The Gospel Changes Everything in South Asia: Owen and Mila Stoddard

After two decades of raising children and planting churches in South Asia, it was time for International Mission Board missionaries Owen and Mila Stoddard to move their youngest to college in the U.S.

But as they prepared to return to South Asia, they confronted the unsettling reality of their family now scattered across two continents. Yet, just as He did 23 years before, God affirmed Owen and Mila’s call to go.

“We became convinced that God wants all people in all places to hear about Jesus Christ,” Owen said of their first call. “When that sank in, it wasn’t should we be a part of this task, but how? At what level? And as we prayed, we became convinced that we should go.”

They packed up their suitcases and young family and landed where they focus on Muslim communities in one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

To maintain their presence in a region of deep gospel resistance, the Stoddards organize development projects, like putting in wells for clean water or raising small agricultural animals. But the “development work” they treasure most is that of discipling local believers and cultivating leaders.

“I open up my life so they can walk alongside me,” Owen said. “We have ways we teach sharing the gospel, but really, I want to do it alongside them. I want them to see me doing it.”

Owen was recently encouraged by a message he received from a young man he discipled named Ronnie.

Ronnie had been sharing the gospel with a Muslim friend for some time, and recently his friend made a profession of faith. Now, Ronnie is spending time investing in this new believer, the same way Owen modeled for him.

After more than 20 years, the Stoddards still find one of their greatest joys is seeing South Asian believers develop into mature leaders who own their faith in Christ and are committed to taking the gospel to their own families and friends and neighbors.

And yet, with billions of souls in South Asia, there remains a critical need for missionary presence.

As the Stoddards navigated the weight of leaving their children behind in the U.S. and adhering to God’s calling on their lives, Mila sought God repeatedly in prayer.

“The Lord was so compassionate,” she recalled. “He didn’t hit me over the head. He gently asked me, ‘Am I not still worth it?’”

And she replied:

“You know You are. My answer is yes. You are still worth it.”