Peter said to him [Jesus], “We have left all we had to follow you!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
(Luke 18:28-30)

We began the orientation program for JAMI’s 5 new missionary candidates in February with these words of encouragement from Jesus to his disciples. Like those who traveled with Jesus, our students were feeling sharply the loss of leaving their homes and loved ones, and looking ahead to the future (in this case 6 months at the training center) wondering “What have I done?” These feelings are pretty typical for those who respond to God’s call to cross-cultural mission service, and we were able to encourage our students by telling stories of how Jesus fulfilled his promise in our own lives. We now have “family” on multiple continents and in many cities – including you who read this newsletter!

As the new training program starts, we’d like to introduce you to these future missionaries.

Anderson (back left) trained to be a pastor and has taught seminary classes. Before coming to us, he also completed a linguistics course for Bible translators. His mission goal is wide open. He dreams of serving in Greece, but is also interested in Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Juliana (front, 2nd from r.) is a nurse who worked two jobs in a hospital and put herself through seminary by taking Saturday classes. She’s the first evangelical Christian in her family, and one of her best supporters in her new calling is her mother. Ever since she heard one of our former students speak at her church several years ago, her heart’s desire has been to serve an indigenous people group in the Brazilian Amazon.

Raquel (front, 2nd from l.) is also a nurse who put herself through seminary. Her great love, though, is urban mission, especially children’s ministries. She was very active in her church’s Sunday School and VBS programs, and at the same time she served in its ministries in the favelas (slum areas) of her home city. Her mission goal at this point is Peru.

Salvador (back, middle) has done many things in his life before coming to us. He worked as an administrative assistant, studied in seminary, and completed technical training as a clinical pathologist: which was also his most recent job. Throughout this journey, he has had the dream of cross-cultural missionary service. He finally convinced his pastor that this was his calling, and is the first missionary to come from his church. At this point his mission goal is Ethiopia.