Celebration of Triumphs at MWOA Rally
Men and Women of Action (MWOA) recently held their annual rally at the New Hope Church of God in Kodak, Tennessee. Bob and Clara Pace, founders of MWOA who went to be with the Lord at the end of 2017, were remembered for their contribution to the group.
“The testimonies of God working through Men and Women of Action (in 2017) would have pleased the Paces,” stated MWOA Executive Director Phil Thompson. Several testimonies were delivered during the rally.
Tommy Roberts told about taking a team to work after Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston, Texas area. One of his team members invited a neighbor—who was covered in tattoos, had long hair, and smoked “more” cigarettes than he owned—to go on the trip. While working with the team, the man came to Tommy and said, “I’m not accepted at churches because of the way I look, but you all have befriended me. You all are real people!” While still on the trip, a few days later, the man became a follower of Christ.
Testimony was given about the Appalachian team that gives Christmas to an area every year after Thanksgiving. A Church of God is selected in a community in the Appalachian Mountains and Christmas is brought to the area through the church. A semi-trailer filled with gifts, clothes, and other items is organized to be given to children and adults who otherwise would have, at most, a meager Christmas.
A highlight of the rally was testimonies about the recovery teams who ministered after Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida. In Texas, sixty homes, eight churches, and three parsonages were gutted, cleaned, repaired, remodeled or rebuilt. There were more than 300 volunteers from 13 states who worked 25, 000+ hours. The value of the donated labor, products, and expenses incurred by the team was estimated to be around $1.5 million. In Florida, work was done on 24 homes, 13 churches, and four parsonages. There were 304 volunteers from nine states who worked 18,800+ hours. The value of this group’s contribution was an estimated $1.2 million.
Residents in the area of the hurricanes asked the question, “How could people and the churches be repaired so quickly?” The answer was simple: MWOA teams—teams from many states—came to get the people back to normalcy as soon as possible.
Projects for next year were announced and people have already signed up for them. The projects vary in nature. One project will build a house for a minister and his family who live in Guatemala. Presently, he, his wife, and his six children live in a one-room adobe house. They sleep on pallets on a dirt floor. Yet, they have built their church to 75 attendees.
“This kind of ministry—helping people, churches, and ministries—is the heart of MWOA,” Thompson stated.
Action Teams, a new strategy, was also announced. Local churches will have the opportunity to build a MWOA team that will work in the area of the church, in its state with other action teams, and with the International MWOA. This new strategy promises to be productive in building ministries and expanding the kingdom of God.
Gideon’s Accord was also announced. The initiative gives churches and donors the opportunity to participate in the ministry of MWOA by giving a monthly $100.00 donation.
Thompson, who was announced as the new MWOA director last year, led the meeting with his capable staff. While Thompson is following the strong leadership of Bob Pace and Hugh Carver, who both advanced MWOA to new levels, his leadership at the rally indicates that MWOA will continue to contribute generously and globally to the kingdom of God.
To obtain more information about MWOA, visit the website at www.cogmwoa.org.
