She is Safe (SIS) works to prevent, rescue and restore women and girls from abuse and exploitation in high risk places around the world. SIS equips women and their families to build a life of freedom, faith, and a strong future. For more information about SIS please visit their website: sheissafe.org
On January 17 of 2021, Rob and Vicki celebrated 30 years of service with JARON Ministries International. August of 2021 marks 25 years serving fulltime from JARON’s Fresno California headquarters. What began as Director of Missions, coordinating and leading short-term ministry teams to come alongside indigenous pastors JARON was training through teaching and materials, has expanded to over thirty diverse ministries. Rob now serves as Director over those ministries both in the US and abroad. Today, JARON’s roster has grown to over eighty missionary pastors and volunteer missionaries. Rob and Vicki have two married sons and three grandchildren all living in the Fresno area. Joshua and Samuel both serve in leadership with JARON and in their churches. Vicki ministers to women from many backgrounds and nationalities in the community through dance fitness. Click HERE to check out the various services and ministries of JARON.
Together with their four children, the Sammons have moved from Nakuru, Kenya to serve under African Inland Mission in South Sudan. They are progressing well with learning the language and more about their community and its people daily. Troy is engaged in helping students with school and doing Bible studies; while continuing to make wider relationships in town. Bekah has been involved with women’s literacy and the women’s ministry on a church-wide scale, which is strengthening the women of the church to reach out with the town. They have learned that South Sudan is a mission field that really requires a team. They have reached their goal of engaging in a local church and have found a church which is vibrant, strong, and has initiative to send missionaries from their church into the surrounding areas. Their goal is to come alongside to help train and facilitate locals to go to their own people and share the Gospel.
The Making of Disciples continues! Yes, the situation changes but not the Great Commission. Lito Sampan is busy with the Digital Discipleship. He continues with the training of pastors and church leaders both in the Philippines and abroad (The Middle East, HK, Malaysia, Australia, and Singapore). He also finished his Doctoral Studies this year and integrating the Ministry to Migrant Workers with the ministry of JARON Ministries International. Lito is also networking with other training institutions like Walk Thru the Bible, Jireh-Jethro Church Planting Foundation, and various Bible Schools to see more pastors, church leaders, and church planters trained and equipped for the ministry's effectiveness.
The Whitehouse's are living in the Seattle area where Barb continues to work with Bridges International through CRU. Bridges International focuses on international students. John is officially retired though he continues to help Barb with her ministry and enjoys biking and studying scripture. He also helps their son Matt with various things that are needed. Matt just had two more surgeries, both successful, related to his NF2 condition. Both daughters Rebekah and Amy along with their spouses live locally. Rebekah and husband Mike have two boys, Jack and James ages 3 and 5.
The Demetrius family live and serve in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Steve’s chaplaincy role continues to impact students’ lives at Bledisloe and Marewa Elementary Schools, Taradale Intermediate School, and Taradale High School, and the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT). Recently, they have been blessed by watching the students grow in Chess Club at the schools, bringing in and training new youth group helpers, leading Bible Clubs, running Youth Camps, and seeing students responding to the Gospel and building a relationship with Christ. As Steve continues, to expand the role of chaplaincy, his hope it to bring in more local people to train and expand discipleship and outreach ministries. Cynthia-Louise continues to lead WOW - Women Of the Word Bible Study (modeled after Liz Fosdahl’s Women of the Word program). WOW has been growing among local women .
Alan & Karen serve remotely as part-time Area Leaders, overseeing and supporting teams focused on the unreached people of the Korean Peninsula. Having lived and served in Korea for nearly 20 years, they provide valuable support for those working in that region of the world. With current travel bans and COVID restrictions closing the Northern part of the Peninsula to foreign workers, Alan & Karen's veteran perspective & counsel provides valuable support to these teams as they actively pray, prepare and train to live and work inside. In the meantime, Alan & Karen's six children move forward, the oldest three now living and working elsewhere, while the youngest three attend college and high school while remaining at home.
Frank and Karren have served for the last two years in Southeast Asia in a country which is predominantly Muslim. They are training Bible college students through Biblical languages, counseling and reaching out to the lost. They have ministered in this country for over 27 years. They continue to use various means to reach out to the community with God's Good News.
Along with their partners, the Jere, Noelle and family are in their fourth year of a church plant (Ebenezer Church) in the community of Linda Vista, San Diego. Linda Vista (“beautiful view”) is a largely immigrant, under-resourced community, and is considered one of six distressed neighborhoods in San Diego. Much of their time and ministry is spent working with at-risk youth, the large unsheltered population, and under performing schools. They have also seen the Lord move in massive and magnificent ways in the last four years: people giving their lives to Jesus, open doors to minister freely at three public schools, a building to meet in, and a growing group of people who love Jesus and understand His call to love the least of these. Most recently, they’ve enjoyed a baptism service, the purchase of a four unit mobile shower for their unsheltered friends, food security for families in need, and moving four of their unsheltered friends off the streets and into studios as part of their discipleship program. The name “Ebenezer”- thus far the Lord has helped us- continues to be a reminder to the Lester family and wider community of the reality of God’s faithful presence and His ongoing promises for mercy.