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When Two Worlds Collide: A Glimpse of God’s Global Church

Written by danl on . Posted in Globalscope, Uruguay.

This story is written by Sophie Anthony who serves with our Globalscope campus ministry in Montevideo, Uruguay, called La Ruta. Their mission is to create a community that reflects the unconditional love of God to every university student in Montevideo and that invites them to explore what it could look like to follow God in their own lives.

This past July, two worlds close to my heart collided when two La Ruta students, Camila and Paola, traveled with me to the Dominican Republic to volunteer at the Vacation Bible School at Templo Bíblico Villa Faro—a church I grew up visiting. There, we also met up with a group from my home church, Calvary Church of West Lafayette, Indiana.

I met Camila and Paola shortly after arriving to work at La Ruta, and I’ve been lucky to have a front seat to everything God has been doing in their lives. Both girls dedicated their lives to Christ and were baptized in the past year. They’ve become incredible leaders within the La Ruta community and actively share their faith with friends outside of La Ruta. The growth that I’ve witnessed in them is truly only something that can happen when the Holy Spirit radically changes one’s life. They’ve even expressed interest in working in ministry one day – Camila is even now studying worship arts at a local institute in addition to her university degrees.

Earlier this year, my mother (who is the Missions & Outreach Pastor at Calvary Church) invited me to meet her and a group from the church in

Santo Domingo for Templo Bíblico’s Vacation Bible School. When I was in high school, I volunteered at this camp every summer. I presented the idea of bringing Camila and Paola along, knowing that the cost would be the greatest barrier. Calvary generously offered to fund the girls’ trip, allowing them to experience traveling outside of Uruguay for the first time and doing ministry in an international context.

Camila and Paola were elated. We began anxiously preparing for the trip, which included getting both girls' passports.

On July 3rd, 2026, we flew together (both girls’ first flight!) to Santo Domingo. In the airport, we found the group from Calvary and everyone welcomed the girls with open arms. Some of the people in the group partner financially with me as a missionary, so it was amazing for them to meet two students impacted by La Ruta.

Every afternoon, we had VBS for children aged 3-12, and every evening we had VBS for teenagers. Camila and Paola, as native Spanish speakers, were able to connect incredibly well with the children and teenagers. During the teenage VBS, both girls were able to share their testimonies from the stage, and Camila led worship for the first time in her life. We also delivered groceries to families in need in the church neighborhood and hosted a mother’s and kids’ craft day.

I loved seeing American, Uruguayan, and Dominican cultures mix. For me, it was a little glimpse into what Heaven will be like when we’re with people from all nations.

Now that we’ve been back in Montevideo for a few months, both girls continue to be inspired by the trip and remain in contact with the friends they made. Paola is hoping to return this upcoming year, and Camila is planning to complete another international mission by interning at a Globalscope in Europe in 2027.

 

A Full-Circle Moment of God’s Faithfulness in Kenya

Written by danl on . Posted in Kenya, Missions of Hope. No Comments on A Full-Circle Moment of God’s Faithfulness in Kenya

After decades of ministry, there are moments when God pulls back the curtain just enough for us to see the lasting impact of His work. For CMF missionaries Keith and Kathy Ham, one of those moments happened this August at Angaza Discovery Camp in Kenya.

The Hams have served alongside Missions of Hope International (MOHI) for many years, helping disciple children, equip staff, and strengthen the spiritual foundation of the ministry. Four years ago, they helped launch Angaza Discovery Camp, a two-week experience designed for sixth-grade students in MOHI schools. At camp, students spend extended time in nature, participate in Bible study and worship, and learn how to develop a personal relationship with Jesus.

The wonderful Angaza staff

The camp's name, Angaza, is inspired by the biblical concept of hesed, a word that reflects God's loving kindness, mercy, and faithfulness. Throughout the camp experience, students are encouraged to discover God's love and imagine how He can use their lives to impact the world around them.

This August, God gave Keith and Kathy an unexpected reminder of His faithfulness.

A group of sixth-grade girls arrived at camp from Turkana, the remote region of Kenya where the Hams spent their first twelve years of ministry. The students had traveled two days by bus and another day by train to reach Kenya's coast and participate in the camp.

