Greater Europe Mission

Is God calling you to missions? What do you think that looks like? Message us to explore creative ways for you to get involved today! . . #reacheurope #changetheworld

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ~Lamentations 3:21-23

Praise God! He is at work in Romania. Learn how you can partner with us in this life-changing ministry of hope.

Praise God for His Faithfulness! And thank you for walking alongside us and for joining us in partnership to build a medical and dental clinic in Draganesti-Olt, Romania. Over the past few weeks, many of you have pledged and given generously. We are thrilled to announce that just this week, construction has begun on the second floor of the clinicthe walls are going up right now! But This project has not yet been fully funded. So, if you have been praying and considering par...tnering with us in this ministry of love and hope for the people of Draganesti-Olt, Romania, we want to ask you again to please give to support this ministry opportunity. And, if you have already given, please hear our heartfelt thank you. Your commitment to international missions and to the global church is an incredible witness and inspiration. Thank you for your generosity and thank you for continuing to raise up the Wepplers and the people of Draganesti-Olt through your prayers. To give today: https://gemission.ca/romania/clinic

The lead up to Easter has been full of grim anniversaries for a year of pandemic that has stolen so much from so many. We look back and remember this year with heavy hearts, but we also look forward and we are filled with hope. This season is more than just 1 year of pandemic; it is a time of preparation for the coming celebration of Easterthe fulfillment of God’s promise through his Son. It is a time to reflect on renewal, rebirth, and the ultimate source of our hope. We kn...ow God is at work even in these trying times, and we are grateful for the opportunity to participate along with you in his ministry of love for the people of Europe. This Easter we are committed to raising $75,000 for a desperately needed clinic in Draganesti-Olt, Romania. Please prayerfully consider joining us in this opportunity so that together, we can say, YES! Seize this opportunity to finish this phase of the building project and prepare the clinic so that people can come, receive the care they desperately need, and hear the transformational message of hope in Christ. Learn more about the clinic and make your donation today using the following link: https://gemission.ca/romania/clinic

We want to specially thank the Ovi and Ligia Grada Family Fund held at Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation for their generous partnership with the Pro Mission Olt Romania medical and dental clinic in Draganesti-Olt, Romania. It is because of the faithfulness of supporters like the Gradas that people in rural Romania will have the opportunity to come to the clinic, receive the care they desperately need, and hear the transformational message of hope in Christ. You can join the Gradas in supporting this life-giving ministry of hope. Help us reach our goal of raising $75,000 by Easter by giving a charitable contribution today. Give today at: https://gemission.ca/romania/

Tis the season for Candidate Orientations! All throughout GEM, candidates are exploring God's leading in their lives, and the next couple of weeks are no different here in Canada! Pray for the dozens of candidates from multiple countries, and pray for all those involved in leading sessions. Thank you, Father, for bringing workers to join in your harvest!

We're part of an international community! This week we're praying for Chris and Susan Tweedy and their family. Chris serves as GEM International's CFO, and he and Susan and their daughters live in Germany. He's from Canada, Susan's from the US, and their daughters may very well tell their friends that they're from Germany! This year, they're on home assignment. Chris is continuing his ministry during this time as GEM International's CFO, and when they return to Germany, Susa...n will teach German at Black Forest Academy. Let's pray for the Tweedy family as they hope to see Chris' family in Vancouver before returning to Germany. Pray for Susan as she prepares for her teaching assignment while also homeschooling their daughters this year, and pray for their daughters as they study at a home that isn't really their home, a long way from their friends in Germany. Pray for safety in their travel and in their ministries, and a good transition back into their community later this year. See more

We love our volunteers! From helping out around the office, going on mission trips, getting involved in service projects, and even serving on our board, we couldn't do what we do without the faithful support of our volunteers. Noemi Jenei is a great example, someone who has checked off "All of the above" in her service with GEM. Her leadership as a board member brings a host of valuable skills and experience into GEM Canada. Pray for Noemi as she constantly seeks growth, in her relationship with the Lord and in her ministry involvements. Pray for guidance and direction regarding future ministry opportunities as well!

