Scott and Natasha Edinger provide pastoral care for FM missionaries in Africa. This role includes encouragement and spiritual nurture via emails, phone calls and field visits; special care in emergencies or times of crisis; and organization of prayer support.
Heartbeat
The monthly newsletter of Free Methodist World Missions
Jordan & Audrey Kaufmann
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Jordan and Audrey are from McPherson, Kansas, and have been active members of the Free Methodist Church for five years. Audrey’s background as an administrative assistant for the Central Region Conference of the Free Methodist Church has prepared her for their current mission. Jordan graduated with his ministry degree from Central Christian College and has served in missions in several countries, including Mexico, Haiti and Mozambique. Jordan will facilitate partnerships between African leaders and U.S. churches, and Audrey will serve through administrative work supporting effective partnerships.
Tim & Connie Kratzer
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Tim and Connie Kratzer served in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in the 1980’s. Tim was the medical director of Nundu Deaconess Hospital and Connie homeschooled their sons while also serving as the mission treasurer and provider of support services. After 1996 war prevented them from returning to Nundu. After years away, they returned in 2012 to see the hospital providing medical care under the leadership of the national church.
Glenn & Wendy Lorenz
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Glenn and Wendy Lorenz, both ordained elders in the Free Methodist Church, were appointed career missionaries in April 2015. In January 2017, the Lorenz family moved to Costa Rica to work with Free Methodist World Missions, where Glenn coordinated the development of healthy leaders for FMWM Latin America. In October 2022, Glenn began serving as the Africa Area Associate Director. His work focuses on recruiting, onboarding, training, and coaching missionary teams to live in West Africa. He also assists in supporting and developing Free Methodist leaders in West Africa.
Emmanuel & Rachel Nzungize
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Emmanuel and Rachel met in Kibogora, Rwanda, in 2015 while Rachel was volunteering as nurse at Kibogora Hospital. Emmanuel, a Rwandan, was her translator. Their friendship developed and they were married in 2018. After a few years in the United States, they feel God is calling them back to Kibogora. Both Emmanuel and Rachel are nurses and are excited to care for patients and provide education for other nurses and nursing students. Rachel recently completed her master’s degree in global health and hopes to assist hospital staff with quality improvements as needed. The Nzungizes also look forward to welcoming short-term volunteers and serving as a bridge within the community. They have two young children, Noella and Matayo.
Mike & Vickie Reynen
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Mike Reynen works on the formation of churches in Africa by collaborating with African leaders to develop the various aspects of well-rounded church life. Church planting and ministerial education are vital. Mike and Vickie both encourage the missionary team in empowering national leaders. Vickie puts much of her energy into Tumaini Women Kenya, a discipleship-oriented micro-savings and loan ministry, and Thrive (also Kenya), a young women’s ministry discipling and advocating against gender-based violence and sex trafficking.
Hendrik & Kaylene Smidderks
by Heather Utley | May 2016
As FMWM missionaries, Hendrik will lead a team supporting church leaders and mission districts in West Africa and assisting in pastoral training and formation. Kaylene will serve the work of the international missionary team to West Africa, focusing on financial administration and communication.
Moisés & Jacione Souza
by Heather Utley | May 2016
Sent by the Free Methodist Church in Portugal, Moisés and Jacione Souza serve as international missionaries to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe off the west coast of Africa. They launched the first Free Methodist church in São Tomé in January 2019 and now work consistently through various discipleship ministries for children, youth and adults. Many believers are growing in their faith. The couple’s next goal is to identify and train leaders for pastoral ministry. Both Moisés and Jacione were ordained as elders at the 2020 annual meeting of the Free Methodist Church of Portugal. Because the church in Portugal is the sending church, this mission district is under the European area.
Children: Filipa, Giovanna
Dosseh Takpale
by Heather Utley | Feb 2016
Dosseh Takpale is superintendent of the Togo Provisional Annual Conference and pastor of the FMC in Lomé, Togo. As an international missionary, he also supervises several other countries: Guinea, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, and Burkina Faso. In addition, Dosseh serves as the director of the Wesley Missionary Institute.