For many of the girls, the journey itself expanded their view of God's world. Once at camp, they spent ten days immersed in the story of God's faithfulness as revealed throughout Scripture. They learned to spend intentional time alone with God, engaged deeply with counselors who listened to them, and experienced spiritual formation in ways that are difficult to measure.

For Keith and Kathy, hearing the girls sing worship songs in the distinctive style of the Turkana people brought back treasured memories of their years in the region.

But God had an even greater surprise waiting.

When the Hams met the girls and began speaking to them in their own language, the students were stunned. Their expressions of shock and delight immediately sparked laughter and conversation.

As they talked with the girls about their families, Keith and Kathy made an astonishing discovery.

These young women were the grandchildren of some of the very first people in the village of Kangagetei to become followers of Jesus.

The grandchildren of the first believers in Turkana

In an instant, decades of ministry came into focus.

The Hams realized they were witnessing a spiritual legacy that had been passed from one generation to the next. The men and women who had first embraced Christ years ago had shared their faith with their children, who had in turn shared it with theirs.

What began as conversations in a remote Kenyan village had become a living testimony of God's ongoing work.

"It was a full-circle moment," Kathy reflected. "Our friends in Turkana had passed their love of Jesus to their children and now to their grandchildren."

Overwhelmed by the significance of what they had experienced, Keith and Kathy returned to their room and wept.

"The kindness of God," Kathy said. "We were given such a precious gift."

For missionaries, much of ministry is planting seeds and trusting God with the harvest. Often, they do not get to see how those seeds continue to grow through the years. But every once in a while, God allows them to glimpse the fruit.

At Angaza Camp, Keith and Kathy witnessed more than a group of students learning about Jesus. They saw the faithfulness of God spanning generations. They saw evidence that the gospel had taken root, grown, and continued to bear fruit long after those first conversations in Turkana.

It was a reminder that God's work rarely ends with one person or one moment. His faithfulness continues from generation to generation, often in ways we could never imagine.

And for Keith and Kathy, it was a gift they will carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

 

Discover God’s Global Mission Through Reach

Written by danl on . Posted in Reach.

For 35 years, Reach internships have helped college students and young adults step beyond their comfort zones, grow in their faith, and discover how God is at work around the world.

This summer marked another milestone as 37 interns served through Reach in 2026, including four international interns and three EuReach interns. Together, they joined ministry teams, built relationships across cultures, and gained firsthand experience of God's global mission.

From Everywhere to Everywhere

One of the most exciting highlights of Reach 2026 was the launch of EuReach, a new internship initiative that reflects CMF's vision of sending people from everywhere to everywhere.

This summer, Noah, Anna, and Isabella, students connected to our European Globalscope ministries, became the first EuReach interns. Their journey began with several days of preparation and team building in Valencia, Spain, where they learned from CMF missionaries and staff and explored what it means to serve in a different cultural context.

From there, they traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay, to spend the month of August serving with La Ruta, CMF's Globalscope campus ministry. As a new semester began, the interns helped welcome students, build relationships, and support outreach efforts on campus.

Their experience was about more than crossing borders. It was an opportunity to grow in faith, learn from another culture, and join God at work in a different part of the world. The launch of EuReach is an exciting step toward a future where CMF equips and sends disciples from many nations to serve alongside ministry partners around the globe.

New Opportunities in Poland

This summer also marked our first year sending Reach interns to Poland through CMF's new partnership with Proem, a ministry that serves children, youth, families, and communities throughout the country.

The partnership opens exciting opportunities for students to engage in cross-cultural ministry while supporting long-term outreach already making an impact in Poland.

Learning and Serving in Tanzania

Among this year's interns were three students from the United States and one international intern from Kenya serving together in Tanzania.

One of those interns, Carter Dickerson from Milligan University, helped lead a camp for Maasai young adults, taught Bible stories and songs to sponsored children, and participated in a worship concert alongside a local worship band. Reflecting on his experience, Carter shared:

"My summer in Tanzania taught me that I can learn so much while serving at the same time. I'm so thankful that I had an opportunity to go to this wonderful place and meet so many wonderful people. I was able to experience God's love in a global way."

