Mission & Mercy Ministry Update - 2025, Issue 9
Table of Contents
Prayer Focus: The Herero and Himba People Groups of Namibia
Mission Highlight: STUMIN Serves Gospel Hope Church in Utah
Mission Highlight: Summer Visits from Supported Missionaries
Mercy Highlight: More Than Repairs: A Ministry of Care
Mercy Highlight: From Quilts to Construction: Serving Together for Christ
Opportunity: Hope Rising: Heroes of Hope Gala
Opportunity: Operation Christmas Child: Joy in a Box
Upcoming UBC Mission Trips: Planning for 2026 Underway
Prayer Focus
The Herero and Himba People Groups of Namibia
Buddy and Julia Bahun and their family serve as missionaries in and around Windhoek, Namibia. As we focus our prayer on people groups for the second half of the year, Buddy and Julia have asked us to pray specifically for two groups they interact with: the Herero and the Himba.
According to peoplegroups.org, “the primary religion of the Herero is ethnoreligion, which consists of practices that are deeply rooted in [their] ethnic identity”, while the Himba practice “Neo-Pentecostalism, traditionally categorized as Pentecostal experiences, frequently combined with prosperity gospel theology.” Many in these groups may identify as Christian, but their faith is not in the true Gospel – the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Prayers
Pray that the power of African traditional religions will be broken.
We pray for the removal of spiritual strongholds that bind these communities in darkness. Break down barriers of fear, superstition, and tradition that hinder the spread of Your Truth. May Your light shine brightly, dispelling the darkness and bringing hope and transformation. (Ephesians 6:12; Psalm 24:7-10)
Lord, we declare your glory among the Herera and Himba, your marvelous works among all the peoples. For great are you Lord, and greatly to be praised! You are to be feared above all gods. For you, Lord God, are most high above all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. (Psalms 96:3-4; 97:9)Pray that the lure of the prosperity gospel would be revealed for what it is – a false gospel that cannot deliver lasting life and peace.
O Lord, bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. Lead the Herera and the Himba in paths that they don’t know. Make darkness light before them and crooked places straight. Do not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)
We pray that the Herera and the Himba will not deceive themselves but accept the truth. We pray that they will confess their sins to you O God, who are faithful and righteous to forgive them and cleanse them from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9)Pray that God would purify His church through a culture of discipleship so that both immature and mature believers can grow in knowledge, faithfulness, and obedience.
Lord, feed the Herera and the Himba like a shepherd. Gather their lambs in your arm and carry them in your bosom. Gently lead those who have their young. (Isaiah 40:11)Pray that God will raise up leaders among the Herera and the Himba who are grounded in the truth and committed to the work of preaching the Word, discipling, and training.
Lord, we thank you for the work that you are doing through Pastors Buddy, Spencer, Kandu, and others. We know the need for more trained pastors and leaders is great. We ask you to add to their numbers. Give them wisdom, creativity, and resources to train and mentor others to expand the work among the Herera, the Himba, and the other people groups across Namibia. (Ephesians 4:11-14, 2 Timothy 2:2)
Mission Highlight
STUMIN Serves Gospel Hope Church in Utah
This summer UBC high school students served in Riverton, Utah alongside five other youth groups from our region. We took 11 high school students and four leaders to Riverton, Utah to help Gospel Hope Church with outreach projects in their community. During the time in Riverton, our students learned a lot about the beliefs of the surrounding community which was comprised mostly of people connected with the LDS church and a fair amount of people that now identify as atheists after leaving the Mormon church.
This was an incredible trip for our high school students. Normally when you tell students that they’re going to be sharing their faith, they’re nervous, shy, and dread it. This trip was different. Our students were nervous about it, but they were eager to share the gospel with people daily on the trip. It was refreshing to watch as they jumped at every chance to do it, but it was also convicting, because I think they were more excited then most of our leaders about doing this. Pretty much every day of the trip, all of our students had at least one really good gospel conversation with people.
