The Voice of Captains

March 2025

The Voice of Captains

How worldwide Christian leadership is meeting the development project challenge

EMI is a Christian non-profit made up of architects, engineers, surveyors, and construction managers who value Design, Discipleship, and Diversity.

More about EMI

“People restored by God and the world restored through design.”

Since 1982, our worldwide mission is to develop people, design structures, and construct facilities which serve communities and the Church—facilities like hospitals, schools, water systems, and more.

Together, we are designing a world of hope.

EMI News

Phil Iekel

Director of EMI Nicaragua

How many students can fit in the classroom? What can be done about site flooding? Will we have space to grow? We have a team, vision, and resources. Where do we start?

Our partners have many questions as they seek to develop spaces to facilitate God’s Kingdom work.

They’re looking for someone they can trust, someone knowledgeable, someone that understands their heart for ministry.

As EMI comes alongside ministries as a guide, we look to our heavenly Father who is our Guide.

Projects, Projects!

You can get directly involved in helping EMI guide a Christian ministry through their project—check out EMI’s worldwide volunteer opportunities at emiworld.org/trips.

Connect with EMI

We’ve got plenty of opportunities to connect coming up—including the new Creation Care webinar series launching on Earth Day, 22-April. Find more at emiworld.org/events.

Explore your fit with EMI

Start the conversation today!

Collage image of people walking towards stylized kingdom of God.

Caring for Creation

Signposts of restoration and hope in the built environment

Read the feature

Profile

Steve Hoyt

EMI Representative

Verse: 1 Chronicles 29:14
Birthplace: Temple, ME
Joined EMI: 2005

In 2001 I volunteered on an EMI trip to design a school in Guatemala. While there we visited the city dump where we saw so many people living in destitution. This experience changed my priorities, and in 2005 Melinda and I moved to Uganda as EMI staff members.

In 2008 I helped start EMI’s Construction Management program. It was then that it hit me, EMI truly is about using their designs as a humble vessel for taking Jesus to the nations.

Due to personal struggles, Melinda and I have recently returned to the US to serve closer to home. EMI continues to walk with us through these times; they don’t see us just as employees but rather as God’s image bearers.

Serving through EMI has been a blessing to us for the last 20 years.

Martin and Mira

Staff Architects and Project Leaders

Verse: Jeremiah 29:11-13; Isaiah 41:8-10
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Joined EMI: 2019

Friends since middle school, we went on our first project trip together with EMI when Mira was an intern, and Martin staff.

During that trip we shared our dream of doing more EMI trips together. After getting married, we mobilized to Senegal and our faith in the Lord deepened, becoming more active and tangible.

Although working together as a couple can be challenging, we find great joy in it, especially in architectural designs. Working together helps us see how God made man and woman to complement each other.

Being part of EMI has helped us grow spiritually, professionally, and personally, while connecting with people from different cultures. We have been blessed by everyone around EMI and trust that God has great plans for the organization.

Gallery

Team walking on a path during a staff retreat

Contributors

US Corporate Partner: JHA Companies

The Voice of Captains — EMI Uganda has worked with The Gem Foundation to create the Gem Village since 2017. EMI Cambodia began assisting AIM with their school construction project in 2018. EMI Canada worked with Acadia Divinity School to prepare for their project in 2024. EMI USA and EMI MENA have partnered with Harpur Christian Hospital leadership to redevelop their urban hospital since 2015. EMI Canada first visited Impact Ministries in Guatemala in 2015 to develop designs for the Vida Home.

Lead — Phil Iekel has been part of the EMI Nicaragua team since an internship in 2018. With a background in Structural Engineering, Phil has been leading the team as Director since 2021. The Iekel family live in Managua, Nicaragua.

Caring for Creation — David Wright is a Structural Engineer from the UK who found out about EMI while living and working in Southern Africa. As Africa Regional Director, David has lived and worked in South Africa, Uganda, and Senegal. The Wrights live in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Editor: Matthew J. Coffey, EMI Global

Web Design: Shalom Lazarus, EMI Global

Issue Cover: Braden Swab, EMI Canada
Videography: Jenni Keiter, EMI Global, Avodah Images

Inside EMI is a 100% in-house production. This magazine is from the people who are living and being EMI around the world.

Comments on this issue? Write to Editor@emiworld.org.