North America is a mission field of complex cultures and diverse religious practices.
Missionaries here face challenges from secularism to language barriers to a historic health crisis. Yet, in spite of the obstacles, God’s mission always moves forward. Your partnership helps make it possible.
The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was started in 1895 by Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) to benefit the work of the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board). In 1934, the offering was named in honor of Annie Armstrong, a bold missions advocate and WMU’s first national executive leader.
Today, more than $1 billion has been donated by Southern Baptist churches and individuals to support thousands of missionaries in church planting and compassion ministries. Because of this sacrificial giving, millions of lives have been and continue to be transformed by the power of the gospel.
The theme for the 2021 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is “The Mission Moves Forward.” The accompanying Scripture verse is 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
The national offering goal is $70 million.
Every dollar given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering supports thousands of missionaries across the U.S. and Canada.
A week of prayer for North American missions is annually observed by Southern Baptist churches to pray for missionaries, their ministries and their families. Prayer is the fuel for spiritually sustaining missionaries in places where the gospel is greatly needed, but often opposed.
Official dates for the week of prayer are the first Sunday in March through the second Sunday. Your church can choose this date or another time during the Easter season to participate.
Prayer is the fuel for spiritually sustaining missionaries in places where the gospel is greatly needed, but often opposed.
Following are some missionary spotlights and prayer points for the week of prayer. These missionaries represent thousands more who are fueled by your prayers and sacrificial giving. To learn more about these missionaries and their stories, visit anniearmstrong.com/missions-stories.
More information about the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, including free promotional resources for your church, is available at anniearmstrong.com.
Day One
Shahid & Maroofa Kamal
Delta, British Columbia
Shahid Kamal’s God is a living God — One who answers prayer. Shahid and his wife, Maroofa, spend their lives introducing Him to the more than 300,000 South Asians who call the Greater Vancouver area home. Read their story.
- Pray for the church’s prayer ministry to continue to open doors for the gospel.
- Pray for South Asians in Surrey to be drawn toward Jesus.
Day Two
Ryan & Tricia McCammack
Avondale Estates, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia is a picture of diversity — and vast need. There’s a beautiful array of cultures, but also brokenness. Many homes don’t have dads in them. The abortion rate is high. There’s division from racial and socioeconomic tensions. Read their story.
- Pray for the McCammacks to reach the diverse communities in their area.
- Pray for church members to display Christ’s reconciling love.
Day Three
Victor & Ludmila Moura
Somerville, Massachusetts
Victor and Ludmila Moura were comfortable in Brazil. He was a pastor of a growing church, and she was a government lawyer doing well in her career. Over time, though, they felt God leading them in an unexpected direction — to plant a church for Brazilians in Boston, home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the U.S. Read their story.
- Pray for Victor and Ludmila to successfully reach young Brazilians.
- Pray for new believers to grow into strong leaders.
Day Four
Anders & Jessica Snyder
Nampa, Idaho
Moving from Denver to a small town they had never heard of in Idaho was not in Anders’ and Jessica’s plans. But it fit where they felt the Holy Spirit was guiding them — to help a dying church come back to life and reach its community. Read their story.
- Pray for the Snyders to have wisdom in how best to serve and reach their community.
- Pray for neighbors to be drawn to the hope of the gospel.
Day Five
Joshua Valdez
Farmington, New Mexico
Joshua Valdez says his city is a place of emotional and spiritual darkness. It’s a melting pot of culture and religion. Its residents are mostly Hispanic and Navajo, and the Navajo are very much “a forgotten people,” said Joshua, who also has both heritages. The people have one common struggle — they often battle feelings of despair or worthlessness. Read his story.
- Pray for more students to join Joshua’s Bible studies.
- Pray for the members of Higher Ground Church to be a light to their community.
Day Six
Bobby & Lakeisha Williams
Slidell, Louisiana
Bobby and LaKeisha Williams have a simple goal — to meet the deep need of New Orleans with the even deeper love of Christ. In the city, some buildings are still boarded up from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The area around the Williamses’ church plant is predominantly African American and low-income. “A lot of what we strive to do is provide resources,” Bobby said. “We try to educate people spiritually, financially, intellectually, you name it.” Read their story.
- Pray for Bobby and LaKeisha to persevere in ministry.
- Pray for the church’s compassion ministries to open doors to share the gospel.
Day Seven
Jacob & Francine Zailian
Sanger, California
Jacob knows the homeless, drug addicts and gang members of Sanger. He used to live among them before he went to jail and met Jesus there. Now he and his wife, Francine, are reaching those who “would scare people who go to most churches,” Jacob said. Read their story.
- Pray for God to transform hearts in Sanger with the gospel.
- Pray for resources to maintain and expand the discipleship house ministry.
Day Eight
Kevin Ezell
NAMB President
When missionaries answer the call to the mission field, they expect to encounter challenges, but no one could have planned for a global pandemic that radically altered everyday life.
Your North American missionaries are displaying courage and vision. They are changing course, innovating and discovering ways to continue sharing the gospel, making disciples and bringing hope. Hear from Kevin Ezell.
- Pray that times of crisis have opened new doors to the gospel.
- Pray that they, and we, would not grow weary in sharing the gospel.