“He is your praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen.” Deuteronomy 10:21

Our eyes continue to see things that inspire awe, and someday I pray that we will look back on our years here and will see this verse as a fitting description.  Since our last letter, I’ve had some good news and some “please follow up at some point” messages.  My liver enlargement is due to an anatomical variant, though they found some things in the labs that need to be followed up with non-urgently.  We plan to do that here.  I had the procedure to break up my kidney stones and it went well.  Overall good news.

Fred had a wonderful visit with his friends in Japan and at the family wedding in the Philippines.  The kids took turns being sick while he was gone, which meant that I got a lot less done than I’d hoped.  But we did drive north from January 20-23.  Our flights could not be scheduled when we had hoped, they were confirmed for February 6.  So on January 25 we had our commissioning at Peninsula Evangelical Friends Church with our home congregation and several out of town family.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship and a wonderful weekend of visiting.  Then I got sick, which turned into asthma, and again we were slower getting things done than hoped.  But God was faithful, and despite the delays we were able to visit with several dear friends, pack, and leave on time.

We moved a bunch of suitcases and bags, a guitar and baritone ukulele, two cats, two kids, and three adults (my sister, Jennifer, traveled with us), arriving in Split, Croatia on Saturday, February 7th.  Minus half of our bags, which ended up being a blessing in that it let us move things in stages.  They arrived two days later.  God provided an apartment the week before we left that we were able to move straight into.  The landlords are friendly and helpful, the neighborhood is bustling and quiet.  We don’t have a car, but using public transit and ride shares is going pretty well.  We have been attending a Croatian church and are hopeful to be at home there.

Our first few weeks have been packed.  Jen got sick our second night here and was out of commission for several days.  My asthma got a lot worse the day we left the US, it is finally mostly better.  After multiple visits to several government and business offices, we are registered with the police, have Croatian ID numbers, have internet and local phone numbers, and our apartment is coming together.  Fred and I have finished three weeks of language school and are enjoying seeing pieces start connecting, even as it feels a bit like a fire hose.  We were unable to find a preschool with openings for the kids, but God provided a nanny for school days and that seems to be going well.  Jen was here for three weeks and the emotional stress of transition seems to have started after she left.  The kids, especially Jael, had a pretty rough couple of week, but now we are seeing steady “settling” in all of us.  There is still a ways to go, so please continue to pray for peaceful hearts and grace with each other.

Croatian Adjustments

We have found some familiar foods, which has been helpful for the kids, but even those have slightly different flavors and textures which has been especially hard for Jael.  A surprise for the rest of us was that our address is just our building, and then visitors call up or the post office puts our mail in the box with our name on it.  We are still getting used to the rhythm of life here, especially that almost everything closes on Sunday.  Many ingredients that we are used to are available, but figuring out the Croatian names was a bit of a challenge.  Having said that, we are enjoying trying new foods and finding new favorites!

The Kids

Alex and Jael are excited to be home, though they miss friends and family from the US.  Having the cats has been helpful.  Jael is often seen carrying one then the other around, frequently telling us: “I need to hold the kitty!” She has been singing the alphabet song “H, I, P, T, H, I, P, T, …” and was thrilled to go to the beach.  Alex sings “the Croatia song”, that his grandma wrote, all the time; notably while we were walking around the old city of Dubrovnik, to his Sunday School class here, and on several walks around town.  He will walk up to random strangers and start with “Hi!  My name is Alex, I like dinosaurs!”  He gained a new scar on his eyebrow when he split it open on the corner of the table less than a week after we arrived , then the next week got another on his side when he tripped on a sidewalk while running at full tilt.  We’ve had some tears about missing home, and also statements of “I like it here” and “I’m glad we live here!”