We're thankful for our partners! The saying goes that if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together, and this is how we view the importance of our many partnerships. One such partner is Entrust, which specializes in leadership training. Mo Blackmon is a GEM missionary serving with Entrust, focusing on women-to-women ministry training in Latvia and in Canada. Let's pray for Mo and her husband Wes as she serves in this incredible ministry! Pray for wisdom in navigating trainings within a pandemic, and pray for all those who go through this training. We want to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples - discipleship multiplication! Pray for all those in Mo's discipleship, that they may be prepared and go on to make disciples who make disciples throughout Latvia and Canada!

When people hear about thrift stores and missions, they usually just think about missionaries buying their clothes secondhand, but what about missions through a secondhand store? Kevin & Michelle Weppler saw the need and opportunity in their small village in Romania, and God has blessed their courage and creativity many times over. As they continue to pursue God's leading in faithfulness, they are building a new building that will not only allow them to continue serving throu...gh secondhand goods, but also by bringing a much-needed dental facility to their town. God is so creative in how He leads, it's such a joy and pleasure to follow! Let's pray for Kevin and Michelle as they continue to trust God in their building project. Pray for their health and the health of their neighbours. Pray for the continued growth of their relationships, built over years of witness and modelling Christ's example, and all the open doors that produces. See more

Last week, we prayed for Jason & Sue Holm, and part of their ministry involves working with refugees. To help with that, Alex Printis is mobilizing to serve with the Holms in Cologne, specifically leaning into refugee work. Right now, he's building a team of ministry partners who can pray for him and financially support him in this critical work. So many people have arrived in Europe from the 10-40 Window, often fleeing war, hunger, and the losses of homes and livelihoods. Th...is creates a combination of new opportunities in Europe along with new challenges. Let's pray for Alex as he mobilizes to serve in this important work. Pray for patience in God's timing, for opportunities to continue personal spiritual development as he mobilizes for service, and pray for likeminded partners to come alongside him and participate in this ministry with him. See more

An important part of our ministry is church planting, working with local national believers to reach Europe and multiply disciples, ultimately growing Christ's church. Jason & Sue Holm have been key members of this incredible ministry since the early 90s, focusing in the Cologne region of Germany. Their creativity and hearts for others have meant a lot of changes to how this looks today, a testament to their awareness and desire to faithfully serve God. As they continue to in...novate and respond to the changing needs of a changing world, let's pray for Jason & Sue. Cologne has welcomed many refugees, so Jason & Sue are involved in refugee care as well. Pray for health and opportunities for these individuals and families who have come from such difficult circumstances. Pray for Jason & Sue's ministry in Germany, for the people whose lives they are speaking into right now, and for opportunities to continue growing Christ's church through faithful discipleship. See more

Emerging from Thanksgiving weekend, we know that giving thanks is an exercise of observation and understanding. In some seasons of life, it may seem a harder discipline than in others, but it's nonetheless an exercise of observation and understanding. As God puts it to Job, "Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?" (39:19) It's easy for us to forget our place in creation, but Jesus reminds us in the Sermon on the Mount that it's God who provides for even the birds and the lilies (Matthew 6:26-30). As we come out of our Turkey-induced comas this Thanksgiving, let's do more than just remember the things that we're typically thankful for. Let's pray that God will give us eyes to truly observe and understand, and in doing so lead to us seeking God and his righteousness in fresh and powerful ways!

Our hearts are grieved by the news of the terrorist attack today in Nice, France. Pray for the families who lost loved ones, for the church where this attack occurred, and for our GEM missionaries in France. Jesus, bring comfort to those who mourn, peace to those who fear, and healing to those who are hurting.

