Eighty people gathered to explore their calls to global, pastoral and local ministry at the July 2014 Hear the Call weekend. This weekend event, co-sponsored by International Ministries, the Ministers Council, Women in Ministry and the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, was designed to answer questions and provide direction and support to people contemplating ministry service.

For two first-time attendees, Brian and Lynette Smith of Meadville, Pennsylvania, it was a surprising time of unlearning and re-learning what global service might be like. For instance, “we learned that every global worker doesn’t necessarily have to be a pastor or a theologian,” said Brian, the manager of a flooring store.

The Smiths started considering mission service when their congregation, First Baptist Church of Cambridge Springs, chose to support IM missionaries Ray and Adalia Schellinger. The Schellingers are directors of Deborah’s House in Tijuana, Mexico, serving women and children who have lived in situations of domestic violence.

In 2011, Brian made his first of several trips to Tijuana to volunteer at Deborah’s House. On the fourth trip, around Easter 2014, Lynette joined her husband. She explained, “When I was learning how to drive, my father—a tractor mechanic—required me to learn on a gooseneck trailer, including successfully backing up the truck multiple times in the dark! I never imagined that God would use that ex¬perience until I was asked to drive a truck to transport raw materials and tools for a woodshop at Deborah’s House.”

The Call Retreat was a valuable time for the Smiths, as they built on their mission experience with new informa¬tion and spiritual growth. “We became more aware of God’s call on our lives,” said Brian, “and I had time to be quiet with the Lord amid the beautiful surroundings of Green Lake.”

Any U.S. citizen or green card holder interested in learning more about the process of becoming an IM global servant may contact Jim Bell at jim.bell@internationalministries.org.