Scotland 2023
Amanda Baker
The Lord allowed me to join a great group of people, led by Dr. John O’Malley, to minister alongside Missionaries Jody & Ginger Hodnett for a week in Scotland in mid-June to help reach towns in the southwest border region who have no consistent Gospel witness. The team was there longer than I, and as a whole, saw over 38,000 tracts distributed over the course of the trip. The Hodnetts are receiving calls with requests for Bible studies in at least two of the ten towns that were reached. Praise God for this vision to help people “See, Learn, and Do” Harvest work for the Lord. Please pray for the Hodnetts as the work now begins to minister in these areas and for the Gospel seeds that have been sown in this very needy area of Scotland.
Analeesa Brummett
My name is Analeesa Brummett, and I just got back from a life-changing trip to Scotland.
If you had told me one year ago I would be typing this right now, I would have said you were crazy. I am usually a stay-at-home, live day-to-day, normal routine kind of person. This trip was way outside of my comfort zone! I have experienced so many firsts over the last few weeks that I lost count. Some of those included flying in an airplane, leaving the country, living out of a backpack for 3 days while awaiting my luggage, staying with 22 people I had never met, trying interesting new foods, and putting my life and safety in complete strangers hands. The list could go on and on.
I personally believe, apart from trusting Christ as my Saviour, this was the biggest and best decision I have ever made! I surrendered my life to whatever the Lord would have me to do in 2018, but I was still staying and serving within my own comfort zone. This trip has opened my eyes and opened the whole world to me! I have told a few people already that I don't think I will stay home anymore after being on this trip. I feel like nothing can stop me now that I've had a taste of what is possible. Seeing, Learning, and Doing mission work truly is life-altering.
Thinking about the trip in its entirety, one of the biggest things that hit me now is something I didn't even realize was happening while I was there. I was seeing directly into the hearts of the Hodnetts, and I didn't even know it. I was asked while I was there what one of my favorite parts of the trip was, and I am very happy with what I answered. Because looking back, it makes so much more sense to me thinking about it now. I said I really enjoyed walking around the cities with Bro. Jody while he was giving us history lessons on everything around us. At the time, it felt like a strange answer even to me because I don't like history. Sitting home reading a book about something that happened hundreds of years ago literally sounds like the most boring thing someone could do. But being there, getting to see the places and things while being told about their significance? That was so cool to me! A fountain with 4 little boys that Peter Pan's lost boys came from, a parking spot that holds the body of John Knox, the windmills, architecture, land, animals, travelers, they all have a place in my mind now.
I was hearing and seeing all of these things in real life but looking back, I now realize that is where you can see the heart of the missionary. The Hodnetts could have never gone to Scotland, and those things probably would never have meant anything to them. But they did! Every time Bro. Jody and Mrs. Ginger talked about a part of Scotland they were sharing a piece of their heart with us. Their people, their land, their burden. Scotland is their home now, and every part of it means more to them than it does to someone who just goes for a visit. Of all the towns we visited and passed out gospel tracts, not one of them means more to the Hodnetts than another. Those are their people, and they all need Salvation equally! I am so grateful to have been a part of this trip and that I was able to see the burden God has placed in the Hodnett's hearts.
I pray each and every one of God's people would be burdened that way. Maybe our burden is not for a foreign field, maybe it's for our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our schools, our homeless communities, our orphans, or even our own families. The Hodnetts gave me a card before I left, and inside, it says, "Remember Jesus' only prayer request in Matt. 9:37-38." Verse 38 says, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Bro. Hodnett spoke to us while we were there, and he told us that to be able to see a harvest, the ground must first be plowed, then seeded, then watered, and maintained. We needed to understand that we personally may never see the harvest collected this side of Heaven, but that didn't make our work in the fields any less important. All of our work is needed in order for there to be any harvest at all. Wherever the Lord sends me, I pray for the strength to pick up that burden and carry it as I have seen the Hodnetts carrying theirs.
If I get the chance to go on another See The Harvest trip, I will be the first person to sign up!! The fine group of people I was able to go with has encouraged me so much. The fellowship of the group was so nice to have. It touched my heart to see that our youngest member, at 18, was so burdened for people to come to know the Lord that she couldn't contain it; she had to tell people! Our most recently saved member had no shame in asking for advice, stating, "I'm new around here," to break the ice. He asked some great questions while trying to dive deeper into his new faith. I interrupted one member's devotions time more than once, but instead of asking me to leave, like I thought he would, he shared pieces of what he was reading with me. One morning reading an entire Psalm out loud and talking about his favorite verses and what they could mean in the world today.
Of course, a group our size couldn't spread the gospel without opposition from the Devil himself! We dealt with some not-so-friendly emails, some tracts thrown back at us, and a few even ripped up on the ground. We didn't let the negativity of Satan stop us on our mission. We did what we went there to do. We had several prayer times, once even taking the time for every person to pray aloud for our mission. We had personal struggles, fears, and even physical limitations we had to face. I personally had an emotional struggle I went through in the middle of the trip. I don't believe it was a coincidence that we were asked that very same evening if we had anything good or bad to share about the trip so far. I gave a completely transparent testimony of the battle I was fighting. It felt so good to share with a group of believers what our Lord was doing in the midst of my struggle. One lady stood and shared a verse that she had read that very morning that went perfectly with what I was going through. I don't believe that was a coincidence either. I had several members of our team come and share things with me personally. A piece of advice, a verse, a hug, a shoulder to cry on. All of these things from people I had just met! The Lord does everything for a purpose, and I believe that now more than ever.
If you ever get the chance to go on a See The Harvest trip, I encourage you to just go. You never know what the Lord may teach you while you're there.
Makenzie Case
How do you see the harvest?
When you think of a harvest, maybe you think of "amber waves of grain" or maybe the state of Iowa and all its corn. It would seem that the first image we fathom is the result of a season of work accomplished by a farmer, or maybe it's a simple backyard garden grown by a family. But abounding harvests do not happen overnight. The reality of bringing forth a harvest takes an exorbitant amount of time, energy, patience, and faith that God will accomplish what He created the land to do over 6,000 years ago. This same pattern is no different in gathering souls for the kingdom of God.