Praise & Prayer Requests:

• We’re here!  God answered so many prayers for specific things about the trip, the apartment, the kids’ adjustment, in the last few weeks.  We are thankful for all your prayers to that end.
• The body of believers here has already been encouraging.  If you remember a few months ago, I wrote about Fred and I crying during the song “Holy Forever” at yearly meeting in Ohio.  We longed to hear the Croatian church singing that song, sharing that prayer.  Our first Sunday at the church here, that was one of the songs they sang.  The next week they sang “Christus Victor,” which was another song that was something of a them the last few months.
• We’ve been praying, as have many of you, about what the kids should do while we are in language school.  None of the preschools that we’ve talked to have any openings.  But Jen’s last Wednesday here the Lord gave me an urgency to post on a Facebook page for foreigners in Split, asking for recommendations for a Croatian nanny.  Someone connected us to one and she started the next Monday.  We are thanking God for His provision!
• The kids are still having sleep disturbances and emotional stress.  Please pray for their hearts and minds, for wisdom as we take care of them, and that they will pick up Croatian easily from the nanny.
• Please pray also for our language studies, that we will learn quickly.  We are also looking for a language helper to supplement our formal study, please pray for someone who can also become a friend.
• We are starting to connect some with people in our class, please continue to pray that God brings friendships with people who need Him and with people who already know Him.  Pray that we will be a faithful witness, even in this transition period when stress levels are high.

The post The Liddell Family | March Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Amados Familia y Amigos,

Estamos seguros de que también ustedes como nosotros han experimentado el amor, la misericordia, y la bondad de Dios múltiples veces. Los últimos tres meses del año 2025, para nosotros fueron de grandes cambios, noticias, y también de oportunidades intencionales de descanso y renovación. En medio de tantos sentimientos encontrados y transición es muy hermoso ver las manifestaciones de amor y gracia de nuestro Señor.
Dios nos permite seguir sirviéndole a Él con pasión y emoción haciendo nuestra tarea de movilización de misiones con EFM. Prontamente nuestro calendario se está llenando con invitaciones de varias Juntas Anuales de Latinoamérica para llegar a motivar y movilizar a las iglesias para que crezcan en su involucramiento en el envío de más misioneros y apertura de nuevas obras. Alabado sea el Señor por todas las oportunidades que El nos está permitiendo.
Para empezar, del 20 de enero al 7 de marzo estaremos participando en las sesiones de la Junta Anual de Honduras, visitando iglesias en El Salvador, y estar presentes y participar en las sesiones de la Junta Anual de México, para seguir ayudando en el avance de VM32 y promover misiones.
Como mentores, estamos trabajando uno a uno con varios jóvenes de Latinoamérica que se están sintiendo retados por Dios con un llamado misionero o plantadores de nuevas obras y están dando pasos hacia el discernimiento y confirmación del su llamado. Por favor apóyennos a orar por Ana de Guatemala, Daniel de Bolivia, Angélica de México, Maribel de Philadelphia, Luke y Ximena de Kansas, y Grace de Oregón. Oren para que nosotros seamos efectivos en nuestro trabajo y Dios nos use para animar y ser mentores para caminar con ellos en el proceso hasta un día verlos salir al campo donde Dios los envíe.
Seguimos sirviendo de Coach para el misionero José Olivas, él ya está de regreso en Ecuador ahora con su visa de residencia, ¡sirviendo y viviendo entre el pueblo Shuar en el Amazonas! Vemos muy obviamente la unción y respaldo de Dios en la vida y ministerio de José. ¡Gloria a Dios!
Estas diferentes tareas que Dios nos ha dado para desarrollar vienen con sus retos, pero también nos sentimos bendecidos y emocionados. Y también agradecidos por todos ustedes que son parte de nuestro equipo con su apoyo, su amor, y sobre todo sus preciosas oraciones que apreciamos y valoramos grandemente.

