Missionaries

NIHAD ALI

Nashville, Tennessee, and Greece - Servant Group International
Bringing the love, truth and encouragement of Jesus to Muslim refugees and immigrants in Nashville and in Greece

A Kurdish woman from Iraq, Nihad was chased out of her country and lived in Pakistan as a refugee and single mother of two children.  During her many years there, she became a follower of Jesus.  Finally, she received permission to come to the United States and settled in Nashville, Tennessee.  Nihad found community at Belmont and has been working with Servant Group International since 2003. She ministers with Muslim immigrants and refugees in Nashville and when possible, in Greece. She especially has a heart for Muslim women.  She assists Muslim refugees as they assimilate into American society by providing advocacy, translation, and transportation assistance. Additionally, Nihad translates ministry literature into Kurdish. 

Online: https://servantgroup.org/

THE ARROYOS (Martin and Karen)

Oaxaca, Mexico - Gracia Abundante Church
Pastoring and discipling Mixtec and Triqui Indians

Since 1991, the Arroyos have been teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Mexico to Mestizos, Mixtec, and Triqui Indians. They now pastor and disciple through Gracia Abundante Church in Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca, and through broadcasting Christian content on radio station (RadioMixCris). Their goal is to acquire land and a building for their church, to expand the radio ministry, and to continue offering assistance whenever possible to help with the enormous physical and emotional needs of this region. 

Online: facebook.com/ccfga

THE CARNEYS (Chester and Naomi)

Okinawa, Japan - Hija Belmont Church
Pastoring and discipling a growing and multi-ethnic congregation

Since 1986, Chester has been ministering in Okinawa, Japan. Naomi, through marriage, joined him in 1992. They planted, and are now pastoring Hija Belmont Church, that has national and international members. They pastor and disciple people from all over Okinawa, Japan and the world. Through teaching and ministering in various local outreaches, the Carney’s are raising up the next generation of Japanese church leaders.

Online: www.lifeinhim.net

THE COHENS (Guy and Tali)

Akko, Israel - Harvest of Asher (Katzir Asher)
​Restoring the first century Messianic community in Akko

In 1998, God revealed to Guy His heart for the restoration of the altar of worship to Yeshua which has been absent for over 2,000 years from Akko, part of the unclaimed inheritance of the Tribe of Asher. Harvest of Asher, a daughter congregation of Tents of Mercy, was dedicated in 2005. It is a Messianic congregation of Jewish and Gentile believers in Akko that began with a small home group, humanitarian aid, prayer and intercession. It is a place to bring restoration, healing, salvation and fulfillment of the destiny of the Nation of Israel, her people and her land. An altar of praise and worship was built in the northwest gateway to Israel to provide a place where God’s Presence will linger. The heart of the Cohens is to reach the poor and needy in cooperation with social services, the municipality, and private institutions, as well as the local Soup Kitchen and Center for the Blind.

Online:  www.harvestofasher.org

KAY EAVES

Nashville, Tennessee - InterFACE Minstries
Reaching international students and their families with the love of Jesus Christ

Kay and her late husband, John, began in ministry together in 1980 in Boston and then in Nashville in 1990. Kay is currently part of InterFACE Ministries. IFACE Ministries, together with local congregations, care for the "foreigners in our midst" that the Church may be a "House of Prayer for All Nations". Kay dreams there will be mature believers from every nation, highly trained in their professions, building the Church around the world, and that the next generation of American Christians will catch the vision for international student ministry.

Online: www.ifacenashville.org

THE GARRISONS (Mark and Michaela) and family

Kamiah, Idaho - Native American Ministry
​Walking with the Nez Perce tribe in friendship, service, evangelism and discipleship

Since 2003, the Garrisons have been working in Idaho among the Nez Perce. Their vision is to make the love of Jesus visible and understandable in a culturally relevant way, in the community and beyond. They hope to see young people grow up in God’s love and continue to grow in God’s Spirit. Among other community outreaches, they do Bible studies, work with the youth, and do the children's Sunday School.

THE KOELEWIJNS (Cor and Grace)

Tororo, Uganda - Heart for Children, African Theological Seminary (International Christian Ministries)
Serving orphans and providing Biblical education and Church leadership development to pastors and other church servant leaders

Cor and Grace are leaders of the Heart for the Children NGO where their goal is to create a healthy positive Christian environment. Through this ministry young orphans may find a safe home and get all the assistance they need. In everyday life this comes down to food, shelter, clothing and a good Christian education.

Additionally, in 2016 Grace (daughter of David and Zipporah Omalla) took over the leadership of the African Theological Seminary in Tororo, Uganda, upon her father’s retirement from that position. The Koelewijn’s vision is to see existing church leaders of the Ugandan church be equipped to preach, teach, and disciple the people of Uganda in the Word of God, by the Spirit of God, and for the Kingdom of God.

Online: http://en.heart4children.org/, https://icmusa.org/africa-theological-seminary/

THE LLAVES (Lito and Nelia) and family

Manila, Philippines - Jesus Power Center Church
Pastoring and serving the poor in Old City Manila and providing disaster relief throughout the country

Since 1983, as a volunteer with Jesus Center Church, and then to a full-time worker in 1991, the Llaves have been utilizing the tools of youth sports ministries, music, creative arts, charities, relief operations, Harvest Camps Conferences and Seminars, and blessing Israel, to demonstrate and manifest Jesus’ power by the working of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. They partner with Belmont Church and other churches and ministries in this work.

