The Dawsons—Venezuela (visit website)
Gary and Marie have been working with the Yanomamo people in the jungle of Venezuela for 31 years. Gary’s parents started their ministry in the jungle when Gary was about 3 years old. Gary and his 9 brothers and sister were all raised in the jungle and most have stayed to minister there. The Indian tribes were some of the most ferocious headhunters and not easy to reach. Slowly and gradually the Dawsons learned the language and won them over. Now there are many happy and believing Yanomamo. To reach the Dawson’s home, you either have to come by small watercraft down the river or fly in by small engine plane.
Gary and Marie have four grown children and Ricky is an adopted native boy. Marie is from Wisconsin and Gary brought her to the ministry as a young bride. She does most of the cooking, teaching children, and household chores for the family. She is the nurse to her own family and to the natives. She is the only one qualified to do testing and administration of medicine. Gary works on outreach, teaching, and counseling of the men and maintenance chores. Satan’s presence is keenly felt as there is much belief in evil spirits and spiritual warfare. The whole Dawson clan has been through more calamities than most of us could even imagine. Gary was put in jail by the Communist government, pressured to quit by the Catholic Church, endured many bouts with malaria, had a home he was building explode, and the whole village washed away by a flood, etc. Through it all, the family has remained faithful. Gary has even brought a few of the Christian natives to the states to tell of the change Christ has made in their lives.
Michael and Keila Dawson (visit website)
Michael and Keila Dawson are missionaries to the Yanomamo Indians in the Amazonas region of Venezuela. Michael was born in the middle of the Amazon Jungle in a small missionary base called TamaTama, on the Orinoco River. On the 12th of February 2006, all missionary flight programs were terminated in Amazonas Venezuela and the airplanes were taken out of the country. Currently, we are the only evangelical missionaries still working in Indian areas in Venezuela. Mission Padamo Aviation and Support has been formed to fill the void caused by the other mission agencies having to leave the country.
Along with taking care of Michael and Mia, Keila is director of the Yanomamö School and teaches preschool Yanomamö children. She enjoys her work but is constantly having to defend her position and her school from the department of education. There is a hard effort right now to shut down all Christian schools in the country and especially those with the indigenous people. Keila is currently training some Yanomamö teachers to take over her job as the director which will leave her more time to spend with the children.
Ibrahim & Sarah—Persecuted Church (visit website)
Having fled from Pakistan because of being persecuted for their Christian faith, Ibrahim and Sarah now speak in churches in the U.S. and are a voice for God’s persecuted children around the world. They also open American eyes to the danger of Islam and the oppression this worldview places on women in Pakistan.
Servant Evangelism—Local Outreach
Life Way Pregnancy Center—Latrobe, PA
Life Way Pregnancy provides many different services for women. Some of these services include abortion alternatives, counseling, pregnancy testing, and referrals.
Paul & Pat Dye—New Tribes Aviation (visit website)
Paul and Pat have been on home staff with New Tribes Mission Aviation (NTMA) since their return from Colombia, S.A. in 1985, after Paul’s narrow escape from the hand of the guerrillas there. Paul continues to train pilots here and helps on the committee and travels as Latin American Coordinator to Bolivia and the Far East into the Philippines.
They had worked as church planters from 1964-1972 in Venezuela.
Then they went to Panama as pilot of the field and had the Mission Home there that they ran. After almost 4 years of serving there, Paul was asked to begin a flight service in the country of Colombia. They serve almost 6 years there and it ended with the kidnapping of the first NTM Aviation missionaries, Paul Dye and Steve Estelle along with the Tim Cain. That was 23 years ago now…and they are now in McNeal, AZ. under the auspices of New Tribes Mission Aviation.
Tho they are beyond retirement age, that is not in the picture as yet and are asking God for the strength to continue on serving here as long as He sees fit…
Pakistani New Hope School
Phil Jackson—SEND International (visit website)
SEND is an interdenominational, multinational Christian mission organization with over 500 missionaries in more than 20 areas of Asia, Europe, Eurasia and North America…
Nick K. — CRU (visit website)
Win, build and send Christ-centered multiplying disciples. Movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus. Faith, Growth, and Fruitfulness.