by Scott and Andrea Sward, EFM Great Commission Mobilizers

I want to tell you a story.

One night, deep in the jungle and off a bumpy trail, in a small village of tribal people, smoke curled up into the dark sky as a dying man had a dream. He was an old, sick man. His face was thin and worn from illness. He had been born into this jungle and had grown up in its trees. He had witnessed the slow transformation of a land once filled with wild, roaming elephants into a war zone of guns and starvation. After the guns left, the jungle people were forgotten again and left to sink into deeper and deeper poverty while the world around them rushed forward into development.

Somewhere during those years, new stories made their way into his village, stories about a God this man had never heard of before. He was captivated, at least for a time. But as his sickness worsened and this new God did not bring immediate healing to his body, his hope began to fade. Now he was sick, and he was dying.

His family gathered around him beneath their stilted wooden house. Fires burned for warmth, and the smoke rose to ward off evil spirits. Voices filled the night, loud and constant, in an effort to “prove” to those unseen spirits that there was nothing here worth lingering over.

In his dream, this old, dying man clutched a small booklet, the very one Scott had gone over with him earlier that evening. Scott had been summoned to the Kavet village just hours before with the message that this man, Joon, was dying. Even more striking, though Joon could no longer recognize his own family or remember their names, he kept repeating Scott’s name clearly, over and over again. How could Scott refuse that call?

When Scott arrived, he took out a small booklet filled with pictures and once again explained to Joon our sin and Jesus’ forgiveness upon our confession of our need for him. He showed Joon a picture in the booklet, a simple image of a cross bridging the gap between man and God. This man, so dear to Jesus, began tracing that cross with his finger over and over again, and at last a look of peace came over his face.

Later that night, he fell asleep and dreamed. In his dream, while holding tightly to the booklet, he saw his parents, long since gone, approaching him. They reached out their hands, but their faces were not kind. Their anger made it clear that they intended to take the booklet from him, not out of any desire to understand. Joon pulled the booklet closer to his chest. As they came nearer, he hid it beneath his shirt and turned away from their grasping hands.

In the gray light of early morning, his family found him sitting still, propped up in bed and turned to the side, the booklet tucked under his shirt, his hands folded protectively over it. When Scott departed later that morning, Joon remained there, holding the promises of Jesus close to his heart.

How we rejoice that even in a small, remote tribe in the jungles of Cambodia and Laos, God is at work in people’s lives. We are moved yet again by his heart for all the unreached people groups in our world. How many Joons are there, dying, restless, reaching for Jesus? And even more sobering, how many parents of how many Joons never had the opportunity to hear his name?

Would you pray with us this month for the many millions around the world who are still waiting to hear the name of Jesus in their villages?

Written by Andrea Sward, shared by Scott & Andrea Sward

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

I have a countdown app on my phone, and today it tells me that I will fly to the US in 24 days – May 18th. I have long lists of things that need to be taken care of in Ireland before I go. And I have long lists of things that need to be scheduled and organized for my time in the States. It is hard to stop my brain from spinning!

I’m coming back to the States with my monthly support as low as it has ever been. It is, of course, natural that support drops off between visits to the U.S.

Changes in situation and life circumstances can impact a supporter’s ability to continue to help financially. This is completely understandable, and we build into our support raising a margin for these changes.

The greatest impact on my monthly support has been an increase in housing costs, as well as an increase in the Irish tax burden I need pay each year. Three years ago, my landlord decided to sell the house I had been living in for eight years, and I lost the “rent protection” that I had there. When I moved, my rent increased significantly. This triggered an increase in my “income” for my Irish taxes.

These two things together have created a much larger gap than what was originally planned for. I am tempted to feel overwhelmed by the fund-raising goal before me.

There is a phrase that comes to mind when I am tempted to worry about funding (or anything else!). It comes from 1 Samuel 7:12. God has rescued the Israelites from the Philistines and Samuel sets up a stone and calls it “Ebenezer”, for he said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Thus far the Lord has helped me. For 25 years (and for 63 years) the Lord has helped me, and the Lord has used faithful people (you) to meet these needs.

I’m looking ahead to what will be my final years serving with EFM in Ireland. My plan is to retire at 70 – which will happen in 2032! Ministry focus has shifted in the past year from Mother and Toddler groups (which are now plentiful every day of the week) to grief work.

I am excited to share these things with you! And my hope is that I can build a ministry that will continue to reach out to those who are hurting, with support and hope that comes from our loving God, even after I retire.

This summer I will be at Yearly Meeting/Annual Conference for Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting, Evangelical Friends – Mid-America, and Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends. I will also be in CO, KS, and OR for some time around those gatherings. I plan to be in Friends Southwest YM (CA) in August.

For more than 25 years I have had the privilege of sharing my heart, my calling, my love for Ireland with you. I have been the recipient of generous hospitality as I have travelled through different regions, and I am so grateful for enduring friendships formed. I look forward to visiting again, catching up with you, and sharing what God is doing in Ireland through your prayers and generosity.

