Maegan, Jose, Enya Luna, Sky and Ray Diaz
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Oita, Japan
Jose and Maegan facilitate a presence-centered community in the city of Oita, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. They and their YWAM team are first and foremost ministering to the Lord, and from that place going with God to reach young people, artists, families and the local government through service and the power of the Holy Spirit. Oita has a rich Christian history and was a Christian kingdom for a brief time before widespread persecution. Our mandate is to establish an altar of worship in Oita, so that people have a place and context where they can personally meet with God. Jose and Maegan lead the team and they all share a passion for friendship, the arts, worship, farming, education, and counseling. Jose also convenes YWAM Japan’s area leaders. Maegan is working with the team to pioneer Oita’s only Christian elementary school. Their eldest daughter Luna speaks Japanese and loves marine biology and doing crafts. Sky is learning Japanese at preschool very fast; she has a great imagination. Ray is always dancing and loves Japanese sticky rice. As a teenager, Maegan and her family Jim, Debi and Zach Byington started attending BFC. She met her husband Jose in Jerusalem while teaching and they were married in 2011. They have also served with YWAM and local churches in Israel, India, Colombia and Nepal. They moved to Tokyo, Japan in 2017 and to Oita in 2020.
The D Family
YWAM San Francisco to the Muslim world
"After serving in the mission field for the past 15 years, we’re consistently reminded that we have the best job in the world. We love giving our lives and serving among the middle-eastern world." The D Family returned from the Middle East and has made San Francisco their home. The San Francisco Bay Area is estimated to hold over 500,000 Persians, one of the largest communities outside Iran and Afghanistan. They are able to partner with an Iranian church in the area. God has been speaking to them about what's going on with 10/40 Muslims -the very ones they are trying to reach are within our own borders. They feel privileged to welcome them and minister to them when they are no longer at home and face a lot of challenges. The D’s hope to mobilize the larger Body of Christ in the Bay Area in reaching out to Muslims and refugees. They are thankful for their ability to share in a free environment.
Jon and GabrielA
YWAM – BWAM Business With A Mission
Jon and Gabriela are serving 100+ Business For Transformation, or BAM (Business as Mission), enterprises. They are training, equipping, and coaching entrepreneurs living in least-reached countries with the purpose of bringing transformation through demonstrating the Kingdom of God through businesses that follow Biblical principles. These job-creating businesses have several bottom lines: economic, spiritual, social, and environmental. They believe this is a key component of reducing human slavery and exploitation.
Kirk and Paula Dunham
Pastoring Green River Bible Church, Green River, Utah
Paula was first part of our Missionary Family as a single missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship in 1981. After marriage, Kirk and Paula continued their missions journey in 1985 with 13 years of ministry in Nepal. Kirk still makes periodic trips to Nepal for church leadership training sessions.
The Dunhams have been serving with Rockies Southwest Bible Church extension at Green River Bible Church since their return from Nepal in 1998. Their church in Utah is very active in the predominantly Mormon community with Bible studies, children’s ministry, and work projects for the community. Kirk leads an addiction Bible study and there are many opportunities for discipling seekers as these participants recover. They are working to re-establish a foothold within the Hispanic community drawing families (rather than just kids) into a relationship with Christ.
Paula has recently retired from her role in the medical field, but continues to actively serve alongside Kirk in teaching , hospitality, and counseling ministries.
Larry and Virginia McGuire
TWR (Trans World Radio)
It was in 1967 that Larry started with TWR on the island of Bonaire. They share: We have been able to continue to serve with TWR since then because of your faithfulness over these many years. We plan to continue serving as long as our health allows and the Lord provides. Thank you for being part of our team in the Lord’s service!! Larry is assigned numerous service projects throughout the year, which he works on stateside, then visits many sites overseas (recently Bonaire and Swaziland) installing phasors, transmitters, and other broadcast equipment. Virginia accompanies Larry on his trips and mentors women in the church and mission. This is in addition to her responsibilities as wife, mother (5 grown sons) and grandmother (18 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild)! They praise God for the positive reports of people that are finally able to hear the Gospel via these radio broadcasts, many in totally closed countries, and then risk their lives to stand up for Christ after hearing the Christian programs.
THE HOPE HOME CALCUTTA
The HOPE HOME CALCUTTA (HHC) is a transformational movement which began in 2003. It provides full-time care for children from vulnerable environments, including children from dysfunctional families, from the slums, and those who are victims of physical, sexual, psychological and/or economic exploitation. We aim to transform people in order to transform our society and nation into a community where the Scriptural values of worship, love, peace, and justice are lived out.
Our four-fold objective is: 1) To provide each child with a clean and safe environment of love and acceptance inspired by the love of Christ. 2) To enable personality development of each child through Christ-centered moral and ethical teaching. 3) To provide basic necessities of life like food, clothing, and medical care. 4) To equip children with functional skills which will enable them to earn a living and to engage in nation-building activities.
In the past 17 years nearly 200 boys and girls have grown up at HHC and many are now well-established in their careers. Many more have acquired skills in music, dance, and public performance through HHC training.
The HOPE EDUCATION CENTRE equips, educates, and empowers the children of HHC and children from the community through values-based education from pre-school to 8th grade. Most of these students come from economically and socially disadvantaged, marginalized families and might never have any education whatsoever, much less our values-based education in English. The HHC also provides relief and supplies to victims of natural disasters. We manage the HHC Food Bank, demonstrating the love of Christ by supplying monthly groceries to extremely poor individuals and families.
Contact: Dev Sarkar, President and CEO of Hope Home Calcutta Email: hopehomecal@gmail.com www.hopehomecalcutta.org
Life Network
The Colorado Springs Pregnancy Center offers life-affirming alternatives to those facing unplanned pregnancies. All services are free of charge, including: pregnancy tests, STD testing, options counsel, ultrasounds, referrals and emergency assistance such as diapers, formula, and maternity and baby clothing. Life Network operates two pregnancy center sites, both are equipped with nurses and trained client services staff who work with over 5,000 clients each year. Both locations also connect clients to their LifeSteps parent education outreach which both moms and dads can attend for up to three years. Bridges of Hope provides Christ centered post-abortion counseling. Through Education for a Lifetime, over 6,000 middle and high school students each year are taught the benefits of abstinence. In 2018, Life Network launched Who Can Relate, a teen suicide awareness and prevention program showing students the value of their lives. For more information, explore: www.elifenetwork.com
My Father’s House in India
My Father’s House is a “family model children’s home” for at risk boys with screened and trained staff who serve as loving house parents. The Diaz family has worked alongside this family in India since 2009. As followers of Jesus not only are they making disciples and reaching those who have never heard, but they are also caring for the orphans and widows in their community through meaningful support, as well as inviting those who have no home into their home to live as family. The boys at the home have learned what love is, who Jesus is, and that they are valued and have a destiny. We are so excited for what God is doing in this community through this home that reflects God’s father heart.