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Missions

Ministry by Example

Leanore is in elementary school, but she already knows what she wants to be someday. She plans to do the same work as her good friend Trudy Ruehmann, missionary to Micronesia.

Trudy and Leanore met soon after Trudy's arrival on Pohnpei, the capital island of Micronesia, in 1999. At a home Bible study, Trudy tried hard to participate, but the Pohnpeian language was difficult to understand.

One day Leanore sat next to Trudy. Patiently, she began helping her understand words and phrases. As their friendship blossomed, Leanore came to Trudy's home. They practiced conversational skills while baking cookies and playing games. Leanore told her mother, "When I grow up, I want to be just like Trudy."

At school one day, Leanore's teacher led a discussion on careers. Leanore told the class she wanted to be a pastor."You cannot do that,"her teacher said. "Women cannot teach in a church."

In tears, Leanore called Trudy. Later that day, the two of them studied the Scriptures for the truth. The next day Leanore showed the teacher what God's Word says.

"I don't know if the teacher changed her mind, but Leanore is convinced that God uses women in ministry, and she plans to be one of them."

Helping young women find places of ministry is of primary importance to Trudy, a missionary since 1996. "Over 75 percent of Micronesia's population is 25 years old or younger,"she says. "My heart's desire is to reach them for Christ and disciple them in the Lord."She currently is youth pastor of Kolonia Assembly and oversees the church's Sunday morning English service. She also teaches at Micronesia Bible College.

Last year Trudy opened her home to two women attending the college. "Danna is from the Philippines, and Menoleen is from Pohnpei,"she says. "I have the privilege of mentoring them in the classroom as well as in everyday living. Danna senses God's call to missions. I am excited and humbled to realize that God is using me to help train future missionaries."

The name Pohnpei means "on the altar." For Trudy, there is nowhere she would rather be. Through Trudy's example, women and girls in Pohnpei are placing their lives on the altar of service, believing that God has a specific ministry for each of them.