We have some amazing people on the Global Action team around the world! 93% of our nearly 160 faculty members are from the regions where they teach, like Pastor Alok featured in the video above. They are well-educated, experienced servants of the gospel with a passion for raising up more workers for the harvest. Click the video above to hear Pastor Alok's inspiring story.
Equipping Workers for the Harvest
Pastor Vijay’s Story
Pastor Vijay was raised in a non-Christian home in India. Eager to learn more after he came to Christ, he enrolled in a theological programme where his calling to ministry was confirmed. He returned to his village and planted a house church, which flourished and quickly grew in numbers. One day, a group of anti-Christian extremists came and broke up their gathering. “I felt helpless,” Pastor Vijay recounted.
In response, he decided to form a local group of pastors that would stand together and support one another in the hardships of ministry. These leaders were committed and sincere, and their hearts were burdened for reaching the lost and unreached. Many would even walk miles from one village to the next to preach the Good News.
But most of these pastors were first-generation Christians like himself, and Vijay soon learned that they had never attended any kind of biblical training. He grew concerned about the quality of their teaching. If they don’t have good roots in the Word of God, how effectively can they share it? They work so hard to spread the gospel, and Vijay longed to find a way to equip his fellow ministers with the tools they needed to reap a harvest.
Global Action was the answer. “This is it!” Vijay exclaimed when he learned we were coming to his area. “God heard us.” Vijay partnered with us to teach a class of 22 pastors and leaders, giving them the priceless gift of a firm foundation in Scripture. “We are even more excited to do what we have been called to do,” says Vijay.
“We are even more excited to do what we have been called to do.”
Open Borders, Open Doors
Equipping Leaders in Bhutan
When the pandemic hit, the Buddhist hermit kingdom of Bhutan shut its borders—and they remained closed for three long years. But recently, to the great surpise of our team, one of our Bhutanese graduates showed up in Sikkim, India with some exciting news: the border was open!
This leader, Neten*, has been hard at work since the last time we saw him. He is shepherding two house churches in Bhutan with more than 30 new believers in Christ! He arrived in Sikkim on a mission. He had a group of 25 leaders that were eager to go through our training—and they wanted to get started immediately!
We had not anticipated the reopening of the border, so our budget did not include plans for a class in Sikkim in 2023. But God faithfully provided through local Indian believers!
A local church and ministry stepped up to cover all the food and lodging costs for all of the students. Because of the generosity of these brothers and sisters, we have been able to successfully launch this new class! Now a new generation of workers is being equipped for the harvest in Bhutan.
*Name changed for security
Neten was a bodyguard to the king of Bhutan before coming to Christ. He has dedicated his life to serving the King of Kings ever since.
The state religion of Bhutan is Buddhism, and it is illegal to preach the gospel there. There are no foreign missionaries allowed, and there is not a single Bible college.
Located high in the Himalayan Mountains, Bhutan is one of the most geographically isolated countries in the world. Adding to the isolation, it banned foreigners entirely until the 1900’s and continues to maintain very tight borders today.
Prayer wheels like the ones pictured here are used by Buddhists in Bhutan in an effort to increase their merit and purify their karma. Because of Bhutanese evangelists like Neten, more people are turning to Christ!
25 Bhutanese pastors and leaders are crossing the border legally from Bhutan into neighboring Sikkim, India to participate in Global Action’s Foundations programme. Then they return to their own country to spread the gospel and lead underground house churches.
The State of Sikkim in the Himalayan region of northeastern India is almost entirely mountainous. This small but strategic state shares a border with Bhutan, Tibet, and Nepal.
About one quarter of Sikkim’s population is Buddhist. This 40m statue of the Buddha (pictured above) is located in Sikkim.
Spotlight on Latin America - with Video
Strategic Expansion into the Hard Places
It is with great excitement that we watch our work spread to new places! This month we are focusing on Latin America, where we are equipping leaders and transforming lives in seven countries. Our team includes 1 regional director, 7 country directors, 29 coordinators, and 60 teachers; all of whom are working diligently to prepare an estimated 400 students to serve their churches and communities in 2023.
