Missionary Interview

Matthew Riggins: Global Partners in Peace and Development

Questions:

1. What aspect of your ministry do you enjoy the most?

• Seeing College students and kids sign up for short trips so nervous, then they get there and Matt gets the opportunity to see the transformation of how they grow up even on shorter trips.

2. What inspired you to become a missionary?

• Dad was a paster, He took short term trips to Peru and India and that is where he really fell in love with missions and knew that was his passion.

3. Did you go to college or have you always been in the field?

• Matt went to Liberty University, but left early and worked in youth ministry for 8 years.

4. Where all have you traveled?

• He has taken trips to Jordan, India, Slovenia, Mexico. He takes 5 trips a year and all of them are unique in the fact that each trip has different team members with their own special talent.

5. What is the most challenging part of what you do?

• Sometimes depending on God financially. Also the process of raising support, in the aspect that you feel guilty asking for money from people that are in much more financial need.

6. What do you wish you could ask for from supporters?

• people to actively engage. You can tell when friends and family and the 30 supporting churches have been truly embracing what you are doing based on questions they ask you. It is great to receive money, but engaging support is very encouraging.

7 Do you think you have changed since making visits to other countries and in which aspects?

• Matt has seen how different Christianity is in other countries compared to what we see it as in the U.S. In the U.S. we are never truly tested in our faith, so in some aspects we take our christian walk a little more shaky. When Matt goes to other places he sees a desperation for the one true King. This people are being tested, sometimes involving persecution. These people truly will die for the what they believe, and that is something that should not be over looked.

8. How many years have you served?

• Matt has served 3 years with the Global Partners in Peace and Development

9. What language’s are spoken in the countries you visit?

• Haiti: Creel
• Jordan: Arabic
• India: Telugu
• Matt said that Arabic in his mind is the most unique

10. What is the main religion in these places?

• Haiti: little voodoo but more christianity
• Jordan: 95% Muslim. little Christianity a little risky/hard to get people to listen to christianity
• India: Hindu: Open to the gospel and hearing about God.