On June 12, 2023, twenty individuals from different stages and ages of life joined together in Sanqhar, Scotland, to assist missionaries Jody and Jinger Hodnett (and family) with laboring in their field. The main goal was to place Gospel tracts in every home in at least nine local villages and to distribute tracts in the Good Neighbors Parade in Dumfries, Scotland. Though our team was met with opposition early on, both prior to landing in the country and after the first few days working the field, God continued to give our team opportunities to speak one-on-one with many people about salvation, starting group Bible studies, or just engaging in friendly conversations.
Coupled with working in each village were frequent opportunities to experience the religious and national history of Scotland. A highlight of our trip was visiting the David Livingstone Birthplace and Museum. This adventure was encouraging to me as Livingstone's testimony and efforts in Africa personally challenged me as a teenager to surrender my life to missions and vocational ministry. Viewing ancient castles and famous monuments representing countless martyrs and defenders of the Christian faith spurred our team to not only finish our goal but to finish it well.
During one evening, about midway of our trip, several shared personal experiences or personal challenges God had been using thus far on the trip to help mold them as workers in His field. I took time to share how I was tempted to let my fear of being potentially despised and rejected by the people I was witnessing to (this was during the Good Neighbors Parade) to keep me from handing a tract to a single person. But by God's strength, I prayed for boldness (Proverbs 28:1) to speak and to share the tracts with the thousands of people my group saw in our section of the town. That night, I grabbed my Bible, which has engraved on the cover Joshua 1:9— Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
This strength, boldness, and desire to give the Gospel to as many in Scotland as I could enabled me to talk to a man named Frank on the last day of work we had remaining. Frank was looking for a particular neighborhood across town, and in my attempt to share directions, he asked the theme question of the trip, which was, "What is woman from America doing all the way here?!" I explained I was working with my friends Jody and Ginger Hodnett to help start a Bible study in the area. He quickly stopped me, and in vulgarity told me, "I don't care what happens when I die, and don't waste your time caring about me." With clenched back tears, I explained, "Frank, I respect what you believe about life and the after-life; but one thing is true— I care about you and what happens to you and all of Scotland when we die. That is why I'm here today to let you know I care, and so does Jesus. I will never stop caring for you and will never stop praying for you." He used more colorful expressions to "assure" me his beliefs were enough, and he drove off. In that moment, the burdens I had seen the Hodnetts carrying and the burdens of the other missionaries I had met the last several days suddenly became real and heavy in my heart. I continued with my group to finish the last section of a neighborhood for the final day of leafleting. This burden remains at the forefront of my mind, and I pray the fervor of it never ceases.
So did I see the harvest in Scotland? Did our team see a plentiful harvest? I cannot say yes or no. What I saw was a plow that needed to be pulled, rocks that needed to be removed from the soil, hardened hearts that needed to be softened with just a kind word or expression, and I saw what Jesus described as "sheep having no shepherd." Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom need laborers to work the fields. The work we did in 10 villages amounted to 38,000 tracts being sent out, approximately 114,000 people being reached with the Gospel, and 20 people being forever changed by a 12-day holiday to visit friends across the pond. This plowing would have taken the Hodnetts an estimated 20-years to complete.
Case in point, my eye has affected my heart. What I saw was a field needing to be plowed, and by God's grace, our team was able to assist in that hard work. I saw and felt was Jesus experienced in Matthew 9:34-38. We went from cities and villages, taking the Gospel to each home and business. We now know of at least 150 people who reached out either to the Hodnett's via the church website, their phone number, or by other means. And one woman has already enquired about Bro. Jody starting a Bible study in her town.
Still pray for Frank and others such as Papa Doug, Chandreet, Glenn, Margret, Mrs. Mitchell, the English Traveler Mark, Daniel, our server, Granny Anne, Fiona, Anna, Jannette, and her 96-year-old mother, countless waiters and waitresses, and children and teens we met along the way.
The work in Scotland continues on. I could write pages upon pages of the lessons I learned from each team member, each encounter with a stranger, and each verse God would give in my devotions to press on. But I challenge all who read this to see people as they really are—souls in need of a Savior—and I challenge you to dare to care about the harvest that truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.
David Carroll
David Livingstone wrote in one of his journals, "Nothing earthly will make me give up my work in despair. I encourage myself in the Lord my God, and go forward."
What a profound statement he made. This quote has been swirling in my mind ever since I read it at his birthplace. It so moved me that I even mentioned it to Dr. O'Malley.
As I reflect back on our trip, I'm reminded that our enemy, Satan, is a hinderer and a discourager. He opposes the work of Christ at every turn. Some of us were hindered by having are flights delayed and even canceled. He was trying to hinder the work of God. But ultimately, we all arrived and began the work of letterboxing ten towns that needed to hear that Jesus loves them, and there was a friend named Jody Hodnett that would love to share the Gospel of Christ with them personally. Satan may hinder us in accomplishing the work of Christ, but ultimately God will receive the honor and glory. That was accomplished as 48,000 pieces of literature were distributed in the 12 days of our mission trip.
Satan not only hinders us at times, but he also is a discourager. After the great mountain high of fellowship and accomplishment of God's work in Scotland, Satan showed up as a discourager. It seems that every day since we arrived home, something has gone wrong. First, our car wouldn't start and required a new battery, even though it was only one year old. The services on Sunday, the start of our VBS, were ok but not great. Then our pool pump went bad and needed to be replaced, then Diana fell in our yard after stepping on a vole trail, and it's only Wednesday.
I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
Team Scotland, encourage yourself in the work of the Lord, and don't allow Satan to discourage you in your work for Christ. Just as a side note, I believe Satan was provincially trying to hinder us from getting to Scotland and accomplishing the work of Christ for the Scottish people. Once, there the "Good hand of God was upon us." Now Satan seeks to hinder us from shining the light of the glorious gospel to a lost world and igniting that same passion in other believers in our churches.