As you’ll see below, we are expanding into several new areas this year. El Salvador, Ecuador—even a class in the Amazon rainforest of Peru! These students tell us Global Action is the answer to their prayers. Our classes and programmes provide theological education and instruction that isn't available through any other means.
We always talk about equipping leaders in hard places. Today, we want to show you one example of what we mean by “hard places.” Pastor Vladimir (featured in the video below) ministers to youth in the most dangerous area of Guatemala City—Zone 18. In fact, our crew had to get permission from local gang leaders just to show up with a camera and film this story. Despite the hardships and the threats to his safety, Vladimir chooses to risk his own life to minister to one of the most vulnerable populations.
That is how we see our work at Global Action. We persevere through the hard, difficult, and even impossible to carry the Word to people and places most in need—and equip them to do the same!
Working in the hard places can mean many things. Sometimes the work is spiritually or emotionally challenging, other times it's physically taxing or even dangerous. Occasionally, it's all of these.
Guatemala's Zone 18 is notorious for crime, drugs, and violence, much of it at the direction of gangs that have long relied on recruiting children, who receive lesser penalties if caught, to carry out their crimes. Imagine when that workforce starts to disappear because they are attending a church group instead!
Below, Pastor Vladimir shows us his work with youth in Zone 18 and how this is helping break a generational cycle of poverty and crime. More importantly, his leadership is creating future leaders to serve in one of the hardest areas.
Global Action graduate Pastor Vladimir in Guatemala is reaching youth through football -- even in one of the most infamously dangerous areas of the country.
Global Action in Africa - 2022
A Witness to Truth
Freddy Munalwa was raised in a dysfunctional, polygamous home in Uganda. In his search for truth and belonging, he eventually found himself in a religious group he now recognizes as a cult. Unaware that he was being taught lies, he remained in the cult for several years until it dissolved. Thanks to the prayer and intentional witness of some local believers, Freddy soon encountered the true gospel and started down a new path.
Today, Freddy serves as a pastor in the Fountains of Grace Church in Mukono, Uganda and is a student in Global Action courses. Because of his firsthand experience with the distorted beliefs of a cult, Pastor Freddy is determined to learn all he can about the truth of Scripture so that he can use his pulpit and influence to lead people in true discipleship.
“This ministry is so meaningful to us as ministers, to our families, and for the communities we serve,” Freddy says. “There are so many false prophets and false teachings all around, but there are some people who still yearn for and need the truth. I wish for more opportunities for Global Action to take this course around the country.”
Along with his senior pastor, Freddy has planted churches in Kampala, Western Uganda, Adjumani, Mukono and surrounding areas. He oversees these branches and travels around Uganda, visiting churches and strengthening the brethren in the Word.
When you give to Global Action this Christmas season, you are helping leaders like Pastor Freddy get the theological education they need. Thank you for partnering with us!
Modelling Compassionate Leadership in Zimbabwe
Pastor Philip is one of 10 local instructors working with Global Action to equip church leaders in Zimbabwe, and he is instilling in his students the same compassion for the vulnerable that characterises his own life and ministry. His humility and love are contagious, and this is part of what makes the Foundations programme such a life-changing experience for our students.
Click the video below to see Pastor Philip's inspiring story of serving special needs children in the community—starting in his own home.
As you saw in the video, Pastor Philip’s son Blessing is severely disabled. He suffers from epilepsy as a result of meningitis he contracted when he was one year old. Today at the age of 18, Blessing is partially blind, non-verbal, and physically dependent on his family. Earlier this year Blessing became bed-ridden and is experiencing kidney failure due to the medications he has been on much of his life.
In spite of the difficulties and pain, Philip is full of joy. “I am so grateful for the family that God has given me," he says, "a family that is bonded by the challenges and the struggles that we go through.”
When Blessing was six, his family tried to enrol him in school, but he was turned down due to his disabilities. When they realised he wouldn’t be allowed in school, the family took it upon themselves to educate him. “This also opened our eyes because we later discovered we are not alone going through this challenge,” Philip said.
This led Philip and his wife to begin reaching out to other families with special needs children to provide assistance and encouragement.
