by Kathi Perry serving in Ireland

Queridos amigos,

It’s difficult to believe, but I am 63 years old. After 24+ years I am now one of EFM’s senior missionaries on the field (maybe THE senior missionary on the field?). I love my work and I am so grateful to be in Ireland. Naturally, we (myself and EFM) have spent a good bit of time considering when and what retirement will look like for me.

 In October I was able to meet with a financial planner, and he suggested that I work until I am 70. This felt like a relief because I do love my work and any time before 70 sounds too soon!

In recent months I have begun a new outreach called Sólás Café (see the photo here). Already, I have seen people come in weighed down with grief, who leave saying, “I feel lighter.” In the Fall I hope to offer “Grief Share” (which some may be familiar with) through the local church. This ministry is something that speaks to my heart – both with my training as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a hospice social worker, and my own personal experiences with grief.

On May 18, I’ll be traveling to the U.S. for a season of deputation. With retirement on the horizon, this will likely be my final extended time reconnecting in person. I’m looking forward to sharing stories of what God has been doing in Ireland and spending time with many of you who have been such an important part of this journey. Would you pray that this time would be meaningful and fruitful – that God would guide each conversation and continue to provide what is needed for the work ahead? I’m deeply grateful for the faithful partnership that has made it possible to serve here for so many years.

Recently, while reading scripture, two phrases stood out to me. The first was from Mark 10:45 where Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” I may not have done this perfectly, but this has been my desire in Ireland.

The second phrase was from John 19. Jesus is on the cross and in v.28-30 it says, “… knowing that everything was already completed… he gave up his life.” What would it be like to know that “everything was already completed”?

What can I do in these final years to cultivate ministry that will last, and then, (figuratively speaking!) give up my life? These are my thoughts as I contemplate one more term. Pray that God would work through me, to love and serve the people in Ireland.

With so much gratitude for your faithfulness,

Kathi Perry

The post April 2026 | Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

“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.

Greetings from the West Coast!

Here are a few brief stories from this past month’s life and ministry! For more details and frequent updates, visit my blogsite aquí!

This month was full of meaningful conversations that reminded me why I’m convinced that patient, conversational evangelism is one of the most fruitful ways to engage people. Rather than quick debates or rehearsed presentations, slowing down and genuinely interacting with people often leads to deeper questions—and sometimes surprising openness.

One particularly encouraging conversation was with a student named *Nehemiah who walked up to the whiteboard and immediately recognized me from a brief conversation we had earlier in the year. He said he came back because he enjoyed our previous interaction and wanted to continue the conversation. Even more encouraging, he told me that his interactions with us felt very different from conversations he’d had with other religious groups. He described those as sterile and closed off, while he found ours engaging and enjoyable. I’m convinced that this difference comes from both the truth and security of Christianity and the conversational approach we try to take in evangelism.

*Nehemiah had clearly been thinking about religion and arrived with a number of thoughtful questions. In our framework of evangelism, people often fall somewhere on what we call the Open–Seeking Axis—how open someone is to conversation and how aware they are of their need for answers. Ideally we meet people who are both open and seeking, and *Nehemiah seemed to fit that combination well. He admitted that he feels hesitant discussing religion because he doesn’t know the holy texts well and worries about offending people with uninformed questions. I assured him that honest questions are welcome and invited him to read the Bible together sometime.

One of his first questions surprised me: he asked about the story of the wise men. We walked through the account of Jesus’ birth and the visit from both humble shepherds and wealthy travelers from afar, highlighting how the story reveals that Jesus came as King and Savior for all people. The discussion eventually moved into deeper questions about sin, forgiveness, and salvation. Using a simple analogy of a laptop designed to function in specific ways, I explained how sin can be understood as living contrary to the design God created us for. God’s law isn’t arbitrary restriction but a description of the life in which humans truly flourish.

Later in the conversation, *Nehemiah became curious about the origins of the Gospel accounts. He mentioned that an atheist English teacher once required his class to write a paper arguing that the Gospels contain contradictions. That left him wondering whether the accounts are actually reliable. We discussed how eyewitness testimony can record the same event from different perspectives without creating contradictions. He seemed genuinely interested and even said he’d like to revisit the paper he wrote and examine the supposed contradictions together sometime.

