Global Workers Describe the Value of the US-MC

US-MC stands for U.S. Mobilization Center. It is the go-to place for people looking for a mission sending agency. It’s the place appointees get pre-field training while preparing for deployment. It’s the place global mission workers’ supporters send contributions for proper processing. It’s the go-to place when there are bumps in the road and a worker needs coaching, counseling, or simply a time of rest and restoration. It is the place that processes monthly newsletters making sure they get sent to each workers’ support team. It is the behind-the-scenes home office team.

When we asked our seasoned workers:

What services does the US-MC provide that you consider valuable or even critical to enable you to do what you do overseas?

This is what they told us…

Communication

Not surprisingly the processing of their monthly newsletters was at the top of the list. Uncommon among mission agencies, One Challenge assists their workers with regular communication with their ministry support team. The US-MC Communications Team processes the workers’ letters and sends them via paper or e-letters to the workers’ praying partners. The back of the letter provides more information about ministries going on around the OC world. This saves the workers lots of time and money every month.

The same team populates the website every month with fresh stories and new videos. They also maintain a Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Why? Because what God is doing around the world is worth broadcasting in every way possible and enables praise to God, informed prayer, and intentional partnership.

Member Care

Equally valuable to our people and mentioned by all interviewed was the member care offered to them. Our MemberCare department works quietly and tirelessly with other departments, like Pre-field and Pastoral Care, to keep our people healthy and thriving. OC’s programs like Core (Pre-field training), Transition Orientation, and PEP (Personnel Enrichment Program for furloughing workers) all aim to resource our workers toward thriving sustainability.

For decades One Challenge has recognized the need to actively provide specialized care for our workers who face unusual stresses and challenges due to the nature of their global work. Care is a coordinated effort for mission workers and their children as they prepare to go, while in their countries of service, and when on home assignment. Simply put, our workers feel cared for and know there is assistance if needed. The MemberCare team has been particularly active during the last 18 months with COVID, helping workers process a season of loss and uncertainty through special webinars and personal connection.

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Finances and Donor Relations

Another item mentioned by our workers was taking in donations, receipting donations, and keeping track of their accounts. Obviously, a central office to process funds is safer and more efficient than sending funds abroad. This office receives the money, keeps track of individual and field accounts, and transfers monies as needed. Our finance team strives to receipt all donations within 48 hours of receiving them. It is our way of commending our donors for their key part of our global ministry. As technology has advanced, the finance team has sought to streamline processes within the organization and develop an online interface to better serve OC’s financial supporters.

Much More

There were a number of other US-MC services our people mentioned as being valuable or even critical to enable them to do their work overseas. This included …

• Recruiting new members for their teams
• Training new members
• Seeking out grant money for their field projects
• Strategic leadership and accountability
• Helping them deal with benefits (health care, pension, etc)
• Prayer for them
• Providing a conduit for knowledge and relationship with the larger OC Global Alliance body
• Showing how their particular work is part of a larger effort of ”transforming nations … together”

One worker at PEP summed it up this way,

“Many other things just make our US-MC pretty spectacular! And honestly, we just REALLY enjoy being with you people. We look forward to the rest, relaxation, sharing, and caring we can mutually give with all you AWESOME US-MC people! It’s like coming back to ‘family’ in Colorado. Seriously. Thanks for all you do on our behalf!”

Make a Global Impact

Sometimes we are asked at the US-MC what percentage of a donation goes to the ministry and what percentage goes to “overhead.” If the services mentioned above (and several others) are considered “overhead,” then the answer is about 14%. But in practice, all donations go to the ministry and the worker committed to it – starting it, supporting it, sustaining it.

Join us, the behind-the-scenes team, who keeps our people healthy and resourced, so they can do the work God has called them to around the world. Your prayers for us and your contributions to the General Fund (or one of the departments listed below) help all of our fields at the same time. Join us and make a global impact for the Kingdom!

Our U.S. Mobilization Team

Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the One Challenge U.S. Mobilization Center Team currently cares for 250 adult workers on resident teams in countries around the world. Key departments and their purpose statements are:

• Benefits and Compliance: This department provides benefit administration for retirement benefits, health, dental, life and long term care for all employees and field workers. This department also maintains liability coverage and performs legal research and periodic filings as needed.
• Communications: We facilitate effective communication for our global workers and OC as a whole. We are committed to sharing good news for the purpose of praise to God, informed prayer, and to enable others to partner with us.
• Finance: Our purpose is to serve our financial partners and our workers on the field by channeling the financial resources given to the proper places with integrity, accuracy, and good stewardship.
• Information Technology (IT): Our mission is to help our people with their technology needs so they can serve where God has called them, either at the US-MC or overseas.
• MemberCare: It is our responsibility to make sure that we have healthy people going to the field and on the field. Healthy in spiritual, physical, and emotional ways. Care is a coordinated effort for mission workers and their children.
• Mobilization (Recruiting): We exist to be a resource to those whom God, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, is leading to be involved in mission-related ministry.
• Pre-Field: We are here to welcome in, mentor, train, and journey along side our newest One Challenge appointees.
• President’s Team: This group (selected by OC’s president, Dean Carlson) advises, supports, and works directly with our president in carrying out his special One Challenge goals, duties, and ministry objectives.