“Our prayer as a family is that we have a transformation center where we reach out to these people, and they are not ashamed to bring their kids.” Philip says the transformation center will offer resources and counseling, and, thanks to his work with Global Action, a place he can share the word of God with other families in similar situations.
“We can show them how Christ loves them even in these conditions,” Philip says.
Visit the Front Lines in Ukraine with Pastor Vadym
Q&A with Dr Elizabeth Marvel, Academic Director
We are excited to welcome Dr Elizabeth Marvel to our Global Action family! We posed these three questions to her to learn more about her work and role.
How does your current work feed into Global Action’s mission?
My goal in my current work is to strive for excellence in the courses we provide while maintaining accessibility for our students. I hope to bring the exciting developments in academic research and scholarship into our curriculum and to support our faculty in doing the same. The purpose for this, however, must always be to best serve our students. To meet their needs, answer their questions, and equip them for the work God has called them to do is at the heart of Global Action and at the heart of my own research.
What excites you about this new role?
I am excited about travelling to meet our directors, faculty and students—and to teach! I am at my best in the classroom and teaching is what God has made me to do. I am thrilled to get to do this around the world. I am also excited about actually reading all the “saved for later” books in my Amazon shopping cart! As someone who loves the global church, there are many scholars and theologians from the majority world who are doing really exciting work. While I was focused on my dissertation, I didn’t have much opportunity to dive into this world, but now it is actually my job. I am thrilled for the chance to learn from our brothers and sisters around the world, and then to help incorporate their work into our courses for our students.
Does it feel like you have come "home," in a sense, given your childhood and that your parents were missionaries?
Since meeting in college, my husband and I have both been on the path towards working in the church overseas. This path led somewhere unexpected—to Global Action and working from a base in the US while travelling to teach around the world. While it is not what we imagined many years ago, the Lord’s presence and leading has been so clear, and I am excited to have finished my training and begin the work.
Ukraine Aid in 2022
Serving the Under-Served in Wartime
With the coming of war in Ukraine, our team was especially aware of the needs of the Roma people who have traditionally been ignored or marginalised by society. Because of our work with leaders like Roma pastor Mykola (pictured above), a 2012 Global Action graduate, we are continuing to ensure this vulnerable population is safe and receiving physical and spiritual care. Thanks to Pastor Mykola, the church is flourishing among this community during a time when hope and faith often seem to be the only thing to cling to. Here is an update in his words:
When the Russian invasion started in February, Global Action supported our vision to meet the Gypsy communities in our small towns and supply them with food and other supplies. Every module I took during my class study was applicable to my ministry. What I didn’t expect is that it was preparing me for the completely unexpected! The tools I learned as a student are now helping me navigate difficult war situations that you do not normally see.
We do not want to stop making disciples!
In March 2022, Global Acton supported our evacuation from Kharkiv when artillery bombardment intensified. We started holding church services in a gypsy Christian church that is pastored by another Global Action graduate. We settled there and then began searching for what the Lord wanted.
In doing this, we discovered that there were a lot of Roma refugee camps in the area. We went out to equip them the same way Global Action equipped us. Now, we have two gypsy churches in the vicinity of Uzhgorod, and this month we are starting programs in those churches. Our team is witnessing life-changing experiences as many gypsies are now seeking God and starting a new life. We aren’t just adding leaders, we are multiplying them!
Since March 2022, Pastor Mykola (pictured far right with our Director Igor Grishajev in red) has founded five Roma men’s groups that consist of 48 pastors and leaders from Roma Christian communities. Most of the pastors are illiterate, but Mykola is a gifted Roma teacher who knows how to use our Foundations material to teach those who cannot read or write. Because he knows the culture, Pastor Mykola is able to deliver the information in a way that is understood and valued. What a blessing he is to our ministry!
Making Disciples in Wartime
When the war started in Ukraine, we found ourselves in new ministry territory. How do we serve in the midst of violence, political unrest, war and danger? We didn’t have answers to any of these questions. We only knew we had to act immediately to support our leaders who were shepherding so many people in need.
