Missions

PRAYER NEEDS:

• After 10 years on the field, they are currently taking their first sabbatical. Please pray for good rest, insightful reflections of their time on the field and personal ministry, as well as discernment for what lies ahead for them in the next season.

• Pray for the major transitions in their family. Their oldest son is getting married in June and one of their daughters graduates high school in May and will start a gap year in August. They will need grace adjusting to having only four children at home.

• In March, they gathered with fellow workers for a regional conference. Please pray that the connections they made with people will grow and be a blessing and that they will have a renewed vision for the future.

• Pray for their friends from the region where they serve who are sowing and spreading the good news of the gospel – for them to find people of peace with open hearts and minds, for wisdom in how they share, and for others to receive and believe the good news!

Eric serves with Pioneers in Orlando, FL, as a mobilizer (Recruitment Coordinator), helping churches and prospective workers discern their next faithful step in the Great Commission. Practically, that looks like building partnerships with ministries and Christian campuses, coordinating recruiting events, and connecting candidates to Pioneers’ 400+ church‑planting teams among peoples with little or no access to the gospel. A growing part of Eric’s work is coaching missionaries on home assignment, so they feel supported, healthy, and ready to mobilize their own churches and networks toward the nations.

In the coming year, goals include strengthening recruiting operations and formalizing a coaching initiative that serves missionaries and multiplies mobilization. Eric plans to complete ICF Level 1 coaching certification, develop simple tools and training the team can scale, and measure outcomes so they steward well what the Lord entrusts to them.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for wisdom, favor, and fruit as Eric launches and grows the coaching initiative serving missionaries on home assignment.

• Pray for steadiness and excellence to complete ICF Level 1 coaching certification, and clarity as I build simple, scalable systems.

• Pray for family health and stamina – for Elena, Eric, and their two kids – in a full season of ministry and travel.

• Pray for ongoing provision for personal financial support needs, with stable and increasing monthly partners.

• Pray this work adds laborers to existing field teams and helps to engage many more unreached peoples with the good news of Jesus!

The "D" Family lives in a sensitive location with an organization called ILAD, which stands for International Literacy and Development. "Mrs. D" is trained in English translation work, fervently praying for the time and help in Old Testament bible translation work to be completed soon. "Mr. D" has been working on farm-training a couple local guys to maintain a fruit tree nursery that also serves as a demonstration farm for the village they live in. In some rural parts of the country where they are serving, 68-82% of children under the age of 5 suffer from severe child food poverty (*per UNICEF). In order to fight malnutrition, development workers alongside "Mr. D" are currently building a demonstration farm with a double focus of: 1. Cashews as a cash crop, and 2. Fruit trees, leafy greens, and beans for local nutrition. With these two foci, the goal is to provide year-round access to greater variety of nutrients for families with young children.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for translation: "Mrs. D" helps complete a 75-chapter OT Summary to record and distribute at Ramadan 2028.

• Pray for trees: Growth for trees in the nursery and orchard as their goal is to provide year-round access to nutritious food.

• Pray for treasure: Raising $75,000 to build their house and a processing center at the farm.

• Pray for a teammate: A nanny to help with their daughters (ages 5.5 yrs and 2.5 yrs) for 6+ months from Oct 2026 onward.

BJ and Kris have two sons, Nate and Levi (married to Anna). BJ received a degree in Missionary Aviation Technology from Moody Bible Institute/Moody Aviation in 1996 and joined Wycliffe that year as well. In their 29 years with Wycliffe/JAARS, the Diggins have served in Brazil (Amazon Rainforest) and in NC. BJ began as a pilot/mechanic and had a lot of other roles throughout the years. In Brazil he was the program manager and chief pilot, and here in the US has been an instructor pilot in the C206 & Helio Courier, the recurrent training coordinator, initial training coordinator and currently have the privilege to serve as the JAARS Aviation Training Manager. He oversees all of Aviation Training for flight and maintenance from application, TE, Initial Standardization, transition training, recurrent/re-standardization training and now the new Apprenticeship program.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for the second group of Apprentice pilots and mechanics (12) who are following God’s step to train and enter into full-time service with JAARS. Rejoice with them and pray that the program will accomplish the goals of training the fourth generation of missionary pilots and mechanics taking the gospel to the literal ends of the earth.

• Pray for B.J. and Kris as they both lead (individually) 45 internationals (total) in their two international bible study fellowship groups.

• Pray for God’s continued provision for the ministry as they enter this 30th year of serving Him.

• Pray for the translation work of remaining 544 of the world’s 7,396 living languages to be completed. Pray also for the 36.8 million people across varying people groups represented by these languages.