Noticias de nuestra familia

¡Una de las noticias que queremos compartir con ustedes es que nuestros hijo Edwin Isaac entregó el anillo e hizo la pregunta y su linda novia Jessica Grace dijo que si!! entonces estaremos celebrando su boda en el verano de este año. Increíble que Edwin Isaac solo tenía 3 añitos cuando Dios nos llamó a las misiones, y ahora está por casarse. Oren por la bendición de esta unión y que Dios los use para que ellos sean ejemplo de un matrimonio y familia bajo la voluntad de Dios.
Nuestra hija Faviola está disfrutando mucho su trabajo como terapeuta en comportamiento para niños con autismo. A nosotros nos encanta cuando ella nos cuenta del avance de sus pacientes. Damos gracias a Dios por que ella tiene la maravillosa oportunidad de ser las manos de Jesús para estos hermosos niños y sus familias.
Otra de las noticias es que nosotros nos mudamos y ahora nuestra base de residencia es el sur de Houston. Dios siendo tan increíble nos ha proveído, nos ha abierto puertas y oportunidades expandiendo ministerio para nosotros servir e impactar el reino. Estamos inmensamente agradecidos por la Iglesia de Bayshore Friends quienes nos han adoptado con tanta generosidad y nos han recibido proveyendo una casa transicional mientras buscamos la que será nuestra nueva casa permanente. Pedimos a Dios que pronto podamos tener la casa adecuada que sea donde lleguemos a renovarnos y restaurar nuestros espíritus, mentes, y cuerpos en la presencia de Dios después de cada viaje, y que sea de mucha bendición para la familia y amigos que desean llegar a visitarnos.
Una de las muchas razones que nos emocionan de este cambio es nuestro involucramiento y colaboración con la Junta Anual de MidAmerica, a la cual pertenecemos ahora. Soñamos y pedimos a Dios que nos use para ver ánimo y crecimiento para seguir la expansión de su reino. Algunas de nuestras pasiones es ayudar a levantar nuevas obras, capacitación de liderazgo y desarrollo de discípulos. Deseamos y pedimos a Dios que para su honra y gloria use, nuestras experiencias, talentos, dones, y pasiones para ser de bendición a MAYM.

Peticiones de Oración

• Para que Dios nos permita seguir con buena salud, energía y ánimo para llevar a cabo nuestros diferentes roles siendo efectivos y productivos.
• Por nuestra adaptación a nuestra nueva base en Texas. Para que pronto podamos tener nuestra propia casa de descanso y restauración.
• Por su unción, gracia y sabiduría en cada presentación, taller, capacitación, etc. en donde tengamos la oportunidad de compartir. ¡Toda la honra y gloria sea a El!

The post Actualización de Giron | Celebrando juntos la fidelidad de Dios first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Beloved Family and Friends,

We are certain that you, like us, have experienced God’s love, mercy, and goodness many times. The last three months of 2025 were filled with significant changes, news, and intentional opportunities for rest and renewal for us. Amidst so many mixed emotions and transitions, it is truly beautiful to witness the manifestations of our Lord’s love and grace.

God allows us to continue serving Him with passion and enthusiasm, carrying out our Missions Mobilization ministry with EFM. Our calendar is soon filling up with invitations to various Yearly Meetings in Latin America, where we will travel to motivate and mobilize churches to increase their involvement in sending more missionaries and establishing new ministries. Praise the Lord for all the opportunities He is providing us.

To begin, from January 20th to March 7th, we will be participating in the Honduras Yearly Meeting sessions, visiting churches in El Salvador, also attending and participating in the Yearly Meeting sessions in Mexico, to continue supporting the advancement of VM32 and promoting missions.

As mentors, we are working one-on-one with several young people from Latin America and the U.S. who feel challenged by God with a missionary calling or a call to plant new churches and are taking steps toward discerning and confirming their calling. Please join us in praying for Ana from Guatemala, Daniel from Bolivia, Angélica from Mexico, Maribel from Philadelphia, Luke and Ximena from Kansas, and Grace from Oregon. Pray that we will be effective in our work and that God will use us to encourage and mentor them, walking alongside them in the process until one day we see them go out into the field where God sends them.

We continue to coach missionary José Olivas, who is now back in Ecuador with his residency visa, serving and living among the Shuar people in the Amazon! We clearly see God’s anointing and support in José’s life and ministry. Glory to God!

These different tasks that God has given us to carry out come with their challenges, but we also feel blessed and excited. And we are also grateful for all of you who are part of our team, for your support, your love, and above all, your precious prayers, which we greatly appreciate and value.

Family News

One of the pieces of news we want to share with you is that our son Edwin Isaac proposed to his lovely girlfriend Jessica Grace and she said yes!! So, we’ll be celebrating their wedding this summer. It’s incredible that Edwin Isaac was only 3 years old when God called us to missions, and now he’s about to get married. Please pray for the blessing of this union and that God will use them to be an example of a marriage and family according to His will.

Our daughter Faviola is really enjoying her work as a behavioral therapist for children with autism. We love it when she tells us about her patients’ progress. We thank God that she has the wonderful opportunity to be the hands of Jesus for these beautiful children and their families.