Thanks to our strong network of leaders in every corner of Ukraine, our graduates have been able to feed the hungry, house refugees, evacuate civilians from the front lines and provide pastoral care for hurting people. With incredible bravery, they venture right up to the front lines and continue to share the gospel—even in occupied areas. We will share some of their stories with you in this blog. You definitely won't want to miss the video from one of our pastors serving on the front lines!
Beyond all this, what I find so remarkable and inspiring is that in spite of all the urgent needs around them, these Ukrainian leaders are not losing sight of their core mission: making disciples. As they tirelessly work to meet the needs of their hurting communities, they are sharing the hope of the gospel and making disciples. AND they are passionately seeking to equip more leaders so that the important work they are doing can be multiplied.
We are even seeing this spread outside of Ukraine and into Belarus where, despite many obstacles, a class of 35 students has begun studying the Word of God—with Ukrainian teachers! The gospel cuts across all dividing lines and even brings people together who would typically be considered "enemies." These Belarussians want to learn how to lead and serve well, even under an oppressive dictatorship. Wow!
Our international team is also excited to welcome Dr Elizabeth (Liz) Marvel as our new Academic Director! Liz is no stranger to mission work, and she brings unique expertise to our organisation, as you can read in our Q&A with her. Liz is a talented scholar with a passion for the global church. She brings additional credibility to our organisation—as well as a heart for preparing men and women for front-line ministry.
We are so thankful for our supporters who make all this possible. Together, we are making a lasting difference for leaders—and those they serve—in hard places like Ukraine and Belarus. They need us now more than ever.
For the world,
Lionel Young
Executive Vice President
Divya's Story: A Journey of Redemption
Divya*is one of nine women taking part in the Global Action’s Foundations course in the Andaman Islands. At her request we are not using her real name or showing a picture that includes her because, like many of our students, the path that led her here is filled with heartbreak, hardship and cultural shame.
At age 34, Divya found herself finally free from an abusive marriage. However, as a single mother she was shunned by her community that still attaches a woman’s worth to her husband. Divya moved to a different town and worked odd-jobs to get by and support her son. During this difficult time, she lost all faith and turned her back on God.
One day a neighbor befriended her. Together, they began to pray. Through this, Divya found peace for the first time in many years. She re-committed her life to Christ and the mission work she hoped to someday do. In fact, Divya had long been looking for an opportunity to formally study the Bible.
“God answered my prayers and is now fulfilling my heart’s desire through Global Action’s GLOMOS program,” Divya says. “I had been praying for such an opportunity for a long time but couldn’t get one until your team arrived with the perfectly designed ready-made biblical studies program for me and my batch mates.”
Divya credits her studies with strengthening her personal relationship with God and equipping her to be a group leader in her church. In becoming a missionary, Divya wants to draw on her own experience to help other destitute, tormented and neglected women by showing them that with God’s love, a better future is possible. Thanks to your support, Divya is able to do the important work she has always felt called to do!
*Divya is a name of Indian origin that means “divine brilliance.” Our director thought it fit her well!
Join us for a visit to a church in India
I just returned from India where I had the thrilling experience of actually seeing our team in action. A highlight was when I was invited to speak at a church pastored by one of our graduates in South India. Pastor Alok started this congregation with nine people in a crowded village. With no access to theological education, he later found out about our one-year certificate programme and enrolled. It changed his life. It also changed his church. And it is transforming his community!
I was greeted that Sunday morning with dancing worshippers who led us up to the house of worship. I thought immediately of the Psalms of Ascent: “Let us go up to the house of the Lord.” Several hundred members gathered. The building was so full that doors and windows were left open so that the 100 or more worshippers outside could be part of the service. You can see all of this in the video below documenting my Sunday visit!
After worship concluded (some two hours later!) I walked by a group of people surrounding a water well that had been installed by the church to serve the community. They were taking turns pumping water for each other. Just wow! What a picture of what we are all about at Global Action. And this is only one of the two churches pastor Alok leads. He now teaches in our program so that other leaders like him can have access to a biblical education.
I continue to witness with my own eyes again and again how equipping leaders changes lives FOREVER, and it transforms communities NOW. Thank you for giving to help us with what I believe is the most important work in the world.