Elizabeth is a certified wound nurse with a wound clinic in Bulawayo. In addition she attends to the underserved in the government sector. Elizabeth uses wound care to share the light of Christ in an environment where the health sector is crumbling and the belief in witchcraft as a cause of illness is common. Lance teaches practical skills such as welding and fabricating to deaf men, giving them dignity in an environment where unemployment is 90%. Lance also works with New LIfe International to make and distribute hypochlorous acid, an antiseptic which has completely changed wound care in Bulawayo. The Edwards have been serving in Southern Africa for 20 years, and have two adult children.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for Cornerstone: Please pray for the 500-600 missionaries and their families who come to CCF each year for support and healing. Please pray for the counselors at CCF. Sitting with clients’ pain and suffering on a daily basis can take a toll on their counselors’ hearts and spirits.

• Pray for Thailand/Cambodia: Thailand/Cambodia border tension continues. Please pray that the ceasefire will be effective and for the resolution of the conflict.

• Pray for Their Family: Please continue to pray for their mom, Judy Mayer, as she grieves Jim’s passing. They continue to miss him greatly. Please pray for Jake and Honah as they continue to navigate life and ministry in Chiang Mai with three kids. Specifically, for protection over their health as they enter another season of “burning” in Thailand where they will be blanketed by fire and smoke for four months.

Jesse and Cynthia live in and serve from Washington, Missouri with their four children. Jesse helps lead the ministry of YouthHOPE as the Director of Programming. He oversees the training, consulting, and higher education work around the world. There are an estimated 1.8 billion adolescents and youth in the world today, accounting for nearly a third of the world’s population. Just below 90 percent live in developing countries, a proportion that will increase during the next 20 years. YouthHOPE is committed to transforming the lives of global youth and equipping the church to meet their holistic needs. YouthHOPE has used the philosophy “Partner. Equip. Multiply.” over the past ten years to reach thousands of youth and raise up youth leaders in over 35 countries. YouthHOPE is committed to seeing transformation happen in the lives of global youth by equipping leaders to help youth live and think like Jesus.

Adam and Kristy Griffith launched from New Hope in February 2012 and moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to start a foundation serving youth growing up in youth homes and orphanages. The core mission of Prosperous Youth Foundation is to bridge youth to the full and abundant life God has for them by supporting their holistic growth — spiritually, socially, and emotionally — through discipleship and practical assistance. PYF seeks to help these young people grow in their relationship with Christ while equipping them to live well, lead well, and serve their communities. PYF’s work centers on four main pillars: Training, Resourcing, Advocacy, and Counsel. The Griffiths have also launched a mission preschool, and Kristy works as a clinical counselor supporting third culture kids. They have three children: Aiden (11), Avery (9), and Addy (4).

The "N" Family is serving in a sensitive location and advancing the gospel through varied outreach efforts. They run kingdom-focused businesses that create jobs and build community connections, engage youth through education and vocational training, and provide compassionate healthcare and trauma healing. Their team also strengthens the local church through discipleship and leadership development, while exploring creative ministries like music and visual storytelling to share Christ’s message in culturally relevant ways. "Mr. N" continues occasional visits to their old home in a previous sensitive location to advise and encourage local church leaders.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Please pray that "Mr. N" could provide wise, effective, godly leadership to their small, but growing, ethnically diverse, and gifted team.

• Please pray for two new families who are raising a support team to join them.

• Also, they ask for prayer for their ministry partners in another sensitive location who are training key people in the Orthodox Church. Pray that this training becomes used for all clergy in this huge, 50 million member church.

Regan Pompeo works for Upper East Tennessee Young Life in the Johnson City area. He works with students at Elizabethton High School and East Tennessee State University. Young Life’s mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. Regan works with a variety of kids who come from both wanting to know Jesus or are totally disinterested in Him. Through relationship with them, we pursue more knowledge of who Jesus is by looking at scripture, and providing discipleship opportunities with them. Regan and his wife, Emily (Dillehay), have been happily married for three years!

Dwain Upton arrived in Portugal last year to begin a ministry through Young Life, getting to know, and working with college and graduate students in Lisbon. Dwain is focused on sharing the Gospel in relationship to the students he meets with regularly, especially those not yet followers of Jesus. Much of Dwain’s time is also spent in discipleship of believing students already pursuing further relationships with God. This is a continuation of what Dwain’s work with Young Life was in Colorado and Fort Myers in previous years.