His story reflects what Reach is all about: serving alongside local ministries, learning from believers in other cultures, and seeing God's work through a global perspective.

Could You Be a Part of Reach 2027?

Whether you're exploring missions for the first time or looking for a meaningful next step in your faith journey, Reach offers an opportunity to discover God's global mission firsthand.

Applications for Reach 2027 are now open.

Spend a summer serving, learning, and growing alongside ministry partners around the world.

Apply today by clicking here. Your story could be next!

 

 

Returning to a Legacy of Care in Kenya

Written by danl on . Posted in Kenya, Partnerships.

For Dr. Suzie Snyder, serving in Kenya is more than a short-term mission trip. It's a return to a community she has loved for decades.

Suzie, who previously served with CMF as a missionary physician among the Maasai people, recently traveled back to Kenya with a team through Fellowship of Associates of Medical Evangelism (FAME), a long-time ministry partner of CMF. Together, they served alongside Community Health Partners (CHP), the Kenyan-led healthcare ministry that grew out of medical work originally established by CMF.

"Thanks so much for your prayers, support, and contributions to our Kenya Medical Mission," Suzie shared after returning home. "You are most certainly one of our most important team members. We couldn't do this without people like you walking alongside us."

The trip blended compassionate medical care with opportunities to encourage and strengthen local healthcare ministries. At the Ewaso Ngiro Clinic, a young expectant mother arrived after a motorcycle accident. An ultrasound confirmed that her unborn baby was healthy, providing reassurance in the midst of a frightening situation.

Other cases were less common but just as important. One young boy found relief after a dead cockroach was carefully removed from his ear. Team members helped provide vaccines during a period when government healthcare workers were on strike, ensuring children received care they might otherwise have missed.

Throughout the outreach clinics, patients not only received medical attention but also heard messages about health, hygiene, and faith from local Maasai leaders. Joshua, manager of CHP's Aitong Clinic, connected with those waiting for treatment, offering practical teaching and sharing about Christ.

For Suzie, one of the most meaningful moments was reconnecting with longtime friends who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities. Among them was William Koya, who has served with CHP clinics for 40 years and is preparing to retire.

The team's impact was strengthened by the diversity of gifts represented. Eye doctors, pharmacists, first-time international travelers, longtime supporters, and even children served together, demonstrating how God uses people with different skills and experiences to bless others.

The trip also highlighted the lasting fruit of ministry partnerships. Dr. Jeanne, a supporter of the Maasai clinics for more than 30 years, joined the team for a second year after experiencing the ministry firsthand.

The medical ministry among the Maasai has changed significantly over the years, but one thing remains the same. Through partnerships like those between CHP, FAME, and CMF, lives are being touched with both compassionate medical care and the hope of Christ.

And for Suzie, it is a privilege to be part of that story once again.

Discern Your Place in God’s Mission

Written by danl on . Posted in Asia, Chile, Globalscope, Ministry Opportunity, Reach, Uruguay.

What if a few months could change the direction of your life?

When Rachel Rubin was a student at Auburn University, she watched other students return from international ministry experiences with stories of deeper faith, transformed perspectives, and a growing passion for God's work around the world. She was inspired, but she also had doubts. Leaving friends, raising support, and postponing graduation all felt like significant obstacles. Still, she sensed that what she might learn and how she might grow were worth the risk.

Rachel served with El Oasis in Santiago, Chile while she was still an undergraduate at Auburn University. While there, she discovered an important truth: she wasn't bringing God to a place where He wasn't already at work.

"God was already just as alive and at work in Santiago as He was in the United States," Rachel reflected. Through friendships with students and families, she experienced the joy of building genuine relationships across cultures and gained a deeper understanding of God's heart for the nations.

What Rachel didn't realize at the time was that this season would help shape her future.

After returning home, she found herself thinking about the unique opportunity campus ministry created for students exploring faith and searching for community. Over time, what began as an impactful experience grew into a sense of calling. Today, Rachel serves with CMF's Globalscope ministry in Montevideo, Uruguay, where she has spent nine years helping university students encounter Christ through discipleship, Bible studies, retreats, and authentic Christian community.