Diana Carroll
Since returning from our trip to Scotland and seeing how God has worked and how hard Satan has tried to stop the work from going out, I am so thankful God allowed us to be a part of this great time in Scotland. My heart was so moved deeply with a desire for God‘s people to share the word. I saw the dedication and faithfulness of all who went on the trip, from the youngest to the oldest. One thing that stands out so deeply in my mind is the thought of the ones that climbed that mountain to reach the top and were able to look at the beauty from the top of the mountains. Some of us stood there looking up from the bottom, reminding me that God is the same God of the mountaintop as he is in the valley. Returning home sometimes seems like we are in that valley after all the joy of God‘s people being together in Scotland. Now Satan has been throwing his fiery darts at us, trying hard to discourage us. We need to remember that God is always with us no matter where we are in this life, and we need to stay faithful at doing His work. The time is short, and souls need to be saved in Scotland and America. Thank you all for the amazing time we had and the new friends we have made love you all.
Dale Dewey
How do you go back to life as normal after experiencing perhaps one of the most memorable and amazing times you’ll ever have on this earth? Well, I suppose you just have to ask the Lord for help and get on with it. “Stiff upper lip and all,” as the Hodnett’s neighbors to the south would say.
I am going to once again play the “new Christian” card, and that will hopefully blanket all of my potentially ignorant-sounding statements throughout this testimony. I will also try to refrain from using emojis.
It just so happened that on the trip back from the KFC picnic, I had the distinct honor of sitting next to a rather kind person named Miss MaKenzie. During the time in which we sat in the van, a rather annoying situation presented itself in the form of a Culicoides impunctatus. Colloquially known as a “midgie,” this creature met its end by a rather well-aimed and swift poke against the van window from the aforementioned MaKenzie. In my ignorance, I murmured something about the death of one of God’s creatures. I would kindly be reminded, however, though the midgie was indeed a creature, it was most likely one that had been a result of the fall as it was a nuisance to mankind. In addition, the act of subduing the pest was indeed biblical, as it is our duty to have dominion over creation in accordance to God’s will (Genesis 1.) Everything in this sin-cursed world must die. “Ah, but what of the rapture? Surely if we are to be raptured we surely will not die?” I was reminded, however, that we must die to ourselves. I say reminded because surely these are truths I had read about in the Bible and listened to pastors preach on. It was in this brief moment, however, that something clicked. I do believe Miss Lilly sang about how the hope or desire we have as Christians is that others should see Jesus in us.
Amanda, you are an encourager and soldier with your face set towards winning souls for Christ. AnaLeesa, you have a wonderful sense of humor as well as an attention to care and awareness for others. Angela K, thank you for your kindness, humor, and wisdom. Cody, one of the kindest things anyone has ever said to me was, “you’re going to be alright.” Thank you for your friendship and for your leadership, and selfless care for others. Pastor Carroll, it was as if we were old friends, the way you were so kind. Truly a man that has a heart for others and can recognize moments where encouragement is needed and delivers in an instant. I’m thankful that I am a man! Mrs. Carroll, thank you for your prayers. I was blessed by our conversations. Lady Erika, you inspired confidence amongst the crews and are one of the coolest teachers I know. Ginger, I just got a chance to look at your artwork and praise God for your gift of seeing people as others may have missed. Your heart for others is inspiring. J, what a cool guy! It was great meeting one of the kindest and most thoughtful young men in all of Scotland. Hannah, I am so sorry, I totally forgot you were also on the mountain. You are super. Jody, I hope I never forget the things you shared with the team. Your kindness, your knowledge, your wisdom, your humor. You are a great leader, and I was blessed to spend time with you. Joe Hurdt (Tiger Joe), again, we may as well have known each other for years. You are so friendly and down to earth. John O’Malley, yesterday a fellow churchgoer welcomed me back and said, “John O’Malley is a good guy to be around.” I agree. Johnna, thank you so much for sharing a little of your story with me. I do hope to be as calm, compassionate, and nice as you one day. Joe K, OK Joe K, OK, OK Joe K, you helped me realize what it means to be a team player, and I have been asking my coworkers who the five people are they’d go to dinner with. Hopefully, soon, we can move on to the pie question. Joy Beth, you are an extremely gifted communicator. It was wonderful to meet someone that is so intelligent and concise with their words. Lord JP, I look up to you, sir. I thank you for sharing your devotionals. You have inspired me to be more friendly. Lillie, you are so incredibly gifted in so many ways. You’re also super funny and really do place an importance on being there for others. MaKenzie, you are one in a million. I’m not sure how else to explain it. It was a joy, truly. Mary Samuels, what an honor to meet someone that is just so pleasant to be around. What a privilege to sit at a table with someone that has such a heart for others. Rachel, you are super nice and amazingly cool. Rebekah, shout out to Rebekah for putting up with all of my questions and antics before the trip even began. Sammie, I heard a wise man once say, “what would we do without a Sammie?”
I hope it was okay that I called you all out like this. I was in a mode where I was thinking about how cool and nice you all are, but then I realized that the good things I see in you are qualities of our creator. I praise God for how he made you, and my heart bursts at the hope that I will be with you all and our great savior in heaven forever.
Ginger Hodnett
Our hearts were burdened for the people in Scotland many years ago. They are much like this old Abbey in a broken and unusable condition.
Scotland once knew God and the gospel was once preached across the country. We have heard of the revivals and how God worked in the homes and lives of many.
Today we are now working with people that know nothing of God. They are a broken people, and their spiritual lives are in ruins.
When we first began talking about the See the Harvest team coming to Scotland. I was overly excited at what this would mean for our ministry here and the impact it would make. Due to Covid, that trip was sadly canceled, and many days I felt discouraged and many tears were shed. But I am so thankful that we serve a God that is absolutely in control. Timing is very important when planning, and our God knows the best time and the best people for this type of outreach.
I was so encouraged as each one arrived with excitement about the work that lay ahead. Scotland is a beautiful country, and although many of them had thoughts of things they wanted to see and do, they were each focused on the job at hand. Many got out and worked before the scheduled times because they wanted to get the job done.
