A Letter from The Chairman
Dear Friends,
The world is in great need. This has been another year of uncertainty, reminding us of all that’s beyond our control. If there was ever a time to share the Good News of redemption and resurrection in Jesus, it’s now. We’re finding this to be true with our ministry partners around the world as well. People are hungry for hope. People are desperate for the Gospel.
I wish my son James could see all of this. When we co-founded Open Eyes together, we could never have imagined all that God would do through this ministry—or how important this work would become during a global pandemic. James was our first Mobile Messenger, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to war-torn villages in the Sudan. Since then, we’ve equipped nearly 1,200 mobile evangelists who have seen over 466,000 people come to Christ. We’ve celebrated 32,000 baptisms and planted 3,200 churches. God continues to use and bless the work of Open Eyes.
As we approach the holiday season, my hopes are high. We’ve done good work, but there is more to do. We have an incredible team of mission-minded leaders in place who each desire to magnify Christ around the world. Denny, our President, the son of a pastor/church planter, experienced firsthand what following Christ in the face of opposition looks like. Growing up in an unreached, hostile area of India, watching a father and mother faithfully live out their calling to reach the unreached, Denny has a heart for global missions—a work he does today through Open Eyes.
Here is my call to you: keep doing what you’re doing. Keep making a difference. Keep saying “yes” to those opportunities God puts in front of you. Keep loving and serving and giving and leading. As always, thank you for your continued support and prayer.
J. Frank Harrison, Co-Founder and Chairman
A Letter from The President
Dear Friends,
If I had to identify a theme for this year’s work at Open Eyes, it would be perseverance. We are collectively facing a worldwide catastrophe, which is lasting longer than anyone imagined. The continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic has, of course, impacted our ministry. Mostly, it’s renewed a sense of urgency to bring the Gospel to the world. And it’s provided opportunities to meet some pressing medical needs.
In May, my mom—who served God faithfully as an evangelist for decades—died suddenly in India after a brief battle with Covid-19. Ten days later, we also lost our adopted sister to the ravages of the disease. My grief was multiplied by the fact that I could not be with them during their last moments on earth. We watched the burial over Zoom.
I know what it is to grieve—to be filled with sorrow, doubt, and the deepest pain. But these words from Paul are a balm for my soul: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” 2 Timothy 2:8-9 (NIV) There are millions of people like me, who have lost loved ones this year. But let’s “Remember Jesus Christ.” He is why we live, why we serve, why we strive to accelerate the Gospel as if time is running out. Because it is.
Some of the most beautiful testimonies emerged from Open Eyes this year. Our Mobile Messengers were equipped with the transportation needed to shuttle the sick to hospitals. Our providers in Syria had medical supplies ready for the war-torn nation. The pandemic didn’t stop us—the harvest is still plentiful. Let’s persevere.
Denny Mathews, President
What We Do
Evangelism
Sharing the Gospel message with people who have not yet heard it
Church Planting
Starting new communities of believers that grow together and make new disciples
Relief & Development
Caring for those in need through practical aid and sustainable development projects
IMPACT
Year to Date
Total
Meet the Mobile Messengers
• David, Uganda:
“I’m one of the beneficiaries that received a motorbike last year in the month of September. We are so happy and grateful because the motorbike enabled me to reach more churches. The motorbike is one of the key things that we used to facilitate the journey because we have so many churches that are far from the area where we live. The motorbike helps me reach those people so I can encourage them with the Word of God. Read More
• Devdas, India:
“Initially, I had difficulty traveling between villages. I wanted to contribute more and had the desire to conduct street meetings, visit house to house, hold gospel meetings, do church planting, and preach the Gospel. The lack of proper transport proved to be a big handicap. During this time, God opened the doors in our area through Open Eyes and I was selected to be a Messenger and given a motorbike, which fulfilled my dream of traveling to the unreached villages of our area and preaching the Gospel. After receiving the new bike, which truly came as God’s gift, I was able to do more tasks in a short time. Read More
Living Mission-Minded
Dear Friends,
It’s a great honor for me to join the Open Eyes family. I spent the first decade of my career focused on building computer systems on Wall St. I was going to church on Sundays, but Monday to Saturday was dedicated to my own selfish pursuits.
However, the Lord woke me up spiritually by showing me the reality of the persecuted church in places like the Sudan, China, and the Middle East. I started learning about the vast numbers of unreached people groups worldwide. My wife and I were attending Brooklyn Tabernacle where we organized prayer for missions at our Prayer Meetings, formed a Missions Ministry, and oversaw our international ministries. Eventually, I became the Missions Pastor for the church.
We organized mission teams to provide medical and dental care—or to teach English, Computer skills, and Business—as the demand for these services were very high all across the world. We started to see many Muslims, Hindus and other non-Christians coming to see us.
This led us to start permanent Life Centers in partnership with local churches that allow for much longer term outreach. The Life Centers also help the Christian community who may not have access to quality medical care or job skills training.
At Open Eyes, we are looking forward to seeing more souls come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Join us in equipping our Messengers with the tools they need—whether a motorcycle or a Life Center. We are in this together.
Vice President of Global Ministry and Church Engagement
The Nepal Project
Nepal is the 12th fastest-growing Christian population in the world with 1,285,200 believers.
Unfortunately, there are few trained leaders. Open Eyes aims to meet these needs and accelerate the Gospel in Nepal. We will humbly come alongside Nepali leaders and catalyze evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and community transformation. Our goal is to equip 200 Mobile Messengers, plant 200 churches, and develop sustainable businesses throughout Nepal.
By providing motorcycles and training Mobile Messengers, we will take the Gospel message to remote areas and share Christ with the unreached people groups of Nepal.
