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Author: danl

In His Perfect Timing: Payton’s Journey to Kenya with REACH

Written by danl on . Posted in Kenya, Reach.

Payton Jacob’s journey to Kenya as a REACH intern began with a simple connection—her home church’s close relationship with CMF missionaries Joel and Rachel Williams. Initially, Payton planned to serve as an intern in 2024, but when that didn’t work out, she encouraged a friend to take the opportunity instead. That friend had an incredible experience and came back saying, “Payton, you have to go.”

Payton first became interested in a REACH internship after meeting Joel and Rachel during one of their furloughs. “I’d always had a heart for missions and a strong desire to experience missions in a longer-term context,” she shared. “When I heard about the ministry Joel and Rachel are part of, it sounded so effective and beautiful.”

Through her church, First Christian Church in Champaign, Illinois—where her mom serves on staff—Payton connected with the Williams family. She considered going the summer after meeting them, but the timing wasn’t right. Instead, her friend Caite stepped in. “It was amazing to see how the Lord made it possible for her to go at the last minute,” Payton said. “But I never stopped having the same desire to go.”

The following summer, Payton applied and was accepted. “I’m so thankful I was able to go in His perfect timing,” she said. Caite’s stories only deepened her desire, and Payton felt God confirming that His timing was best. “He wanted Caite to go when she did, and He wanted me to go when I did.”

One of the highlights of Payton’s experience was her team. “My teammates—Payton, Karilla, Emmerey, and Becca—were amazing,” she said. “It couldn’t have been clearer that the Lord orchestrated us to be together. We were all so different, but each carried beautiful aspects of His character. Our stories and personalities were unique, yet we bonded and grew in ways only the Holy Spirit could have planned.”

Payton, a student at Illinois Wesleyan University studying elementary education, says the experience shaped her faith and future. “I’m still not sure what’s next, but I know the Lord convicted me and taught me in ways that were formative,” she said. “The model of discipleship I saw—simply doing what Jesus did, the way He did it—is something I’ve started applying as a college student. I’m surrounded by people every day that I’m called to love and disciple. I know this for certain, and I’m continuing to pray about what life after undergrad may look like.”

Are you interested in a REACH internship in 2026? Applications are now open! Explore more at cmfi.org/reach.

Mentoring, Missions and Milligan

Written by danl on . Posted in Ethiopia, Partnerships.

Travis and Emily Weeks work with the CMF church-planting team in Ethiopia, where they have been since 2013. They serve church leaders and believers among the Oromo, Gumuz, Shakka, and Karo peoples. They also support the international community in Addis Ababa. As part of their furlough in the U.S., they are serving at Milligan University. Below, Travis shares what their time there looks like.

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How Our Church Played a Role in Our Call to Missions

Written by danl on . Posted in Ethiopia.

From a young age, both Chandler and Madison Ospina felt a strong calling from God to commit to the mission field. This seed was planted early on, and over the years, as they led short-term mission trips with their local church, that calling became clearer. Now, thanks to the influence of their church, they are actively raising up partners to support their future ministry in Ethiopia. Here's the story of the role their church has played in their missions journey.

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A New Partnership in Poland!

Written by danl on . Posted in Poland.

CMF International is pleased to announce a new partnership with Proem Ministries, a dynamic, locally led Christian organization based in Poland. Proem is known for its deep commitment to church planting, education, and youth outreach across Poland and beyond.

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Bearing Fruit that Will Last in Thailand

Written by danl on . Posted in Thailand.

For six years, we have been running a community development project in Jia Jaan village, Northwestern Thailand. While the village had previous encounters with missionaries, it had remained resistant to the gospel. Yet, they welcomed our team, intrigued by our Christian-based programs.

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Nicole’s Encounter with Jesus

Written by danl on . Posted in Globalscope, Spain.

At En Vivo, our Globalscope campus ministry in Valencia, Spain, Wednesday nights are sacred. We call them “Encounter” nights—weekly gatherings where students connect with God and one another through games, worship, scripture, and shared meals. During the spring semester, we hosted 12 of these special nights, each one inviting students to wrestle honestly with their faith through a series of talks. In one of these series, called “Yes, I believe, but...,” we opened scripture together, exploring stories of doubt and belief—like the desperate father in Mark 9 who cries out, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

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Tübingen Church Reaches All of Germany

Written by danl on . Posted in Germany.