Another piece of news is that we’ve moved, and our home base is now in South Houston. God, being so incredible, has provided for us, opened doors and opportunities, and expanded our ministry so we can serve and impact His Kingdom. We are immensely grateful to Bayshore Friends Church, who have so generously adopted us and provided us with a temporary home while we search for our permanent residence. We pray that we will soon have the right home, a place where we can come to renew and restore our spirits, minds, and bodies in God’s presence after each trip, and that it will be a great blessing to family and friends who wish to visit us.

One of the many reasons we are excited about this move is our involvement and collaboration with the MidAmerica Yearly Meeting. We dream and pray that God will use us to see encouragement and growth as we continue the expansion of His Kingdom. Some of our passions include helping to establish new ministries, leadership training, and discipleship development. We desire and pray that God, for His honor and glory, He will use our experiences, talents, gifts, and passions to be a blessing to MAYM.

Prayer Requests

• That God would grant us continued good health, energy, and enthusiasm to fulfill our various roles effectively and productively.
• For our adjustment to our new base in Texas. That we may soon have our own home, where we will go back to after each trip, for rest and restoration.
• For His anointing, grace, and wisdom in every presentation, workshop, training session, etc., where we will have the opportunity to share. All honor and glory be to Him!

The post Giron Update | Celebrating God’s Faithfulness Together first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

I have arrived in California!

After a month of rest in Kansas with my family and time visiting Thomas’s family in Florida, we drove from Denver to California. During our travels, we both came down with a cold, and it took a few weeks to fully recover. I’m grateful to share that I’m now feeling well, though Thomas is still on the mend. I also experienced some back pain from long hours in a very bouncy truck, but praise the Lord—I was able to find a chiropractor who is not only skilled, but also a wonderful educator and truly helped a sister out! I’m now pain-free and committed to continuing the exercises needed to stay strong and healthy.

I’ve been here for almost a week and have truly hit the ground running. I was able to get my room set up and organized and store items I won’t need right away, which has helped me feel more settled and ready to focus on what’s ahead.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to meet with Letty from Lot 318 and follow her closely to observe how she leads and runs the nonprofit from a top-down perspective. I’m really looking forward to learning from her, keeping up with her pace, and soaking in as much wisdom as I can.

I also connected with the other NCP interns and received orientation for what my schedule will look like moving forward. We kicked things off by playing a game together—lots of laughter and a great way to build community. My assignment for this coming week is to develop and practice my three-minute testimony and three-minute Gospel presentation with as many people as possible. If you’re interested in learning these tools as well, you can download the NCP Connect app and explore the resources page. There is so much to learn, and I’m excited to dive in. I especially enjoyed learning from Ivan Penrose and watching him teach from what he himself has learned over the past year.

I also attended a service at Iglesia Amigos Yorba Linda, and it couldn’t have been a better first Sunday. They are beginning a new church-wide series focused on corporate fasting and prayer. After the service, they hosted a luncheon for newcomers to meet the staff. I was able to introduce myself, share who I am, and express how I would love to serve and be involved. I can honestly say I don’t think I have ever felt so welcomed at a church where I arrived knowing no one.

Thank you so much for praying for me and being on my team during this apprenticeship. I am currently 74% funded and still in need of additional monthly partners to help me finish this internship strong. Please continue to pray for me as I step out in faith—pray that I would recognize the areas where God has gifted me and serve well in those strengths, while also identifying areas where I need to grow. I ask for prayer for courage to expand my comfort zone and embrace new and challenging opportunities as the Lord continues to shape me.

I am deeply grateful for each of you who pray, give, and walk alongside me in this season. Your faithfulness truly makes this work possible, and I do not take that lightly. I am expectant for all that the Lord is going to do in and through this apprenticeship, and I trust Him to continue leading each step. Thank you for partnering with me as we seek His kingdom together—one step of obedience at a time.

With gratitude,
Cassi

I am currently 74% funded and still in need of additional monthly partners to help me finish this internship strong. If you are a current monthly supporter, thank you. There are four ways to partner with me:

• Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
• Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
• Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10 ^th or 25^th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Cassi Coleman NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post January 2025 Update | Cassi Coleman first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

“Do no call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.  Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”

During one of our prayer walks in Croatia last month, an old property jumped out at me.  Like the spiritual strongholds we were praying against, this house had stood there for generations.  It was in disrepair, yet still holding firm.  And this is the verse that God brought to mind, with the prayer that this time, when religion is an identifier, not salvific, when God is a nebulous entity not Immanuel, that this time would be a vague memory.  God is already doing something new. He has already formed a people for Himself, in Croatia and in your neighborhood.  Will we not be aware of it?  Will we not join Him?