We are so grateful for your faithful and generous support. Thank you for investing in leaders. They are changing lives forever because of you!
For the Kingdom,
Lionel Young
Executive Vice President
Global Action Expands in Colombia
When Ramiro Rivas Orozco (pictured above: front row, center), his wife and three children answered the call to move from Guatemala to Colombia as missionaries, they were eager to find ways to make a significant impact for the gospel. Global Action was the perfect fit!
Ramiro readily accepted the challenge of expanding Global Action's ministry into Colombia, and immediately began organising four groups of Colombian pastors and ministry leaders to be equipped through Global Action's programme.
Today, 90 students are now gaining a strong foundation in Scripture and biblical leadership with Ramiro as their coordinator and teacher. With an eye toward the future, he is also training five leaders to become coordinators themselves so that the programme can continue multiplying!
Exciting days are on the horizon in South America!
Welcome Dr Dennis Ruano
Dr Dennis Ruano grew up in Guatemala as the son of a pastor, but he had always promised himself he would never become one. Instead, he wanted to become a medical professional and serve God through financial means. Little did he know the Lord would call him to do both!
After studying at a Christian school and graduating as a Bible teacher, Dr. Ruano began to focus on his dream. He graduated from dental school at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and, in 2003, founded the Guatemala Dental Mission Team. With the support from a network for Guatemalan dentists and a large team of dental students, Dennis began conducting free health clinics to provide dental care to patients in very remote and impoverished rural areas of Guatemala. Dennis and his team serve about one thousand people each year through these clinics.
“We visit communities without access to health services and provide free treatment with the sole purpose of showing God's love and sharing the Gospel. When we provide medical care to others, they experience God’s caress,” -Dr Dennis Ruano
Following the death of his dad, Dr. Ruano was asked to continue his legacy by taking over his father's church. Dennis responded to this call, but he also set up a pastoral team to share in the leadership. He also incorporated his passion for providing medical help into his ministry, and began offering clinics with gospel presentations and Bible training for local children. This work was a natural fit for Dennis, his wife Chochy, and their four children who had long served the Lord together as youth pastors and worship directors, as well as serving through music and concert tours for children.
In addition to his dental practice, medical missions, and pastoral work, Dennis has been serving with Global Action for the past two years as a teacher and coordinator. "I saw that [Global Action's programme] was a very useful and necessary tool for equipping leaders—especially pastors who are in ministry with next to no biblical training," he shared.
Dennis and his family embody the vision and leadership that Global Action is dedicated to multiplying throughout the world. With a strong foundation in the Word of God and a heart for ministry, Dennis uses his unique skills to serve, to lead, and to equip others for ministry.
"The desire of my heart is to continue using my abilities in the service of God, and to help Global Action continue growing in Guatemala and Central America, so that through biblical training and supporting pastors and leaders, we can carry out the Great Commission and be witnesses of the blessings that God has for Latin America."
We are thrilled to welcome Dennis to his new role as Director of Central America. His dynamic leadership will help us equip and inspire even more pastors and ministry leaders in the days ahead.
Exciting Changes in Latin America
This month, I want to share about the exciting changes in store for our work in Latin America!
Latin America is one of our largest and most diverse regions, with students now spread across the Caribbean, Central America and South America. More recently we have even begun equipping Spanish-speaking leaders in the United States!
In order to keep up with the growing demands for equipping leaders in Latin America, we are we are pleased to announce that we are adding to our leadership team in the region. Yuniel Cruz will continue serving with us as Director of the Caribbean, and Dr Dennis Ruano will join our team as the Director of Central America.
Dennis is an experienced church-planting pastor, teaches in our programme, and is involved in medical missions. A dentist by profession, he has also built a successful dental business in Guatemala City (you can read more about Dennis’ journey below).
These are very exciting days for Global Action! Please keep Yuniel and Dennis in your prayers as they lead us forward in equipping even more Latin American leaders to transform their communities with the gospel.
For the world,
Lionel Young
Executive Vice President
Growth in South Sudan
I recently spent a week serving as a lecturer in South Sudan and, as always, it was a wonderful opportunity be hands-on in the important work we are doing in impoverished communities.
