Dr Omar Djoeandy with Dr Joshua Bogunjoko

SIM Australia was delighted to have SIM International Dr Joshua Bogunjoko and his wife Dr Joanna visit Australia from 6-13 December, 2016. The couple, both originally from Nigeria, currently serve at the International Office in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Joshua became SIM’s first African International Director when he was commissioned in 2012.
 
Drs Joshua and Joanna visited at the invitation of SIM Australia Director, Dr Omar Djoeandy.The couple spent time meeting with SIM Australia staff and the Board.
 
Joshua shared more of his story with Neil Johnson, host of Vision Radio’s Twenty20 program in an interview entitled Lift up your eyes – Global Missions.
 
In the interview Joshua expressed his gratitude to SIM’s founders, three young men who pioneered the first Christian witness in what was known as the Sudan region. Despite two of these men losing their lives, the surviving founder was able to mobilise a team which established a station in modern-day Nigeria.
 
Joshua shared about the growth of SIM from being an organisation concentrated on Sub-Saharan Africa to an organisation working in over 70 countries amongst communities where Christ is least known.
 
“The picture of who a missionary is has changed over the years and it is simply ordinary people responding with a heart of love and compassion to Christ’s call to the nations”, Joshua said.

Joshua also expressed his delight at the increasing diversity of SIM’s 4000 workers who represent roughly 70 nationalities and work in diverse areas. He put forward a challenge to listeners to consider how they could use their different skills and experiences to make disciples in communities where people are living and dying without the Gospel.
 
The visit of Drs Joshua and Joanna was a great encouragement to the SIM Australia office with Omar commenting that “Joshua and Joanna both have the heart of a shepherd and servant. Joshua’s passion for SIM to reach communities where Christ is least known was inspirational and infectious.”
 

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You can listen to International Director of SIM, Dr Bogunjoko’s interview with Vision Radio here or read a print version here.

For more information, please contact SIM Australia Partner Relations by emailing partner.relations@sim.org.au or call 1300 746 580.