David and Susan Weinman work at Cairn Brae Camp, a Young Life International camp. The property is also known as Loch Monzievaird Chalets. With a degree in Religion and Philosophy from Whitworth University, David taught Kenyan high school students for six years, returning to the states to continue in ministry and international missions work. After an MDiv from Fuller Seminary, he was the International Ministries Officer with New International and then taught three years of history and religion at Black Forest Academy, a school for missionary kids in Germany. The last 10 years he has worked at a Young Life camp in Scotland, while serving on the BFA board for nine years. Susan is a graduate of the University of Michigan, trained as a Pediatrician. She did her residency in Tucson and practiced there before moving to Ft Myers to head up the medical department of New International. She has overseen the medical care at the Young Life Camp in Scotland for the past ten years. The Weinmans have four children scattered around the states.

Pastor Derek Isaac sensed the calling of God to the ministry when he was a teenager and has functioned as a gifted teacher of God’s Word. Recently, the Lord called him into the office of an evangelist and he works hand in hand with Greg Jackson, the Director of City Takers SWFL. Together, Derek and Greg are spearheading many local outreaches here in SWFL and are responsible for connecting with churches and organizations who desire to fulfill the Great Commission in their own backyard. Consistently, mentoring at-risk students in our local schools, guiding the troubled youth at juvenile justice, and preaching the gospel in the inner cities of our community are some of the outreaches that Derek oversees with the help of volunteers and disciples at City Takers. City Takers exists as a mission hub and a lighthouse, a place where churches, families, and individuals unite to make Jesus known in real and practical ways.

Together, City Takers is building bridges between the church and the streets, bringing light to dark places, and meeting the needs of those who’ve been forgotten. Greg is also the visionary behind InnerCity Media SWFL, a creative media platform that amplifies stories of hope, redemption, and community impact through professional photography, videography, and digital storytelling. New Hope partners with CityTakers year-round initiatives through outreach, hospitality, prayer, and evangelism, feeding the homeless, food pantry efforts, and leadership development.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for the community outreach in tandem with churches and groups, reaching the streets to tell people of their salvation in Jesus.

• Pray for the spiritually lost in Fort Myers to feel their need of a Savior through real life interaction with volunteers and donors.

• Pray for needs to be met across the whole city of Fort Myers: for the families that are broken, the youth who are hurting, and the single parents who are struggling to make ends meet.

Colonial Elementary, a nearby Title 1 school, is improving educational opportunities to children pre-k through 5th grade in disadvantaged families. One of the goals of Colonial Elementary is to increase proficiency for all of their enrolled students, many of whom receive additional literacy help weekly. New Hope feels the Spirit leading ministry efforts to the Colonial school community through regular support to staff and teachers, donations of school supplies for families, and sponsorship of various school events throughout the year.

The mission of the Dunbar basketball booster club is to support and promote the basketball program at Dunbar High School by providing financial assistance, fostering school and community spirit, and helping student-athletes achieve excellence both on and off the court. Financial sponsorships provide directly for pre-game dinner meals, as well as for supplies and equipment needed by the team each season. Active participation from New Hope fans by attending the games is highly encouraged. The booster club has paved a way to strengthening relationships with students and their families, and the greater Dunbar community.

ECHO’s vision is a transformed world honoring God by strengthening the capacity of a diverse global network to defeat hunger and improve lives through sustainable food and agroecosystem strategies because, as Jesus first loved us, as agents of restoration, we seek to glorify God and love our neighbors. The mission and purpose of ECHO North America Regional Impact Center, located in North Fort Myers, is to train and network with NGOs and ministries in North America who serve internationally, aspire to do international service, or are working with people in North America who face food insecurity and limited resources.

ECHO’s Internship Program exists to assist those preparing for service in developing countries and/or cross-cultural settings. This internship is designed to serve as a hands-on and academic training program in small-scale tropical agriculture. New Hope partners with ECHO to support their mission, through the financial sponsorship of the internship program, and with a variety of meaningful volunteer projects.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for the training workshops and festivals ECHO hosts: that they would bring people to a deeper understanding of God’s purpose in creation care, and that they would be encouraging.

• Pray for the interns currently learning and living on campus.

• Pray for unity among the leadership team at the North America RIC.

Good News Club (a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship) exists to: lead children to know, love, and trust Jesus Christ as Savior; to help children grow spiritually through Bible teaching, prayer, and memorization; to encourage children to live out their faith and share the Gospel with others. At its heart, Good News Club is about reaching children early with the truth of the Gospel and grounding them in God’s Word during their formative years. Currently, New Hope is partnering with Colonial Elementary to reach children and their families through an after school club held on school campus.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for fruit that lasts – that seeds planted would take root and produce lifelong faith and transformation.

• Pray boldness and clarity – that teachers and volunteers would share the Gospel clearly, faithfully, and with confidence.

