How Does Coronavirus Affect Missions?

Should missionaries stay or flee from areas affected by the COVID-19 outbreak?

Note: With the ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 situation, some of the information in this podcast may now be outdated. For the latest on ABWE’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, see here.


With global health and economic implications, how should Christian missionaries throughout Asia and beyond respond to the growing coronavirus outbreak? In this bonus episode, Scott and Alex interviewed Dr. Miriam Wheeler, who has been walking alongside ABWE’s missionaries throughout this crisis.

After 21 years pioneering the Ukraine village clinic ministry and Choose Life post-abortion ministry and crisis pregnancy center, God called Miriam to become the ABWE Medical Director of International Missionary Healthcare.

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Alex Kocman & Scott Dunford

Alex Kocman is the Director of Communications and Engagement for ABWE. He serves as general editor for Message Magazine and co-hosts The Missions Podcast. After earning his M.A. in Communication and B.S. in Biblical Studies, he served as an online apologetics instructor with Liberty University and a youth pastor in Pennsylvania, where he now resides with his wife and three children. Read his blog or follow him on X/Twitter.

Scott Dunford is the pastor of Western Hills Church in San Mateo, Calif. Previously, Scott served as Vice President of Mobilization and Communications for ABWE and as a missionary in East Asia. Scott graduated from Northland International University (B.A. in Pastoral Studies), earned his M.A. in biblical studies from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, his M.B.A. from Cornerstone University, and is currently enrolled in Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s D.Min. program with an emphasis on missions.