Tell us a bit about yourself:
Born and raised in the UK, married to Douglas Mann, mother of three growing kids (Jonathan, Sarah and James), I now live in the unique village of Busingen. Unique because as an enclave it is located both in Switzerland and Germany! It suits our missionary family perfectly as we represent 4 nationalities between us (UK, USA, Peru & Kosovo) and have lived in a total of 8 countries since joining Global Missions as a family almost 20 years ago.
Tell us a bit about your role:
I am currently the Regional Personnel Coordinator, meaning that my day to day tasks revolve around all things “missionary”!
Collaborating together with our Regional Director and Field Strategy Coordinators, my work involves matching called and capable Nazarenes from around the world to locations across Eurasia that need help, the logistics and resourcing of getting missionary families to the field, equipping families to thrive on the field, missionary kid care, responding to emergency or difficult situations and helping in missionaries transitions to new locations or home countries at the end of assignments. I work with people who come and meet short term needs as well as those who serve a career in missions and all those in-between.
The highlight of my role is being part of the support structure that allows, on average, 50 missionary families to serve in areas of our Region where their gifts and abilities are needed. To journey with people in their transitions and development and to see God working across the Region through it all! There will always be challenges when working with people across a large geographical, political, time zone Region!
What is a highlight you have experienced being part of the Region?
There have been many highlights since serving in this position. A most recent one would be the way that our teams have come together in response to the situation in and around Ukraine. Whilst the team work is a highlight and illuminates the way that our church is a connected international family of believers, the burden of the task has been immense. For the past 6 weeks local pastors, field and regional leaders have been working together to help missionaries and nationals to get to safe places, equipping border response teams with short and mid term volunteers and missionaries, getting funding to places that are now hard to reach, and developing response ministries across the Eurasia North Field and beyond. My usual administrative & regular missionary care tasks have taken a a bit of a back seat as many hours of each day have been spent in response to what is happening in Ukraine. That is the nature of the personnel role, every day different – another highlight!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you to all who have been supporting missionaries with prayer and finances, during this latest crisis and also in the ongoing work of Nazarene Missions across the years. Working from my perspective in the support of many missionaries, I can see how valuable your prayers and support are to us all and how God is working through our Region!
How can we pray for you?
Please pray that I respond with wisdom and care to missionaries needs, helping to equip and resource them throughout their assignments to be able to thrive in preparation, on the field, and in transition!