Rachel's story illustrates the heart behind Global Residency.

Global Residency is an immersive opportunity for young adults to learn, serve, and discern their place in God's mission. Serving alongside CMF teams around the world for four to ten months, residents become part of the daily rhythms of ministry while receiving mentorship from experienced missionaries.

More than a ministry assignment, Global Residency is designed for formation. Through mentoring relationships, cross-cultural learning, guided reflection, pre-departure preparation, and debriefing, residents are given space to listen for God's leading and discern how their gifts, passions, and experiences might fit into His work around the world.

Not every Global Residency participant will be called to long-term missionary service. Sometimes the next step is simply the next step.

That's what happened for Isaac.

In 2025, Isaac spent eight weeks with CMF's Reach Internship in Thailand with Globalscope. Through relationships, ministry experiences, and life alongside the Grapevine team, God began stirring something deeper than a memorable summer experience. After graduating from Milligan University, Isaac took the next step by becoming one of CMF's first Global Residents. Today, he is serving in Southeast Asia, continuing to learn, grow, and discern God's direction for the future.

Though their journeys look different, both Rachel and Isaac demonstrate a common reality: discernment rarely happens all at once.

A summer internship becomes a season of deeper formation. A meaningful ministry experience becomes a clearer sense of calling. Curiosity becomes conviction.

Global Residency exists to create space for those next steps.

Rachel offers this encouragement to anyone considering an experience like Global Residency:

"You don't have to feel called to a lifetime of international mission work to take a few months to go and serve a community that could really use your presence and your gifts. You never know how those few months might alter the trajectory of your life, or the life of someone else.”

Whether you're exploring cross-cultural ministry for the first time, considering a future in missions, or simply seeking a season to better understand God's direction for your life, Global Residency offers an opportunity to learn, serve, and discern where He may be leading.

Come discern your place in God's mission.

Explore our Global Residency opportunities here. Or support one of our Global Residents here.

 

More Than a Mission Trip: Fifteen Years of Partnership in Tanzania

Written by danl on . Posted in Partnerships, Tanzania.

What does a 15-year partnership in missions look like?

For Hazelwood Christian Church in Clayton, Indiana, it looks like faithful support, lasting friendships, and a commitment to walk alongside brothers and sisters in Tanzania year after year.

A recent visit by members of Hazelwood Christian Church offered a glimpse of that partnership in action. The video below captures one of the highlights of their trip: a combined worship service near Oloserian, a Maasai community whose name means "place of peace." On that Sunday, eight local churches gathered across denominational lines to worship together as one body in Christ.

The monthly gathering was pioneered by Bishop Joseph Ngida of Community Christian Church of Tanzania, who encourages neighboring congregations to come together in unity on the last Sunday of each month. For Hazelwood's team, it was an opportunity to experience the vibrant faith of the Tanzanian church firsthand.

But the story behind this video began long before this year's visit.

A Partnership Built Over Time

For more than 15 years, Hazelwood Christian Church has faithfully supported ministry in Tanzania, especially through the community child sponsorship program that serves orphaned and impoverished Maasai children in northern Tanzania.

The church's partnership extends far beyond financial support. Over the years, Hazelwood has welcomed Bishop Joseph Ngida to Indiana for Vacation Bible School programs and church services, strengthening relationships between believers separated by thousands of miles but united in Christ.

Generations of church leaders and members have helped sustain the partnership. Under the leadership of former pastor Steve Ranson and his wife, Kim, and now under Pastor Tim Gephart and his wife, Beth, Hazelwood has remained committed to the work in Tanzania. Numerous church members and ministry advocates have regularly traveled to visit communities, encourage local leaders, and witness firsthand what God is doing through the ministry.

Today, Hazelwood members sponsor approximately one-third of the children served through the Tanzania sponsorship program, helping provide education, nutrition, medical care, and spiritual support.

Investing in the Next Generation

One of the most encouraging aspects of Hazelwood's involvement has been its commitment to involving young people in missions.

In 2024, a team from Hazelwood traveled to Tanzania and facilitated a Vacation Bible School near Ormee Schools, a private Christian school established by Bishop Joseph. By the final day, more than 700 children had attended.

