Inform. Strengthen. Expand.
These were the general objectives set for the coming year by the leaders who met December 1-3, 2017 in St. Phillips, Barbados for the first Global Mission Coordinators’ retreat in the Caribbean Field. Led by Revs. Dario & Lynda Richards (from Barbados and Guyana), Global Mission refers to the ministry in the Mesoamerica Region that seeks to discover, develop and deploy new missionaries to the nations.
After Regional Coordinator Rev. Scott Armstrong outlined the history of Global Mission in the denomination and the region, Lynda Richards highlighted the history and dynamics of this ministry specifically in the Caribbean context. Statistics tell us that 106 people have participated in three-week “Called to Serve” missions trips since 2013, and a multitude of Youth in Mission and Work and Witness teams have also been sent within the field during that time. Lynda also offered potential cultural challenges in the Caribbean and cultural resources that can help combat or address those challenges.
Dario Richards then led the group in a valuable time of dreaming, brainstorming, and charting the vision and strategy for the upcoming years.
Attendees included Kayann Walker (Jamaica), Talesha Plumber (Jamaica), Danielle Miller (Barbados), Rev. Shawn Parris (Barbados), Sheena Small (Barbados), and Jonette Williams (Antigua & Barbuda). Each of these individuals is passionate about developing missions and missionaries from the Caribbean, and together they will form a field team that agreed on accomplishing the following goals in 2018:
- Discover 150 Nazarenes interested in missions, in part by conducting 2 Cross-Cultural Orientations in St. Lucia and Bahamas.
- Develop 10 coordinators who will promote the sending and supporting of volunteer missionaries in their districts, including potential longer-term candidates to the regional GENESIS initiative.
- Deploy 50 missionaries through Called to Serve trips to Turks & Caicos and St. Lucia, as well as 4 GENESIS missionaries to other cities of the region.
It was also a great privilege for this team to be a part of the installation of the Richards as Co-Pastors in the Hope Road Church of the Nazarene. Many pastors and leaders from the Barbados District attended and prayed for this couple as they continue their field ministry and begin their local church pastorate in this congregation.
Please pray for these leaders and this ministry in the coming months. Pray that each one of these goals would be met and surpassed! Pray also that Caribbean Nazarenes would continue to cultivate an environment where the call to missions is heard, accepted, and supported overwhelming by a Church that is passionate about reaching a broken and hurting world.