Stateside Busy

We continue to be so grateful for your prayers!  Since our last update we: finished our training at MTI, visited friends around the midwest and southwest, shared at Argonia Friends Church in Kansas, had three weeks of most of us being “home” in San Diego, Jonelle flew to WA for a dear friend’s memorial service, we had another friend visit us in San Diego.  We started gathering documents for visas and did a lot of preparation for our November trip.  In early November, Fred and Jonelle flew to Ohio for some EFM meetings and a commissioning at the annual missions banquet. Then we spent a few days in Salem, Ohio visiting Salem First Friends Church and spending time visiting some dear people from that congregation. The kids stayed with Fred’s parents in San Diego.  Being in the same place for more than a few weeks was a gift for them.

Prayer/Planning Trip

We flew from Ohio to Split, Croatia, joining up with several teammates on the way.  Over the course of the next few days we met with: a representative from our language school, an immigration attorney, a realtor, and a local pastor.  We found out that the visa path we had planned on would not work at all (it wouldn’t let us bring our kids) and found another way that should be a really good fit for our first couple of years.  We spend time getting a feel for the city and scouting out both what is available in local stores and how much things cost.  We prayed around several neighborhoods in the vicinity of the language school.

Then one more teammate joined us and we shifted gears to a prayer trip.  We moved to Orebić, visited the closest church and renewed our acquaintance with the pastor.  We prayed around the center of Orebić.  Then half of our team went home, one person leaving early due to respiratory issues.  The rest of us moved to Ploće, spend time praying around town there, and got a bit of rest.  We visited friends across the border in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then moved south to Dubrovnik.  Lunch with missionary friends there, a visit to the local Baptist church and renewed acquaintance with the leaders there, a respiratory bug in our remaining teammate, and a prayer walk in the Old City.  Our last afternoon, as we were debriefing our prayer walk, I started to feel some back pain.  It got worse, I ended up in the ER diagnosed with my first kidney stone.  Thank God for our missionary friends, they helped us navigate the ER and the urologist the next morning and helped us get to the airport on time to make our flight.

Getting Ready to Move!

Since we got back, life has been a blur of doctor appointments and exams, two ER visits, time with the kids, continuing to get our visa documents in order, meetings.  The first kidney stone has passed, but there are two more in my left kidney.  While they were looking for the stones, they found that my liver was enlarged.  Turns out there is also something there, as yet undiagnosed, that needs to be addressed.  We also had a memorial service for Fred’s uncle, who died while we were in Ohio.  And got a brief visit with Fred’s brother, who came home for the service.

The current plan is to continue getting through doctor appointments, visa things, packing/sorting, until the end of December.  Then drive to Sequim, Washington.  Fred will fly to the Philippines for his cousin’s wedding (he’s a groomsman) while Jonelle and the kids enjoy family time and work on packing there.  We’ll have one week all together, and a commissioning at our home church.  We hope to fly to Split on January 23 and begin language school on February 23.

As you can probably guess, these plans feel a bit hectic and uncertain.  We are trusting that God is not surprised by these inconveniences and His timing is good.  Please pray with us for continued peace in the process, for energy and focus to get all the things done, for clarity if/when we need to adjust.  Our hands remain open, our plans held loosely.

The Kids

Alex talks frequently about moving to Croatia.  He continues to be our social butterfly, ready to talk to anyone and ask them all about themselves and their opinions on dinosaurs (Where do you live?  Do you have kids?  Do you like T rex or Ankylosaurus better?).  Jael loves coloring, swings, and singing.  Her current favorite game is bathing her toy animals in a tub on the back deckThey play trains and dinosaurs, family and cooking together and it’s really adorable!  Their theme song for this season is “Jesus Calms the Storm” by the Gettys, followed closely by “Jesus, Strong and Kind.”  They continue to love the book “found: Psalm 23” by Sally Lloyd-Jones, and we’ve added “It Will be Okay” and “He Always Hears.”  Reinforcing the lessons they learned at MTI, the things we’ve been talking about in the car, with stories and songs has been helpful for all of us.  If you also find yourself in a season of changes, of goodbyes, take a listen and feel His balm “There’s a Rock where I can go, keeps me safe and this I know, deep within my troubled soul, Jesus calms the storm.”