I was encouraged in so many different ways, “See the Harvest” is not about going into a country and reaching thousands for Christ, although that would be the ultimate goal. “See the Harvest” is about seeing the souls that need to be harvested... seeing a country that is turned around spiritually and now sits in a place of pre-Christianity.
When Jody and I first began talking again about the team from coming over, although excited, I wasn’t really sure how well it would work since we are independent missionaries. We are not a part of the Mission Board that this ministry is out of; we are independent missionaries sent out of our local church.
Until we joined Cozaddale Baptist Temple, we were very alone on the mission field, and many times I wanted us to be a part of a mission board for no other reason than the feeling of security and support. I am thankful for our home church, Cozaddale has given us that security and support, and so I wondered how would it work for a mission board to reach outside of their missionaries and be able to work well together.
Honestly, I can’t imagine being treated and supported better if we had been a part of WWNTBM. I am so thankful that Bro John O’Malley and the staff of World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions are not only concerned with their missionaries but truly have a heart for the world. They are exceptional in their work and planning, we gave them our burden and what we would like to see happen, and they absolutely went above and beyond.
God brought people together to make up the team from all across America. Many had not met until they arrived in Scotland. I was blessed as I watched these team members go from being excited to be here, to being broken for the lost souls.
See the Harvest is such an amazing program for people to catch a burden for souls. There may be countries that a team can go into and come home with many names of people that gave their heart to Jesus. But being in Scotland, the way I see this ministry is like this... When you prepare your fields for a crop, you first remove the rocks and the things that will hinder your work of plowing, then you plow, stir the ground to be able to handle the seed, then you plant the seed, one by one, strategically placed so they will grow properly, then the fertilizer, water, and sunshine will cause the seed to sprout and grow. When you look at how large your field is and how many rocks there are, the temptation to quit would be quite easy. If you think your work is in vain, you will stop working.
If you didn’t already See The Harvest ahead, you would give up. When you plant a field of corn, you don’t do so without thinking about the day that you can pull that stalk of corn and taste the sweetness. The same goes on the mission field. We can’t focus on the difficult roots and the heaviness of the rocks; we must SEE THE HARVEST in order to continue on.
For now, we are happy to remove rocks, plow the field and plant the seed. When God convicts and draws the souls, then we will glory in the salvation of those we have worked so hard for. I am so thankful for this opportunity and great outreach that has been accomplished through WWNTBM. We may not see a large harvest here in Scotland, it may be that my children will reap the harvest, but one day, maybe it will be in eternity, we will see the fruit of our labor, and we will See the Harvest.
Angela Kutinsky
Before we ever left the States for Scotland, I had a certain hymn running through my head almost non-stop. This song would continue on our trip and throughout our labors. Just now, three days after returning home, have I truly recognized its absence and its significance.
Ho, my comrades, see the signal Waving in the sky!
Joe first made me aware of the opportunity to join Brother O’Malley on a missions trip to Scotland three years ago. There was a missionary family there that needed help reaching the towns around them with the Gospel and gauging interest for Bible Studies in those areas. Joe and I were both eager to go to Scotland on our first official missions trip.
Reinforcements now appearing, Victory is nigh.
After three years of waiting out COVID and lots of planning on many people’s parts, the team finally began to assemble in Scotland. We got to meet the Hodnetts and those we would be working alongside. We were instructed on how to insert the tracts into the mail slots on the doors and how we should watch for dogs or other hazards along the way.
“See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;”
However, it quickly became apparent that Satan was not happy with the ‘See The Harvest’ plans finally coming to fruition, and the attacks started before some even got to their airports. We were then met with opposition and negativity as we began to place the Gospel in mail slots and hand it out at a parade. There were threats of Police being called, not-so veiled intimidation, and outright cursing and harassment.
“Mighty men around us falling, Courage almost gone.”
One evening after another full day of distributing the Gospel, we gathered in the hotel’s conference room. The group spoke about the struggles and fears we had encountered during our journey so far. It turned out all of us were struggling to push ourselves forward in one way or another.
“See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!”
But push forward we did, with the help and encouragement of the team that was now more like family. The Lord began to show us the results of our labor and His Blessings. One individual prayed God would send him someone to answer his questions about the Gospel. Brother John O’Malley landed in Scotland the same day that man prayed and by God’s providence, met that man on the road three days later. While still in Scotland, two individuals reached out to the Hodnetts about starting a Bible Study in towns that were not originally on our list. That number has increased to four since being back in the States.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;”
Scotland was once a land that sent men like David Livingstone to share the Gospel. However, now it has become a land that has maybe 20 KJV Bible-preaching churches in a Country the size of South Carolina. We helped to plow a land that has become dormant of The Lord’s Word, but there is still more work to do.
“Wave the answer back to heaven, “By the grace we will.”
During our 10 day trip to Scotland, our team of 24 walked an average of 50 miles each, totaling well over 1,000 miles. We visited and distributed the Gospel to 10 towns with an estimated 38,000 houses and reached an estimated 114,000 souls. We built friendships and a support structure that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
I did not include the final verse of this song in my testimony because the battle continues, not only in Scotland but across the world. You may not be called to Scotland; you may not be called to anywhere outside of your own neighborhood. However, wherever you are called, it may not seem like an active battlefield to you, but it is. Souls are dying and going to hell every day. What are you doing to help?
Joe Kutinsky
I admit, I saw the task at hand—delivering the Gospel to every home in nine towns over ten days—as optimistically ambitious. While awaiting the confirmation that the trip would finally be underway after being delayed multiple years due to the COVID pandemic, I asked Bro. John O’Malley to let me know the names of the towns so I could pray purposely for them. He connected me via Facebook Messenger with Bro. Jody Hodnett, missionary to Scotland, and Bro. Hodnett sent me the list of names. He also included voice recordings of the proper pronunciation, albeit in his Georgian drawl. As I prayed, and as I took the time to research the towns, the task looked more ambitious still. In the weeks leading up to the trip, two towns were removed, and two other towns added. I continued to pray and research.
