WARRENTON, Mo.  According to a Child Evangelism Fellowship World Headquarters report, CEF missionaries have found a huge door of opportunity in reaching military children with the Gospel.
"All over the United States we see them on the evening news  men and women of our military branches packing up and saying good bye to spouse and children. The difficulty of leaving is etched on their faces even though they know they must carry out their assigned duties," CEF reported.
CEF missionaries David and Melanie Powell along with Kelly Newell have "deployed" to reach the children of U.S. soldiers with the message of Jesus Christ. The missionary team works alongside U.S. military chaplains.
The Powells and Newell center their ministry at the U.S. Army bases in Wiesbaden and Baumholder, Germany. At Wiesbaden alone there are currently around 2,000 children. They serve families on 10 other bases in Germany as well. In order to increase effectiveness, they work under a joint venture of CEF and Cadence International known as Malachi Children's Ministry.
"Without this partnership, the ministry CEF has to the military would be very difficult and nearly impossible to conduct," David Powell said. "The bases are open [to us] because we have military ID cards. … Since September 11 the security has increased and no one is allowed on installations without official identification. Without ID cards [and other logistics Cadence International has been able to provide] ministry would have come to a stop."
According to the Malachi Ministry, around 4 million people call the U.S. military home. That number includes almost 1 million children. And military life is transient  25-35 percent of the people in a given community move every year, often across the world.
Military children must continually adjust and make new friends and live without one or both parents for months at a time. According to CEF, the circumstances of military life make military ministry vital.