Prayer Requests:

• Please continue to pray that we will draw near to God and find rest for our souls in this time of unknowns and transition.
• Pray for our kids that will know God’s peace and will grow to love Him deeply.
• For physical healing and health, for protection from spiritual opposition in any form it may take.

The post The Liddell Family | December Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

A 10:2 Prayer Trip is an annual trip to the mission fields where EFM has committed to sending missionaries. Teams are asked to pray for the soil (Matthew 13:1-23) and pray for the workers (Luke 10:2). Teams are sent or guided by sponsoring regions/yearly meetings of the new EFM fields that have been leading exploration. 10:2 Prayer Trips will target appropriate communities for prayer walking and interceding that “the Kingdom come, and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven” in those places.

In November 2025, a 10:2 Prayer Trip took place in Athens, Greece. The following is a report written by team member Evelyn Portillo.

Who Was On The Trip?

• Kenn Dirrim – Missionary to Greece for almost 20 years (Southwest)
• Matt Macy – EFM staff (MidAmerica)
• Robert Garon – Pastor to Sherwood Community Friends Church (Northwest)
• Alexis Lopez – Canyon Hills Friends Church and Immigration Services Volunteer (Southwest)
• Evelyn Portillo – Friends Southwest Staff and Orange Friends Church (Southwest)

Reflections From The Field

Greece is an entry point for refugees, with the hope of establishing themselves in other countries throughout Europe. As they are on the “go”, so is God pursuing their heart and lives. At this point, some refugees are returning to Greece after months or up to two years of trying to complete their immigration status in other European countries. If their immigration documents have been denied, they need to return to their entry point in Europe. This can be heartbreaking, for their dreams may be shattered but it also provides an opportunity to support them and strengthen their faith. 

Church planting is possible in non-traditional ways: home churches, small groups with a mentor, and a church site. We need to keep in mind that our goal is to form communities of believers and make disciples who will go make other disciples.

How You Can Pray

• Pray for a new team of EFM missionaries to begin a new EFM disciple-making effort with Muslim refugees in Greece.
• The immigration laws and processes continue to change. Pray that people with knowledge in this area will continue to step up.
• Pray for God’s grace and mercy for the refugees as they navigate complex documentation and financial hurdles.
• Pray for the worldwide missionaries who serve in Greece as their hub, that they will continue to work in unity, led by the Holy Spirit. May they continue to experience divine moments.
• Pray that national leaders will continue to develop and step up. Also pray that new believers will continue to take leadership roles with passion and grace.
• Pray for freedom from oppression, and that refugees may be able to fully live a life in Christ.

Are you Feeling Called to Join EFM?

Are you interested in exploring missionary service? Do you know of anyone of any age who might be interested in exploring the idea of serving as a missionary overseas for two or more years?

EFM is currently looking to contact and connect with people about opportunities to explore serving as missionaries with the Friends Church!

To learn more, visit here or fill out this interest form!

The post Luke 10:2 Greece Post Trip Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The 2025 Luke 10 prayer trip to Ecuador took place from October 20^th  to 31^st. The team was made up of Edwin and Maria Giron (EFM missions mobilizers); Jan Cammack (NWYM); Grace Anderson (EFM future missionary); Carl and Julie Anderson (NWYM); and Ana Ramirez (Guatemala YM).

Our purpose was threefold:

• To pray for and encourage national leaders who are working with the Shuar people.
• To explore logistics for future missionaries to do a 1-year internship in Ecuador.
• To develop a relationship between EFM and AMEE, The Evangelical Missions Alliance of Ecuador

Our first two days were spent in Quito, Ecuador.

• We were able to connect with pastor Ramiro Baez, leader of Bethel church and 2 Christian schools in the Quito area. We stayed at a guest house at one of the schools. Pastor Ramiro is a supporter of new ministries and welcomed us. He is well known and established and could be a valuable friend to help us navigate the relationship between government and evangelical ministries in Ecuador. He is also interested in possible future partnership with us.
• We met with pastor Carlos Pinto, director of Corrientes Misioneras, a missionary training center (started by HCJB) for Latin Americans with offerings much like MTI programs.  We were impressed with the mission and vision of this training program and can anticipate cooperation with them for our future missionaries and interns from the Americas.