The day came to board the plane, and for my wife Angela and I, the travel was relatively easy. While we awaited our departure from Cleveland, Ohio for our connection in Boston, I struck up a conversation with a fellow traveler in the terminal. Before we parted, Dejan had received a Gospel tract, a King Jame Bible of his own, and my promise to pray for him and his father. I hadn’t flown in over ten years, however, and being anxious about both heights and situational control (I typically am the one who drives when we go anywhere, even with friends or work colleagues), I was a bit uneasy once we boarded the first plane. This is where God began a work in me. As we climbed in altitude, the Holy Spirit laid Scripture on my heart that He would use over and over on this trip; “Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3). It was the perfect passage to combat the insecurity and uneasiness with which I would struggle for the early part of the trip. While the Devil battled my psyche, he made every effort to physically hinder and otherwise discourage other members of the team through travel disruptions and misplaced luggage. Monday turned into Tuesday as most of us crossed the Atlantic overnight. For some, though, due to the above-mentioned delays, Tuesday turned to Wednesday.
Finally, by mid-day Wednesday, the team was assembled in the village of Sanquhar, Scotland, fifty-eight miles southwest of Edinburgh. After a brief orientation meeting, we went out into the designated areas of the town that would be our home for the next nine days. Bro. Cody Carden had done the advance planning of how we would deploy in each town, breaking down the team into smaller elements, and designating areas on the map for each group to distribute our leaflets. On this day, we would see the fruition of his planning and how effective it would be. We were able to make quick work of putting the Gospel in every home in this village of nearly 2,000 souls. This would be the method, with minor adjustments, by which we would do the same in the towns of Kirkconnel (1,960 souls), Kilmarnock (nearly 50,000 souls), Thornhill (1,670 souls), Kilmaurs (2,800 souls), Stewarton (7,770 souls), Annan (8,700 souls), and Gretna (3,000 souls), as well as parts of Locharbriggs near the community centre that houses Solway Baptist Church, and distributing to the crowd at the Good Neighbors Parade in Dumfries.
We were met with opposition and discouragement early. On the third morning, we met with the news that we had received multiple thinly veiled threats attempting intimidation and outright threats to call the police because of our (completely legal) activity. Our response was a forty-five minute prayer meeting. That afternoon, one of our teams experienced a Devine appointment when they met a man who said he’d begged God to send him someone who could answer questions about God. Multiple teams reported throughout the trip that they were met with everything from profanity, the tearing up of the literature in front of them, and even attempts at overt sexual intimidation. These were discouraging for many, including myself, early on.
Midway through the trip, we had an evening discussion where several team members, allowing themselves to be vulnerable, expressed these feelings of discouragement. This allowed others to see they were not alone, and as we talked about how God worked in each of our hearts through these tough encounters, most, if not all, left encouraged and with a renewed sense of purpose. I myself shared how I struggled with yielding control to God in these times, as I am uneasy in large cities, especially when alcohol is introduced, causing me to wrestle with God about my willingness and joy as we worked in Kilmarnock and at the parade in Dumfries. This is where God used the Scripture above, as well as the familiar story of Jonah, to help me understand where I was incorrect in my attitudes of service in certain scenarios. I referred to these as my “Ninevehs”, and talked about how God chastised me for my mindset. I was among those who left the room with a better understanding of how and why we serve the One True God, who is always in control, and for whose glory we came to Scotland.
We worked hard, and we played hard. I had the opportunity on one of our off days to take a car and a few of our team to meet with the Alverson Family, with whom our church is partnered, on the other side of the country (about five hours driving round trip) and be an encouragement to them (they encouraged us as much!). While picnicking for dinner in Mennock Pass one evening, four ambitious team members climbed the mountain at whose base we dined. Another evening, three of the team (myself included) climbed up a mountain to see the loch at the top that feeds Grey Mare’s Tail Falls (and climbed back down in the dark!). There were dinners at chippies, home-cooked meals by Mrs. Hodnett served at the hotel in the conference room we basically took over, late evening games on the hotel patio, and a general spirit of fellowship throughout the trip. We were united in our desire to see souls saved. We bonded over the adversities of new foods like Marmite and Haggis, and the rejection of the Gospel we so desired to share with the people of Scotland. I’ve never seen such cohesive unity of purpose in any of the volunteer or paid organizations in which I’ve worked; these people were extraordinary. What made them extraordinary was not a special skillset, advanced training, or superior physical qualities. These were men and women ranging in age from 18 to 71 years of age. These were men and women who ranged in spiritual maturity from relatively recently saved (within two years) to decades of pastoring. What made these people extraordinary was simply this; they were obedient to God’s direction that all believers are to share the Gospel, whether at home or abroad. Through this experience, I witnessed God work in the hearts of everyone on this team, including me, and I’m anticipatory of how He will use each of us for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom. God worked in the hearts of the people in these towns. While we did not see an instant revival in the Scottish people, Bro. Hodnett reported that from the time we began until the days we were traveling home, he’d received more than 150 responses through the website, text, and phone calls, with people in at least two of the towns desirous of participating in a local Bible study. I am anticipatory of how God will work through these opportunities. The following stats are a snapshot of the work God allowed us to do:
24 total team members
10 days of ministry
An average 50 miles walked (the team collectively walked enough miles to go from Land’s End, England, to John O’Groats, Scotland, and back to Manchester, England!)
1,300 miles driven
10 towns (including one parade)
Estimated 38,000 Gospel packets distributed
Estimated 114,000 souls reached with the Gospel
The program is called See The Harvest, but the work in Scotland is preparing the soil for planting so that later generations may see the harvest here. Pray for Scotland. Pray for those who will continue the labor after our departure. Pray for more laborers.
Erica Paul
This is my third “See the Harvest” trip, and on each trip, I ask the Lord to give me a scripture that in some way represents the trip to me. Each trip I have taken, the Lord has also shown me the same thing about the harvest and His workers. Before I share about these scriptures and what the Lord has shown me, I’d like to share how this trip worked differently for me.
