ou dont have to read much of On Mission to discover one of our most important core beliefs: God wants every Christian to be personally on mission with Him, delivering the gospel to the world. Does that mean that every Christian is a missionary? Well, not exactly. Some on mission Christians receive a special call from God to go from where they are to places and people that God has prepared for them. Philip went to Samaria and Gaza (Acts 8), So does that mean you have to cross an ocean or speak a different language to be a missionary? Again, not exactly. Take for example the eight modern-day missionaries profiled here. Their unique giftedness and preparation now help them get past the barriers that have kept people in their mission field from hearing the good news about Jesus. These missionaries are representative of the 5,025 who have been appointed by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to places of service in the United States, Canada and their territories. During a special Week of Prayer for North American missions March 5-12 thousands of churches and literally millions of Christians will pray for these eight and for theon mission cause of sharing the gospel throughout North America. We invite you, too, to be their partners in prayer.

When a woman is black and blue from physical abuse, doesnt have a job, cant pay her rent, is responsible for a 2-year-old child and may be pregnant with another, its hard for her to see that God has a plan and purpose for her life.

Yet thats precisely the objective of North American Missionary Sheila Mitchell and DaySpring Villa, a Baptist womens shelter in Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

"The first goal of our shelter is for women to meet Jesus and follow Him," said Sheila, director of the center.

In its 20-year history, the shelter has seen approximately 10,000 women and children come through its doors. Of that number, nearly 900 have accepted Jesus as their Savior.

Sheila said about half of the women who come to the shelter have been abused.

"For some women, everything is hopeless," she noted. "We teach them that not only is this a place of peace and security where they can put their lives back together, but there is a permanent place of peace and security in Heaven for those who trust in Jesus." The work has made Sheila appreciate even more her own husband, Todd, and his relationship with Christ.

When a woman arrives at the shelter she selects her goals with the help of a counselor. She may need a job or discipline with her spending habits. She may want to establish a home, be a godly parent, break the cycle of physical abuse or escape drug or alcohol addiction.

"One of the things we strive to do here is teach the women how to have a home, what they need to do to get into a home, and to prepare themselves for life," said Sheila.

She said some people have never been taught how to clean a room, a house or even a child. So there are times the staff teaches basics that most people take for granted.

Sometimes learning to accept help is a hard lesson in itself.

Ginas mother, for example, died when Gina was 13 and her grandmother was an alcoholic. So Gina learned to take care of herself, never asking anyone for help. But when she and her two children were thrown out of the house by her abusive husband, accepting help meant survival.

Six months after she came to the shelter, she had secured a job and saved enough money to move into a small apartment. Not only is Gina better off in her physical circumstances, but she accepted Jesus while living at the shelter.

"I wondered if I was one of those people who God had turned His back on," Gina said. "My husband and I had done so many things that I should have felt guilty about, and I just didnt. So I thought I was so hardened that God had left me."

Carol, a volunteer at DaySpring, said the shelter and her faith in God kept her going when she found herself without a home, a car and everything she had worked for. Now she volunteers because "its good for me to know that I am helping someone else, and because I pray that out there somewhere, there is a Christian man who is taking time to help my son."

Sheila says DaySpring Villa has a two-fold ministry: to minister to women and children in crisis, but also to teach others to minister.

Anywhere from 75 to 150 volunteers work at the shelter each month, and the house staff includes semester missionaries, Mission Service Corps volunteers and US/C-2 missionaries.

"If you want experiences in ministry, come to DaySpring Villa, because we are dealing with the lives of people who are hurting," said Sheila. "If we dont teach those who come behind us how to minister, then who will be our missionaries 20 years from now?"