Over the last 12 years as CEO, I’ve been amazed to see God use EMI to advance the Gospel and transform people’s lives professionally and spiritually.
We’re now a group of over 200 architects, engineers, and construction managers working in 11 countries to influence the shape of missions.
We are seeing schools, hospitals, ministry centers, and water systems constructed in some of the most under-resourced corners of the globe.
As we approach mid-year, here are a few updates about EMI’s worldwide ministry:
South Africa: In Cape Town, the team is celebrating receiving the go-ahead for a large hospital project that is addressing critical healthcare needs in Angola. Over the last few years, they’ve been planning a significant upgrade for Centro Evangélico de Medicina do Lubango (CEML) hospital in Lubango, Angola.
The strategic expansion plan builds the capacity of healthcare in Angola through a three-phase expansion of surgery and training facilities. We are helping increase patient capacity, create an education centre, staff housing, guest accommodations, and a family village.
It’s an incredible opportunity for us—the team is responsible for design development and overseeing implementation of Phase 1 through the end of 2025.
Nicaragua: We have seen a number of encouraging developments at EMI Nicaragua this year. In March, the team moved into a beautiful new office with space for growth and better location access.
It was also special for them to see the fruits of their work on a recent visit to a remote, rural location in the center of the country. The first phase of their 2019 masterplan and design work was completed a few years back.
The project is a school for children with limited access to education and they want to keep growing beyond the 200 or so students they can accommodate now.
I loved seeing staff architect Jan Martinez share about EMI in this video by our client ministry:
India: Over the last number of years, our operation in India through a local business has become increasingly complicated and challenging.
After extensive consultations with financial and legal advisors in India, a decision was reached in March to wind down this business and release many of our friends and colleagues on EMI staff.
Though EMI India’s original platform still exists and a small core team is moving forward with projects, there’s no question this has been a difficult and disappointing experience.
These last months have been filled with difficult goodbyes but balanced with encouraging new potential connections.
I firmly believe we have a role to play in serving ministries in South Asia. We are re-evaluating strategy and re-structuring EMI for that.
Canada: There’s a full docket for domestic project design in Canada—with a church expansion, a ministry HQ expansion, and providing owner’s advisor services on a seminary project which is heading to construction later this year.
I know they have been pursuing project opportunities in Canada for a long time and it’s exciting to see the doors that are opening for EMI now.
It’s also been exciting to see significant progress in Fund Development at EMI Canada over the last year. I’m hopeful other EMI teams will be able to similarly grow their development efforts and that this will result in the overall growth of EMI worldwide.
Global Board Meeting: Last month the Global Board met together in Uganda for our annual in-person meeting.
Since the role of this body is to hold us accountable to the mission, vision, and core values of EMI, they had the chance to go and see some of EMI’s work in Uganda for themselves.
We visited the primary and secondary school sites EMI has developed for The Amazima School, as well as The Gem Foundation’s village for children with special needs.
What a privilege to see the results of our work in person, as well as to spend time with EMI Uganda’s Board members!
WASH Growing Globally: Ever since coming to EMI 12 years ago it’s been in my heart to see us go beyond the walls of Christian institutions to have a direct impact on communities.
I know the Lord has raised up an incredible community of civil engineers through EMI. So many have taken part in design and planning for building services—EMI’s primary service flywheel.
Now through our Growing Globally campaign we are raising US$500,000 to build a
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene or WASH flywheel at EMI.
We are actively equipping people to enter this new avenue of service where we measure results by community health and wellness outcomes.
EMI Cambodia is out there already—they just celebrated signing their first agreement to develop a water treatment plant providing water access to several rural communities!
It’s humbling to lead EMI and I’m grateful for God blessing us to make an impact in advancing His Kingdom.
That impact comes through people and God has blessed us by sending EMI great people—
People who love Jesus. People with professional talents and expertise. People with a heart to serve and a desire to see the world restored.
Thank you for partnering with us in this great work!
