The CURRENT William Wood Missions to Russia board will be dissolved as of December 31, 2022. However, a NEW support source is organizing--
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Sherri Paulson -- Serving in Missions (SIM)
Sherri Paulson was raised on a dairy farm in north central Wisconsin. She had always had the dream of serving as a missionary. A door opened for her to go on a short-term trip to Ghana, West Africa, to be a nanny for two missionary families. She discovered that she didn't have to be a pastor, or builder, or an evangelist to go to a foreign country to minister; she only had to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit, and be obedient. Surrendering her entire life into the hands of Jesus Christ, she trusted Him to direct her steps.
Moving to Chicago after college graduation, Sherri became more involved with young people, discipling many and leading Bible studies. She was made aware of the need in Ghana for mission workers who had experience with youth and administrative skills. Sherri began ministering in Ghana in 2005, partnering with a SIM (Serving In Missions) related church. After home leave, Sherri returned to Ghana on July 14, 2016, and moved on to Tamale. She is part of SIM Tamale team: Damary, her roomie, DooShik and GaeOk from Korea, her leaders, and Yvonne who is from England (and Sherri). Sherri and Damary moved into a new house (5 bedrooms) November 12, 2016, so there is plenty of room for guests and visiting missionaries. (Hint.) As with many houses in this area, houses are fenced in with gates and grates on windows for security. Sherri's challenge is learning the Dagbani language. Her language helper is Hannah. Sherri enjoys visiting other villages, talking with people and shopping for supplies. Everything is so colorful! Take a look at Sherri's website here: https://www.sherripaulson.com/ 
Stewart and Patti Humphrey -- ReachGlobal/EFCA
Stewart and Patti grew up in west central Illinois, choosing Christ as early teenagers. During college years at Western Illinois University, they grew spiritually, and, after graduating, married on July 3, 1983. They first arrived in Hungary as participants in a 1986 Campus Crusade evangelistic outreach project.
In ‘99 they went back as team leaders of a short term ministry from their home church in Columbia, Missouri. They began in Budapest, Hungary, in August 2003, serving in the ministry center to multiply healthy churches in Budapest and throughout Hungary. In 2008 they transferred over to the SERVEurope Team also located in Budapest. This team serves the ReachGlobal missionaries in Europe. In 2014 Stewart joined the Europe Division Leadership Team in addition to leading the SERVEurope Resource team. This team sets the pace for missions work throughout Europe and Canada. In November 2015 they relocated to the states to accommodate networking of churches as they resource teams and recruiting more members to their SERVEurope Resource Team. In July 2016 Stewart joined the Connect Team which has the vision statement: “Connecting churches to strategic global relationship to fulfill the Great Commission”. The last half of 2016 was really a transition time of coming up to speed with the Connect Team and handing off the leading of the SERVEurope Resource Team. It was a great hand-off finishing with the Clarity Workshop for our missionaries and Church Multiplication Institute in October in Bucharest and two spiritual development seminars in Spain in November. 2017 started off with co-facilitating the online course “Healthy Missions Partnerships” for five weeks in January and February. Stewart will continue with the Europe Division Leadership Team and be an advocate for Europe missions. Among the goals: Specifically working with 35 (missional) unengaged churches to bring them on board in healthy mission work; Intentionally engage with the Southeast District and regions of the Great Lakes District including being at their district conferences; Work with at least five churches to conduct “Crafting Your Mission Strategy” Seminars; Coordinate a vision trip in November for churches in the investigation stage of engaging in missions in Europe. Outreach Ministry: Child Arise -- Elizabeth Mativo
Our Mission
The mission of Child Arise is to enable the poorest widows and orphans to rise above their circumstances by presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ while providing relational, emotional and physical support. Our Purpose Child Arise Kenya Widows and Orphans Ministry is organized in response to Psalm 82:3, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Child Arise intends to assist widows, their children and orphans living in poverty in Kenya, through the power of the Lord, to rise above their circumstances. In the Bible, Luke 8:49-56, Jesus gives life to a little girl who died. He takes her by the hand and tells her, "Child, arise." Through Child Arise, Jesus is reaching out His hand to His children, saying, "Child Arise" and assisting them with prayer support, evangelism and discipleship training, Bible study, food, school uniforms, school supplies, school fees, clean water and medical attention they need to rise above their circumstances. In addition, Child Arise will endeavor to educate communities on changing their discriminatory attitudes towards widows. Child Arise shall follow the many examples Jesus gave us. Elizabeth Mativo’s Background After Onesimus & Elizabeth Mativo graduated with a 4 year degree from Ukamba Bible College, Kenya, & received a 2 year degree from Eldoret Missionary College, Kenya, Onesimus was ordained and they became missionaries with African Inland Church. The Mativos spent the next 27 years in remote areas of Kenya with unreached people groups, planting 14 churches, some of which were in Muslim areas where they risked their lives to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of the converts in the Muslim areas were attacked by their own families and communities. They would flee to the Mativos. The convert would be smuggled to Christians in Nairobi where they could be discipled and provided for. After those years of church planting, because of Pastor Mativo's failing health due lack of availability of a proper diet and medical care, the Mativos were relocated to the slums of Nairobi where they took over the discipling of the ex-Muslim converts to Christianity. When Pastor Mativo, unexpectedly died of a heart attack in August of 2008, Elizabeth was devastated. Not only had she lost her beloved husband of 39 years, but her life long mission work was no longer an option for her. Elizabeth now lives in their family home in Mbooni, Kenya, which was very hard for her after living away for 28 years on the mission field. She felt so depressed and lonely. She began to wonder if other widows felt like she did. She felt the Lord leading her to start a ministry to widows, their children and orphans. Before Pastor Mativo died, they had already started helping with food and school fees for 5 orphan children. Elizabeth, with the permission of the local African Inland Church, started the ministry to care for orphans, widows and their children in Mbooni, Kenya. Contact information: Child Arise Kenya Widows & Orphans Ministry 827 5th Avenue Drive West Andalusia, IL 61232 (309) 798-2596 Dawn@ChildAriseKenya.com Click HERE to visit the Facebook page for Child Arise Kenya Widows & Orphans Ministry. Outreach Ministry: Compassion International
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid child sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world. Many people attending Grace EFC individually support children through Compassion International. Grace Church also supports two children. For information on how you can get involved, check out Compassion International at:
https://www.compassion.com If you'd like to be involved in supporting any of these missions, please contact the church, or get directly involved through the links provided.
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