Stepping into the CEO role at EMI has given me a new appreciation for just how much talent, experience, and commitment we have throughout this organization.
One of the things I'm most excited about is the opportunity to work alongside so many capable leaders who have faithfully served God through EMI for many years.
I certainly don't feel like I’m starting something new from scratch! Instead, I get to help build on more than four decades of work, while also asking where God might be inviting us to grow, change, or step into something new.
One example of building on a firm foundation is our longstanding relationship with the Gem Foundation in Uganda.
Gem provides a loving home and care for children with special needs, many of whom have experienced abandonment or neglect. Over the years, EMI has partnered with Gem to develop its beautiful campus, including children's homes, a medical clinic, and an inclusive playground.
I had the opportunity to visit Gem Village myself in early 2025 and it's hard not to be moved by the love and care these children receive.
That's why I'm especially excited about the recent opening of the new Gem Learning Centre, designed and constructed by our EMI Uganda team. This accessible facility creates new opportunities for children to learn, grow, and develop their God-given potential.
It will also provide opportunities for education and enrichment for staff and families.
To me, this is a wonderful picture of what EMI can accomplish through long-term relationships with ministry partners.
What began years ago with a vision for a safe and loving home has continued to grow into a place where these children have more opportunities to thrive. What a privilege for EMI to play a part in making that possible!
Another example is our longstanding work with Agua Viva Ministries outside of Ensenada, Mexico.
Agua Viva has a special connection for me because my own nieces and nephew spent a week serving at their camp through a college missions program. It's fun to have a personal connection to EMI's work!
Our EMI team in Mexico is now helping Agua Viva expand its main gathering hall from 200 to 400 seats, which means more opportunities for people to hear the gospel, grow in their faith, and be equipped for ministry.
That's the kind of lasting impact that makes our work worthwhile.
As I build on John Dallmann's years of faithful leadership, one thing I'm particularly excited about is helping EMI recognize and develop the full value we bring to our ministry partners.
Between our worldwide staff and pool of thousands of volunteers, EMI has tremendous technical expertise to offer.
But after more than 40 years designing schools, hospitals, children's homes, training centers, and so many other types of facilities, we've also learned a great deal about how each of these ministry types function.
We're therefore not just technical consultants. We're ministry consultants who can help our partners think through how to make their facilities – and ultimately their ministries – as effective as possible.
I'm also excited about growing our ability to stay involved from the earliest conversations about a ministry's vision, through master planning and detailed design, all the way to managing construction. We're seeing some great examples of this currently in our larger healthcare projects.
I'd love to see every EMI office equipped to provide this kind of comprehensive service, helping ministries not only envision their facilities but actually get them built.
Another exciting development is taking shape in Zambia. Building on significant healthcare projects underway there, EMI is establishing a satellite presence of our South Africa office, with Mpanji Sinkala helping lead the effort on the ground.
As a Zambian national, Mpanji has a background in Public Health, Business Administration and Project Management and has worked across NGO's and Government Istitutions.
His connection to EMI actually began a couple of years ago when he sat next to one of our EMI staff members on an airplane while traveling for a leadership training in Texas!
It's amazing to think that an ordinary conversation on a flight could help open the door to a new chapter of EMI's work in Zambia.
I don't know exactly where all these opportunities will lead, but I'm excited to see what all God will do through them at EMI.
Finally, I want to thank the people who make EMI possible. Our staff often choose less financially rewarding careers to invest their skills in work with eternal significance.
Our volunteers generously give their time and expertise, and our donors faithfully invest their resources to make this ministry possible. Each of you makes sacrifices that I don't take for granted.
I'm grateful to be part of this remarkable network of people, and excited for what's ahead for EMI!
