We are Christian workers with WorldVenture in the city of Abrantes, Portugal. We arrived in Portugal, together with our two children, in 1983. After language studies in the western suburbs of Lisbon, we started doing evangelism near our home, later working with colleagues in a new church plant. In 1988 we moved to the city of Leiria where we lived for two years while pursuing evangelism both in the outskirts of this city and in the city of Ourém, about a half hour away. In 1990 we moved to Ourém where we carried on what was primarily an evangelistic ministry for nearly 12 years (less furloughs). Three years after moving to Ourém, we also began cooperating with the Baptist Church in the city of Tomar, a half hour from Ourém. There we were involved in various teaching ministries as well as music and youth. Jon served as interim pastor twice during our years there.

As members of the Tomar church, we were asked to take over a mission of the Tomar church in the city of Entroncamento. In 2003 we moved from Ourém to Entroncamento where we worked for 2 years. After nearly a year in the States in 2005, we returned to our home in Entroncamento, 20 minutes down the freeway from the city of Abrantes. Through a string of events that we never anticipated, I was asked to take over the pastorate of the Abrantes church, a little work that had been struggling for many years from internal conflict and a disastrous previous pastorate. Up to that point many, not least of which the members, were wondering if the work would survive at all. Since the end of 2005 we have been working with this church, building evangelistic contacts in the community, carrying on evangelistic activities in Abrantes and nearby communities, attempting to heal some old wounds, and leading the church in adquiring their own installations for the first time in the 40+ year history of the church.

http://jonndot.org/