Another memorable discussion this month happened with a group of Christians as we talked about the mission of the Church and the Great Commission. One issue that stood out to me was a tendency to separate restoration from salvation, as though Jesus saves people and then later restores them. In reality, salvation is restoration—being saved from rebellion against God and restored into life under His good rule. When those ideas are separated, Christian obedience can start to feel like an obligation rather than participation in the life we’ve been saved into.

We also discussed the common belief that Christians must stay deeply informed about global affairs in order to fulfill the Great Commission. When asked where I get my global news, I simply answered, “I don’t,” and then added, “Paul didn’t.” My point was not that global awareness is bad, but that Scripture places the emphasis elsewhere. The Great Commission focuses on making disciples, not tracking world events. Too often Christians become consumed with distant issues while neglecting the simple command to make disciples where they actually live.

Finally, I had a fascinating conversation with two high school boys visiting campus. The whiteboard question that day asked, “What is the most important thing to know?” One of them wrote “peace,” meaning internal peace. When I asked how someone obtains it, they suggested introspection and meditation. To test that idea, I asked whether someone who had committed serious wrongdoing could find peace simply by looking inward. That led to a deeper conversation about guilt and forgiveness.

Interestingly, one of the boys suggested that someone might call on Jesus for forgiveness—even though neither of them considered themselves religious. As we talked further, one said he didn’t believe in Christianity because he had never seen enough evidence. That opened the door to discuss how we make decisions in everyday life based on the most reasonable explanation rather than absolute certainty. From there I explained the cosmological argument for God’s existence: everything that begins to exist has a cause, the universe began to exist, and therefore the universe has a cause beyond itself.

Both of them said they had never heard that reasoning before and agreed it made sense that a Creator must exist. With only a few minutes left before they had to leave, I explained the Christian claim that this Creator revealed Himself in the person of Jesus. I gave them copies of the Gospel of Mark with a built-in journal so they could read and explore the life of Jesus themselves. Later a friend spotted them still carrying the Gospels in the student union.

Conversations like these are so energizing as they remind me of the great needs within and outside of the established Church communities around us. Whether it’s a returning student exploring religion, fellow believers wrestling with the mission of the Church, or two teenagers discovering the possibility of God for the first time, patient dialogue continues to open doors for the Gospel. I’m grateful for the many opportunities this month and excited to see how these conversations develop!

Thank you so much for your continued support and partnership in this ministry!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 98% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

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 aquí and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ministry Update: How Your Partnership Is Reaching Students first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

I have been back in Ireland for nearly six months, and I am grateful for the work I get to do on behalf of our church and the wider Kingdom of God. As most of you know, I was in the U.S. for six months in 2025, where I got to spend lots of time with my family and friends, as well as travel to visit partnering churches. We also unexpectedly lost my dad while I was in California. He was a strong presence in our family’s life and a pillar of his church community. We continue to grieve the loss of our dad and grandpa. Thank you for your prayers for me and my family during that time of loss and grief.

I am writing to you from the warmth of my office in our church building at the Church of the Nazarene in Greystones, where I am blessed to serve as administrative pastor. As soon as I arrived back in Ireland, I was warmly welcomed by my church family here in Greystones. It has been such a blessing to have a strong support system here at “the Naz.” The holidays are typically a challenging time for me to be away from my family, especially considering how much time I was able to spend with them that year. We were blessed as a staff to have a Thanksgiving lunch made for us by a church member. We invited some other Americans you might recognize in the photo. I am honored to be on this pastoral staff and to serve alongside such gifted and talented leaders. Please pray with me and my colleagues as we lead our congregation in the New Year.

At the end of January, our congregation hosted an “All Island Gathering” of all the Nazarene churches on the island of Ireland. Currently, our congregation is the only Nazarene church in the Republic of Ireland, but there are twelve churches in Northern Ireland. Almost 150 people from those Northern churches traveled to Greystones at the end of January to join us as one unified body of believers in Ireland. It was an amazing time of fellowship, eating together and praising God for what He has done and will continue to do on the island of Ireland. Our church in Greystones was able to share our vision for a new building development that will further God’s mission in the Republic of Ireland alongside the churches in the North. We ended with a time of prayer over our Greystones church board and pastoral staff, led by the leadership of the churches from the North. It was a very sacred time. Please pray with all the churches on the island of Ireland as we continue to build His Kingdom here.

