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4000-465-Brian and Melanie Stark

We are passionate about seeing workers thrive, not merely survive on the field, and will be developing, coaching and training global workers for long-term Gospel impact! Specifically, we will be coaching and mentoring more than 50 workers who will be serving in their first-term on the field in the Asia-Pacific Region, as well as leading and overseeing WorldVenture’s short-term initiatives globally. While we both began following Jesus at a young age, our journeys were quite different. Brian’s strong supportive home and input from mentors in his teens gave him a strong footing. After leading a child to Jesus one summer…
November 2, 2021

4000-177-Eckelberry, Sandy

After over 30 years working in the Philippines, I transitioned to be part of the WorldVenture-Americas Team in March, 2020. Part of my role includes reaching out to internationals and refugees to help them with a heart-felt need–-learning English. As internationals living in another country, transitions and acculturation can feel overwhelming, especially if communication is challenging. ESL (English as a Second Language) online gives the opportunity to build bridges of friendship in which I can share God’s love with them. Not only do we pray that they will feel more comfortable and adjusted here in the USA, but that they…
October 26, 2021

4000-118-Worker Name Withheld

Serving the church in the US through pastoral leadership and mission mobilization. Finishing organizational leadership doctoral work with a focus on global, groups, and theological perspectives with the goal of providing leadership consulting to WV global fields.
November 30, 2020

4000-182-Engel, Rocky and Sylvia

Working alongside Venezuelans, the Engels are taking advantage of the difficult situation in Venezuela to proclaim Christ in word and deed with the purpose of building His church in this country. Since September of 2017, they have been working in Caracas, in partnership with the Encuentro Con Dios Church, facilitating a five-prong ministry effort: * Food and Literature distribution every other Saturday. * Outreach into a public hospital, which is populated by the poor and disenfranchised that cannot afford private health care. * Ministry to those who live with disability. * Regular financial help to pay for services of rehabilitation…
October 9, 2020

4000-325-Johns, Bob and Lidia

Serving in Uruguay. The general population of Uruguay is largely a mix of European backgrounds, mostly Spanish and Italian. About us: Bob became a Christian at a camp at the age of ten. He came to northwest Argentina in 1982, and worked in church development, seminary extension, and teaching in a seminary. Lidia accepted Christ at the age of 14 in her home through an American missionary. She met Bob in 1990 while they were working together in the same church, and the two were married in 1993. The Johns were invited to help start a new ministry in Buenos…
October 6, 2020

4000-350-Karch, Rob and Martine

Our passion is to see a wave of gospel-centered disciples making disciples wash over St Jérôme, Québec, and the French-speaking world… seeing thousands of people reconciled to the God of the universe, lives transformed, marriages healed, families reconciled, neighborhoods shaken, and the DNA of countries fundamentally changed. Rob was born in the birthplace of Grunge, Starbucks, and Microsoft (otherwise known as Seattle) and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I studied theology at Davis college, met Martine in Paris while in the midst of the birth of a new French church (over the course of two summers), married Martine, moved to…
October 6, 2020

4000-367-Klingsmith, Scott and Chery

After almost 30 years of living with multiple sclerosis, Scott’s wife Carol graduated to heaven on January 8, 2019. She leaves a big hole in the lives of those she loved and who loved her. In September of 2021, Scott and Chery Flores were married, after God brought us together in an amazing way. Chery has served on church planting teams with another mission agency in Spain for 12 years. She has finished the coursework for an MDiv with a focus on missionary care. We are in the process of figuring out what ministry together looks like. Missionary care and…
October 6, 2020

4000-141-Davis, Ken and Luci

Executive Director of Edicoes Vida Nova (New Life Publishing). Our mission is to promote and publish God’s truth for the edification of His churches and their leaders. Vida Nova publishes with a ministry vision committed to the inerrancy of Scriptures, the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of Christ for salvation. Pray that church leaders will be faithful in their walk with God, uncompromising in their ministry and focused on the eternal rewards of God’s kingdom instead of the temporal rewards of this life! About us: Luci was born in Brazil and met Ken when he first went to Brazil…
October 6, 2020

4000-696-Stucky, Larry

Larry is a devoted follower of Christ, dedicated family man, and appreciator of culture and creativity. For 36 of the more than 40 years serving cross-culturally with WorldVenture, Larry and Dana Stucky joined together in cross-cultural ministry in four countries on three continents. They collaborated widely with others in establishing new communities of faith, starting and leading higher level training initiatives to reinforce the family, prepare and mentor spiritual leaders, spawn new initiatives, and strategically reinforce fledgling (even experimental) approaches to serving God’s purposes where He is least known. For the last several years, from 2016 until 2022, Larry was…
October 6, 2020

