OMS Outreach September-December 2014 | Page 29

grade year, we both participated in our church’s junior high mission trip. In addition to the other tasks, Michael offered to shoot video, and then after we returned, I helped him edit it. At the start of Michael’s eighth grade year, I asked if he wanted to do a one-onone Bible study. He said maybe; he wanted to pray about it. Five months later, he agreed. We started the following week. I was nervous, so we made dinner together, since cooking relaxes me, and then, we studied the Bible. The following summer, Michael shot video on another mission trip, and after he returned, again I helped him edit that video. When he started high school, I asked Michael and a couple of his friends to be official summer interns in the Communications Department at the One Mission Society World Headquarters. So, for three summers, the four interns edited videos, helped set up for International Conference, archived old slides, and heard stories of what God was doing all over the world. I think that was the beginning of Michael’s interest in becoming a videographer. For 4½ years, Michael and I met almost every week for Bible study, and each summer throughout high school, Michael interned with OMS until he left for college, where he decided to major in video/film. During his sophomore year, he heard clearly from the Lord that he was to focus his major on kingdom building. At the time, he had no idea how that would manifest itself since he wanted to work in the movie industry, but he moved forward in obedience. As Michael was nearing his graduation, he prayed about his future, sought counsel from his sister (a missionary in the Dominican Republic), and “happened” to run into a former OMS missionary videographer who had just left OMS. She told Michael of the need OMS had, and Michael knew the Lord was telling him this was the plan for him. In April 2014, Michael was accepted as a full-time career missionary with One Mission Society. In September 2014, he married Morgan. Today, he is raising funds, with hopes to begin ministry as an OMS video editor in early 2015. So, from a 14-year-old summer intern to a career missionary, God has brought Michael to OMS for such a time as this. photo page 28: OMS missionary candidate Michael Gearhart photos page 29, top: Morgan and Michael Gearhart bottom: Michael Gearhart and Brian Davault, OMS Communications interns during the summer of 2005, with OMS missionary Mark Din