By providing cell phones, we will enable Mobile Messengers to receive enhanced biblical training and track ministry impact.
By developing sustainable businesses, we will position our leaders on the forefront of transforming lives and communities as they demonstrate and proclaim the Gospel.
Ministry through medicine
We are pleased to report that on August 1, our medical and dental clinic in Syria opened its doors. Our family medicine doctor and dentist are serving patients in a country that has been ravaged by civil war. Since its opening, the clinic has served 593 people in need. At Open Eyes, we are committed to meeting physical needs and earning the right to share the Gospel with people in need.
DR. AMIRA, SYRIA
“Starting the clinic had great influence on people who were shocked and rejoiced to receive this free-of-charge treatment that they desperately needed. They experienced the Love of Christ. All people are appreciative of this free service and the word got around and we are receiving three times the patients that we predicted. We had a young man who was wounded in the war. His bones had allergies that created more damage to his bones. We found a hard-to-find bone doctor who volunteered to treat this young man because this doctor knew that we would cover the whole cost of the surgery. But this doctor was so touched that he donated his own time and work and performed the seven hour surgery free of charge. This young man was not Christian, but he experienced the love of Christ through this deed. He is now improving! We are keeping up with this man through psychology follow-ups. This gave us the joy to know that we can help these people.”
A Letter from Jan Harrison
Dear Friends,
As I sit down to write to you my heart is overwhelmed with memories and stirred with longing to see you again. There is something so precious about the bond of love created by Jesus when we belong to the family of God.
Though many of us have never physically met, there is the supernatural connection made by the Holy Spirit when we pray for one another. Our Mobile Messengers in the field are the first that come to my mind, but these words are also sincerely directed to the many friends and encouragers to the ministry.
Though our ability to gather and travel and build relationships has been severely hindered during the last year and a half, your commitment to the call of God to spread the Gospel has resulted in kingdom multiplication.
Thank you for being light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless, love to the loveless, and holding out Life everlasting to the lifeless.
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
Our very first Mobile Messenger was my son James. He was a great example to me of perseverance through trials. When James arrived in South Sudan in 2005, he walked alongside local pastors and shared day-to-day survival with people facing the desperate horrors of civil war. They visited burned out villages, overrun hospitals, and isolated and rejected people in tuberculosis wards. James was often seen carrying small children and comforting elderly women wherever they went.
James witnessed pastors sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and watched hope emerge in the midst of rubble and ruin. He was challenged by their determination and dedication to reach their own people with the power of the Gospel to save and sustain them. As James walked and talked with them and experienced the cost of the call on their lives, God gave him the idea to provide transportation to these local leaders so they could go further, faster to reach the unreached. Open Eyes’ Mobile Messenger program was born.
James went to be with the Lord eleven years ago this year. Compassion opened his eyes to the needs of people and the privilege all believers have to participate in the advancement of the kingdom of God. His labor was not in vain and we praise God his legacy lives through this ministry.
Jan Harrison, Vice Chairman
Stories from the Field
INDIA
The motorbike has been a great blessing to Kranthi’s ministry. Many villages in his area have been suffering through the pandemic. The churches closed suddenly as lockdown restrictions took hold. There was no chance to preach publicly. Kranthi says: “Among those who suffered badly were many church planters and a lot of believers who were working as daily wage laborers to meet their food needs. Read More
INDIA
Maya and her family used to worship Hindu gods. But despite the various practices they followed—making offerings and conducting ceremonies—they did not experience much joy. One day, Maya met an Open Eyes church planter, pastor Philemon. He visited their village and shared the Gospel. Read More
KENYA
Pastor Duncan in Ngengeko, Kenya has been an Open Eyes ministry partner for several years, leading the church re-building project in 2014. Throughout 2021, Pastor Duncan has been preaching in the interior areas with the help of his motorcycle, sometimes visiting over 20 families in a month. Read More
Special Event: Bob Goff & Friends
Over 1,000 people joined us for our fundraising event with Bob Goff and friends!
That’s right. New York Times-bestselling author Bob Goff came to Charlotte. This was such a special evening as Bob delivered a powerful message of truth. Attendees heard from Open Eyes founder, Frank Harrison, and president, Denny Mathews, as we shared about what God is doing overseas through this ministry.
Your Gift Makes This Possible
Sending more Mobile Messengers, launching medical clinics, and providing job training. None of this would be possible without the vision and passion of our donors.
Here’s our Goal
for our Mobile Messengers by the end of 2021. It costs approximately $2,500 to equip a Mobile Messenger in the field. Help us raise $250,000 and commission new mobile messengers!
Here’s Where Your Support Goes:
- By providing local church leaders with a motorcycle, helmet, and licensing, we equip them to safely travel to remote villages that have never heard the Good News.
- By offering biblical training, we ensure that our Mobile Messengers are prepared to effectively evangelize.
- By meeting the immediate and tangible needs in a community, we pave the way for the church to flourish.
Thank You
“Thank you for making our dream come true. We pray that the Lord will complete his work through us together from this project to help the Syrian people.”
— DR. AMIRA, SYRIA LIFE CENTER
“I am very grateful and I want to convey our heartfelt and most sincere thanks to the Open Eyes team for the most unforgettable and timely help provided to my family. All glory, praise, and honor to God Almighty.”
— G.RADHA, INDIA
“I thank God always for the motorbike that has greatly impacted my ministry. I am able to do more evangelism and bear more fruits for the Kingdom. God bless Open Eyes always.”
— MOSES, TANZANIA
“The motorbike has enabled me to encourage and serve many people. I thank God for this and for Open Eyes.”