To schedule a time for us to meet or for me to speak at your church, please email me at kathip@friendsmission.com.

My hope is to return to Ireland on September 13th. However, I cannot return until my financial support is back to 100%. I am currently at 64% and trusting God to raise the remaining 36% in monthly commitments. As I look ahead to this next step, there are two important ways you can partner with me: through prayer and through financial support. I truly need both.

Prayer Partnership

The first way that you can support me is through prayer. Your prayers are worth everything. I currently have 939 prayer partners with a goal of raising it to 1,200. If you know anyone who would like to pray for my ministry, please send them this link: https://friendsmission.com/kathi-perry.

Financial Partnership

If you are a current financial supporter, would you be able to increase your giving? I’m asking boldly. Could you even double it? I know that not everyone can (and I am grateful for every/any amount)! Some of you already have increased your giving, for which I am very grateful. If you are not part of my financial support team, would you consider partnering with me in Ireland? You can start a new gift or make changes to your current giving using this link: https://friendsmission.givevirtuous.org/donate/perry. You can also contact the EFM office at efm@friendsmission.com.

Would your church like to take on another missionary?

I would be happy to talk with you about this.

My Missionary Care Team has set a goal for me – to be fully funded by my 64th birthday, August 30th. That would be a lovely birthday gift. Above all, as I look back at the years I have spent in Ireland and in relationship with all of you, as I’ve served, I feel privileged and grateful and humbled.

Thank you. Thank you.
Kathi Perry

The post Kathi Perry | April 2026 Update first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

In recent months, due to family needs and changing circumstances, the Swards have sensed the Lord leading them to return to the United States. While this transition comes with the sadness of leaving a place and people they deeply love, it also comes with a clear sense that God is opening a new door for ministry.

After much prayer and discernment, we are grateful to share that the EFM Board has approved a new role for Scott and Andrea: EFM Great Commission Mobilizers.

In this new season, the Swards will continue their calling to cross-cultural ministry by focusing on three key areas:

• Engaging unreached people groups in diaspora communities here in the U.S., particularly among Muslim populations
• Mobilizing and equipping Friends churches to rekindle a passion for the Great Commission and send workers into the harvest
• Continuing to mentor and invest in emerging leaders in Cambodia

This is not an ending, but a continuation of the same calling in a new context. We believe this role uniquely aligns with the Luke 10 vision God has given EFM, as we seek to send workers into the harvest and participate in what he is doing among the nations.

I invite you to hear directly from Scott and Andrea as they share how God has been guiding them into this next chapter:

Last year, Andrea and I sensed a shift coming. We assumed it meant staying in Cambodia and redirecting our focus to another unreached people group. But God had a different plan. Months later, we realized we were being called back to the US—a move that left us confused and uncertain.

In time, the Lord made his direction clear: our calling to serve unreached people groups (UPGs) hasn’t changed—only the place and the approach. While remaining connected to Cambodia, we’re now excited to serve diaspora UPGs in the US, and to help mobilize others to join God’s work among the world’s 7,000+ remaining people groups with little to no knowledge of Jesus. God is faithful, and we’re eager to see what he has in store in this next season.

As the Swards step into this new season, we invite you to prayerfully consider partnering with them in a few meaningful ways:

Become or Continue as a Financial Partner
Ongoing monthly support will sustain their ministry as they establish this new work in the U.S. and continue investing globally.

• If you are a new financial partner, you can set up your gift here:
  https://friendsmission.givevirtuous.org/donate/sward. Click on the “Donate Now” button and select “Sward Support Great Commission Mobilizers” from the dropdown. You will be given the opportunity to make a monthly or one-time gift.
• If you are already a financial partner and would like to continue at your current amount, no action is needed. Your giving will continue as is.
• If you would like to increase your support, you can either cancel your current gift and set up a new one or contact the EFM office at efm@friendsmission.com and we’re happy to assist.
• If you need to stop your giving, please reach out to the EFM office so we can take care of that for you.
• If we do not hear from you, your current giving will continue uninterrupted.

Become a Prayer Partner
Commit to praying regularly for the Swards as they transition, build new relationships, and step into this calling. Your prayers are a vital part of their ministry.

• Fill out the form at https://friendsmission.com/sward/ to receive news and updates from the Swards.

Give a Transition Gift
A one-time gift will help cover the significant costs of relocation, reestablishing life in the U.S., and launching into this new ministry season.

• Go to https://friendsmission.givevirtuous.org/donate/sward. Click on the “Donate Now” button and select “Sward Transition Gift” on the dropdown menu and select one-time gift.

Your partnership has been vital to the Swards’ ministry over the years, and we are deeply grateful. We are confident that God will continue to use them in powerful ways as they follow his leading.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

In him,

Stan Leach
Executive Director

The post A New Season for the Swards first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

by Kathi Perry serving in Ireland

Dear Friends,

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.

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.

Please Pray…

• 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 here 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.