Our team helped Gospel Hope Church primarily through service projects in the community, prayer walks and canvassing the area to meet neighbors and tell them about the church. The biggest project revolved around the “Riverton Old Town Days”. Our students served the community by passing out water to everyone in the town that was lined up to watch the parade on July 3rd. When the parade was over, our students grabbed trash bags and walked the entire route of the parade to pick up all the trash that was left behind. The next day, our students served all day at the 4th of July festival in the park. They made hundreds of snow cones to pass out to people. They helped direct parking in the parking lots as it poured down rain. All of the locals told us it never rains in Utah, but it did, and they were soaked and didn’t complain. Our team got to enjoy watching the fireworks in the park that evening. When the fireworks were over, our students grabbed a bunch of trash bags and walked throughout the park to pick up all of the trash that was left behind.
It was an interesting trip. Our students got to have so many gospel conversations and were prepared to share their faith with people from the LDS church. While they did have a lot of conversations with mormons, they had more gospel conversations with people from different religions. They were able to share the gospel with people from 7 or 8 different religions.
Did we make a difference? While no one made professions of faith in Christ on the trip that we know of, we kept planting seeds and sharing the gospel. We trust that God will bring the increase (I Corinthians 3:6-7.) The community leaders expressed how incredible it was that our students would come and serve their community with Gospel Hope Church at the festival. They shared that the LDS youth group used to serve at the festival but stopped wanting to serve, which opened the door for Gospel Hope Church and our students to serve the community and share the gospel with people.
Mission Highlight
Summer Visits from Supported Missionaries
This summer, our church family had the joy of welcoming several of our missionaries home for a visit. It was a blessing to see our faith family interact with them—taking time to listen, learn, and show them love.
We were encouraged by visits from Natasha Dobson (serving in the Dominican Republic as a teacher and part of a church plant), the Nattiers (serving in Togo, currently back in the U.S.), the Weavers (serving in the Philippines training pastors), and M. & A. (serving in a restricted area). Each had opportunities to share with adult classes as well as with our kids, giving a firsthand glimpse into how God is at work around the world.
One of the sweetest moments came when a missionary shared with our kids about unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window. He explained that when he was just six years old, a teacher first told him about this region of the world—and that moment impacted him to give his life to missions. We prayed together that God might plant the same seeds in the hearts of the children listening. In a touching response, the kids gathered in a circle around him and prayed for him and his family.
Praise God for the joy of missions and the privilege of partnering with these faithful servants of Christ. We are so grateful for the teachers, kids’ ministry leaders, and so many members of our church family who made their visits such a blessing this summer.
Mercy Highlight
From Quilts to Construction: Serving Together for Christ
How are the Sewing & Craft Ministry (SCM) and Builders for Christ (BFC) connected you ask? Every year during the first week of July, BFC asks people from different states to gather to sew items for a charity chosen by the church BFC is helping while their spouses and friends work on the construction project. This year in Sterling, MA we had a small team participate from UBC. Prior to the trip, about 20 women with SCM helped by making quilt tops, fleece blankets, and knitting and crocheting baby items. Several teddy bears were handmade to send for children in MA. By the end of the week in Sterling, MA, the BFC sewing team of 9 had a total of 125 gift bags, each having a quilt or blanket plus another item, to leave for 3 local ministries and a nearby fire department. The ministries selected by Hope Chapel in Sterling, MA included: Welcoming Alliance for Refugee Ministry (WARM) serving Afghan refugee families; North Star, a family services ministry to help those transitioning from homelessness to having a permanent home; First Concern, a crisis pregnancy center; and the Lancaster Fire Department.
Here are some comments received from the ministries receiving the gifts:
Hope Chapel member, Lancaster Deputy Fire Chief, Bob Gordon, heard that Kathy’s team was bringing handmade teddy bears from an Ohio friend (UBC’s Patti Martin), so he put in his request. The team met Bob and presented him with 24 bears. Bob said: “These bears will be given to children in times of crisis, offering comfort when it’s needed most. Thank you for your incredible kindness and for bringing these all the way from Ohio!”
WARM, a ministry to Afghan refugee families, staff said about BFC team, “Thank you so much to the sewing team…This incredible group came from all over the country…They kindly handmade some very special quilts…for WARM to pass along to our refugee friends. Thank you for your thoughtful gift of time, talent and resources!”