• Pray for children’s hearts – that God would prepare children to hear the Gospel, understand His love, and respond in faith.

• Pray for the New Hope team, that they would be strengthened for each club meeting and sustained by more than enough willing volunteers.

Guiding Grace is an innovative network dedicated to providing transformative, life-affirming care that is focused on dismantling social and economic barriers. They walk alongside women experiencing unexpected pregnancy, single mothers and fathers, foster parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, and families at every stage: addressing issues like poverty, joblessness, abuse, and lack of support. The ministry of Guiding Grace is comprehensive, seeking to empower each individual and family to heal, grow, and thrive. Guiding Grace is excited to jump into their first year with this adjusted vision, continuing the care of Thrive, but with more collaboration.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for the families they serve - that they would experience lasting healing, restoration, and renewed hope as cycles of trauma and instability are broken and the root causes of poverty, homelessness, addiction, and life’s hardships are dismantled for generations.

• Pray for wisdom and unity in leadership as Guiding Grace grows, moving forward in humility, integrity, and discernment.

• Pray for God-ordained partnerships and provision as churches, donors, volunteers, and community allies walk alongside families in support.

• Pray for protection and strength for their team and their families, covering them spiritually, emotionally, and physically as they do courageous, transformative work every day.

Into the Jordan Ministries exists to bring Christ-centered healing and restoration to individuals and families impacted by human trafficking, sexual exploitation, addiction, and sexual abuse. We provide trauma-informed, faith-based care that meets people where they are and walks with them toward lasting freedom. Through safe community spaces, spiritual care, support groups, and one-on-one guidance, survivors are not only protected—they are restored to dignity, identity, and hope in Christ. Every program is designed to interrupt cycles of trauma and replace them with stability, belonging, and purpose.

At the heart of our outreach is The Fig Leaf Boutique & Drop-In Center, a sacred space where immediate needs are met with compassion and respect. Here, individuals and families receive clothing, hygiene items, food support, prayer, crisis care, and referrals to counseling, housing, and recovery services.

Donor support directly fuels this frontline work, making healing, stability, and long-term transformation possible. Your partnership makes it possible for lives to be restored, families to be reunited, and hope to rise again.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for healing, courage, and lasting peace for every survivor they serve and their families.

• Pray for protection, unity, and wisdom for their staff and volunteers.

• Pray for God’s continued provision, faithful donors, and Kingdom partnerships.

• Pray that every decision and program remains led by the Holy Spirit and rooted in Christ’s love.

• Prayer covering and advocacy for the survivors and families they serve.

For several years, a group of women from New Hope EPC have taken turns meeting every Monday afternoon from 4-5pm at the Southwest Florida Correctional Facility Juvenile Jail division for a Bible study. Based on their cooperative behavior the prior week, groups of up to 15 girls are allowed to participate in these meetings, with direct supervision of guards. The team of women from New Hope lead the girls in a Bible study, often with a craft activity. The love of Jesus Christ is shared and following Him in repentance is encouraged. At the end, the girls fill out prayer cards for New Hope prayer warriors to pray for them that week. Though the weekly Bible studies are bearing fruit in the girls’ lives, the meetings can be chaotic and stressful with each week holding a different rhythm and outcome. Testimonies from the girls are very encouraging to the team members and display a hope that this is a beneficial Gospel ministry under the guiding hand of a loving Father.

One More Child’s mission is to provide hope, healing, and holistic care to children and families in crisis—so they can experience safety, dignity, and a thriving future. More specifically, One More Child (a global nonprofit founded in 1904) works to: Protect children from abuse, neglect, trafficking, and exploitation; Support vulnerable families so children can remain safely in their homes when possible; Provide Christ-centered care through foster care, family support, anti-trafficking programs, and humanitarian aid; And meet both physical and spiritual needs, combining practical help (food, housing support, counseling, education) with compassionate, faith-based care. At the heart of their mission is the belief that every child matters and that communities can be strengthened when families are equipped, restored, and supported. New Hope seeks to support the ministry efforts of One More Child and specifically to bolster their anti-trafficking awareness and training work in SWFL.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for vulnerable children — that each child served would experience safety, dignity, healing, and the assurance that they are deeply loved by God.

• Pray for protection and freedom — especially for children at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or trafficking.

• Pray for families in crisis — that parents and caregivers would be strengthened, equipped, and surrounded by supportive community.

• Pray for foster and adoptive families — for endurance, wisdom, unity, and Christ-centered love as they open their homes.

• Pray for survivors of trafficking — for trauma healing, restoration, and hope for a future filled with purpose.

• Pray for physical needs to be met — food security, safe housing, medical care, and education for every child served.