Just before Christmas, my family put my dad’s house in Corona, California, on the market. My brother, Mark, and sister-in-law, Nina, managed all the details, with a big assist from my sister, Amy. I am grateful for the strong bond my siblings and I share during this challenging time as we settle my dad’s affairs. We were able to secure a buyer for the house right before Christmas, and the keys were handed over by the middle of January 2026. It is a strange feeling to think that I will never go back to my dad’s house when I visit California. That house was a central physical touchstone for our family, and now we have moved on from it. Please pray with my family and me as we continue to navigate grief.

Por favor, oren...

• For myself as I continue to navigate grief thousands of miles away from my family that is also grieving. My dad’s death has awoken more grief about my mom’s death thirteen years ago. Pray that I can have grace with myself.
• For our church in Greystones as we are trying to raise the necessary funds to begin re-developing our building. Pray for the congregation to catch the vision and for God to provide.
• For favor with the Irish government as I endeavor to renew my visa.

There are four ways to partner with me financially:

• Online. Visit https://friendsmission.givevirtuous.org/donate/morton. You’ll be given the opportunity to indicate whether you are making a recurring or one-time gift.
• Credit Card. This may be given online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office (303-421-8100) to give your information to a live person.
• Automatic Bank Transfer. Download the form aquí and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check. Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Make sure to mark your check “Morton Support” and note if you will be giving on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Pay to the order of “EFM”.

The post Thank You for Praying. An Update from Ireland first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Dear Prayer Partners,

Thank you for continuing to pray with us as we walk and serve with Jesus in Central/East Africa. We are thankful for your partnership over all these years.

Brad has now been living in Rwanda for 20 years, and in June, Chelsea will have been here for 17 years. We praise God for the many ways that He has helped and empowered us to be a part of what He is doing!

Much has happened since we last wrote.

Thank you for praying for the trip to Burundi and South Sudan in December. The trip was great. It is exciting to see how God is leading Burundi Friends in preparing a plan to send missionaries to unreached people in Tanzania, and Rwanda Friends preparing to send missionaries to South Sudan in May.

In January, our EFC-Rwanda Friends hosted a team from EFM who led a 5-day Small Business Development training that we believe will be an important part of how God wants to give Rwanda Friends new ways to do His mission here in Rwanda and beyond. Mission through businesses is exciting and will open many opportunities for ministry in the communities.

On January 29–30, the Administrative Council of EFC-Rwanda met to discern the Lord’s plan for who the next executive leaders of EFC-Rwanda are to be. We believe that the Lord helped the group make wise decisions.

On February 14–16, we will have some important D4D meetings with David Thomas, one of our D4D coaches.

On February 17–18, there will be an important Pastors’ retreat. On February 19–20, there will be Yearly Meeting sessions to fill several other leadership roles for the coming years. Please pray for God’s blessing and help in those days of discernment and decision.

Please also pray for a retreat that Brad will attend in Kenya from February 19–24 with others working in Disciple-making movements. Pray for good connections with God and others who are doing similar work. Please pray for Brad to have special times that are renewing and refreshing with the Lord. Also, please pray for Chelsea and the kids, who will be home in Musanze.

We continue to be so thankful for the ways the Lord helps us stay healthy in general, and the ways He heals us when we do get sick. We are still praying for Brad’s stomach issues that interfere with his sleep. Our kindergartner, 4th grader, and 7th grader continue to show diligence and kindness at school, and we also all enjoy the school events that help us feel like a community. We are thankful to have rhythms of hosting special visitors and everyday home life—normal days and exciting days, work and rest. We pray the Lord blesses you with these things as well!

Brad, Chelsea, Sarai, Gideon, and Ian

The post Brad & Chelsea Carpenter | February Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Here is a brief insight into this past month of ministry! There’ve been some significant shifts in my ministry focus this month as I’ve begun training and equipping the new EFM/NCP disciple-making apprentices! For more updates and insights into our ministry, check out my blog-site aquí!

This month, Cassi Coleman and Thomas Moore joined our team as EFM/NCP disciple-making apprentices. They have begun the same apprenticeship which I participated in this past year, but they are stuck with me as their primary “trainer and organizer”! I’m kind of the assistant to the regional manager (The Office reference). There’s probably a better way to describe my role regarding them, but I am essentially learning how to lead people in a structured process of being and making disciples of Jesus. This is a more intensive engagement of this “muscle group” from what I’m used to, so I’m very excited to work it out and get stronger in it! Here are a few things from our ministry this month!