4000-652-Schaaf, Mark and Kathy

Mark is currently seconded in a formal partnership with Walk Thru the Bible International. Kathy continues to use her nursing skills as a platform for discipleship. Mark serves a global team of national and regional leaders in applying Walk Thru the Bible curriculum to local needs, developing training & discipleship strategies, applying principles for non-literate learners and developing international partnerships to support Gospel movements around the globe. Walk Thru the Bible serves local church movements by providing teaching, tools and training to pastors and church leaders. The leaders Mark supports teach in over 114 countries and have published materials in…
October 6, 2020

4000-473-Monahan, Tim and Marcia

WorldVenture has asked Tim & Marcia Monahan to take on a new ministry that will incorporate their education, their God-given skills, and their many years of leadership training in Italy. In an effort to greatly increase the longevity and effectiveness of our overseas workers, WorldVenture is now partnering with NYC International Project, which is a cutting edge program that prepares missionaries to minister among the unreached people groups of the world by actually having them start a church among one of New York's 60 people groups who have no Gospel witness. This one-year intensive training is clearly way ahead of anything WorldVenture…
October 6, 2020

4000-043-Berkey, David and Jerrine

Starting churches in Caracas, Venezuela. The challenges are many in this place of political tension, severe shortages, hyperinflation, crime, corruption, and mass emigration. How do you follow Christ in this environment? How do you help others follow Christ in this environment? How do you grow a healthy, biblical church in this environment? Pray for strength and commitment for believers in spite of political, social and economic tension. Pray for the development of biblically-solid Venezuelan leadership for local churches. David and Jerrine Berkey have been with WorldVenture in Venezuela since 1992. They live and work in Caracas, where they are involved…
October 6, 2020

4000-020-Allen, Rod and Jackie

Serving in Northwest Argentina through leadership development. The Allens work with all classes of people in Northwest Argentina, from the wealthy to the poor, from the highly educated to the illiterate. Pray that God will give them the opportunity to motivate North American Christians to reach the world for Christ. Rod and Jackie Allen are both passionate about seeing people grow in their personal relationship with the Lord. Rod first accepted Christ as a young child, but it wasn't until college that Rod realized his need to serve Him. As a result, he left his plans to be a doctor…
October 6, 2020

4000-026-Denny, Wayne and Hilary

Diaspora Ministry The Dennys began overseas ministry with WorldVenture in 2009 when they began language school in Paris. In 2010, they began serving in Senegal. Wayne's ministry was in theological education as well as participating in WorldVenture's partnership with local churches. Hilary worked with a ministry that cared for former street kids. In 2015, God led them to leave Senegal and begin serving in Memphis, Tennessee. Their work is with immigrants in Memphis. Wayne also serves as WorldVenture’s Coordinator of Global Diaspora Initiatives.
October 6, 2020

4000-015-Folden, Titus and Stephanie

Serving globally in the areas of discipleship, training and restoration with children and families-at-risk. Partnering with national churches and NGOs in abuse and human trafficking prevention and trauma response. By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). Often times in our journey, we don’t know exactly where we’re headed, how we’re going to get there or how it’s going to work. What we do know is that God is faithful to lead when we are obedient…
October 6, 2020

4000-055-Shogren, Gary and Karen

Equipping Organizations To Prevent And Respond To Sexual Harm An 8-week education course. Learn More And Register here! About Karen Karen grew up near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated with undergrad degrees in Bible and Church Music from Cairn University (formerly Philadelphia College of Bible). She studied Biblical Counseling at Misio Seminary (formerly Biblical Seminary) before she and her husband Gary were called to serve in San José, Costa Rica in 1998 with Latin America Mission. Beginning in 2000, Karen worked in member care, writing curricula to provide various levels of orientation and re-entry training to Missionary Kids and their parents,…
October 6, 2020

4000-704-Thorp, Jim and Corinne

Serving missionaries in North, Central, and South America as Global Directors. Pray that God would give us the needed wisdom to help provide the tools that missionaries need to be effective and to raise up new workers for ministries in the Americas. Pray for strength to travel constantly. About us: Jim and Corinne served as missionaries in Brazil (1987-2005) and Mozambique (2005-2008). In Brazil, they started two churches and Jim was the interim pastor in another church. They also worked at the Sao Luis Bible College, where Jim was the director. They moved to Mozambique to help open a new…
September 24, 2020