Join us in praying for Shirley Unger! Shirley has served God faithfully on the field for nearly three decades, in Austria and in Germany, and now she is relocating to Birmingham, UK. Partnering with the Windmill Community Church and GEM's Focus City Birmingham office, Shirley will continue to serve with her incredible administrative gifts. At the moment, she's in Winnipeg building up her support team and preparing for this transition. Let's pray for Shirley as she embarks on ...this big transition. Pray for ministry partners, including financial and prayer partners, to help her in this next season of ministry. Pray for the visa process and other related logistics. Pray also for Birmingham and the West Midlands, and for the ministry through Windmill Community Church. Pray for Shirley as she navigates the preparations for this new ministry while in Winnipeg. See more

Hear ye, hear ye, check out Maggie's video and hear from her heart. Her story beautifully demonstrates how you can simultaneously partner with ministries around the world and pour into discipleship right where you are! Do you have a heart for youth ministry and helping reach unreached people groups? Send us a note, we'd love to hear how God's moving in your life and how we can be a part of that amazing story! https://vimeo.com/465908874

Part of our original ministry in GEM is rooted in education, and we're thankful for Christian educators! Krista Kubanek is a Middle School teacher at Black Forest Academy, in Germany. This is her first year on the field, which is a big year by any estimation. Let's pray for the continued health and safety from COVID-19 for BFA's students, staff, and the surrounding community, so that they can continue with on-campus schooling. Pray for new students and staff who are in transi...tion; help them to find and create community at BFA, as those connections and relationships are so important. Pray for Krista and her colleagues as they find their rhythm for this year, and for continued energy in planning and creating a balanced school life. Pray also for God's continued transforming work in Krista's life and in the lives of those around her! Black Forest Academy See more

Have you ever watched a movie? If so, you probably see the potential that this platform has for storytelling. One of GEM's ministries is called Soul Catalyst, a ministry that tells stories with a deep commitment to spiritual truth, through the magic of narrative film production. Alex Reimer is the Director of Photography with Soul Catalyst, and has just transitioned his ministry home base to Northern Ireland. This move opens up some exciting new opportunities for Alex and Sou...l Catalyst, but a move like this also comes with its challenges. Let's pray for Alex and his ministry during this season. Pray that he would find good communities to become a part of, even in the midst of a pandemic. Pray for wisdom and peace as they make a host of decisions that come with moving. Pray for great partners and that God will speak through the stories they tell. See more

Join us in praying for Brenda and Neil Hodgson! Brenda serves on the GEM Canada Board and is the Ontario Provincial Director for Nation at Prayer. Serving on a board is an important ministry, and becoming a good board member adds incredible depth and value to a ministry. Plus, board members often bring the skills that they develop to multiple boards, so the benefit of that experience multiplies! We're thankful for fantastic board members like Brenda, and want to pray for her as she serves with us as well as with other organizations and ministries. Let’s also pray for Brenda and Neil as they navigate major life events in their family both here and in Europe!

This week, we’re hosting our first fully digital Candidate Orientation! Something about a pandemic or some such? Kinda hard to avoid that topic, and it’s meant some big changes to how we’re approaching training for new missionaries. We’ve chosen to use this as an opportunity to assess what we’ve done, what we can do, and what we should do to best prepare long- and short-term missionaries for service! Pray for the candidates, pray for our hosts and instructors, and pray for all those who are helping to make this a successful time together. Pray for community and a presence from God that rests with those who are gathering together in this virtual space. From the Holy Spirit to the Wi-Fi, we pray that connections will be strong and that this will be a good time of learning and preparation.

Join us in praying for John and Molly Gilberts! John served as the acting Director for GEM Canada prior to Doug Barkman’s appointment and he now serves on the GEM Canada board. He and Molly live in Colorado, where John serves as GEM International’s Senior Vice President, International, and Molly serves with The Navigators. Their ministries normally involve a ton of travel, which has been curtailed during the pandemic, bringing about new challenges and opportunities. Pray for them as they navigate the difficulties of ministries that shifted dramatically under their feet and pray for John as he walks alongside the US staff through challenging times while also serving the broader international GEM sending offices.