The trip to Scotland showed me something different than any other missions trip had before. I was able to see firsthand, to some extent, the “cost” of what it meant to be a missionary. At home, when our family experiences hard times, we are able to stop what we are doing and go to them. We witnessed all the missionaries that were with us, have situations arise with their families. Each situation was different to some degree, but to see the reality of truly leaving it in the Lord’s hands and trusting Him was a help to me. They had been given a responsibility, and couldn’t run back home to their families but they stuck to the task and allowed the Lord to handle it. Something else different this trip showed me, is how to handle change better and with more grace. I am very routine-oriented and have a tendency to not handle change, that comes without warning very well. The two trips we had taken to Boston seemed to be different in the way that there was a schedule and not much deterred from it. This trip to Scotland grew me in this way. I can’t say that I always handled every change that occurred over this trip with grace or in the right manner but I know the Lord worked on me to step back and try to see each situation from a different perspective. There began to be a realization that I didn’t always know what was going on behind the scenes and the reasoning for each situation that was being changed. Another way that the Lord worked differently in me this trip was to realize that I am not other people and other people are not me. (Pretty profound, I know.) Taking other’s abilities into consideration was something I hadn’t really realized before was something I needed to change. God makes each of us different. Realizing that what I expect of myself isn’t always okay to expect of someone else. Being able to adapt my expectations to take others into consideration was good for me to learn.
The two scriptures that the Lord used for me on this trip to Scotland were: Psalm 78 and Ezekiel 2. Psalm 78 was something the Lord used on one of our last sightseeing trips to see the grave of John Knox. I believe it was either Brother O’Malley or Brother Hodnett that shared this scripture while we were there at the grave; either way, it stuck with me. A phrase that was said while we were there at the grave, that also stuck with me, went something like this: What have you told those who follow? It made me think.....What have I told them? What am I currently telling them? What will my life tell them? JP and I currently attend a program called Reformers Unanimous, and we learned a principle in that program that says, Our sinful habits do hurt those who follow us. In that principle, we learn Romans 14:7, which says, For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. In that principle, we learn that our lives can affect others for the good or the bad. It is a choice. Our lives speak volumes to those around us. Not just verbally, but what has my life told to those who follow me? I am realizing more and more, as life goes on, how much of an influence my life is on those around me. I am a school teacher and Sunday school teacher; what am I telling my kids about the Lord? What did I tell those on our team about the Lord? What did I tell those in Scotland about the Lord? Psalm 78, speaks of telling the generation to come about the Lord so they can set their hope in Him. Am I doing that with my life and my words? The other scripture the Lord used on this trip was Ezekiel 2. This scripture speaks of telling others what the Lord says no matter whether or not they listen. It reminds us not to fear the physical or what is said but just be faithful in sharing the Word of God. Being outside of your comfort zone and amongst people that are unknown can bring fear but the Lord just says to speak His Word and there is nothing to fear.
One of my favorite things that I have seen on each one of these trips is how the Lord brings our groups together as strangers and unites our hearts together for the cause of eternity. It consistently encourages my heart to see people from so many different ages, churches, states, and backgrounds come together as if we have known each other for years. I love seeing the way the Lord brings each of us together with such a wide range of talents and abilities and we just fit together as a puzzle to get the task accomplished. I am forever grateful for each person from our group in Scotland. I am thankful for the friendships that were gained from this trip and the encouragement from old and young alike.
At the beginning of this, I mentioned that the Lord shows me one specific thing each year on the missions trips I have taken. What He shows me, is how much missionaries need help. I believe our churches that have been established take certain things for granted. Missionaries and church planters need help with just the every day or every service tasks while they are getting their churches started. They need encouragement. They need the fellowship of other believers. They truly need our prayers, and they need us to communicate with them. Brother Hodnett mentioned at some point, during the trip or before, that the work our group would come to help them with would probably take them close to twenty years on their own. It seems so simple, but we handed out literature in the surrounding towns for them. They need help. Other missionaries need help. These are what seem like simple tasks for our churches, but it is a significant task for them.
I am thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of this trip to see the harvest in Scotland. I am thankful to have seen the beautiful landscapes and historical places across these towns. I am thankful for the people we were able to connect with in the towns. I am thankful for the people in our group that we started as strangers and left as family. I am thankful for being given the opportunity to see the heart of the missionaries and the heart of the people in our group. I am thankful for not just the work that was accomplished in reaching these communities but also the work that was accomplished in our time of fellowship. Once again, a piece of my heart has been left in another place.... Scotland. My heart is full. I needed this trip, and all aspects of this trip have encouraged me to continue. I cannot wait for the next “See the Harvest” trip. May the Lord find us faithful as we continue to see the harvest in our home churches and families.
Jonathan Paul
Jesus is the only way anyone from Scotland will have eternal life. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
This is the goal of the Hodnett’s, Amanda, and the other missionaries we met while in the country; that they would lead people to Jesus. It is our goal too.
We got to see firsthand the difficulty that often comes when working toward that goal. This might be a silly illustration, but it struck me as true. The “hill” some of us tried to climb was not as easy as it looked. In fact, it was very difficult for someone who was not in peak condition.
The first little bit was easy, and progress was noticeable. As the climb went on, I realized it was not going to be easy to get to the top. I stopped several times and seriously considered turning back. One of the main reasons I continued was because of Dale. He encouraged me, not by saying anything, but by doing the work alongside me. Finally, we did reach the top. I most likely would not have finished the climb without his encouragement.
This reminded me of something Lady Erica mentioned when I asked her about what she learned from the trip. She said she noticed, as she has noticed before, that missionaries need our help. Sometimes it is with words. Sometimes that means we pray earnestly for and with them. For this short time in Scotland, we got to work alongside them. I’m thankful for the Lord allowing us to be part of this.
The other part of the climb, which to me was noteworthy, was the way that worked best to get to the top. It was not effective climbing straight up toward the top, taking as big of a step as you could. Instead, it was taking that next small step after the last small step and then doing it again and again. Climbing the hill all at once was not going to happen. Little by little and inch by inch, the top became closer and closer. Each step makes an impact. Each person on our trip made an impact as well.
This one part of the trip that impacted me. I was reminded a few times while in Scotland and also once we got back home; the body of Christ is made up of many members, and each has a purpose. Praise the Lord for using his children. Thank you to each of you for being part of this trip. We did really become more like a family as a result, and more importantly, the goal of seeing the harvest was advanced. God gets all the glory for that.
