Ambassador Spotlight: How a Tanzania Missions Trip Transformed Iris's Understanding of the Great Commission
- Ashland Watson
- Nov 7
- 3 min read
In this Ambassador Spotlight, meet Iris Windom, a woman whose understanding of missions was transformed when Mosaic International invited her to join a 2024 trip to Tanzania. What she discovered there would change her heart forever.
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A New Perspective on "Go Therefore..."
For years, Iris had read Matthew 28:19-20, the Great Commission, as familiar words on a page.
Go. Baptize. Teach.
But when Mosaic International came into her life through our founder, Mark Sherman, these words took on an entirely new meaning.
Mark, whose mission with Mosaic International is to share the good news of Jesus with as many people as possible, helped Iris see beyond what she calls "the blinders of mundane Christianity."
Through Mosaic International, she discovered that the Great Commission wasn't just scripture to recite, it was a living, active calling.
"The Great Commission became more than simply words on a page, read and recited from time to time," Iris reflects in this Ambassador Spotlight. "The Great Commission is real. It's tangible. It's active. It's alive. It's at the core of Mosaic International, and through Mosaic International, I experienced what it truly means to '... go into the world...'"
The Ministry of Being Ministered To
When Iris agreed to join Mosaic International's 2024 missions trip to Tanzania, she expected to minister to people. Instead, she discovered something unexpected: they ministered to her even more.
"Each person I touched, touched me back even more deeply," she shares. "Each day was filled with opportunities to pray and praise, and generous outpourings of unadulterated love and acceptance. My soul, my spirit, was richly blessed."
Rather than teaching, Iris found herself being taught, witnessing genuine demonstrations of Christ's commands: love, community, and purity of motive. She saw heartfelt prayer and laying on of hands. She experienced what it truly means to serve and be served.
Soccer, Light, and the Gospel Message
Who would have thought a simple soccer match could spread love and light throughout entire communities?
As word traveled through Tanzanian villages, neighbors journeyed from near and far to receive much-needed resources. But something beautiful happened: the community rallied around the most vulnerable among them, making sure their needs were prioritized first.
Christ said, "Let the children come to me…" (Matthew 19:14), and in Tanzania, they came. Hundreds of children came. They sang. They danced. They heard the Gospel message and embraced it with the joy and exuberance that only a child can.
Beyond Resources: The Heart of Mosaic International
Mosaic International provides practical resources, bags of rice, solar lights, soccer balls, and sustainable clean water. These tangible gifts meet real needs. But Iris discovered that Mosaic International is so much more than the resources it distributes.
"MOSAIC INTERNATIONAL is without question the epitome of the Great Commission," Iris explains. "It is seeking and saving the lost by sharing the Good News and demonstrating God's unfailing love to His people, everyone – everywhere, by any means necessary."
Every day in Tanzania exposed Iris to the true heart of servanthood through Mosaic International, its leaders, and the partners who labored alongside her team.
An Ambassador's Heart Forever Changed
"Because of them, my heart has been forever changed," Iris says simply.
Her journey from reading the Great Commission to living it demonstrates the transformative power of missions work, not just for those being served, but for those who answer the call to go. This Ambassador Spotlight reveals how one trip can reshape an entire worldview.
Join the Mosaic Ambassadors Program
Mosaic Ambassadors are passionate advocates who use their voices, networks, and resources to support life-changing work around the world. As 2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds us,
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."
Whether you're a student, professional, church leader, or simply someone with a heart for service, you can become a messenger of hope, sharing stories, inspiring generosity, and mobilizing others to pray, give, and take action.
Like Iris discovered on her Tanzania trip, when you step into this calling, the greatest transformation often happens in your own heart.
Support Life-Changing Missions Work
From Tanzania to communities around the globe, Mosaic International is bringing hope, resources, and the Gospel to those who need it most. Partner with us through giving, joining an upcoming missions trip, or exploring other ways to make an eternal impact. Learn more at mosaicinternational.org
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