The world

came to Fayette County this week as 160 ordinary people

with extraordinary callings met at New Hope Baptist

Church for the Global Missions Conference 2000.

The

five-day seminar has culled missionaries from every

continent and gathered pastors and church leaders from

more than 20 states.

Missionaries

serving in Mexico, Thailand, China, the Middle East and

Latin America attended a senior luncheon on New Hope's

South Campus Thursday, allowing church members to learn

firsthand about their work around the globe.

Evelyn and

Bob Pemberton are missionaries serving in Mexico. After

12 years living south of the border, the couple call

Mexico home. Evelyn noted that her rural Alabama

upbringing helped prepare her for the type of cooking she

would eventually learn in her adopted land. "I've

learned to make corn bread with masa flour and substitute

Swiss chard for cabbage greens," she said.

Despite her

years abroad, Pemberton maintains her Southern drawl,

giving the Spanish language a distinctive accent. In the

beginning of her mission stint, Pemberton said she

"Threw it (Spanish) out buffet style... I threw out

a few words and let them put it together."

One of the

couple's greatest fears at the start of their work, the

female missionaries said, was their apprehension of

leaving the safety of the United States, particularly

with young children. But everyone said they were

constantly affirmed by the Lord in their decision.

Ted and

Heather Laba are missionaries preparing to leave in the

next couple of months for a post near Pretoria, South

Africa. They are now working stateside in Tyrone with

Operation Mobilization. The Labas have three daughters,

ages 11, 8 and 14 months. Heather admitted she had her

own personal struggle with the decision to live in a

country still dealing with apartheid issues and violence.

She explained that it was a family decision, and one that

was based on prayer and faith.

Most of the

family's household belongings will either be placed in

storage or sold before the move. "We have a choice

of either engaging in the culture or just ministering to

the people," Ted explained. He said they will start

fresh and avoid the appearance of being the colonializing

Westerners.

Bob

Pemberton said he and Evelyn chose to live like the

people they served, recognizing the fact that they would

still never be natives.

At the

close of the luncheon, Tim Woodruff, associate pastor of

New Hope, called on the church's seniors to be

"mission minded" in their thinking here and

abroad. "We need to take on the community and share

the gospel of Jesus Christ in all of Fayette

County," he said.

He also

called on his members to consider a call to a short-term

mission project.

The Global

Missions Conference continues through the weekend with a

"World's Fair" at the North Campus Saturday

noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at 5 :30 p.m. the Awe Star youth

organization will seek out the next generation of

Christian missionaries.

For

information, phone the church at 770-461-4337.