Fellows Serving in Europe

From everywhere to everywhere

IRELAND

Albert A. Wakili
Place of Assignment: Blanchardstown Methodist Church
Home Country: Nigeria, Africa

Wakili served as a youth and children’s worker with the Blanchardstown Methodist Church, Dublin, Ireland, one of the newest and most ethnically diverse congregations in Irish Methodism. Blanchardstown Church is an offshoot of the 120-year-old Dublin Central Mission; operates a school; and has a membership of 46 families, with 68 out of 130 individuals under the age of 18. Wakili worked with the church’s youth ministry committee and mission team in summer and afterschool ministries, as well as in the training and use of volunteers.

BELGIUM

Nicodemus T. Doe
Place of Assignment: Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME)
Home Country: Liberia, Africa

Nick served as a project assistant with the Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) based in Brussels, Belgium. CCME is an ecumenical organization that promotes a vision of inclusive community in keeping with the Bible’s recognition of the dignity of every person. It represents churches and ecumenical groups from 18 countries and collaborates with the Conference of European Churches and the World Council of Churches. Its work covers refugees, asylum seekers, and other types of migrants, and it addresses such issues as racism and xenophobia. Nick is worked specifically with a “safe passage,” a border-monitoring project geared to migrants moving across the Mediterranean Sea from Africa into Europe.

GERMANY

Sang Ah Gu
Place of Assignment: Bethanien Diakonissen-Stiftung
Home Country: South Korea

Sang-Ah served as a youth and senior services associate with Bethanien Diakonissen Stiftung (Bethany Deaconess Foundation), based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The foundation, which has roots in the 19th century, is today part of an association that operates nine hospitals and 13 nursing homes across Germany. Sang-Ah worked directly with children and adolescents in support of education and recreation, and as a nursing home visitor.

SWITZERLAND

Bethel Mhone
Place of Assignment: World Council of Churches
Home Country: Malawi, Africa

Bethel served as an intern with the Program on Women in Church and Society at the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland. The program seeks to ensure that both men and women engage in the search for Christian unity. It seeks to nurture just relationships through which women and men can reach their highest potential in the service to God. Established in 1948, the World Council of Churches is comprised of more than 340 Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches, whose members confess their faith in Jesus Christ and seek to advance Christian unity “so that the world may believe” (John 17:21).

ESTONIA

Mary Kuronzwi
Place of Assignment: United Methodist Church in Tallinn, Estonia
Home Country: Zimbabwe, Africa

Mary served in the children and youth ministries of the United Methodist Church in Tallinn, Estonia, a 370-member congregation of the Estonia Annual Conference. She worked with the Sunday school, youth groups, and an emerging family ministry. Christianity is neither widespread nor socially popular in Estonia, one of the Baltic countries long under Soviet control but now independent. The church is focused in large measure on reaching out to new generations and sustaining the spiritual growth of children and youth.

RUSSIA

Barbara C. Rogers
Place of Assignment: Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy
Home Country: USA

Barbara served in the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy, which is an oasis of Christian hospitality and ministry for travelers and strangers in Russia. The chaplaincy provides outreach to migrants and others through worship, a racial task force, medical advice center, drop-in center, language programs, and a food bank. Barbara worked with a staff team in providing support, stability, and assistance to participants in a challenging time for Russia and the marginalized people of Moscow.