4000-707-Tissell, Bruce

Preparing future generations of leaders and pastors for the Brazilian church. Pray for Bruce as he directs the Seminary in Teresina, Piauí. Pray that he would take the many opportunities to disciple men and women both in and outside of classroom settings. About me: Bruce was raised in a Christian home. At the age of five, he accepted Christ as his Savior. Bruce´s parents always opened the house for missionaries who came through to visit their church. Because of this, he came to know missionaries as real people, and not people who came through only once every now and then.…
September 2, 2020

4000-662-Schneider, Terry and Donna

Terry and Donna Jeanne Schneider serve in Lynchburg, VA, mobilizing students at Liberty University, as well as couples in the area who are considering mission service. The Schneiders initially worked with refugees for 22 years in Austria. The Lord redirected them in 2013 to focus their efforts on mobilizing new workers to go and reach the nations for Christ. They love mentoring and helping those called to discern their next step in missions. If you would like to partner with the Schneiders in prayer and financial giving to help, send new workers into the harvest, click "give now" and they…
September 2, 2020

4000-452-Mayhugh, Paul and Diana

Serving with the Great Wall Ministries team in Macau. The Mayhughs minister to lower educated laborers, middle class families and college students, as well as Chinese university students and church pastors who are committed, teachable and independent. During this past term, Paul Mayhugh has been working on his doctorate of philosophy degree at the China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong. Paul has also been involved in directing a ministry focused on working with the Chinese people. He also serves as the Senior Pastor of Great Hope Church in Macau. Paulês wife, Diana, continues to serve as a mentor-teacher…
September 2, 2020

4001-477-Mota, Ireni

Transforming underprivileged children at Restoration Ministries. Restoration Ministries (RM) is an exciting outreach ministry to the poor and downcast in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For many of these children, the reality of their lives center on drugs, domestic violence, prostitution and a poverty so severe that there is often no food to eat. The mission of RM is to transform underprivileged children and their communities through the good news of Jesus Christ, equipping them to serve. The ministry reaches into children's lives through many opportunities, including weekly evangelism programs in different slum areas, home visitation, church planting, leadership training, on-going discipleship,…
September 2, 2020

4000-028-Axline, Bill and Linda

Training Christian workers and leaders among Chinese disciples through instruction, modeling, and life situations, and assisting churches in developing intentional discipleship ministries, particularly among the Chinese. In both the U.S. and Asia, the Axlines minister primarily to Chinese young men and women, and to churches seeking to build disciples among the Chinese. Bill and Linda joined the WorldVenture family in 1997 and began their Mandarin language studies in Taiwan. Then in 2000, they were appointed as career missionaries to the field in Macau, where they assisted in planting Great Praise Church and worked evangelizing and building disciples among Chinese students…
September 2, 2020

4000-132-CJ & Mary Mihalko

Incarnational Work Among Refugees, Immigrants, and other Displaced Peoples There are thousands of people who have immigrated to our region from very difficult places in the world. Many of these "outsiders" have never heard the good news of Jesus although their culture is steeped in religion. When they arrive, they are often ostracized by the locals because of their religion, country of origin or because they are stereotyped as extremists. We desire to show them the love of Jesus and set an example for the Church to follow in being the hands and feet of Jesus to their new neighbors.…
August 12, 2020

4000-369-Schulz, Rachael

The mission God has placed on my heart is to create awareness of sex trafficking in Portland, Oregon (where I live). To educate, equip and empower the church and faith community to engage in this issue in order to protect youth and prevent this darkness from advancing. My heart is educating women and girls. Follow Me on Instagram!
February 27, 2020

4000-334-Knutson, Sam and Emma

God is directing us to be building the Kingdom with the people of Guayaquil, Ecuador. We will work with bringing healing and restoration in the lives of children and women who have been victimized and build a network of churches to better provide their communities with the resources that families need to find redemption. Our Ministry: We are being sent to Ecuador by WorldVenture, a missions organization that has over seventy-six years of experience in caring for the missionaries it supports so that those missionaries can all the more serve in the Kingdom of God. We have already felt that…
February 12, 2020

4000-001-Sperling, Neal and Sherri

We will host a Guest House for Missions travelers and a Respite House for Missionaries to be refreshed and ministered to. Our main focus will be loving and supporting those who are reaching the unreached. In addition we plan to teach and lead prayer journeys and conduct prayer retreats. Married in 1971 our ministry in early years was bearing, fostering and hosting children ... three biological, three adopted, 30 foster children, and five exchange students! When the kids grew our ministry took place more and more on an international basis, participating in 26 short term trips between us. In addition…
February 12, 2020

