Part of our commitment to spreading the good news of the Bible, is to help support missionaries out in the mission fields. To that end, we support several missionaries through the Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) organization.
Please click on any of the images below to take you to their respective websites.
Allow us to introduce you to some of the missionaries we help support.
Larry and Ruth Spalink
Service with CRWM: Sept. 1980 – present
Vision
We envision healthy churches of Christ with vibrant worship services and full-orbed programs that vigorously pursue Jesus’ mandate to make disciples and extend His kingdom of justice and peace throughout Japan and beyond.
Mission
Our work focuses on proclaiming the Good News of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, gathering new believers into churches, and assisting existing churches to do the same with increasing effectiveness so that our efforts are multiplied.
Ministry in Japan
Larry is CRWM’s Japan team leader. He works with a cluster of churches, helping them enhance their worship and evangelistic programs. Additionally, he develops plans and budgets, oversees other staff members, manages finances, and does liaison and consultative work with the Japanese church. Since the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Larry has also become deeply engaged, in partnership with CRWM’s sister agency, World Renew, in support and recovery activities in the disaster zone north of Tokyo.
Ruth is Christian Academy in Japan’s school’s health officer and health center director. She’s also coordinator of the Support Team that works to help students succeed who struggle with learning disabilities and other special needs.
Newsletter: Sept_2013_PL
Video: 2013 Home Service video
Liam and Jessica Starkenburg
Service with CRWM: July 2000 – present
The Starkenburg are working in Nicaragua at the Nicaragua Christian Academy (NCA). At the academy, they work to “equip children of Christian parents the spiritual discernment, the moral courage, and the academic excellence to impact society through Christian living motivated by a heartfelt love for God.”
Marc and Gretchen Driesenga
Service with CRWM: 2013 – present
The Driesenga’s work in Tanzania, Africa. Marc is the full-time secondary Bible teacher at HOPAC, working with students of various religious backgrounds including Hindu and Muslim. He has the opportunity to nurture students who already profess Christ as Lord and to share the Gospel with those who may not have heard it or are resistant to it. The HOPAC student body is made up of children of missionaries, ex-pats, and Tanzanians. Together they represent nearly 40 different nations. Gretchen leads worship for a local church plant called God’s Tribe and leads chapel worship at HOPAC. She also is learning Swahili and hoping to have a greater impact in our local Tanzanian community. Together they hope to strengthen the faith development of students and to encourage them to embody a Christian worldview through biblical teaching and Gospel-centered relationships. They also desire to have a greater presence in our neighborhood and community by continuing to learn Swahili and participating in a variety of ministries through HOPAC and God’s Tribe. Their family continues to be excited to participate in the ways God is already at work in Tanzania and theye love seeing daily glimpses of how gloriously diverse heaven will be one day.
John Meinen
John Meinen heads the Reformed University Fellowship at the UVM, exposing college students to the wonders of Christ through bible studies, one-on-ones, large group meetings, conferences and retreats.
While we do support other missionaries, we are unable to publish their information online because of the sensitive regions they work in.