Online: www.facebook.com/lito.a.llave

THE LOVELLS (Larry and Connie)

Papua New Guinea - Wycliffe Bible Translators
Translating the Bible & promoting literacy for the Minaveha people of Fergusson Island in Milne Bay Province

Since 1986 the Lovells’ mission has been to partner with the Minaveha people in completing a language program. In 1992 they began a vernacular literacy program which continues today: Minaveha teachers teaching Minaveha students to read and write in their own language. In 2009 the Minaveha New Testament was dedicated, and since then it has been in use in churches and homes. That same year translation of the Old Testament began, and in 2018 that translation and a revision of the New Testament were completed. Currently the entire Minaveha Bible is being checked for consistency and spelling prior to its typesetting, publication, and dedication. The final phase of the language program calls for revision and publication of technical treatises describing the phonology and grammar of the language, and publication of the Minaveha‒English lexicon.

Online: www.wycliffe.org

THE MAZINS (Leon and Nina)

Haifa, Israel - ​Return to Zion Congregation & Ministry
​Restoring and proclaiming faith in Yeshua in Israel through God’s Word and humanitarian and educational outreaches

Since 2001, when the congregation and ministry was founded, the Mazins’ mission has been to restore and proclaim Yeshua in Israel. This growing congregation does this through humanitarian and educational outreaches such as Oasis Media, a Russian language media ministry, Rainbow of Sounds Music School, a food distribution  program, Haifa Theological Institute.

Online: http://shaveitzion.org/

THE McLAUGHLINS (Eric and Rachel)

Burundi, East Africa - ​Serge Global, Hope Africa University
​Providing medical care to the most underserved and Medical education and discipleship to African doctors.

The McLaughlins have been working on hospital development and increasing the quality of education in Burundi by serving as clinical faculty for the young medical school at Hope Africa University, while also providing compassionate care to the poor at Kibuye Hope Hospital. They are looking to start two residency training programs in the next few years.

Website:  wordanddeedafrica.com

THE SHISHKOFFS (Eitan and Connie)

The Galilee and Golan, Israel - Tents of Mercy, Fields of Wheat
Fostering Messianic congregations and humanitarian services in Israel; equipping youth through national conferences; and training young adults, both Jewish and Arab, through young adult discipleship, 

In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down and waves of Soviet Jewish immigrants began arriving in Israel, Eitan received a vision in prayer. He was shown a "desert oasis," to become tents of God’s mercy, giving material and spiritual provision to Jewish people returning from the nations to Israel. He and Connie began living in Israel as permanent citizens in ’92 and three years later, Tents of Mercy became a reality. Tents of Mercy is dedicated to the Book of Acts model: planting indigenous, Hebrew-speaking congregations to re-establish the gospel in its original soil; and giving aid to the needy. Six local congregations have been planted over the years. The humanitarian services, which include a well-stocked warehouse and distribution center, have impacted thousands of lives. 

Fields of Wheat is a national ministry equipping Messianic youth and young adults to be workers in the end-time harvest leading to Yeshua’s return. 

Eitan has authored two books: "What About Us? The end-time calling of Gentiles in Israel’s revival" and "With All Your Heart," a manual for living life to the full. 

Online: : www.tentsofmercy.org  /   ​​www.tikkunministries.org  /  www.fieldsofwheat.org

THE TEKLEHAIMANOTS (Avishalom and Hannah)

Kiryat Yam, Israel - Tents of Mercy
Pastoring and leading a Messianic congregation; providing humanitarian outreach to immigrants and locals.

As a mixed generational leader, Avi and his wife minister to Israeli born, Ethiopian, and Russian Jews. Avi has been a Tents of Mercy pastor since 2016 with a vision to be an oasis for Israel’s returning exiles and her native-born sons and daughters. The Teklehaimanots accomplish this by being a center of refuge, supply, and healing through the Humanitarian Aid Center that provides assistance to new immigrants through short term housing, apartment search, employment counseling, and distribution of food, clothing, household items and baby supplies. 

Online: www.tentsofmercy.org

JOSEPH WATSON

International - YWAM
Mobilizing the Church internationally towards fulfilling the Great Commission

Joseph began full-time ministry with Youth With a Mission in 1997 in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2006, He has been teaching internationally on YWAM bases and other ministries. His vision is to demonstrate sonship in the nations, stirring up emerging generations to release kingdom dreams and claim their spiritual inheritance as God's children in every arena of society using creativity, teaching and communication that inspires. Destiny and identity are foundational themes in Joseph’s teaching.

Online: https://www.ywam.org/

THE YOUKHANAS (Adil and Xena)

Kurdistan, Iraq - Free Evangelical Church
Pastoring and discipling the church in Duhok, providing humanitarian aid and other ministry in the heart of the Middle East

Adil pastors the Free Evangelical Church in Kurdistan which was started in 1993. He was ordained a pastor in 2019 by Kurdish pastor Yousef Matti and Belmont pastors Don Finto, Mick Antanaitis and Cheryl Tolbert. He currently leads Sunday services, Thursday prayer meetings, and Friday discipleship times. He spends other days visiting families and preaching the Gospel. His hope is to see Kurdistan filled with the message of the Gospel and to see the Kurdish people live in peace. 

Online: https://www.facebook.com/PastorAdil/  /  https://www.facebook.com/duhokchurch