The Mission Partners We Support.

Beyond Our Door Global (BODG) seeks to respectfully see the ignored and overlooked, and then wisely offer care based on recommendations of our local partners in Haiti, Kenya and Uganda. Their vision is a world where the most oppressed and vulnerable are valued and transformed by the love and compassion of Christ and his people. BODG supports a home in Kenya for abandoned and traumatized children, a compassion/restoration center for exploited girls in Uganda, and a special needs home for children in Haiti with Pastor Dio.

The Disability Motivational Network seeks to motivate, inspire and educate children and youth with disabilities, equipping them with knowledge and resources to overcome poverty and make a positive impact in society. Knowing firsthand the struggles that people with disabilities face in underdeveloped countries, Prince and Agnes are committed to caring for the victims of homelessness, hunger, and public humiliation. DMN partners with other organizations in providing food, medical supplies, and education.

Prince and Agnes Cole founded Disability Motivational Network, which seeks to “see a society that accepts every child, no matter their ability; and believes in creating opportunities for those children to pursue their dreams”. They empower people with disabilities locally and in Liberia at the largest home for people with disabilities, called Mission of Hope for the Disabled. Please pray for the many needs at Mission of Hope, for wisdom and protection for the director, Victor, and other leaders.

The Elikya/Hope Training Center is a place that loves and supports orphans and widows in the northwest corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Jerry and Nancy Hibma are on the U.S. side of supporting and encouraging our friends at Elikya through daily communication, prayer, fundraising, and bi-annual visits. This training center gives older (17–23 year olds) Congolese orphans and widows a loving and safe place to learn a practical income-making vocation, everyday life skills, while seeing and hearing about the deep love and grace of Christ for them. Currently in 2023 there are 47 orphans and 18 widows receiving food, education, and the hope & love of Jesus at this place of Elikya or Hope.

Emerge Mothers Academy (EMA) is a Twin Cities non-profit providing support services to equip single mothers to emerge as confident women and caring moms. Becca Erickson is the co-founder and Executive Director of EMA. Through living a “beauty from ashes” story, she empowers solo moms with her loved experience as a single mom herself. Services include work preparation, financial literacy, an annual micro-loan grant program, social services & advocacy, and parenting support. Emerge Mothers Academy encourages and teaches single moms skills to equip them to be the confident women they are.

A long-time mission partner teaching in a restricted country, whose identity needs to remain anonymous.

ELIC proudly recruits, trains, and sends hundreds of people each year to teach in long-term and short- term programs throughout Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Our long-standing partnerships with universities and governments around the globe open doors for us to make a deep and significant impact on students, colleagues, and neighbors. People come to ELIC from a variety of backgrounds including engineering, executive leadership, sales, medicine, and education. Our comprehensive training prepares new teachers to be world-class educators and helps veteran teachers as they transition overseas.

Open Door has a long-time mission partner teaching in a restricted country, whose identity needs to remain anonymous. Teaching is this person’s passion and gift, along with loving people with Jesus’ love, even when His name can’t be shared in the cultural context, God’s Spirit is moving! Please pray for good relationships with new students and other teachers, and for Jesus’ love to spread through restricted countries.

Food for the Hungry seeks to end ALL forms of human poverty by going to the hard places and walking with the world’s most vulnerable people. We’re moved and inspired by our Christian belief that every person has intrinsic value, and that it’s our responsibility to advocate for the poor and marginalized without regard to race, creed or nationality and without adverse distinction of any kind. We serve on the basis of need alone. We strive to respect the culture and customs of the people we serve in order to preserve their humanity and dignity.

Open Door partners with a community called Caserio Lopez in Guatemala. We partner with this community to listen to their dreams, vision and partner with local leaders of the community to work towards their development and community goals. We also partner through mission trips, child sponsorships and annual project funds and will continue to partner with the community for 8-10 years, until they are totally self-sustaining, which is Food for the Hungry’s model.

GoodSports Slovakia builds relationships with families so they can experience the transforming love of Jesus. Youth centers in two locations serve kids all year long through tutoring, English classes, service projects, camps, growth groups and sports, lots of sports! The Slovak staff and volunteers seek to be salt and light by doing good deeds in the name of Jesus.

Haven of Light CIC is a non-profit organization based in New Wales, UK, focusing on prevention, awareness raising and support for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. Ali and Nate Ussery are a couple living in New Wales who work to advocate for the poor, fight injustices, disciple individuals and work with government officials to bring awareness and partner with God in changing hearts. Ali created Haven of Light to help fight to end all forms of modern slavery.

Ali and Nate are an essential part of the efforts to support Ukrainian refuges who are coming into the UK during the war that is currently happening. Her efforts along with government officials help prevent human trafficking for these vulnerable people and support them while they are displaced through language education, assist with getting housing and resources, and host healing retreats.