Tyler and Shalynn Crawford serve in the university city of Tübingen, Germany where they were originally part of our campus ministry there called Unterwegs. During those years working with college students, the Crawfords formed a ministry partnership with the Kreuzkirche, a local church in Tübingen. The church supports the work of Unterwegs and, in 2020, invited the Crawfords to expand their work beyond university students and into new age groups. Here Tyler shares about a recent live national broadcast from the church.

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I’m Grateful God Placed Me in Mexico

Written by danl on . Posted in Business as Mission, Mexico.

How do you determine if mission service is a good fit for you? Beyond that, how do you know if God might be calling you to mission service when there are so many options you could pursue? Abigail Haagen is serving with our Marketplace Ministries team in Mexico, and here she shares how God gifted her and led her to a work that is just the right fit for her.

Growing up, I loved attending church camp. We played silly games, chomped on candy from the snack shack, and gained best friends in half a day. In between splashing in the pool and completing scavenger hunts, I also learned valuable lessons about faith, life, and purpose. Therefore, I knew from a young age that I needed to serve God with the talents that He gave me.

So, in high school, when people started asking about colleges and careers, I made lists of my talents:

    • Reads books quickly
    • Loves music (but can’t hold a pitch if her life depended on it)
    • Can memorize Bible verses pretty quickly (thanks, church camp!)
    • Loves mysteries… could become the next Nancy Drew?
    • Wants to travel and explore cool cultures (is that a talent?)
    • Is (usually) a hard worker
    • Loves to excel

When college approached, I needed to choose a career that used those talents for God. But… how? By reading lots of books? By singing off key? Maybe I could become a detective….

And so, although I heavily considered forensic science to pursue the Nancy Drew dream, I decided to major in international business at a Christian university. International business is a flexible major, and I could use my talents of “is usually a hard worker,” “loves to excel,” and “wants to travel and explore cool cultures.” Perfect!

While studying, I prayed a lot; specifically that God would lead me exactly where He wanted me. This could mean shining His light in a corporation. Handling finances for a non-profit. Starting a coffeeshop. The options were endless! So which option was for me, God?

I waited. And waited. And waited. Before I knew it, senior year began, and people were asking about my future. But how could I make a 10-year plan if I didn’t know where God wanted me in 10 months?

October of my senior year, CMF came to visit campus and talk to classes. They did this every year. My parents had supported CMF missionaries since I was young, so I was familiar with the organization, and assumed it was nowhere near my career path. In fact, when I started college, people assumed I was going into missions since I was studying international business at a Christian university. International + Christian = missions, right? I laughed at them. How could I use a degree in business to do missions work? And so, when CMF came to talk to us that week, I skipped. It would be a waste of my time.

Then, in not one, but TWO of my international business classes, the director of CMF’s Marketplace Ministries presented. The classes were back-to-back; we literally walked to the second class together. He gave me a flyer for CMF’s Marketplace Ministries teams, explaining about how they used business to further God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Business in an international context.

Business to further God’s kingdom.

Teams that needed talented hard workers. Hard workers who wanted things done excellently. Who wanted to experience other cultures.

The signs seemed pretty obvious, right?

Alas, I was distracted that week. I stuffed the flyer into my backpack and forgot about it. A few weeks later, I cleaned out my backpack, glanced at the flyer, then made a note in my planner to pray about it in a few weeks, after I submitted those big assignments I was worrying about. And when that date came, I took the flyer out of my stack of papers and prayed. And realized this job was exactly what I’d been praying for.

Next, I had a Zoom call with the director.

Then I had a Zoom call with the team.

Then I officially applied, was interviewed, and accepted.

I raised support to be a business missionary in Mexico for 15 months.

And I’ve just decided to extend my term and am now raising support for the next 3 years.

I know God can use anybody anywhere. I’ve interned at non-profit community theaters, worked in healthcare administration, and even dished out fries at McDonald’s, and I know God used each of those jobs to glorify Him. I’ve seen friends who are CEOs, baristas, teachers, janitors, doctors, who all use their skills for God. And although I know God can use me and my talents in numerous ways, I’m grateful He’s placed me here in Mexico, being a business missionary for Him.