Who can predict the power of small things? Who can measure the impact of a divinely appointed meeting on a young heart and the amazing blessings that follow?

Hunter and Nathan Penn are the 8-year-old sons of Dr. Robert and Esther Penn of Hendersonville, NC. The Penns are monthly supporters of AFM missionaries in India. Each month when Adventist Frontiers magazine arrived in the mail, Hunter and Nathan would search through it for their missionary family. The seeds of mission support were planted in their hearts and began to grow.

In May 2009, Esther and the boys attended the Carolina camp meeting. Philip & Hope Kiwi, AFM missionaries to Southeast Asia, also happened to be there. Nathan and Hunter were delighted to meet the Kiwis’ children, Hannah and Caleb, at the children’s programs. Greg and Molly told mission stories to the children by day and described mission challenges to the adults by night. The Kiwis’ stories greatly impressed the boys, and Hunter decided to collect money for their mission project. Nathan was his first contributor—four dollars. Over the next week or so, Hunter gathered $45 for the Kiwis’ work.

Esther and the boys drove north to attend the Michigan camp meeting, planning to drop the donation off at AFM’s headquarters in Berrien Springs. Imagine their joy when they bumped into the Kiwi family again at the Michigan camp meeting! Hunter was able to present his offering to Molly in person.

When Hunter and Nathan opened the October issue of Adventist Frontiers, they turned to Philip Kiwi’s article and read, “We were blessed to meet a young boy with a similar passion for missions who decided to visit several members of his church to raise funds for our project. The Lord blessed his efforts, enabling him to raise $45. We wish you could have seen his beaming face as he handed over his sacred trust to Molly.”

“Mom!” Hunter called, “I want to raise $1,000 for the Kiwis family!”

Hunter has some speech and muscular challenges and sees a therapist regularly. On his next visit, he told his therapist of his dream to raise $1,000. She was impressed with his commitment and decided to help make it happen. Hunter’s therapy consists of eight daily stretching exercises. They are painful, and it’s hard for him to do them faithfully. His therapist made an exercise chart on which he would get a star for each exercise he did. She suggested he send out letters inviting family, neighbors, friends and church members to sponsor him for every star he earned in three months through January 2010. Responses flooded in, and Hunter soldiered through his exercises.

On March 3, 2010, the Penn family arrived at the AFM office in Berrien Springs. During AFM’s morning office worship time, John Kent, the Kiwis’ field director, placed an Internet call to them, and Hunter beamed as he told them how much he had raised for their mission—$2,751.89! Greg and Molly were utterly amazed.

And that wasn’t all. That morning, Hunter got another $100 donation. Also, an anonymous donor who had heard Hunter’s story pledged to top off Hunter’s total to an even $3,000.

Just as important as the fundraising was the answer Hunter gave on a school worksheet: “When I grow up, I want to be an AFM missionary.” It has been said, “Giant oaks from little acorns grow,” and Hunter’s story proves it to be true.

Please follow Hunter’s example. Consider what you can do today to bless the ministry of missionaries to the unreached. You can call AFM at 1-800-937-4236, use the envelope in the middle of the magazine, or give online at www.afmonline.org.

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