Nothing gets me more excited than teaching young pastors and leaders in the hard places of the world—leaders like Mario, who you’ll meet below. Mario is one of over 80 ministry leaders in South Sudan who are currently enrolled in our year-long certificate programme.
By the end of the programme, these leaders will be equipped with a strong foundation in Biblical Interpretation, the Old Testament, the New Testament, Introduction to Theology, Ministry Leadership, The Church and Community Transformation, and more. The curriculum is demanding, and it is taught by qualified and experienced instructors. Students are assessed on each course—and they are motivated to learn.
Some of the students—like Mario—dream of continuing their studies. They hope to earn one of the scholarships that Global Action will award in coming years to an outstanding leader to study for their university degree.
Because Global Action is working in the hard places like South Sudan, young leaders like Mario are given a chance they would have never had otherwise. You make this possible! Your partnership is bringing lasting transformation to hard places like South Sudan. Thank you!
For the world,
Lionel Young
Executive Vice President
P.S. Watch the video below for a glimpse into my time in South Sudan and to meet another one of our students!
South Sudan at a Glance
80+ students are attending our established classes in Tonj and Yirol.
We are prayerfully preparing to open a third class in the capital city, Juba.
Classes are taught by Egyptian teachers in Arabic and English.
Although most students speak fluent English, the teachings are also translated into Dinka for those who need it.
Meet Mario from South Sudan
Mario’s contagious smile makes him stand out in a crowd. He is young, about 22 years old, and he is a natural leader. Students were always talking to Mario before and after class, and he seemed to lead the way in break-out discussions, even among his older peers. “He always wanted to stand around me at tea breaks and talk,” Lionel recalled.
Mario has never been to college. He grew up in the Darfur, a region infamous for the genocide that took place there in the early 2000’s. Like most young men his age there, he has witnessed civil war firsthand.
Civil war in South Sudan has made it one of the poorest countries in the world. The UN ranks it at the bottom of countries in the world using the Human Development Index (HDI), which is used to measure things like life expectancy, income level, access to health care, food security, and political stability.
But even living in one of the poorest countries in the world, Mario is no different than any other young man who dreams of doing something special with his life. He is now a youth pastor, and he wants to become a senior pastor someday. He dreams of bringing about change in his country.
Mario rode to class on the back of a "boda-boda," or what we would call a motorcycle. The name boda-boda is derived from an earlier period in African history, when motorcycles were used to quickly transport refugees (who could afford to pay the fare) from “border to border” between countries. It took him 3 hours to get to class, covering roads that are impassable for most cars.
“What I remember most about Mario,” Lionel shared, “was he sat there in class and hung on every word of my lectures. He hardly took his eyes off me.” The only time Mario expressed mild frustration was when a few students wanted a translator; he agreed out of love for his peers, but lamented that it would slow things down—and he wanted to learn all he could.
When asked how the classes are helping him, Mario smiled. “It has changed my life. I have gained a greater faith in the Word of God, and it will help me in the way I preach and teach in the local church.”
Like many of the students, Mario doesn’t want to “get out” of his country. He wants to prepare himself spiritually and intellectually to serve in one of the hardest places in the world: his own community. He wants to do all he can to help, and to see the people of South Sudan transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as he has been.
Updates from India
When it comes to equipping leaders and supporting the global church, we don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Each of our regions is unique, and each faces distinct challenges and opportunities. Because of this, our work is "tailor made" to best serve the church in each context.
In India, this is illustrated by our new initiative focused on pastors' wives. After observing that many pastors and their families have been going hungry due to the pandemic lockdowns and subsequent lack of tithes, we knew we had to do something.
Our resourceful team in India saw an opportunity for us to support these faithful families by training pastors' wives in tailoring. By providing an additional source of income for these families, pastors will no longer be forced to choose between continuing in the work of ministry or feeding their families.
We are also excited about the many pastors and ministry leaders who are currently being equipped through our Foundations programme all across India, including a class of 22 leaders on the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Your support makes all of this possible. Thank you!