May you experience deep intimacy with Jesus this year and may you find joy in your role in seeing his kingdom come to all peoples. 
Hello, I’m Duke Dillard, the new editor of MF. I am glad to be here and thankful for you. Let me introduce myself for those of you who don’t know me. For the past five years I have been living in Denton, Texas, USA, with my wife, Laurie, and some of our children. Our seven children range in age from 16–27, and our second grandson is due in February. 
Before moving to Denton, we were on church planting teams in multiple countries overseas. We first moved to Kazakhstan in 1997 before relocating to Uzbekistan in 2003 and then to Turkey in 2007. As I have entered the second half of life, I have felt a call to slow down and make space for encountering God and people. The challenge of our age is to be fully present and non-anxious, something Jesus modeled perfectly. 
I consider it a great honor to follow in the line of MF editors from Dr. Winter to Rick Wood and Sue Patt. I enter the life of MF and FV at an important time of transition. Since I entered this role in mid-August, I have made time to go through all the issues of MF since the first one in 1979. What a powerful story we have been a part of since Dr. Ralph Winter shook the world in 1974 at Lausanne. 
The world today is volatile and uncertain as this issue on migration highlights. Wars are raging; technology is shrinking our world, and distractions abound. Different generations feel disconnected, and loneliness is at epidemic levels. The love of many grows cold and we have more questions than answers and so much pain and hurt and trauma. Persecution is rising, yet at the same time, so many people are sharing the love of Christ; disciple making movements are growing, and there are so many good works to walk in. God’s Spirit is close at hand and God’s kingdom is destined for victory. With so much information available, we are at a time in history in which vertigo is a normal state of being. 
In this season, the voice of God calmly invites us to be still and know him. He is the Sovereign King, and we have nothing to fear. Remember this as you read this issue of MF, which focuses on migration around the world. People are on the move more than at any time in history and the trends indicate this will only increase. 
This issue begins with seven facts on migration to set the stage. On that stage, we will present a case study showing how church leaders are being trained to care for and strategically mobilize people on the move. With that in hand, we can start globetrotting. We will begin with a look at how migration is impacting Asia followed by Africa. From Africa, we will jump across the globe to Canada and see how the Filipino diaspora has built community. Staying in Canada for a different angle, let’s consider how a focus on gateway cities can impact unreached peoples near and far. This naturally allows us to step back and look at the opportunities throughout the USA where unreached peoples are moving into every nook and cranny. Finally, we will close our theme with a trip to Ecuador and Venezuela to see how God used Quichua people on the move to plant multiple churches over 40 years. 
Since Genesis 3, humans have been on the move. Acts 17:26 tells us, “From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.” Recognizing God’s sovereignty over migration means we can joyfully step into the mess and embrace the opportunities before us. As you read through this issue and pass it on to your friends, I pray your awareness grows, your love for Jesus deepens, and your vision for reaching the unreached peoples, wherever they are, expands. 
Duke Dillard