From Director of Missions, Hope Chapel when she saw all the gifts left for her to distribute to their ministries – “Amazing! Praise God for all the Kingdom work done this week…Thanks for the impact you’ve made here in New England!”
Current projects the SCM team are working on include handmade gifts for 55 women who will be attending a missionary conference in Thailand this November, OCC boxes, and baby items to support Hope Rising-Xenia. If you’d like to get involved, email Kathy Gallagher at gallaghk78@gmail.com. The next open house is on Saturday, September 13 from 9:30-noon. You can register here.
Mercy Highlight
More Than Repairs: A Ministry of Care
The UBC Fix It Team exists to help people with projects they are unable to do on their own. Some examples of projects the team has completed include:
Hanging pictures
Installing TVs on walls
Minor car repair
Replacing bathroom faucets
Re-attaching a falling garage ceiling
Erecting playground equipment
Not every project is something they can take on—as they discovered recently when asked to investigate a plumbing problem that required a licensed plumber. In those cases, the team provides guidance and recommend professional help.
One of their most meaningful projects was assisting a UBC member who recently suffered a fall that required surgery and several weeks of therapy. The Fix It Team stepped in to install grab bars from the garage to the house and a stair railing, making their recovery at home safer and easier.
The Fix It Team is always looking for new members to join the team. All it takes is a desire to demonstrate God’s love to others by helping with tasks they can’t do themselves.
If you’re interested in serving in this way, let us know here!
Opportunity
Hope Rising: Heroes of Hope Gala
Hope Rising is one of the ProLife ministries within the greater Dayton area that UBC partners with and supports. Hope Rising-Xenia offers free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, parenting classes, and practical resources to equip women, men, and families with hope and support during an unplanned pregnancy. As a mercy ministry, their work reflects Christ’s compassion by walking alongside those in crisis with both practical help and gospel-centered care.
On Friday, October 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM, Hope Rising will host its annual Heroes of Hope Gala at the Dayton Convention Center. This powerful evening will include stories of lives changed, a ministry update from the Executive Director, and a testimony of healing and hope—all over a delicious dinner and delightful fellowship.
The Gala is Hope Rising’s largest fundraiser of the year, aiming to fill the hall with 100 tables of life-minded guests. Whether by attending, sponsoring a table, or giving toward the event, you can help bring hope and defend life in our community and beyond.
How to participate:
Reserve your seat (a limited number of free tickets are available, thanks to Gala sponsors)
Become a sponsor—various sponsorship levels are still open
Give, even if you can’t attend, to advance this vital ministry
Learn more and get involved at: supporthoperising.org
Opportunity
Operation Christmas Child: Joy in a Box
This holiday season, UBC will once again be partnering with Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that shares the love of Christ by delivering shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items to children in need around the world.
September is the perfect time to begin gathering items for your shoeboxes! Each small gift becomes a powerful reminder of God’s love and brings hope and joy to children who might otherwise go without. Let’s start preparing now to bless kids across the globe in Jesus’ name.
For a full list of what is and isn’t allowed please refer to the resources available on the official Samaritan’s Purse website here. Stay tuned for more details this fall regarding official drop-off locations and National Collection Week dates.
Monthly Mission Quote:
"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell."
- David Platt
Upcoming Mission Trips
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15
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How beautiful are your feet?
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"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15 ~ How beautiful are your feet? ~
Planning for 2026 Trips Underway
UBC is wrapping up our short term mission trip opportunities for 2025 and planning is underway for 2026! There are local, national, and global trips offered. You can learn more about each UBC team’s trip through “Stories from the Field,” a subseries of our UBC Talking Points podcast. Episodes are available now for the recent trips to Southeast Asia, Namibia, Uganda, and STUMIN trip to Utah is coming soon. You can find them here.
If you are planning to participate on a mission trip with another organization (e.g. Cedarville’s GO trips), please contact us to let us know more!
If there is a nation or a people group that God has placed on your heart, share it with us. We would love the opportunity to hear and to help you find a trip in the coming year. Reach out to Francisco Jimenez Peña (francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com).
Contact to learn more:
Francisco Jimenez Peña
francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com
To read past Mission Updates or to get more information about UBC on Mission, visit
https://www.ubcbeavercreek.com/mission-and-mercy-ministries.