The Great Commission Course is $480 to attend (very reasonable for 3 weeks of meals and accommodation!). I would like to pay at least $400 as my share towards gas money for the extensive field trip (it's going to be a long ride). Gas is $10 a gallon in Zambia! Visas for Zimbabwe and Zambia will be around $100. I will need about $100 for extra expenses (like food along the way!) and a few general expenses. I know He will continue to provide for the rest of my needs. Maybe you'd like to have a part in His answer to my prayers. 

God has been so gracious in allowing me to be a part of this trip this summer and I am so excited to see the incredible ways He has been at work in Africa. I want to be a part of furthering the good news of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world that we live in. God has been so merciful in sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins in order to bring us life (1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 3:21-26; Eph. 2:4-9). I look forward to reaching those who need so desperately to know our Savior Jesus Christ.

More than anything I would really appreciate your prayers, that God would be preparing my heart for the trip and that He will be working in and through me while I am in southern Africa this summer. To God be the Glory!

In Christ,

                    Hunter Combs

 

P.S. If you would like to partner with me as I go to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia you can send a tax-deductible donation to:   

West Greenway Bible Church

5341 W. Greenway Road
Glendale, AZ 85306

You can make checks out to West Greenway Bible Church and be sure to put my name “Hunter Combs” in the memo line. Thank you all so much for your prayers and your support!