Shirley Unger

Address: 304-25 Ivybridge Gate, Winnipeg, MB, R3W 0L5 Canada
Email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Website: https://gemission.org/

I became a Christian when I was a child. I grew up in a Christian home, learning about Christ at church and in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. I was asked by a friend at a birthday party if I had a personal relationship with Christ. I went to my room, took out my little Bible that my parents had given me for Christmas and invited the Lord into my heart.

I had never considered going overseas to serve as a missionary in my earlier years. I went to Bible College and then got my teacher's degree at Brandon University. My goal was to teach elementary age children, but the thought of doing it outside of Manitoba didn't cross my mind.

After teaching on First Nations schools for four years, which was kind of a mission field of its own, a Greater Europe Mission (GEM) rep was at my parents' home for lunch and asked me to consider serving. That led to going to Spain on a summer mission trip. During the wrap-up time in Germany, opportunities to teach at Christian schools in Europe were mentioned. I applied, looking to serve for a year or two and the Lord expanded it to become a long term ministry, eventually with more than just teaching.

My Current Role at GEM
My current ministry is as an administrative assistant to both GEM Canada and to GEM Teams, where I served in person for over 16 years. My role with GEM Teams is to interact with teams and individuals who are wanting to serve on a short term team (1-3 weeks) and walk them through the GEM application process. I also read through their evaluations after a project and make our mobilization department aware of those who may want to return or consider longer term ministry. I meet with GEM Canada staff virtually once a week and with my supervisor also weekly. I meet with GEM Teams staff once a month and with that supervisor about once a month. I travel to Germany to be with the team in person once a year.

About GEM
Greater Europe Mission (GEM) began in 1952 because of a desire by Bob Evans to train leaders in the Bible. 22 Bible schools were established in the first 30 years, many that continue on. The ministry spread to include church planting. Today the mission has a wide variety of ministries, including Creative Arts, Business as a mission, sports, camps, children/youth education, justice, refugees, church planting, disciple making and so much more. GEM has over 700 missionaries from North America, Europe and beyond.

GEM's mission is to reach Europe by multiplying disciples and growing Christ's Church.

Oliver and Deborah Mayer

Email: [email protected]
website: https://omf.org/ca/worker/oliver-and-deborah-mayer/

Oliver - After attending a youth retreat when I was 16 years old, a youth group started in my small town. What impressed me about the couple that led the youth group was that they practiced what they preached. This in turn made me want to find out more about Jesus and the Bible. During this first year of the youth group, I opened my heart to Christ. During the youth retreat we had studied the story of Joseph from the Old Testament and looking back I find it really helpful and encouraging to have learned from the beginning that “others might mean it for evil but God has a good plan (Genesis 50:20 NIV 20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”)

My call to Thailand came when a missionary visited us at the beginning of 2010 while we were serving at Holsby Bible School, the Torchbearer Bible School in Sweden. He shared with a number of students about his work in Northern Thailand and Deborah and I were really impressed. At his recommendation we got in touch with OMF. Three years later (February 2013) we were sent out by OMF Canada to work in Northern Thailand with Mekong Minorities. We have now been with the Mekong field for over 11 years.

Deborah - I grew up in a Christian family. My parents were involved in ministry and I had a lot of exposure to Christianity, but it was when I was 7 years old that God convicted me of my sin and my personal need for Him, which led me to accept Jesus as my personal saviour. Ever since, He has been so faithful to teach me and guide me in the truth. Around the age of 14, I knew that God was calling me into missions. Though I was a little resistant at first, God began growing a desire in me to learn more, which I did by reading many missionary biographies, watching mission films, and learning whatever I could about other cultures. I got involved in an international student ministry in Calgary, and I also went on two short-term mission trips to Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. God used those experiences to cement that ever-growing desire to be involved in what He is doing overseas.

My Current role in OMF

We are involved in church planting and discipleship among the Karen minority group in Northern Thailand, with a special desire to see Karen believers equipped to share the Gospel with unreached Karen villages, near-culture people groups, and beyond.

