GHI Winter Newsletter 2024 – Celebrating 30 Years!

By Trudy Barsness | November 25, 2024

Dear Friends,

This year marks an incredible milestone—Global Horizons, Inc. (GHI) is celebrating 30 years of God’s faithfulness!

As we reflect on this journey, we are reminded how God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes, whether it’s by serving directly or in a supporting role.

Your prayers and generosity unite us and multiply our efforts to keep reaching out with the hope of Jesus.

We are sharing a special letter from Herb Klem, co-founder of GHI as he tells the story of how it all began.

In 1994 a group of Bethel University professors from the Seminary realized that there was a need on campus to provide better intercultural experiences and improve relationships among students from a variety of cultures on campus. Global Horizons was first envisioned by this group of seminary professors.

Our first donation was $50 to assist a seminary student from Ghana, Dr. Oduro. He was a local leader in Ghana with great potential. Unfortunately, all of his savings from home converted into just a few US dollars. With just some help from us, he graduated with a Master of Arts and became the principal of a school for leaders of indigenous churches that operated within the West African frame of reference. He eventually came back to the USA and qualified for a full scholarship for his doctorate in Church History. He is still publishing in English and his local language and still leading the seminary in Ghana very much self-supported.

From this experience, we learned that a few American dollars can convert into comparatively serious results for many local leaders and denominations who are rapidly growing, independent churches.

This pastor from Ghana continues to inform us and all his supporters concerning the things his people want to know and some of what he wants us to know. He and his students there are always willing to host us for visits that bless and amaze us.

This project with Dr. Oduro was the first of perhaps more than a hundred similar “projects”. Many have come to GHI for help and moved on to local independence.

Good News Theological Seminary, led by Dr. Thomas Oduro.

Pastors we have helped to educate here go home to live near unreached people groups, often with materials they write in the local languages, with services that meet concerns of daily life.

Many of our projects are led by local leaders who earn their own living but can have few resources and little for ministry program expenses. The leaders may already speak several local languages, and all of our partner ministries facilitate racial, and ethnic reconciliation directly or indirectly. Some of the best results happen indirectly, along the way, as God works through fellowship and shared work.

GHI has survived COVID-19, the Coronavirus, retirement, staff and office changes, movement of staff, movement of the office, regular audits, and changing regulations due to increases in cash flows. We have never borrowed funds or taken any loans. The operations reserve is now stronger than at any previous time.

Currently, there is an amazing array of intercultural ministry projects in evangelism, children’s ministries, education from preschool to graduate studies, community development, health care for kids and computer technology. Projects are led by some from the USA, Croatia, West, South and East Africa, Latin America, and Asian countries. The projects, they serve among some of the most vulnerable people groups in troubled parts of the world.

These GHI projects are not seen as foreign because they are not, but they lift up Jesus and the love of Jesus, to apply the Gospel in ways people easily get. We hope that our newsletters help all of us who participate to grow in understanding of the complex and changing world we share.

GHI was launched knowing that many of God’s people want to help. We wanted to do something about the staggering problems among the poor and disadvantaged or oppressed in a direct efficient way that made sense at every level. However managing finances, getting reports on spending, news of results, and establishing bridges of trust could be frustrating or difficult when situations can be unstable, daily life challenging in many ways, and lacking infrastructure. We are so thankful for a dedicated staff who have been dedicated to closing these gaps by doing leadership development on the run.

We would be delighted to help you connect with one of our more than 45 project partners.

Website: globalhz.org

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate our 30th anniversary last month! It was a truly special evening filled with stories and friendship as we shared in the joy of missions together.

We invite you to enjoy this video featuring a glimpse into GHI’s journey over the years and greetings from our partners around the globe.

Dec. 3rd is Giving Tuesday!

As you consider how you will share the love of Jesus this Christmas, we would be honored to help you transform lives.

Would you prayerfully consider making a donation today?

Donate directly to a project: globalhz.org/donate

See our list of projects: globalhz.org/projects

Would you like to choose a child, family or group to lift up this Christmas?

Several of our projects have created short videos to show you a specific need that you can fulfill.

Scroll through our videos to find a story you'd like to help with, like the one below: Global Horizons projects on DonorSee

Youngsters for Christ in Kenya is raising funds to give Nancy a chance to provide for her family and become self-sufficient. There are many more opportunities like this to choose from.