Cassi and Thomas have started their training in Bible-dialogue, prayer walking, conversational evangelism, DMC 1, as well as various hands-on opportunities to grow as disciples of Jesus as well as making disciples of Jesus. We’ve jumped back into ministry on campus and, as you can see in the whiteboard photos above, we have had a great engagement with students – new and returning. We’ve also had the opportunity to join Noah Granger, a part-time NCP apprentice, for evangelism at the Orange Circle on MLK day. In the photos above, you can see Colt (CSUF student who ministers with us) and me talking to some Jehovah’s Witnesses who set up in the Orange Circle. They were not open to honest conversation, but it was nice to be able to talk to them with Colt for the first time. Cassi and Thomas have done such a great job at jumping right into ministry activities, immediately starting up conversations with students on campus as well as making the best of strange surprise-situations interacting with moderately unstable individuals on the streets. You can read more about some of these interactions in my other blog posts this month!

This month, we also had the opportunity to lead another Archways workshop – learning how to witness through common conversations in everyday life. Above you can see some pictures from that as well! This was such a great time of teaching and fellowship with Bell Friends Church, who are a primarily Spanish-speaking congregation. Because my Spanish is no bueno, we utilized translators as well as an AI translation device that broadcasted a translation to individual headsets. Pretty legit if I do say so myself. However, the AI didn’t even compare to the degree of profundity that the food had!

There is so much more that I could share about what has taken place this month, but these are just a few glimpses into our ministry activities!

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer for me and this ministry! Your generosity and faithfulness make my training and ministry possible!

With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose

Thank You for Your Support. Here’s How to Continue:

I’m currently at 85% of my monthly need, and your continued support helps make it possible for me to serve through June 2026. If you would like to continue your partnership, please let me know as soon as possible so I can plan accordingly.

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 aquí and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”

The post Ivan Penrose | January 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 aquí 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.

By November 2024 EFM had made a commitment to launch seven of the nine fields that were under exploration. Those seven fields are now moving on to the prayer and pre-launch planning phases.  Meanwhile, we are currently still sending Luke 10 Exploration Teams to consider other potential fields. You can learn more aquí.

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 the Dalmatia region of Croatia. There was an additional phase of the trip where part of the team stayed longer to accomplish pre-launch planning.  The following is a report for the 10:2 Prayer Trip written by team member Jonelle Liddell.

Who Was On The Trip?

• Christy Neifert
• Soni McGrew
• Fred and Jonelle Liddell
• Jim LeShana
• Kathleen Dungan

Where Did You Travel?

We traveled in the Dalmatia region of Croatia, and briefly crossed the border to Capljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Trip Highlights

On our first day together as a team, we visited the Croatian church in Vela Luka, Croatia. We were all encouraged by the open arms of the pastor and the congregation. This Croatian pastor and his wife are key potential ministry partners and mentors for our long term team, and is modeling love for others across ethnic lines, evangelism to neighboring communities/islands with no current evangelical presence, and active presence in your community for relationship building and witness.

This open armed welcome was repeated in our other interactions with existing contacts. We had a sense that previously there had been expressions of welcome with emotional reserve (which aligns with what we’ve been told about the culture in this region), and that this reserve had reduced or vanished. Now, we were just brothers and sisters.

We went on prayer walks in several villages, towns, and cities, and at different points most of us felt a sense of the either the Spirit speaking or impressing a message, or of spiritual resistance and oppression. This resistance was felt physically as several of us had significant health issues, unrelated to each other. God’s timing and provision was clearly seen, but the resistance was clear.

How You Can Pray…

• We sensed that the hearts of many individuals are closed like shuttered windows.  We prayed that God would remove the spiritual shutters and let His love and grace pour in, driving out sin’s darkness.
• We thanked God for the faithful believers we met and prayed that God would bless their witness and bring many to Himself.
• We prayed that spiritual stronghold would be removed and this whole country would be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
• In addition to joining in those prayers, please pray that the workers God is calling to this field would respond.

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 aquí or fill out this interest form!

The post Luke 10 Pre-Launch Prayer Trip | The Balkans first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.