Get Guardian on GoogleA new Christian mission organisation, Last Mile Harvest Missions Foundation (LMHMF), is seeking to address the challenges of missionary attrition by shifting the focus of missions from short-term evangelism programmes to the long-term welfare and retention of frontline workers serving remote and underserved communities.
The foundation is scheduled to be formally launched on Saturday, November 7, at the Foursquare Gospel Church in Asokoro, Abuja, with plans to establish a sustainable support system for missionaries operating in difficult and isolated territories, particularly within the 10/40 Window.
Co-founder of the foundation, Prof. Jimmy Adegoke, an emeritus professor of geosciences in the United States and international development consultant, said the sustainability of Christian missionary work depended largely on the ability of mission organisations to provide consistent support for workers in the field.
He said the major challenge confronting Christian missions was not necessarily a lack of willing missionaries, but inadequate welfare structures to sustain those already serving in challenging locations.
According to him, unreliable funding, medical emergencies, extreme isolation and the rising cost of educating missionaries’ children have continued to force many workers to abandon their assignments, leaving communities without sustained missionary presence.
“Workers who do go often leave early, pushed out by unreliable funding, medical emergencies, and extreme isolation,” Adegoke said.
“When a family moves into a roadless, off-grid territory to serve an unreached community, their greatest risk isn’t just the terrain, it’s being forgotten.”
Adegoke, who also chairs the National Missions Council of the African Christian Fellowship in the United States, said LMHMF was established to bridge the gap in missionary support through a structured framework that prioritises the welfare and preparedness of frontline workers.
Under its operational framework, the foundation plans to provide monthly living allowances, emergency healthcare coverage and educational assistance for the children of missionaries.
It also intends to strengthen the capacity of field workers through cross-cultural orientation, theological training and security awareness programmes to prepare them for the demands of serving in challenging environments.
Beyond missionary welfare, the organisation plans to support host communities through development interventions, including solar-powered clean water boreholes, mobile medical outreaches and adult literacy programmes.
The foundation said it would also deploy technology-driven solutions and data-based research to improve the coordination of missionary activities and identify communities requiring sustained intervention.
These include real-time research, ethnographic mapping and Geographic Information System tracking to enhance resource allocation, reduce duplication of efforts and improve collaboration among organisations working to reach Unengaged Unreached People Groups.
LMHMF operates under a dual governance structure with independent boards of trustees in Nigeria and the United States.
The organisation said the arrangement was designed to facilitate cross-border funding involving international church donors, foundations and verified indigenous field teams, while ensuring compliance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements in North America and West Africa.
Ahead of its formal inauguration, the foundation is seeking partnerships with churches, international mission organisations and diaspora networks to advance its programmes through missionary sponsorship, resource mobilisation and information sharing.
Bishop Abioye is expected to lead the dedication ceremony, marking the commencement of the foundation’s activities.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the sustainability of Christian missionary work by addressing the welfare challenges confronting workers and promoting a more coordinated approach to reaching underserved communities.
