January 19: The Martins launch to the Balkans

The Martins (not their real names) launched a new project in the Balkans in a closed country.

January: The Jollys complete their Mongolian project

In October of 1993, exactly two years after the Jollys’ arrival in Mongolia, they had the privilege of seeing the first Seventh-day Adventist Mongolian believers baptized. Elder Robert Folkenberg, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, traveled to Mongolia to perform the ceremony himself. This event, probably more than any other, showed that AFM could be successful in working among resistant people groups. In November of 1997, the first Mongolian Seventh-day Adventist church was established with 26 charter members. By January 1998, the Jollys’ church planting project was officially complete.

July: AFM’s first mission rally is held in Berrien Springs, Michigan

The Village Seventh-day Adventist church hosted AFM’s first annual mission rally, a time for AFM supporters to meet missionaries face-to-face, hear their stories, and worship with them. Visitors came from all over the United States to attend.

May 24: The Pichots launch to Guinea

The Pichots pioneered a work among the Muslim Fulani in Guinea

September: Brad Jolly dies of cancer

When the Jollys returned from their successful church-planting project among the Mongolian people, Brad had recently been diagnosed with cancer. Many prayers ascended for him and his family over the following months, and medical options were exhausted. He finally went to sleep in September, 1998.