When the church returned this year, the focus shifted from children's ministry to deeper discipleship among young adults.

A team of 18 Hazelwood members partnered with 12 pastors, 14 teachers, 12 worship band members, and four interns to host a youth conference for approximately 200 Maasai high school and college-age students. Together, they spent three days helping young adults grow closer to the heart of God through worship, teaching, fellowship, and encouragement.

Remarkably, about half of the Hazelwood participants were teenagers themselves.

For the Tanzania team, seeing young people engage in cross-cultural ministry is one of the partnership's greatest blessings.

Mutual Encouragement

While mission partnerships are often viewed through the lens of what one group provides for another, the relationship between Hazelwood and the Tanzania ministry tells a different story.

The partnership has become one of mutual encouragement, where believers on both sides learn from one another, grow together, and witness God's work in new ways.

Michelle Swai, CMF's Tanzania field team leader, has seen that impact firsthand.

"For more than 15 years, Hazelwood Christian Church has shown us what it looks like to faithfully walk alongside the ministry in Tanzania, actively investing in people and relationships while supporting a project. We are deeply grateful for the mutual encouragement this partnership has brought, especially for the way they have invited their teenagers to experience missions firsthand. It is beautiful to see how God uses that kind of long-term commitment to transform lives on both sides of the partnership."

That transformation is evident not only in the lives of sponsored children, young adults, pastors, and church leaders in Tanzania, but also in the lives of the Hazelwood members who continue to return, serve, and grow through the relationship.

Looking Ahead

The work in Tanzania continues through church planting, leadership development, community sponsorship, community health initiatives, worship ministry, and discipleship. At the heart of it all is a commitment to equip Tanzanian believers to reach their own communities with the hope of Christ.

Partnerships like the one shared by Hazelwood Christian Church and the Tanzania team remind us that lasting ministry is often built through faithful presence over time. Year after year, God uses relationships, shared experiences, and a common mission to accomplish more than either group could achieve alone.

The video above offers a snapshot of that story. The partnership behind it is the reason the story continues.

More Than a Mountain: Adventures with Eternal Impact

Written by danl on . Posted in England, Globalscope, Kenya, Missions of Hope, Scotland, Tanzania.

Some adventures take you to breathtaking places. Others change the way you see the world. CMF Adventure Trips do both, combining physical challenge with spiritual purpose as participants step beyond their comfort zones and into God's work around the globe.

Whether standing on the summit of Africa's highest peak on Mt. Kilimanjaro or conquering the Three Peaks Challenge across Scotland, England, and Wales, these journeys offer more than unforgettable experiences. They create opportunities to connect with life-changing ministry, support kingdom work through fundraising and community, and discover how God can use adventure to make an eternal impact.

Three Peaks Challenge  |  June 27-July 3, 2027

Climb the highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales over three unforgettable days while helping support Canvas, CMF's campus ministry in Birmingham, England. Trip cost is $2,200 + airfare, and participants commit to raising or donating at least $3,000 toward the ministry's future impact.

 

Learn more & register here!

 

Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb  |  September 5-16, 2027

Stand on the summit of Africa's highest peak while helping build a permanent school for children served through CMF partner, Missions of Hope International (MOHI) in Nairobi, Kenya. The trip cost is $2,900 + airfare, and participants commit to raising or donating at least $10,000 toward the Grogan School project.

 

Learn more & register here!

 

Reserve Your Spot Today!

Space is limited on both adventures. To secure your place, submit your non-refundable $500 deposit by September 30, 2026.

Whether you're ready to conquer the highest peaks of the United Kingdom or stand atop Africa's most iconic mountain, we'd love to have you join us for a life-changing adventure.

Meet Ti and Andrea Dinh: Taking the Next Step to Serve in Kenya

Written by danl on . Posted in Kenya, Missions of Hope.

For nearly a decade, Ti and Andrea Dinh have been exploring God’s call to missions through short-term service opportunities around the world. Since 2017, their family has served in countries including Thailand, Mexico, Chile, and most recently Kenya, where a partnership trip through Eastside Christian Church introduced them to the life-changing ministry of Missions of Hope International (MOHI).

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