We have been watching with sadness in our hearts as the refugee camp at Moria went up in flames. This camp has struggled under the uneven weight put onto it, as inhabitants filled the meagre camp well beyond what it was designed to hold. For now, our prayers are fixed on all those who have run from desperate circumstances only to now lose what little left they had, searching for shelter and safety. Once we're able, we look forward to being a part of the creative solution to this incredible need. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54082201

Discipleship! At our core, we want to be disciples who disciple others so that they get to the point where they can in turn disciple others. The ministry of Alex and Wendy Buchnea exemplifies this discipleship multiplication heart. They've even been discipling people remotely before COVID-19 made it cool! Let’s pray for Alex & Wendy as they invest time and their passion for the Lord, spending time in Germany and Canada. Pray for their local and their online ministries, pray for health, and pray for their children and grandchildren!

Frankfurt is one of our focus cities, and it’s an excellent city to focus on! This is where Crystal Dueck is serving, along with GEM’s Frankfurt team. Pray for Crystal’s involvement in the local church, youth ministry, hospitality ministries, and other ministries behind the scenes. Pray for health and pray for Crystal’s extended family as she serves God far away from them. We know how it feels to be far away, especially during big life events. Join us in praying for Crystal and her ministry!

The Camino de Santiago, the Way of St James, is a trail with historical Christian pilgrimage roots. In 2017, some 300,000 people finished the Camino trail, nearly all by foot! Being on this pilgrimage trail gives Wes and Sherry Koop’s ministry, running a café, a wonderful opportunity to reach an incredibly diverse group of people who then take their experiences back home with them. Let’s pray for Sherry and Wes as they return to Spain and work to establish a new home. Pray for them as they reconnect with those in their village and continue those important relationships. Pray for wisdom and clear direction as they re-engage their relational ministry with new parameters due to COVID-19.

When parents are called into ministry, the whole family is called into ministry! This is exciting, but it can also represent some big challenges as parents try their best to find educational opportunities for their kids. We’re so thankful for international Christian schools, as well as for good national schools for our GEM kids! We're also thankful for great educational resources for families, whether or not they're able to partner with a local school. Pray for school leaders and teachers as they explore their new limitations and opportunities. Pray for parents as they partner with their schools or operate in a home education environment, as they help raise up a new generation. Pray for kids as they navigate challenging times with their educational influencers. Photo credit: Black Forest Academy

Join us in praying for Ernie & Suzy Penner! Before moving to Colorado to work in GEM's US national office, the Penners served in Kosovo and have been highly involved in serving in the refugee camps in Greece. Ernie is photographed here wearing a non-Winnipeg Blue Bombers shirt. I understand that he would gladly update this beautiful family photo if he had more Bombers apparel. ;) Let's pray for their ministry hearts in their current roles, pray for Joni and Besa (having recently graduated high school), and pray for continued healing for Suzy following her most recent round of cancer treatments.

Join us in praying for Dan & Janet Snyder! They've been living in Hungary, serving in partnership with SHARE Education Services. SHARE provides really valuable educational services and resources to families with a broad variety of educational needs and in a broad variety of educational contexts. As Dan and Janet say their goodbyes in Hungary, let’s pray for wisdom regarding finishing their work in Hungary and setting up their new place in Canada. Pray for favour as they continue aspects of their ministry and for God's direction in their lives. Pray for continued health, and praise God for His faithfulness and even His generosity in a difficult time!

Rome needs our prayers, and so do Franklin and Leanne Monge Barrera as they follow God's call in their lives to serve in Rome! Join us in praying for Franklin and Leanne as they continue to build their ministry partnership team of financial and prayer supporters! Their team is anxiously awaiting their arrival, knowing that aspects of their ministry are simply on hold while they prepare for the field. Italy is desperate for hope after an incredibly painful experience with COVID-19. Pray for Franklin and Leanne as they mobilize to be bearers of the true Hope and Good News of Jesus Christ!