The International Association for Refugees seeks to help people survive and recover from forced displacement. We partner with local churches, refugee’s churches, and the church-at-large to provide a holistic response focused on meeting the unique physical, spiritual, and relational needs of people at each stage of a humanitarian crisis.

In Bosnia, IAFR, in collaboration with local churches and Christian mission organizations, serve displaced people in temporary reception centers through a refugee outreach center that offers educational resources, compassionate care and relationships to build hope which transforms a person and their journey.

Inverted Arts is helping young people discover and unleash their creative voices for the good of their communities. We teach students that they are “created 2 create;” made in the image of God with incredible value, worth and creative potential! Our programs help these young artists discover and unleash their creative voices in everything from fashion to filmmaking, song- writing to storytelling, and drawing to design. When their ideas and imaginations are nurtured, it’s good for the whole community!

We develop partnerships with organizations in underserved communities in Minnesota, California, Kenya, Liberia and the Dominican Republic, offering Art Camps and Art Exploration Programs led by professional Artist Mentors. These programs end with Showcase events where students present their masterpieces to the world. We collaborate with partners and youth to create documentary films, recording projects and visual art exhibits. We offer internships and scholarships to students who want to grow deeper. When our scholarship students graduate, we offer three to five year investment plans for their small business ventures that become a sustainable means of community development.

The standard approach to homelessness is called Housing First: “providing four walls and a roof” and offering professional services. This approach falls short because the problem of homelessness is not a lack of housing and professional help alone, but just as critically, a lack of integration into a supportive and nurturing community. A “community first” approach is an alternative that focuses not only on providing shelter but on meeting relational and social needs in a holistic way. This approach is an innovative way to address long-term homelessness by developing Sacred Settlements on available religious land in cooperation with a faith community.

Open Door has built a tiny home for one of Open Door’s p astors, Rose Larson, who lives in a tiny home community (Sacred Settlement) at Mosaic Christian Community, church land in the eastside of St Paul. One third of the tiny homes are “intentional neighbor,” and two thirds of the homes are people who have come out of chronic homelessness. Open Door is continuing to explore how God would lead our community to partner more with Settled in the future.

At Timber Bay we believe the best way to make a positive impact in the lives of youth is through stable, long-term mentoring relationships. Timber Bay is an organization of dedicated youth workers committed to personal, ongoing mentorship with young people. Since 1970, Timber Bay has accomplished this through a combination of camping retreats and community group gatherings throughout the upper Midwest.

Their focus is to help teens discover the emotional and spiritual healing that Christ can bring to their lives. For youth, real impact that takes time and nurturing happens when a well-developed support system is in place. One-time events may be beneficial, but they are not nearly as effective as the teens having a safe, healthy community, where long-term mentors walk with them through their everyday lives. The mentors of Timber Bay are present to help teens overcome obstacles and grow toward positive choices and behaviors.

Wayne and Paul Thyren are a father and son who serve Timber Bay at-risk youth in Brooklyn Center, with their team Nate, Christina, Erica, Renee, key volunteer Cheryl and many others. “Offering hope one kid at a time, in the community and at camp.” They build relationships with young people in Brooklyn Center, taking the youth camping, having Bible studies, game nights, and going into schools to have lunch and watching sporting events.

Dave Johnson spent over 4 decades in senior leadership at a church, with all of its complexities and demands. Managing expectations — and not always meeting them. Maintaining his faith — and not always feeling it. But his years in ministry, as a leader, teacher, preacher, author, and mentor were marked by his impact.

And upon retirement, having experienced what it takes to stay in it for the long haul, he’s moved into a new type of ministry — helping others stay in it for the long haul to build Things That Remain. By “it,” we don’t mean the ministry — because you don’t have to be in vocational ministry to have a Kingdom of God impact in the world. We mean the faith. And by “faith,” we don’t mean orthodoxy — because believing the right things about God isn’t the same thing as being a person of faith and hope and confidence in God.

Treehouse is on a mission to end hopelessness among teens. They offer grace-based programs and environments where teens learn to know a loving God, build resiliency, develop healthy relationships and plan for the future. Through mentorships, retreats, and other off-site activities, teens have the opportunity to build even deeper relationships with peers and caring adults.

Scott Volltrauer has worked for TreeHouse for 28 years, spending most of his time in Brooklyn Park working with at-risk youth. Building relationships with beloved young people through fun, caring support, and studying God’s word, they learn “they are loved, feel hope and realize life transformation”. Teens are transformed by God’s love through caring support as they experience “love without strings.”

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) seeks to teach youth to know God and make Him known through Discipleship Training Schools, international outreach, and helping them discover God’s calling on their life. Tom and Hoku Osterhus are serving at YWAM in Maui through Discipleship Training Schools, seminary classes, surfing ministry and outreach to restricted countries. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as they pursue a new YWAM property in Maui.