We want to challenge the Karen to be rooted in Christ and His Word. Out of a close and vibrant relationship with Him the individual Karen will bear fruit (see John 15:1-5, especially 'If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit'). This will have an affect on other locals (believers and unbelievers), other churches, other villages and beyond.

As we are now based in the city of Chiang Mai, Deborah has been able to get involved in some ministry in the city as well. She is part of a Christian team of language consultants, offering English language services to medical students and faculty at the local university. This has opened many doors for sharing the gospel with students and mentees.

About OMF
OMF is a global fellowship of Christians with a heart for East Asia. We share the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with East Asia’s peoples to the glory of God. We are passionate to demonstrate and proclaim the good news to East Asia’s billions, many of whom have never seen or heard it.

In places where there are no churches or limited resources, we humbly and prayerfully engage in church planting. In places where the church already exists, we serve alongside it to strengthen and extend it.

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OMF International - Canada
10 Huntingdale Blvd, Scarborough, Ontario, M1W 2S5
E-MAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 905.568.9971
TOLL FREE: 1.888.657.8010

OMF Deutschland e.V.
Am Flensunger Hof 12
35325 Mücke-Flensungen
EMAIL: [email protected]
TELEFON: 06400/900 55

OMF International - U.S. Headquarters
10 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120-4413
E-MAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 1.800.422.5330

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Jason and Monica Klumpenhower

Email: [email protected]
Whatsapp or phone: +31610104911

Monica and I both come from strong Christian backgrounds. I was raised to know and love Jesus but in my teenage years I completely walked away from my faith. Through much pain and struggle God brought me back to him as I learned that it was only through His power and the saving grace of Jesus that I could experience true joy and peace in my life. From a young age Monica always felt the desire to serve the Lord in ministry somewhere. Through some trials one of the key lessons the Lord has taught Monica is to always find your identity and worth in the Lord. He is worthy of our trust and always faithful.

We met at Capernwray Hall Bible School in England and married a year later. From the beginning of our marriage we knew God was calling us into missions, we just weren’t sure where. Through experiences such as returning to Capernwray Hall as volunteers, to building houses for families in extreme poverty in Mexico we explored this calling and God affirmed it to us! While visiting the Netherlands on a holiday from our work in England God impressed on our hearts the deep lostness and spiritual need of the Dutch people. This has never left us. 3 years ago, we joined Greater Europe Mission and 1 year ago we moved to the Netherlands!

OUR CURRENT ROLE

We are actively involved in a street evangelism organization here in Alkmaar called Kracht om te Veranderen (Power to Change). My roles include being part of the core leadership team, recruiting and leading short term teams, and going out on the streets telling people about Jesus! The biggest challenge we face is how to spread the Gospel in new and engaging ways. Dutch people are very closed, especially when it comes to talking about matters of faith. Too often we are met with cold indifference, postmodern worldviews and sadly people who have been hurt by churches or religious organizations and want nothing to do with God.

My secondary roll is a part time position at Tyndale Theological Seminary as Facility Manager. Tyndale is unique as it is a seminary that offers full scholarships to pastors and christian leaders from Asia, Africa and eastern Europe. The faculty is comprised of like minded missionaries from all over the world working together to teach and disciple these future leaders to go back to their home countries and do the same.

Monica is our prayer coordinator for Kracht om te Veranderen and aside from her responsibilities as a mother, is actively engaging the moms in our community in hopes to start a small Bible study and share the love Jesus has for them!

ABOUT GREATER EUROPE MISSION

Greater Europe Mission was founded in 1944 with the goal of sharing the gospel with disillusioned post WW2 European people who had seen so much loss and despair. Since that time GEM has grown to 3 different sending countries and over 300 missionaries serving across Europe. Sadly, in most European countries only about 3% profess a relationship with Jesus. Europe needs Jesus! Greater Europe Mission exists to relationally connect and reach the unbelieving and uncommitted across Europe. To grow and deepen them in their faith through intentional discipleship and to empower and send them out to impact their world for Christ. GEM missionaries are involved in many different types of work, with the common goal of expanding God’s kingdom and reaching Europe by multiplying disciples and growing Christ's Church.

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