4000-294-Caucutt, David and Kristen

To equip the church to make mature disciples of Christ in Loja, Ecuador. In 2014, David came across a request for help in Loja, Ecuador. God began to make us sensitive to this need and burdened our hearts to pray about whether there was something He wanted us to do to help. God confirmed this calling, and, after much preparation, brought us to Ecuador in September 2020. We look back and see how God has been writing this story long before we realized it. Since 2005, David has been involved in short-term missions, evangelism, discipleship, and youth ministry in our…
February 12, 2020

4000-241-Hahn, Nikole

Newsletters to Sign Up For: - Once Per Month Ministry Updates and Prayer Points Digital Disciple-Making Coordinator Primary Responsibilities: 1. Via digital channels, increase direct engagement with the mission and vision of WorldVenture and increase partnerships with the same. 2. Train WorldVenture workers (missionaries), partner churches, and individual partners in digital disciple-making tools, with a focus on social media. 3. Remain current and knowledgeable by actively discipling individuals via the same digital practices provided to workers and partners. Duties/Tasks: • Design and maintain digital-disciple making best practices materials in the form of seminars, webinars, and digital reference guides to provide…
February 12, 2020

4000-155-Campbell, April

We are looking to establish training for businesses, mentoring and discipleship for those who are interested in cross-cultural missions. We are also going to have missions and Bible courses. Pray that God would raise up Costa Ricans to be sent to the unreached of the world. About me: I was brought up in a solid Christian family and came to know Jesus Christ early in life. I was always interested in missions and went on several short-term missions trips as I was growing up and after college. I enjoyed opportunities in sports ministry and when the opportunity to use surfing…
February 12, 2020

4000-265-Hocutt, Keith and Joelle

We will be assisting the church planting efforts of the local Ecuadorian church through discipleship and music/drama ministry in the city of Loja and throughout the province. Although officially there is religious freedom in Ecuador, family and religious leaders make it very difficult on new believers often disowning them and asking the community to boycott their businesses . Traditions are exalted above biblical accuracy. Please pray for people to be moved to partner with us to see transformed lives in Ecuador and for discipleship opportunities while we share our story with others. Pray for the ministry that has already begun…
February 12, 2020

4001-950-Du Plessis, Eugene and Veronica

My name is Eugene Du Plessis. I’m a South African-born Bolivian national. I'm married to Veronica, a Bolivian. We have been married for 7 years. We have two children Jonathan, 6, and Isabella, 2-years old. I’m a Bible and Worldview teacher at Carachipampa Christian School in Cochabamba Bolivia. I'm also a secretary and the sports coordinator of the Foundation, LLAMA2. I run a small sports ministry through our local church called Dios en Cristo. It uses Floorball, Futsal (indoor soccer), and Basketball to show God's love, drawing children into the local evangelical church through friendship. We focus on children between…
February 12, 2020

4000-233-Labriel, Carlos and Sarah

Plant a local church in Cuenca Ecuador, the third largest city in Ecuador. From there we will plant daughter churches in the more rural areas surrounding Cuenca. The final step will be to train men to go into the last five considered "unreached" people groups of Ecuador and plant churches there. We will be working with an enormous range of people types. City people, village people, tribal people, even USA retirees, as Cuenca is one of the top retirement cities in the world. Challenges: Breaking through the ingrained Catholic religion. 97% in Ecuador! It is not just a choice for…
February 12, 2020

4000-208-Atkins, Rob and Lisa

We operate a rescue and transition home for young women 18 years and older. We help them to transition into adults for life here in Bolivia. Most of them come from orphanages even though they may not be true orphans. We offer them a low cost, safe place to live while they work part time and attend school. We teach them about Jesus, to budget money, be good employees, practice spiritual disciples and general life skills. Our hope is that when they leave us, they will be productive members of Bolivian society and active members of a local church. We…
February 12, 2020

4000-255-Ware, Nancy

Nancy serves among the refugees in northeast Ohio who originate from Myanmar. There are approximately 1000 people in Summit County Ohio. That number is continually growing. They have several faith backgrounds including Animism, Buddhism, other faiths including Christianity. Most faiths are syncretized. The main challenge is that ethno-centricity hinders growth of the church. Many do not understand the concept of receiving Christ and following Him. About me: Raised in a Christian home, Nancy accepted Christ as a 7th grader. She was active in her local church's bus ministry and taught the kindergarten Sunday school class. After earning her Master's degree,…
February 12, 2020

4000-366-King, Roberta

Making Jesus Christ known through the cultural musics of various people groups! Roberta R. King, Ph.D., communicates the gospel through contextualized worship arts and desires to make Jesus Christ known through the cultural musics of various people groups. Dr. King introduced studies in Christian Music Communication at Daystar University in Kenya. A missionary pioneer in ethnomusicology with WorldVenture, Dr. King has taught at Fuller Seminary since 2000. Her passion is to help believers grapple with issues in music, culture, and the church in cross-cultural mission. She is currently completing a research project on 'Songs of Peace and Reconciliation among Muslims…
February 12, 2020