We traveled to the Macas area of Ecuador.

• Over several days we had good conversations with Pastor Dario Salazar who is a legal representative of AMEE. Pastor Dario directs the evangelical camp in Sucua called “Campamento Efrata” and is pastor of the local Church located inside the camp. The congregation of that church is composed of 60% Shuar and 40% mestizos. He and his wife, Alexandra,  lead ministries in 3 different remote Shuar villages. We were able to visit and participate in 2 of the villages with them.
• Pastor Dario, on behalf of AMEE, is willing to propose an agreement between AMEE and EFM. This agreement will include use of the camp as a base where Friends interns and missionaries can come to participate in the ministry of the camp as they learn language and culture. (The agreement may include Friends use of a house owned by the camp, however the house will need $5-10,000 worth of renovations).
• Alexandra and Pastor Dario are available to be mentors for interns at the camp where they can participate in the camp ministries and outreach to the Shuar communities.
• We were able to meet a couple, Diego and Jimena, who live at the Sucua camp. They are willing to be language tutors. Jimena teaches English at the local school.
• Edwin was able to meet with Pastor Diego, of the Macas Baptist Church, to discuss visa issues for Jose Olivas. Pastor Diego was instrumental in helping the Badgleys get visas and is now helping Jose Olivas with his visa paperwork. If we run into obstacles with future visas through AMEE, Pastor Diego is willing to help us.
• We were able to visit a Shuar church in San Jose, led by Korean missionaries. Ana and Edwin were able to preach there, and we had a time of prayer after the service for many of the church members. They fed us typical Shuar cuisine.
• We attended Sunday service at the church located on the Sucua camp property. They included a celebration of the church’s anniversary and honored the pastors. Ana was able to sing a song for the celebration. Children from the Rescue Home, located next door to the  camp, performed a typical Shuar dance. At the event meal we were able to meet the couple who run the children’s Rescue Home. (The wife is from Michigan. Should native English-speaking interns live in the offered camp house, this US woman would live just across the fence.)

In conclusion:

• As a group, we are encouraged by the many good possibilities and partnerships available to us in Ecuador.
  • There are areas where fluent Spanish speakers can begin ministry immediately, just as Jose Olivas has already done in some areas. Tutors are available for Spanish speakers to learn the Shuar language.
  • There are options for Spanish language learners to come alongside current workers.
  • There is a great need in remote villages.
• It was a blessing to have Pastor Ana Ramirez from Guatemala Friends with us. She jumped right into ministry and would fit perfectly into future ministry to the Shuar. She is relaying the needs of Ecuador to Friends churches in Guatemala, which will inspire support and possibly future missionaries from there as well.
• It was a blessing to have Carl Anderson, past director of Tilikum Christian camp and current supervisor of building maintenance at George Fox University, to provide expertise in possible future projects in which we can participate at the camp.

Submitted by Jan Cammack, and Edwin and Maria Giron

The post 2025 EFM Luke 10 Ecuador Prayer Trip Report first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

A 10:2 Prayer Trip is an annual trip to the mission fields where EFM has committed to sending missionaries. Teams are asked to pray for the soil (Matthew 13:1-23) and pray for the workers (Luke 10:2). Teams are sent or guided by sponsoring regions/yearly meetings of the new EFM fields that have been leading exploration. 10:2 Prayer Trips will target appropriate communities for prayer walking and interceding that “the Kingdom come, and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven” in those places.

In October, a 10:2 Prayer Trip took place in Dubai. The following is a report written by team member Matt Chesnes.

Who was on the trip?

The team included: Stan Leach, Zach Bohler, Beth Sarrice, Norbu Tamang, Sam Chappidi, Matthew Chesnes.

Where did you travel?

Persian Gulf States – Technically, we went to Dubai but it is kept more general for location.

Trip Highlights

The Lord opened doors for us among Nepali congregations. These congregations invest a major portion of their budget on transportation. Since the Lord has placed ‘Business as Mission’ in our hearts and mind, there was an immediate understanding of how we can come alongside these churches to help. We would help them start a transportation business. There are multiple benefits to the individuals and to the church.