• Pray for staff and volunteers — for protection, compassion without burnout, discernment, and renewed strength in their calling.

Operation Christmas Child’s mission is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world—and, in partnership with the local church, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. They do this primarily by collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children, opening doors for ongoing discipleship, prayer, and support through local churches long after the gifts are given. Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is really intentional about making sure the shoebox isn’t the finish line—it’s the doorway. Here’s how they connect gifts to discipleship in a practical, relational way: Local churches distribute the shoeboxes; Gifts open relational doors; There is an invitation to follow-up programs of gospel teaching; Local leaders are equipped with curriculum and discipleship materials; Long lasting impact as former shoebox recipients develop into community leaders and proponents of the gospel message! Ahead of each Christmas season, New Hope serves as a regional drop-off center for shoeboxes collected in the greater Fort Myers region.

Path2Freedom’s mission is to create hope and healing for child survivors of human trafficking by providing safe environments and long-term programs for recovery. The organization was founded in 2015 by Ana Stevenson whose personal conviction grew after learning about the widespread exploitation of children through the Florida Gulf Coast sex trade. After meeting one special young girl who had fallen victim to this rapidly growing criminal enterprise, Ana launched Path2Freedom and the Magnolia model of care and services to provide hope and healing to rescued adolescent female sex trafficking survivors.

Verity is a Christ-centered non profit, whose mission is to support clients when they are facing an unplanned pregnancy. They provide free pregnancy services to women and their support system, including pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, options counseling, education, material assistance, post abortion support, and connections to other local resources. They strive to save babies and build stronger families; to do this we meet our clients right where they are at, get to know them, serve them, introduce them to Jesus, and be a bridge to the church.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Please pray as Verity is at capacity with the current schedule and the amount of clients able to be seen. Pray for funding to accommodate hiring two more individuals, growing the programs, and most importantly allowing them to see two clients at a time.

• Please pray for the staff and volunteers to be strengthened in wisdom and discernment as clients usually come in facing an unplanned pregnancy along with other challenges like food scarcity, housing concerns, relationship challenges, or lack of income. Pray for the ability to encourage clients and be able to link them with other local resources so they can successfully build their family with the support of community.

• Pray for the clients, that those who already know the Lord would be strengthened and encouraged, and that those who don’t know the Lord would be drawn to Him. Pray that they will read His Word, be connected to a local church, and grow in their faith.

We Care Outreach is a faith-based nonprofit organization located in Fort Myers, Florida, dedicated to serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness, poverty, and crisis. Through compassionate outreach, food distribution, emergency housing support, case management, life-skills training, and recovery focused programs, We Care Outreach seeks to restore dignity, stability, and hope while meeting both physical and spiritual needs in the community. Hannah House is a transitional housing initiative under We Care Outreach that provides a safe, structured, and supportive environment for women in crisis. The program focuses on stability, recovery, faith-based encouragement, and life skills development, helping residents move toward long term independence and restored purpose.

PRAYER NEEDS:

• Pray for continued wisdom, provision, and sustainability as they serve vulnerable populations.

• Pray for the individuals and families they support, that they may experience healing, stability, and renewed hope.

• Pray for their staff and volunteers, for strength, unity, and protection as they serve.

• Pray for strong community partnerships and resources to expand their outreach efforts.

• Pray for the women in residence, that they may experience healing, peace, and transformation.

• Pray for guidance and discernment in leadership and program development.

• Pray for financial provision and resources to sustain and grow the program.

• Pray for a spirit of hope, restoration, and faith within the home.

Lee County Young Life aims to be present in young people’s lives through relationship-based Christian ministry — offering fun, supportive environments where teens feel seen, valued, and encouraged in faith. Young Life staff and volunteer leaders in the SWFL area are: Entering young people’s world and forming authentic friendships with them without judgment; Accepting kids as they are so they can experience life “as God designed it to be lived”; and Inviting them to know Jesus and providing opportunities to grow in their spiritual journey. Fort Myers, Estero, Dunbar, Bonita Springs High Schools, and FGCU all have thriving and growing clubs this year.

In our prayer shawl ministry volunteers make hand-knitted and crocheted shawls to give to those who are hurting physically and emotionally. They also make baby blankets to celebrate the birth or baptism of babies born to New Hope Presbyterian and MOPS moms. Knitters meet on the first Thursday of the month at 10am in Room 206 to work on shawls, pray over them, and fellowship with other women. We encourage women to make shawls or blankets at home when they are unable to join the group at church. Please contact the church office if you know of someone who would benefit from receiving a shawl. Questions? Please contact Jill Ritterbusch at jillritter@aol.com or 239.489.0949.