In September 2021, I felt God pressing on my heart more than ever the idea “what if I am called into missions?” I remember having this conversation with my dad because I was in a relationship at that time. In May 2022, I continued to become more open to the idea becoming a reality. I committed to River Valley as my church home and learned more about the MAP. I signed up for Global Team Thailand, was fully funded, read “Change the Map”, went to team meetings, went on the Global team, came home and processed the experience, and stayed in contact with the Missionaries. Raising funds was a huge challenge for me in many ways. Internally, God led me through lies that I believed and hooks that were on my heart. I was lead out of the boat of hyper independence and softened up to the idea of dependence on others. I experienced a willingness to support without ties. It encouraged me to build more relationships with people at church and share with other what God was doing in my life. Mark Durene’s book “Change The Map”, opened my eyes to the spiritual realm, Buddhism, and the Thai culture. Through reading the book, I was able to relate to the spirit of religion, connect experiences of religion, and learn more about religion, spirituality, and strongholds. I grabbed a hold of relating Catholicism and Buddhism together and the beauty of sharing the hope in having a relationship with Jesus. In Thailand, we were involved in painting, light construction, children’s ministry, prayer walks, street ministry, and more! I enjoyed connecting with the missionaries, Thai pastors, and community. Three things that stuck with me were: 3. The length that relationships take to form due to cultural and linguistic barriers. 2. The reality of family being 22 hours away and the uncertainty life brings, praying is the only response at times. 1. One evening we had a time of games and fun together at the Missionaries home. A group of us were playing Farkle. At home with my family it is common for us to play games as well although I haven’t been one to be very successful. Anyhow, we are playing Farkle and the dice were showing me favor. I won the first round, then the next… jokes were being thrown around about me going back to Thailand for missions, then eventually the group agreed, “hey, if you win this round you are staying” well.. the rest is history. I won the game and lo and behold.. I AM going back to Thailand. Through prayer God has grown my heart for Thailand, the Thai people, and current team over in Thailand. When I got back to the states I dealt with jet leg for 2+ weeks, prayed into and through the weight of my experience, and stepped deeper into the MAP program. God is GOOD.
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”” Genesis 28:15 ESV
The Kenyons are missionaries to the Youth Culture of Panama and present the gospel to students in the high schools of Panama City. They are launching a Youth Church that will establish a model to other churches in Panama of how to incorporate the emerging generation into their community without requiring them to meet an unstated list of rules and regulations in order to enter the premises or participate in the church community. This church will also provide a place where Panamanian students can retreat to feel safe, valued, and heard…a REFUGE. This REFUGE will house and rehabilitate abused girls within the context of the church.
We stay up to date with information from the Joshua Project and from Evangelical/Pentecostal groups based in Ethiopia by which we can see the numbers of languages, ethnic peoples, churches that have been planted by the major Pentecostal groups in country (including the EAG and the Full Gospel Believers Church of Ethiopia), UPGs in Ethiopia and our surrounding neighbors.
Raegan's ministry in Romania has a three-fold mission: First to care for adandoned infants. Second to assist foster care programs for adandon children. Third to provide maternal care in a facility offering mothers alternatives to adandonment. Raegan is the network facilitator for Europe's compassion care network as well as the lead pastor at the International Church in Bucharest, Romania.
Mark and Anjali are located in Swaziland, a small, landlocked country within South Africa and bordered by Mozambique.
Lead Pastor of International Christian Assembly, a church of over 40 nationalities located in Bangkok, Thailand. Launch Chi Alpha at one of the largest Universities in the world in Bangkok. Continue to lead "Sealed" a ministry touching those enslaved in human trafficking.
Randy and Linda are missionaries to Mexico where they have a ministry for deaf children.
While the people of Estonia have made advances in technology and are reaping the rewards of those efforts, they are spiritually dead. In fact, Estonians considered themselves one of the least religious countries in the world. Among those that do hold religious beliefs, many have shaped their beliefs from folk tales and cultural influences, such as the popular belief that trees have souls. Within this population these sorts of beliefs significantly outnumber those that know our Savior and the hope that is found in Him. The Estonian people are spiritually hungry but don’t have many Christ followers to guide them on how to satisfy that hunger. Many of the people still suffer from the trauma of the Soviet occupation and the oppression that came with it. It is that pain and hunger that our Lord longs to heal. And we are honored that he has placed the calling on our hearts to begin planting seeds of a new day of hope in Estonia.
Troy and Heidi Jo Darrin seek to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of the people of Moldova. They team up with national pastors in church planting and construction efforts, partner with Convoy of Hope in community outreaches and minister in churches every week, preaching and encouraging the congregations. In addition, Heidi is involved in working against human trafficking—especially that of young women—through prevention awareness and the discipling of young women.
Guinea is approx. 14 million in population 47 people groups and 29 are unreached 86.9% of the population is unreached Largest religion is Islam, there is some mixture of animism 0.68% evangelical Currently, God has opened the door for Guineans to receive the gospel. The surrounding countries are predominantly Islamic states where it is against the law to proselytize. Guinea currently has an evangelical president so the government is favorable to the Gospel being preached. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God has a calling to plant churches and is eager to see this work happen in his country. As God has made this opportunity possible. Me and several others including AGWM (who has never sent a missionary to Guinea in its history) and AMI (where I serve full time) has both been led by the Spirit to come into partnership to reach the lost. God is moving and we are excited to minister in this country while the opportunity is here!
We serve the nearly 1500 MKs living in almost 200 countries, territories and provinces around the globe. One of the leading causes for missionary families to leave the field is because of concerns or needs of their kids. Our goal is to serve MKs and their parents so they can continue in long-term ministry even in difficult and hostile environments. MKs face the same challenges that their non-MK counterparts face. The difficulty for many is the added pressure of constant cultural change and adjustment.
Ryan and Andrea Crozier minister in Bucharest, Romania where they work to prevent human trafficking and sexual exploitation.