A partnership door that opened in January 2025, opened wider on this trip. We met with leaders from an evangelical church that has 120+ nations attending with over 6,000 in attendance. Approximately one thousand individuals leave this church every year. Many of them will return to their homeland. We want to come alongside this to equip men and women to plant disciple making communities when they return home. Our role would be to develop a strategy and curriculum to equip these individuals to accomplish that task.

Prayer focus: What did the team pray for and how can others continue praying?

• Pray for open doors.
• Pray for potential partnership with the local church. This is still in the works.
• Our top priority is “who will go?”

The post Luke 10:2 Dubai Post Trip Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

In September the plan was that I would return to the States for my deputation in June 2024. And now that plan has changed! There are many reasons for this, but the two most compelling reasons are 1) Molly Morton has had to delay her deputation, and if I were to go as planned, we would be in the U.S. at the same time, and 2) Ministry is going well and stability and continuity are important to the groups taking root and growing into something more. Stability and continuity have been difficult the past years, with COVID-19 (2020/21), my own deputation in 2021/22, discovering I needed open-heart surgery and recovery (2022/23), and so the groups faltered. However, 2024 has been a strong year, starting first with the Parent and Baby Group (January 2024), and in September, I added a toddler group. I also co-lead a Bible Study for young mums on Friday mornings. I feel confident that by delaying deputation to 2026 these groups will have the opportunity to grow deep roots that will weather a few months without me!

I continue to be part of the rotation for preaching at the Nazarene Church, and I am grateful for the opportunity. I am thankful for opportunities to interact with Irish Friends. And after the past weekend of study, I am halfway through Year 1 of “Training in the Ministry of Spiritual Companioning.”

Here are a few photos of the groups!  Thank you again.

Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry January 2025 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

We published a songbook in 2024. It’s called “Aradhona Sangit,” meaning “Worship Songbook.” It’s not just a book of songs but contains references to scriptural events and guidelines for Christian ceremonies and festivals. This songbook was originally designed to be used as a guideline to build up a new believer. Another special feature of it is that it contains many of God’s promises and characters. This is done so that our new generation can know God better and grow in faith. For example, by reading Psalm 86:7-10, our new generation may know that there is no God like ours; our God answers our prayers, and no deeds of our God can be compared with others. Our God is great and does marvelous works. He is the only God. Thank you very much to those who donated to print this songbook.

This year has been very challenging in M.’s life. Throughout the year, she has dealt with one health problem after another. These included a major surgery and being hospitalized with dengue fever. But in each instance, we have had the opportunity to see the Lord’s wonderful hand and his love and faithfulness very closely. We are very much thankful to those who prayed and encouraged us continuously.

The short visit of our eldest son, S., in December is also a special blessing and a miracle. He got his plane ticket for half price, which was unbelievable. Also, our good friend donated a large part of his plane ticket.

I want to close this letter with a special Bible verse and a picture. It was mid-December. We were not very happy with our ministry results this year. Compared to other years, it was very disappointing, and I became frustrated. We are seriously lacking workers for harvesting. We were praying and waiting to listen to his voice and direction. At this point, Isaiah 11:1 caught my eye. It is written, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit”. Although this prophecy speaks of the coming of the Redeemer, it brings me a new thought. We know that the stump is the bottom part of a tree left projecting from the ground after most of the trunk has fallen or been cut down.

Notice these two pictures. This is a picture of a plum tree. It didn’t bear much fruit for a few years. As a result, our pastor cut it up into stems (below left). This year, new branches have come out of it and bore a lot of fruit (below right). The tree flourished in a new way. It has helped me think in a new way and encouraged me to start working with new people in the New Year. The Lord is encouraging us to prepare young people this year so that we can start working with young people and teenagers next year. We need your prayers, encouragement, and financial partnership. Would you please earnestly pray with us so that God sends many of his workers in his ministry fields to harvest a hundred times in 2025?

We are very grateful for your sincere love and generosity. I hope you will continue to support our ministry this year, too, and tell others to be active partners as well. We sincerely thank and express our gratitude to you. God bless and guide you in every situation in your life.

Merry Christmas and a blessed, happy New Year 2025.

Regards,

A. and M. A.

The post A. and M.A. January 2025 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.