Our mission is to restore hope to people from different nations through compassionate acts of service and personal discipleship
This mission statement embodies the different aspects of our calling (who we are) and work that we do with different ministries (what we do):
‘Restore hope…’
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Our mission statement flows out of this verse of the Bible. This verse has played a key role in Simon’s life as well as in our life as a couple. It has always come back to us in one way or another and it has impacted our life deeply. Our heart aches for people who lost purpose and perspective for their lives. We feel we have a calling to bring back hope to the people who lost it, and equip them to have a different future and to disciple them in their walk with Jesus.
‘… to people from different nations’
As we ourselves are an intercultural couple we also have a big heart for people from different nations. Our desire is to cross the cultural barriers and bring hope to those who are close and to those who are far, and to those who are foreign those who are familiar! We feel God has given us a unique strength as we come from different parts of the world and continually grow in cross-cultural communication through our marriage. We have unique access to both the Asian culture through Simons Indian background and the Western world, through Angela’s Dutch background. We want to use this to help and disciple people from all over the world!
‘… through compassionate acts of service’
Simon comes from South India (TamilNadu) and his father started a church (named Jesus Comes Ministries, JCM) in their village in 1998. Simon grew up within that church and has developed a compassionate heart for the believers in that church and the people living in the area where he grew up. Sadly enough, it has become tougher to share the Gospel openly, due to the growing influence of the Hindu dominated government. To continue to spread the love of Jesus, JCM Church reaches out to the local community in practical ways. Every year we travel to India for a few months to help the church with these practical ministries. Here are a few ways we serve the local community:
- -Handing out Sarees (Indian dresses) to poor women and widows
- -Children ministries
- -Women Empowerment Project
- -Prayer & Intercession
- -Sunday Church Service
- -Handing out Sarees (Indian dresses) to poor women and widows
‘… and personal discipleship’
Currently we are working with the mission’s organization Youth with a Mission in Switzerland. The mission of the organization is to ‘Know God and Make Him known’. We do this in different ways and we are mainly involved with the Discipleship Training School. This is a 5-month course focused on discipling the students to Know God better and training them to Go Out into the world and Make God Known! We have a huge heart for walking alongside people in their journey with the Lord. In these 5 months we get the opportunity to practice personal discipleship as we mentor, equip and prepare the students to be missionaries in every sphere of society!