We had an amazing time in Thessolonika, Greece with our wonderful missionaries in Europe. Hosted by Tommie and Gunilla Naumann and MVI, in a beautiful setting, the gathering was intimate and relaxed. We were with Bill and Tammy Snell and Arlen and Keturah King from the MVI Office and 3 missionary couples.
Listening to each missionary and their vision for the places God has sent them was inspiring and heart warming. Getting to know each other was one of the aims of the Gathering or ‘Agora’ – Agora meaning a ‘gathering’ place. And to see how Missionary Ventures can help facilitate the vision of each family and help them run the race God has called them to. Our role at MVGB was to listen and hear their hearts and see how we can serve them and support them. To see how we can come alongside and encourage, support and facilitate their purpose and vision in and for Europe.
We are excited about what God is doing and is going to do in GB and Europe and we would love to encourage, involve and see others move into their calling to Europe. If you feel called to Europe and want to chat about what God s saying to you or you want to support the people already involved please get in touch with us.
Mauro and Julia are in Latvia are a fantastic couple, who are church planting and writing children material about Bible missions and it is amazing!
After moving from Argentina in 2010, Mauro met Julia in Latvia and they were married in 2013. After been involved as the Academic Dean of Baltic School of Ministry for the past 6 years, they are leaving the school to start a church planting project in a city called Ventspils. They are also working on the translation and distribution of material for Sunday school teachers with a ministry called “Little Hands for Missions”. The goal of this ministry is to train kids on missions, so that the importance of missionary work will be the DNA of the next generation of church leaders.
Herbert and Ana are amazing and have moved to Albania with their children. They carry the love of God that will melt the hardest of hearts and bring life wherever they go..
They were both born in Guatemala city. In 2015, they were called by God to work in Albania with a church plant in the city of Tirana. Since arriving in April 2015, they have been acquiring the language and learning the culture. During the process of acclimatization, Herbert and Ana have been helping the church plant in teaching, preaching, evangelism and leadership, and worship. Additionally, they have found opportunities to help other churches in the area. They are also teaching Spanish in a Christian school helping missionaries children to learn Spanish as second language. All of this helps to prepare for future ministry to impact the country of Albania, a country that 25 years ago had not one single church and to this day, has had a great struggle with building up healthy churches.
The Villanuevas are excited about their assignment in Albania and the opportunities to minister. The language and cultures change, but the need for the message of the Gospel and the teaching of God’s Word is the same in all places. The Villanuevas children – Jose, Luispe, and Dani have enjoyed being in Albania. They are studying and assist in the ministry as partners.
Eli and Sherling have a heart to reach people with the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray for them and their wonderful family and for the ministry they are developing in Spain. They are looking to begin a mission school in Madrid which is very exciting and we are looking to help them in this as we seek to raise up new crosscultural missionaries to Europe and other places.
Tommie and Gunilla have been working with MV since 2006 however they have been missionaries since 1995. They moved to the Balkans and initially started working in Skopje, Macedonia however more recently they have re-established in Thessaloniki, Greece. They have helped many to churches to get planted and grow and the christian community in Skopje, which they helped to establish, now has many thriving projects and outreaches all across the country.
They have a particular vision that “the motherlands of the gospel will give birth again” which drives much of what they do. To this end they also work in some areas of Syria and Jordan and hope to expand further in the Middle East.
All amazing people with a heart for Europe and beyond, a real passion for Jesus and love for His people that goes beyond themselves. We were inspired by them in our Gathering and together a hunger is birthed to see the European continent filled with people who love and follow Jesus, making disciples and helping the poor. Our focus is to love and support these guys in their work the Lord has given them and we want to see more missionaries to Europe raised up, equipped and sent out. Do you want to be involved? Do you want to go? Do you want to support? Get in touch.
Darren Mitzi