1100-838-Ellison, Gordon and Rita

Gordon Ellison serves with WorldVenture as a member of the Mobilization Ministries Team. His ministry focuses on three important areas: missions promotion and education through the local church, missions mentoring, and member care. Gordon equips pastors and local church leaders in the development of effective strategies toward the clarification and accomplishment of their church’s mission, locally and globally. Gordon also influences others as they grow in their awareness of God’s specific leading toward missions, and encourages, strengthens and provides pastoral care to missionaries and their families. Born in England and spending the first nine years of his life in Belfast,…
February 12, 2020

4000-082-Lopez, John and Laurie

John and Laurie Lopez are working together to minister to kids at risk, and their families in a poor neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia. They are also involved in a church plant in the area in which they work. Laurie worked many years at Multnomah Bible College in the Missions Department in Portland, OR and also helped at her church, Hinson Baptist Church, with the young adults group. During that time, she took various teams on short-term mission trips to Medellin, Colombia. Each time she returned from Medellin, her heart felt a strong pull to return. She eventually was invited by…
February 12, 2020

4000-138-Brown, Drew and Michele

Equipping Pastors and Missionaries in Costa Rica Drew and Michele Brown are both Ohio natives who discovered their shared passion for missionary service during a college trip to the rainforests of the Amazon. There they discovered how under-resourced the global church is for training leaders. They’ve been working together since then to help meet this need. From 2016-2021, the Browns served in Africa, translating the Bible and teaching young church leaders how to share it with a largely illiterate community. In 2022, they moved to Costa Rica where they educate church leaders and train Costa Rican missionaries. The Brown’s primary…
February 12, 2020

4000-088-Calva, Leo and Maria

Ministering in church planting and leadership development in Loja. Loja is a place with less than one percent of believers. In the province, they are working in at least 30 towns with 2,000 people in each community that do not have any evangelical church of any kind. People are very tolerant of materialism, sensualism, migration and drug addictions. Leonardo (Leo) and Lourdes Calva serve as church planters in southern Ecuador in a region called Loja. Where there is great need for the word of God, Loja has less than one percent of believers "called the lost territory" due to this.…
February 12, 2020

1100-847-Hagquist, Gloria

Ministry Summary: Church-Missionary Relationships Team Gloria and Timothy serve churches in the United States, missionary appointees preparing for overseas service, and missionaries on home assignment. Serving includes training, mentoring and encouragement. About Us: Timothy & Gloria served as WorldVenture Missionaries in the Philippines and continue to serve in the United States with WorldVenture on the Church - Missionary Relationships Team. Gloria began her missionary career in 1986 as a short-term worker teaching at Faith Academy in Manila for one year followed by one year in Cebu as a member of a Church Planting Team. She returned to the U.S. where…
February 12, 2020

4000-578-Perrello, Tony and Ming

Mobilizing future missionaries! Pray for open hearts on both sides of the ocean and close relationships that lead people closer to Jesus and doing God's will. About Me: Tony Perrello is serving WorldVenture as a missions mobilizer for the churches on the East Coast. He seeks to develop powerful partnerships with churches and individuals here and abroad to see people transformed by Jesus Christ. Tony was born and raised in New York and became a Christian in high school. His wife, Ming, was born in Taiwan and raised in New York. They married in 1987 and have two children: Micah…
February 12, 2020

4000-638-Roper, John and Joyce

Our names are John and Joyce Roper, and we are engaged in the ministry of pastoring, teaching, and discipling internationals in the Oklahoma City metro area. Some of the people we reach out to are only here for a year or so, making evangelism and long-term discipleship difficult. Our congregation is predominantly young and still growing in the Lord. Please pray for them to fully embrace all the plans and ministry that God has for them. About Us: In Jeremiah 1:5, God said that, even before Jeremiah was formed in his mother's womb, God knew him, and that even before…
February 12, 2020

4000-166-Messick, Matt and Kristy

We're a family that can stand on the rooftop and shout of the Lord's faithfulness! We are so excited and humbled that we get to serve Him in Ecuador. The Lord brought us together in 2001 as we both found ourselves on a rickety bus traveling along the dusty roads of West Africa. It didn't take more than a few days before we knew that He had brought us together for a purpose, and that we were being called to live life together serving as a team. Matt grew up in a Christian home, while Kristy was new to her…
February 12, 2020