First Pres supports 13 mission partners that pursue Christ’s ministry in the world.

These organizations broaden our vision of outreach and provide opportunities for First Pres to contribute to the worldwide church.

We invite you to get to know our global partners. If you would like to get involved, look for the volunteer links below. You may also reach out to the organizational contact or your First Pres liaison.

Meet Our Global Partners

Opportunity International

First Pres liaison: Kathy Drake
For faith communities: opportunity.org/learn/campaign/reimagine-missions#.XjyflyZKjcs

Opportunity International is a global nonprofit working to end extreme poverty through small business loan programs and education. Opportunity International believes that empowering individuals to work their way out of poverty and giving children a quality education is the most sustainable way to transform families and communities. The organization has worked in developing countries for 48 years, empowering millions of small business owners, farmers, and educators. opportunity.org

Congo Initiative

First Pres liaison: Leah Tang

Congo Initiative envisions a community of Christ-centered Congolese leaders and global partners united to help transform lives and ensure a flourishing Democratic Republic of Congo. The organization educates ethical leaders, invests in a sustainable, vibrant Congolese society, and develops grassroots initiatives for peace, hope, and justice. Despite millions of dollars in humanitarian aid, Congo still endures long-term cycles of conflict, poverty, and illness. Congo Initiative makes education a crucial priority for securing the future of the next generation, particularly girls and women. congoinitiative.org

Duta Wacana Christian University

Contact: Farsijana and Bernard Adeney-Risakotta, +6 227-456-3929
First Pres liaison: Tom Elson

This Indonesian university attracts faithful and intelligent leaders who are committed to serving God and the people of Indonesia. Duta Wacana offers scholarships to pastors from all over Indonesia to study theology at the graduate level, so that they are prepared to lead the church in the midst of rapid social change. Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta teaches in the social entrepreneurship program at Duta Wacana and works with the Center for Development and Social Transformation in the Faculty of Business. She is the founder and director of the House of Authentic Sense, a community-based cooperative comprised of village entrepreneurs. www.ukdw.ac.id

Langham Partnership

First Pres liaison: Doug Chin

Langham Partnership is an interdenominational fellowship working to strengthen the global church by raising standards of Biblical preaching and teaching, and by working with national leaders to nurture indigenous preaching movements for pastors and lay preachers. Langham provides majority world pastors, scholars, and seminary libraries with evangelical books and electronic resources. It also offers financial support to evangelical doctoral students from the majority world so that they can train pastors and other Christian leaders in their home countries. us.langham.org

Near East School of Theology

Contact: Dr. George Sabra, telephone +9 61 1 738639 or +961 1 329901
First Pres liaison: Mae Chan

The Near East School of Theology is an interconfessional Protestant seminary serving the evangelical churches of the Middle East. The school trains pastors and other leaders for ministry within churches and other evangelical organizations. NEST welcomes candidates from Middle Eastern churches, as well as any person seeking to learn about Protestant theology and faith, regardless of religious affiliation. Located in Beirut, Lebanon, the school was formed in 1932 by the merger of the School for Religious Workers in Beirut and the School of Religion in Athens. It is built on a history of evangelical theological education in the Near East that goes back to 1835. theonest.edu.lb

Roblealto Child Care Association

To volunteer: www.roblealto.org/get-involved, or telephone (506) 2286-0161
First Pres liaison: Martha Allen

Although education is free and mandatory in Costa Rica, many children living in urban and marginalized communities fall through the cracks. Instead of going to school, these children work on coffee plantations, at construction sites, and in factories. Roblealto is committed to providing socially vulnerable children access to formal education. The organization also offers workshops and training sessions for parents to help fight inequality and break the cycle of poverty. roblealto.org

Wycliffe Bible Translators

First Pres liaison: Tom Elson

Since 1948 First Pres has supported Nadine Burns and her late husband, Don, during their time serving with Wycliffe Bible translators in South America. Through Wycliffe, the Burnses worked with heads of governments to open doors to education and literacy for people in remote areas of Peru, and consulted with the governments of Ecuador and Bolivia on Quechua bilingual education programs in order to share the gospel in those countries.

Free Burma Rangers

To volunteer: freeburmarangers.org/get-involved/volunteer
Contact: [email protected]
First Pres liaison: Kathy Dwyer

Under the leadership of Dave and Karen Eubanks and their family, Free Burma Rangers works in the conflict-ridden areas of Burma, Kurdistan, Iraq, and Syria. The organization trains medics to provide care in war-torn areas, and the “Good Life Club” helps children affected by violence. Most of all, Free Burma Rangers points people to Jesus and shares the love that he gives. Volunteers assist primarily in logistical areas, such as managing finances and training counselors for the Good Life Club. freeburmarangers.org

Oasis Africa Counseling Center

Contact: Dr. Gladys Mwiti, founder
First Pres liaison: Leah Tang

Oasis Africa Counseling Center provides psychological support to vulnerable groups in Kenya and beyond. Programs address issues including financial management, continuing education, legal advocacy, self care, and more, all in an effort to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation. As part of its community outreach, Oasis Africa opened the Mashaka Children’s Center in 2007 to provide care, counseling, food, and education to 200 orphans and vulnerable children in Mashaka, a rural slum in the Meru district. oasisafrica.org.au

Project Mercy

First Pres liaison: Leah Tang

Project Mercy is a nonprofit organization in Ethiopia working to “renew the heart of a nation” by rooting out systemic poverty through health care, education, food security, adult skills, and building infrastructure. Operating mainly in ChaCha and Yetobon, Project Mercy aims to transform these communities so that they are self-sustaining and able to generate income with transferable and long-lasting skills. First Pres supported Project Mercy for more than 10 years through Bay Area Medical Missions, which sends doctors and nurses to provide on-site services and provides financial support for community health programs. Recently, Megan Palsa, RN, and Mike VanNoord, MD, worked alongside the Ethiopian medical team to provide treatment and health screenings for 1,500 school children. projectmercy.org

Together for the Family

Contact: Beth Thomsen, Director of Outreach
First Pres liaison: Doug Chin

Together for the Family was created in 2010 by Izdihar and Riad Kassis, local Christian leaders who wanted to support Christian school children and Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. The outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011 galvanized Together for the Family toward a new mission to support the thousands of refugees pouring across the border into the valley. One example is Project Breakfast, a program that feeds and nurtures special education children of Syrian refugees. Theses children are often not accepted at schools because of the extra care they require.

International Justice Mission

Contact: Steve Meyers
First Pres liaison: Christina Davis

An estimated 40 million people globally are subject to some form of slavery. A disproportionate percentage of the victims are women and minors. In 17 communities throughout the developing world, International Justice Mission protects the poor and vulnerable from human trafficking and other violence by partnering with local authorities to rescue victims. Its work encompasses three steps: saving and restoring survivors, bringing criminals to justice, and strengthening justice systems. ijm.org

New Life Center Foundation

First Pres liaison: Kathy Dwyer

The New Life Center Foundation works with young, ethnic minority women throughout the Mekong region (Thailand, Burma, China, and Laos) who are at risk for, or victims of, forced labor, sexual abuse, domestic violence, neglect, and human trafficking. The foundation provides comprehensive residential aftercare for survivors, which includes counseling, individual and group therapy, education, vocational and business training, craft and income generation, and housing. newcenterlifefoundation.org