Mary Samuels
Wow, where to begin? The realization of the trip to Scotland began the Sunday night prior to our departure. At our evening service, we were sent off with our associate Pastor reading John 3:16-17, Matt 9:37-38, Matt 28:18-20, and then another person said, 'Who should I send? Who will go for us?' Then one by one, Pastor Dave, Diana, and I each stood and said, "Here I am. Send me" (Isaiah 6:8). After that, we all came forward, and the congregation prayed over us for our journey. lt was a very emotional ceremony. Then Satan tried to keep us from getting to Scotland with flight cancellations and delays. But we finally made it to Scotland on the morning of June 14th, the last of the group to assemble. But to God be the glory, we were well taken care of during our layovers, and Rebekah along with the travel agent, were on top of all of our changes. We just got a free tour of the east coast on our way to Scotland.
We hit the ground running the very afternoon we arrived, right in the town of Sanquhar, and finished the last day (Thursday) in Locharbriggs, around the Hodnett's church. I give God all the glory that I was able to go on the STH trip. Being the oldest, I prayed my health would continue to be good and to be able to keep walking daily. It was such a joy to see all the younger ones so on fire for the Lord. I pray they all continue. In one town I gave the leaflet to a worker at a house. Diana saw them a few minutes later him reading it. The people were very open to receiving the information we were letterboxing. Of course, there was some opposition, but the news of the positive responses Brother Jody is receiving is encouraging to all of us and the Hodnetts. The realization that we distributed 38,000 Bible tracts in 10 towns with an average of 50 miles walking per person during the trip is overwhelming.
I want to thank Brother Jody and Ginger for all they did for us and showed us while we were there. The whole group got along so well; I have 20 new family members! The scenery, God's creation, was just breathtaking. Even though I never got to see a "coo," I enjoyed and feel very blessed to have been on this mission trip. But seeing a "coo" was not what this trip was about. Passing the Word to the people of Scotland was our mission! One of my favorite verses is Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I pray daily that I will continue to have a servant's heart and always rejoice in the Lord. I'm so glad I was able to travel to Scotland and if it be God's will, go on other mission trips also. I also thank Pastor Dave and Diana for their guidance as we made the trip. I look forward to what else God has planned for me.
Rachel Worman
I have been on a few trips with the See the Harvest Group before. I came into this trip knowing some expectations of how it will be run, but mostly to be expected to come into this trip with an open mind and heart to see what God has in store for me to do and what he wants me to learn through this trip.
We had a group of 20 different people from all over America come together and sacrifice their time, money, and body to help spread the gospel in Scotland. God used the Hodnett family’s burden for the people of Scotland to be the catalyst to begin our great outreach push. Coming into the trip, we had an idea of what towns and which days we were going to letterbox them, but God had a different idea in mind. We still letterboxed several of the same towns, just on different days with a couple of different towns. We were able to letterbox ten towns: Sanquhar, Kirkconnel, Kilmarnock, Thornhill, Dumfries, Kilmaurs, Stewarton, Gretna, Annan, and Lockarbriggs. Over all, God allowed us to pass out over 38,000 tracks to all of these homes. God was able to allow us to get a small understanding of the impact we made in these homes while we were there. There was three people who reached out to the Hodnett family who wanted to partake in their Bible study. There were over 150 people who made contact with them through their website, phone calls, and emails. The company the Hodnett family purchased the tracks through kept in touch with the Hodnett family, and they also had contact with many people reaching out to them as well. Even though these are the current numbers that have reached out so far, God is still working in several lives who received these gospel tracks. Many of them we will not know about until we reach heaven.
God is always showing me and teaching me something new about myself and about him on each trip. This trip is no different. Here are just a couple of things that really stood out to me during these two weeks.
Satan is very determined to stop what is good, but God is a mightier force that can not be stopped despite the hardships we encounter. Before we even arrived in Scotland, our team was challenged. Several had canceled flights, delayed flights, or even both. I was able to make it to my final flight with just about 30 minutes to spare. Others made the flight during the middle of boarding, while two others were the last people on the airplane before the doors were closed. Another group of travelers was not able to make it on the first day, but God allowed them to have an open door to continue to Scotland the next day. Once we got to Scotland, two of our members went several days without their luggage, but that did not stop them from continuing on their work. Another person was struggling with her electrical items and the breakers blowing, but that did not stop her from doing what she needed to do. We all had different difficulties Satan used to try to stop us from doing the work of God, including myself.
Satan did not target me physically, but emotionally and mentally. On Saturday, we were able to go to the Good Neighbors Parade in Dumfries to pass out tracks to the people that were there. During the majority of the time when I was passing out tracks, I was discouraged. I was feeling judged, like I was doing something wrong. Some took the tracks willingly, but I got a lot of hard looks, and I got turned down a lot, and it was hard. I was able to hand out a few tracks and kept moving through the people, but I questioned if this was really doing anything. I did not think I was making an impact. The next night, unknowingly to me, several other people in our group were going through the same thing. We had a brief testimony time for a few people in our group to share something good and something bad about the trip from the first week we were there. It surprised me how many felt discouraged, inadequate, and judged. Through that time of testimony and reflection, God allowed their testimony to strengthen and encourage me to continue on.
