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Author: danl

El Oasis Team Experiences Worship, Community, and God’s Presence in Ethiopia

Written by danl on . Posted in Chile, Ethiopia, Globalscope.

From January 12–23, a team from Globalscope’s El Oasis campus ministry in Santiago, Chile—Karla Figueroa, Mario Pascua, Diego Ramos, and Ayelen Chiguay—traveled to Ethiopia to visit CMF’s long‑standing ministry there. Hosted by missionaries Craig and Allison Fowler, the group participated in a worship conference in the city of Assosa and spent time learning from the vibrant churches the team has planted over the past 20 years.

Throughout their stay, the El Oasis team was welcomed into Ethiopian Christian life in meaningful and memorable ways. They helped lead worship, visited multiple congregations, and joined local believers in celebrating numerous baptisms. The team also learned from local pastors about the deep, internal transformation that fuels a life of worship and service.

For Karla, the experience stretched her faith in new ways. “It was challenging, since I had never left the country before,” she shared. “I learned that the way one depends on God outside of their comfort zone is different. Feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit in a country so different from my own was magical and confirmed that God is in every corner of the world.”

Mario described the trip as “life‑changing,” noting how the patience and warmth of Ethiopian believers made even unfamiliar situations feel safe and welcoming. “Getting to know more of our church family on the other side of the world was beautiful,” he said. “It required trusting God in order to have peace, knowing that everything would be okay.”

For Diego, the visit exceeded every expectation. “I truly thought it would be very uncomfortable in many ways, but it was completely the opposite,” he reflected. “It was a beautiful trip, full of love and meaningful experiences, and it will stay in my mind and heart forever.”

Ayelen, who serves on staff at El Oasis, echoed that sense of lasting impact. “It has been one of the most enriching experiences of my entire life,” she said. “I learned so much about God, myself, and the community. This trip has challenged the way I approach missions, my leadership, and my calling as a servant of God.”

Ayelen
Diego
Mario
Karla

As the team returned to Chile, they carried with them not only new friendships but also a deeper sense of global church unity—and gratitude for the Ethiopia team and their faithful ministry. Their time in Ethiopia strengthened their faith, expanded their vision for mission, and reminded them that God’s love is alive and active in every corner of the world.

Introducing Emprende31: A New Identity with a Timeless Mission

Written by danl on . Posted in Business as Mission, Mexico.

For years, our team working with entrepreneurs in Mexico City prayed for a name and identity that truly reflected who they were becoming. Their work had been steadily forming since 2021—shaped, refined, and strengthened through seasons of building and rebuilding. What began as a temporary name, “Marketplace México,” served as a starting point, but everyone sensed that something more fitting was still ahead.

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Learning and Growing: Grant and Kaylee’s Time at ECHO

Written by danl on . Posted in West Africa.

Grant and Kaylee began their ministry in West Africa with CMF in early 2023, serving among an unreached people group where less than one percent identify as Christian. Their work is deeply relational and practical. Grant partners with teammates on a gardening initiative called “Gardens of Faithfulness,” which equips families to grow small gardens that combat food insecurity while building trust and community. Kaylee focuses on children and youth outreach, helping lead health clubs that teach preventative health lessons alongside Bible stories, and girls’ health clubs that highlight God’s love for His creation through Scripture.

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Why Fellowship is Life-Giving for Missionaries

Written by danl on . Posted in Guatemala.

By Luke Dove, CMF Missionary to Guatemala

If we can be honest here, amongst friends, being a missionary is tough. It's rewarding and fulfilling and meaningful and all those things but it's also just hard sometimes. It's lonely, it's isolating, it's stressful, it's being confronted with constant challenges and struggles and having to navigate things that are often well outside of whatever I used to consider "normal life".

Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it's not always easy, especially as one of the few CMF members who doesn't have other American teammates on the field with me. And even as I get more Guatemalan every day, there is still some part of me that will never be Guatemalan, that will never be able to be fully a local, and yet when I go back to the States, I am also no longer fully American. So I exist in this weird middle space being both Guatemalan and American and yet neither.

I felt for a while that I was the only one who felt that way. I went a couple of years trying to navigate that and feeling and holding that tension by myself (although I'm not sure I totally realized at the time that's what I was experiencing). And then I went to Mexico to attend my first gathering of some CMF missionaries a few years back. And then I went to One Summit, a gathering of all CMF missionaries last year, and I saw what I saw in Mexico on an even bigger scale.

Sure, my situation and context are unique, but I am not alone. There are a couple hundred other missionaries who know what I am going through, who are living it out themselves in their parts of the world. Who know what I am experiencing and have been in that place themselves. We may speak different languages and be in different strategy areas, but we understand each other. And most importantly, we are all in this for the same reason, and we are all serving the same God.

And when at these meetings I heard the stories of what God was doing on the other side of the world, something became real to me that I knew in my mind but maybe hadn't really understood in my heart, that I was a part of something bigger. That somehow the Guatemalan ghetto where I spend my days was connected to rural Kenya, to a university in Germany, to a church that's just been planted in a place I've never heard of and will most likely never visit.

In 2026 I hope to get to go to South Asia for a gathering with workers from my strategy area. I had to look up the specific location. I don't know what language they speak, or what the situation there is, I just know it's quite a far way from Guatemala, or rural Kentucky (where I'm from) for that matter. I don't know exactly what to expect, or what I'll find there. But I do expect to find God there. The same God that's here with me in the slums where I sit as I write this. And I know I'll find fellow missionaries who understand the work we do, who understand the difficulties of missionary life, who understand what it means to be in-between worlds and mindsets, who understand me. Who encourage me. Who I can share with and laugh with and learn from and be in community and fellowship with. And that's life giving. It's powerful. It's part of what keeps us going. What keeps me going.  

I'm grateful for the Fellowship. I'm grateful for the chance to meet together and share stories of what our awesome God is up to. And I'm grateful for the people who help make that possible.

Will you help us Strengthen Our Teams?

For missionaries like Luke, gatherings like this are a lifeline. They provide time for prayer, mentoring, and fellowship—helping missionaries stay spiritually grounded and missionally fruitful. They also offer vital support for children, creating space for friendships and fun.

Your gift helps remove financial barriers so every CMF missionary can attend a gathering with those doing similar work. Most gatherings cost about $150 per day per missionary, covering lodging, meals, and programming. By strengthening our teams, you strengthen the ministries they lead and the lives they impact worldwide.

Please consider giving a year-end gift to send a missionary to a life-giving gathering in 2026.

 

Providing Urgent Relief in South Asia

Written by danl on . Posted in Asia.

After weeks of relentless rain, the skies opened even wider—three straight days of downpour turned into a torrent. What began as a depression grew into a deep depression, and then a full cyclone. In some areas of South Asia, nearly 14 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours. The region has not seen such devastation since the 2004 tsunami.

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Faithful to the Call: Remembering Ona Liles

Written by danl on . Posted in Uncategorized.

On December 2, 2025, CMF lost a beloved partner and friend, Ona Liles—a man whose life radiated faithfulness, hospitality, and grace. For more than 30 years, Ona and his wife, Ruth, served in close partnership with CMF, impacting countless lives through their work in education and ministry, made possible through the support and partnership of their church, Central Christian Church in Mesa, AZ.

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