WHEW! Missions Travels to Colombia to Share Gospel of Jesus Christ {video}
Eddie Kessler and his WHEW! Missions – With Him Everyone Wins! team recently returned from abroad sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Colombia for seven days. His heart of missions and sharing God’s love pretty much defines Eddie, who believes in and adheres to the Great Commission, which is found in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go and make disciples of all nations . . .”
“That is our ultimate goal! While sharing Jesus and His love is very necessary, making disciples is the command that Jesus definitely left for the church! I hope the disciples we made will continue to serve and make disciples as they go,” said Eddie, who recalls the first mission trip he went on in 2004 to Venezuela. “It was on a garbage dump that was two miles long by two miles wide in Maracaibo, Venezuela where God told me that I made Him sick. That I was doing absolutely nothing to bring His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. I had not shared Jesus with anybody at that time other than with my two sons. I promised God on that city dump that I would not return to Bolivar, Tennessee the same way that I had come, and that I would start sharing the love of Jesus with others.“
When Eddie returned to Hardeman County, Tennessee after that mission trip, he was a changed man in Jesus Christ.
“God got my attention,” said Eddie, who has since gone on more than 80 mission trips.
He has served in Venezuela, twice; Ecuador, more than 55 times; Colombia, twice, which includes the recent trip; Nicaragua; Mexico; Israel; Jordan; Romania; Burkina Faso in West Africa; Thailand; Dominican Republic; New York City, New York; San Diego, California; Brownsville, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; the neighborhoods of Binghampton and Frayser in Memphis, Tennessee; Enid, Oklahoma; New Orleans, Louisiana; Puerto Rico, twice; Sun Valley, Idaho; and Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2006, just a few years after following God’s direction for mission work, Eddie was approached by a team member of the church he was attending and asked about coordinating a mission trip to Ecuador. Eddie grasped the opportunity, seeing it as a way to put more feet on the ground for Jesus in the places where he saw a tremendous need of the Gospel being shared. From that first group mission trip to Ecuador, WHEW! Missions was born.
Through WHEW! Missions, Eddie and other team members have served internationally as well as domestically, realizing there is a need for the Gospel and love of Jesus Christ to be shared everywhere. Although other ministry efforts by WHEW! have included Bible studies and volunteer work in the local community, its focus has remained constant with international missions work.
“Since my very first mission trip was to Venezuela, my heart has been burdened by the government there that has forced so many migrants to leave that country. Cúcuta, Colombia is the city where they flee Venezuela into Colombia. They walk thousands of miles to find hope and freedom in other countries,” said Eddie. “I want to help with the Venezuelan ‘walkers’ and that is why God led me to Colombia. He wanted me to share the good news of Jesus that had been shared with me, and to love on those people!”
The WHEW! team to Colombia included 13 people; ten from Parran’s Chapel Baptist Church, two from Dixie Hills Baptist Church, both churches in Bolivar, Tennessee, and one from First Baptist Church of Leesburg, Florida. Even before the plane took off with the team from the United States, the group experienced several challenges.
“We left immediately after doing the Youth Evangelism Project (YEP) here in Bolivar and Hardeman County, and my team was extremely tired as we left here at 2:30 a.m. the next day. Also, responding to all the negative comments about carrying a mission team into such a dangerous city and country,” said Eddie, who assured those who went on the trip understood the possible danger they may experience. “The one thing that is constant is that Jesus is Lord and Savior in all of these places.”
From the moment the team landed in Colombia, the work began. Each night after serving, the team had a “share time”, a period of reflection and discussion of how the Holy Spirit worked in the team’s life. Through those moments at the end of the day, they were able to see the Holy Spirit led many people to choose Jesus Christ.
“One night during share time, there were 25 of us, we were in the lobby singing and praying before share time, the front desk personnel brought a note over to our team and it said, ‘You are the people we need, who come praying and not fighting’. It was a touching note that in our minds was telling us that God was pleased with our efforts for His glory,” said Eddie, who shared some moments, which personally strongly impacted his life. “Serving the ‘walkers’ and realizing that they are looking for hope and we gave it to them. Another experience was when I shared with a group of one man and seven ladies, and three of them showed up at the church and gave their hearts to Jesus.”
WHEW! Missions in Colombia Photo Gallery
Click arrow/swipe screen to see the slideshow.
Despite the number of mission trips Eddie has been on, he recognized something very different about this one.
“Most all of our trips have been fantastic. I don’t know if anyone realizes just how dangerous Cúcuta, Colombia can be, but being in God’s will is the safest place you could ever be. This trip was very unique in the fact that we served – fed, gave medical supplies, and shared Jesus – with migrant walkers walking down the highway. That experience made this trip different from the rest,” said Eddie.
Over the last 21 years since Eddie took his first mission trip, his perspective about people abroad as well as in the States, and his faith in God have changed tremendously. Although there are so many differences in what people value as well as the needs people have, Eddie has seen one thing all people have in common.
“It doesn’t particularly matter how much money or stuff you have as long as you have faith in Jesus Christ! He is the way, truth, and life; the answer to everything that these people need! The most rewarding part of my time in Colombia was making disciples of the actual team members and translators that lived there and will be there after we are gone. I hope the disciples we made will continue to serve and make disciples as they go,” said Eddie.
The WHEW! team does not stop serving just because it has returned to the United States. One of the ways the members stay connected is through a daily devotion, which Eddie sends by text to more than 400 people. He also already has plans for a mission trip to Cottonwood, Arizona.
“The pastor and I became very good friends while working disaster relief together. He is planting a new church where I hope God will lead many to go make disciples and share the love of Jesus,” said Eddie.
If you would like to receive Eddie’s daily devotions and be notified about upcoming mission trips, you may call or text him at (731) 609-4200.
Read more local news by clicking here.
Stay informed on what’s happening in Hardeman County by subscribing to Hatchie Press e-mail updates.
Do you have community news you’d like to share? E-mail us at news@hatchiepress.com.
