TRIPS
Training Believers Everywhere...
2025 Year in Review
CAMEROON
Trip Dates:
January
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna, Mark Jr., Ariel, Jonathan, JoyAnna, Linnea, Elaina, Moriah
Trip Summary
In January we were privileged to journey with our son Mark Jr.
and his wife Ariel (and grandies!) to Cameroon, along with
Jonathan and JoyAnna and Linnea, where we joined missionary
Seth Folkers to teach and train on biblical sacred music
principles and skills. The conference met a great need in the
African context, and the Cameroon believers were ready
learners! It was a powerful time of spiritual and personal growth.
Additionally, my wife and I were able to drive hours out into the Adamawa region where our dear partners Godlove and Maureen and their family are church planting in several places. What a joy to encourage a family that is living so sacrificially
on the edges of gospel advance. Godlove and I visited a Pygmy clan where the chief (see top picture) had accepted Christ and wanted the truth for his entire people. The chief has since passed away. Thank God the gospel reached him in time! The
work there continues.
(For the story, search for Thee Generation GoMission podcast, Feb. 15.)
FRANCE
Trip Dates:
February
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna, Mark Jr., Ariel, Jonathan, JoyAnna, Linnea, Elaina, Moriah
Trip Summary
On our return home, we visited the Rasmussens from our home
church who are living and working as lay missionaries in Paris,
France. Their focus on small group discipleship is bearing fruit
among several churches. As we preached and fellowshipped, I
gained a strong sense of God at work in France.
CANADA
Trip Dates:
February & May
Team:
Mark Sr., Stephen
Trip Summary
In February and again in May, we were in Alberta, Canada, for
missions conferences at Canadian Baptist Bible Church and for
ministry alongside church planters Will Esayenko and Ty
Thebeau. This year has seen the planting of a 2nd church in their
region. God’s hand upon their obedience is exciting to witness
and encourage. What majestic beauty is in the Canadian
Rockies!
(Thee Generation GoMission podcast, Nov. 18)
FIJI
Trip Dates:
April - June
Team:
Anna Faith
Trip Summary
My daughter Anna Faith had the joy to spend 3 months in Fiji from April to June, joining the music teaching staff at Nausori Baptist Academy. She so sweetly connects cross-culturally, and the Lord really used her to encourage the youth as well as
the church leaders she worked alongside. I surprised her by showing up for her final two weeks, and we had opportunity to minister to the pastor’s family and entire church. By faith, this church is sending teams to Zambia for 3 months at a time to plant and train new churches in that wide open land.
GRENADA
Trip Dates:
June
Team:
Jonathan, Stephen, JoyAnna, BCM Ministry Team
Trip Summary
My son Jonathan led an evangelism and youth outreach team to the Caribbean island nation of Grenada in June. Partnering with several local congregations, they conducted youth sports events and engaged new communities. They encouraged and equipped the connection of long-term discipleship relationships, a vision and process that is often lacking. Lord willing, Jonathan and his wife will be returning for extended
ministry in Grenada.
(Thee Generation GoMission podcast, Aug. 9)
UGANDA
Trip Dates:
May-June
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna, BCM Ministry Team
Trip Summary
At the end of May, my wife and I sponsored a ministry team from Baptist College of Ministry for a 2 week trip to Uganda. What an amazingly profitable time of ministry and exposure to cross-cultural ministry in Africa we had under the direction of missionary Phil Prettyman. We evangelized a town and surrounding villages where a national
church planter is working. Then the team engaged a secondary school in 3 nights of field games, preaching, and small group interaction. Souls were saved! More than one on the team are expecting God to lead them back to Uganda for more ministry there, perhaps even for a lifetime.
(Thee Generation GoMission podcast, June 8)
UGANDA
Trip Dates:
August-September
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna
Trip Summary
We returned to Uganda mid-August to encourage local preachers and
evangelists in eastern Mbale. After a two- day conference, we journeyed to farther
villages. One evangelist Bro. Enoch is planting a church with new believers in the
distant village of Kasipodo who first discovered gospel truth through a radio
broadcast. Now these young believers are evangelizing and leading their new church and already engaging the next villages. Another sacrificial young Kenyan missionary is living among the nomadic herdsmen people of the far eastern lands that border
Kenya. Just recently Bro. David baptized 40 new believers. The joy of this missionary and his congregation was contagious. We preached and encouraged them as they face threats and persecution, including beatings.
From the far east, my wife and I then traveled up to the northwest Adjumani region, where local pastors are establishing a new training center in its first year. Their vision is churches in every village across northwest Uganda. Amen! We preached and taught 50 church leaders and other believers for a week. It was a special joy to meet those serving in South Sudan and Sudan itself. I caught a serious illness from some African virus that knocked me down pretty hard, but God gave strength just as needed for travel home and full recovery there. I’m so thankful for my caring wife by my side.
(Thee Generation GoMission podcast, Sept. 13)
USA
Trip Dates:
September
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna
Trip Summary
It is always a privilege to minister to a new group of surrendered young people who come as freshmen to our Bible college. The fall semester in September saw 20 students take steps of faith both in evangelism and prayer in two BCM courses I taught. I believe several offered their lives for service in world missions.
Praise the Lord!
We had the privilege to stir hearts in missions conferences this fall in Florida,
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. One church caught the vision to partner with
Bro. Enoch mentioned above in Uganda. They, along with another dear friend,
enabled the purchase of a motorcycle that will provide Bro. Enoch with the wheels
he needs to get to villages throughout his region. My heart is to connect local
churches in the USA with national leaders abroad who have the vision to reach
their entire regions with the gospel. Foreigners can never complete the Great
Commission as Jesus gave us command. It is only the local believers who can
multiply and spread in this way. It is our responsibility to equip and partner in this
global work. The book of Acts has not ended!
TRINIDAD
Trip Dates:
November
Team:
Mark Sr., Joanna
Trip Summary
Our final GoMission trip of the year was to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. We went at the invitation of a local pastor there. Over two Sundays and four days of missions conference we were able to preach in four churches and impact nearly a dozen churches with the vision to multiply disciples and churches. Some dear men and women of God are there, often the fruit of past missionaries, yet they need to be encouraged in the faith to engage new communities in Christ’s GO mission. I look forward to return ministry there, Lord willing, in 2026.
