IMM- A Work of God

Begun in the United Kingdom

    Many of our readers in the USA may not be familiar with the origin and outreach of the IMM in other parts of the world, so we wanted to share a little of that with you.

Beginning: Many miners live isolated, lonely lives. So was an old man named Richard Glynn Vivian, a coal mine owner in the UK whose bitter, hard heart was touched by God through two young men who took care of him in his latter years and only returned unconditional love in return for the old man's constant tongue-lashing and complaining. In 1906 four years before he died, Glynn Vivian gave his heart, his life, to Jesus. He quickly began to look outside himself to others in need, especially to the spiritual needs of those with whom he had worked all his life.

    For the miners he had seen so widely and so often exploited and by whose labor he had prospered, he first set up a mission outreach in Wales. As these prospered, he expanded the outreach of similar "Safety Lamp" missions in all the countries he had used for trading. Soon there were caring outposts of the Miners' Mission in Japan, Chile and later in South Africa.

Outreach of the IMM UK and Swiss Committees:
    After the UK Committee, a Swiss committee was established in 1956 which has helped provide strong support for the work. Following are some areas of outreach over the years since IMM's beginnings.

Japan: The first overseas center was established at Ashio (copper) in 1907 which was the pioneer of Christian witness in that part of Japan. Today there is a large fellowship of evangelical churches.

Austria: A well established church has been built up from pioneering work over the past 40 years in the lignite mining town of Ampflwang.

France: A long history of activity by IMM in the Pas de Calais coal field (2 centers) and Alsace where potash is extracted (3 centers) has established strong churches.

Portugal: For many years national missionary couples have been working in remote north-eastern tin and coal mining centers near Braganza and Oporto. Thriving churches have been established for which IMM has provided strong support. Close contact is still being maintained with the ministries there which are now independent.

Chile: For more than 30 years the UK Committee has supported the Victor Varas family who work amongst copper miners in Rancagua, going door to door with literature telling miners and their families about Jesus.

Nigeria: Haran Jatan's ministry amongst tin miners around Jos has been very fruitful spiritually and we regularly read encouraging reports of people coming to Christ in that troubled part of the world.

Zimbabwe: Gospel films and other methods are used by five evangelists supported by the Swiss Committee to reach coal miners near West Nicholson and Bulawayo.

South Africa: A vital partnership has been established with Christian Ministry to Miners which because of the migrant situation of the workers, reaches far into neighboring countries with the Gospel of Christ. All three IMM Committees are now vitally involved in supporting this work which is presently undergoing changes in the New South Africa.

    Richard Glynn Vivian, in his final will and testament, directed that the funds he left behind to reach out to miners, should be used specifically in some of the specific countries mentioned above. For many years the only country that could not be entered was Russia. A few years ago, the IMM UK Committee was able to begin support for a pastor in the oil mining town of Surgut, Siberia. God, in His wisdom and timing, honored the vision and obedience of the founder of the International Miners Mission.

    Today, the work goes on and continues to expand on all five continents. Only eternity will reveal the results of these efforts for the glory of God! God's precious Word affirms His work through IMM workers the world over since 1906. 'Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)