I was able to start our outreach on Monday morning, full of energy and determination to continue on. Not long into our first town, Satan tried to hinder me once again. Scotland has a lot of people who are in road construction trucks who work all over in different towns. You can not go through a town without seeing several work trucks. Most of the workers I talked to was on the clock and could not read the track. Some workers would take it to read later, but most of them would not take it. The town I was working in Monday morning was no different from the rest of the towns. I was letterboxing on a street with one of our drivers while the other two members of our group were working on a separate street working to catch up with us. On our street, I noticed a work truck parked up the road. I continued to letterbox up the road toward the truck. Once I finished the house by the work crew, I was surprised to see them beckoning me over to them. Everyone I had encountered before was uninterested. I gladly informed them of what I was doing and what I was handing out. I shared with them about where the church was, and that Brother Hodnett was looking at starting a Bible study. I was ecstatic to encounter someone who seemed interested in what God had to say. However, that changed really quickly when he wanted to know if my contact information was on the tracks. He wanted my contact information specifically, not caring about the other contact information. He wanted to know if he would see me at this church if he went. He wanted to know where our group was staying, and when he found out I lived in America, he asked me to move there. This man was older. I want to say in his upper 30’s to upper 40’s. Once this man started down this road immediately, my flight response kicked in. I was fearful to get close to this truck, worried I could easily get kidnapped by him in a blink of a moment. My only comfort was that the 2nd part of our group caught up to us, and JP saw me and watched us the whole time we were interacting, not letting me out of his sight. I was also comforted that Joe was just a couple of houses down, even though I could not see him. Thankfully I was able to cut our conversation short and walked directly to JP and let him know what happened. As we continued on to the next street the men came back around in their truck. The same driver tried to start talking to me again, sounding more possessive, calling me his girl and promising to see me later. At this point, I was so grateful to be surrounded by both men in my group. Brother Joe, a retired police officer, quickly escorted another girl and me away from the men while JP went to talk to the men in the truck.
This shook me up tremendously, and I just started the day off. I was anxious and on high alter for hours after this happened. At some point, God recalled to mind the previous night of testimony. How Satan has been fighting us since hour one before we even left for Scotland, and he wants to hinder my part in God’s work. With that thought in mind, it helped me to keep going despite being shaken, nervous, and anxious. It also helped that God allowed this to happen with this particular group of people. I trusted both men who were with me completely, and I knew I was safe with them. Before this even happened, they were very good at making sure both of us ladies were always with one of them, and they would not separate themselves from us. I was nervous and on high alert the rest of the week I was there. Especially when I encountered road workers. I was fearful that I would run into this man again, not knowing what his intentions towards me were.
But God is a good God who allows the people I am around to help encourage me to continue on in my work for him. He kept giving me a piece of encouragement to keep going despite my fear from this event. The same night after I encountered this man, another lady and I went to see the Dukes Castle with the Hodnetts. On the way back from the castle we were able to meet a traveler named Mark, and we were able to witness to him about the gospel. After our time with him, we went back to our hotel due to the very late hour. On the way back, Mrs. Ginger got notice from the people they purchased the tracks through that they were currently talking to someone about salvation. She also informed us of the several people who have reached out to this company through the tracks, and several more had accessed their website, and some of them reached out to them personally. Only God knew that I needed this hope and encouragement from our conversation with Mark and from Mrs. Ginger to help keep pushing me on through the week despite my nervousness.
Brother Hodnett also encouraged me greatly as well. He shared with us about several people who replied negatively about the tracks we were handing out. I did not see it as a good thing until he told us that their emails were good news to him. Even though they did not accept the gospel, they took the time to read the track and explain why it was wrong, and why they disagreed. They read the gospel, and they have it in their minds, and God will use that to work in their lives. Even though the immediate results are negative, God can and will use his words to work in their life over the course of time.
God has also taught me about a new side of missions that I had not thought of or seen before. When I think of mission work, I think about someone going to a different place and several lives being saved quickly, and the need for help to disciple all of the lives saved. I have never really thought about what it looks like to plow. However, you have to have all aspects of farming in order to have a harvest. Someone has to plow, to seed, to water, and then harvest. What I experienced these past two weeks was what it is like to be in a time of plowing. It was a lot of hard work, filled with difficulties and trials. During the time of plowing, there is not a lot of lives that are saved right away. The ground is not ready to receive the word of God yet. Some early seeds might take, or you might find a crop left from a previous harvest. A missionary can be highly discouraged during the time of plowing because there is not a lot of response from the work yet. They are forming a path for the next generation to be able to come and plant seeds that will be received.
When I reflect on the church the Hodnetts have, they have been in service for six years. During their work of plowing, they have two faithful men in their church and another man who comes off and on. It is easy to become discouraged by their lack of great continual growth in the church. At one point in their ministry, they had a handful of people in their church. That changed when they went on deputation. When they came back, their church was gone. The doors were locked up. Scotland is slowly being plowed to be able to receive the word of God. Our prayer and hope is that we will continue to teach the next generation to continue the work of God. That one day, the field will be fully plowed, ready to receive the seed, then watered, and then finally ready for a plentiful harvest. Scotland has little to no gospel knowledge. Most are hardened toward the gospel. America is heading in the same direction of Scotland. The harvest is nearly all harvested. We must be ready to take the plow once again to get the soil ready for the next generation despite the hardships and difficulties that are to come.
I do not know what God wants me to do yet. I do not know what path he has for me. What I do know, through this trip, he has revealed to me that what he has in store for me will be full of difficulties and trials. I need to be ready to endure hardships and pain, and I need to ready myself now and be aware of what I will be getting myself into before I even get there. If I am not prepared mentally and emotionally, I will not be able to continue, and I will end up giving up, and I will not finish the race God wants me to run.
If I had to summarize what I learned in this whole trip, it would be this: Satan fights very hard against what is good, we need other believers to encourage and strengthen us to continue on the fight of faith, and God’s word will never return void, even if we never see the results.
Johnna Wynn
As I attempt to return to “normal,” I reflect over and over on what has become my NEW normal. The old Johnna thought she was on fire for the Lord. The old Johnna thought she did a good job at praying for ministries. The old Johnna thought she did a good job at sharing God’s word….. then STH Scotland happened. My life has been forever changed! The fire I now feel is more of a bonfire, the prayers are specific, I am planning more ways to reach my community! The new Johnna was blessed to watch young souls blossom in His name. Perhaps this was my favorite part of the trip… watching shy, quiet individuals just spread their wings and FLY in the name of God!! We, as humans, often miss “the big picture." My earnest prayer, growing forward, is to see details and opportunities in MY small world. I am working on my “bonfire” and find myself ready to stuff some literature (although this time I shall stuff it in Pepsi boxes at Walmart). I pray for all my new family and look forward to our next meeting, be it on planet Earth, or in our Mansion above. God bless us all, and in the words of Joe H: Toodaloo!