Canada
Josh & Joylnn Beutler
BIRTHDAYS
Josh: June 27
Joylynn: July 16
Asher: October 16
Elliot: June 3
Florence: April 2021
Anniversary: June 10
Joylynn grew up in rural Manitoba, where she was in contact with First Nation communities, and Josh grew up in rural Alberta and had a similar experience. In 2008 they both attended Millar College of the Bible, where they met and felt God confirm first the desire to work with First Nations people and second to do it together. They married in 2012 and moved to southern Alberta, where they worked with InterAct on a volunteer basis. They saw the potential to get further involved during this time and decided to pursue ministry full time. They currently live in Lethbridge, AB, with their three children and serve among the Blackfoot people of the Kainai (Blood) Reserve. They are always seeking to learn more about the culture and language to develop culturally relevant disciples of Christ.
Canada
Dick & Ruth Browning
BIRTHDAYS
Dick: August 15
Ruth: October 10
ANNIVERSARY: July 23
Before they ever met, both Dick and Ruth planned to be missionaries. Dick studied at Practical Bible Training School in Johnson City, New York, and then graduated from Washington Bible College in Lanham, Maryland. Ruth graduated from Nyack College, New York, then worked as a Christian Education director at a church in Massachusetts where she and Dick met. They were married in 1971 and a year later began ministry with InterAct Ministries (then Arctic Missions) in British Columbia. They served fifteen years among the Shuswap First Nations people at Canim Lake, Dog Creek, and Clinton. In 1987 they moved to North Battleford, SK, to church plant among the Cree people, and then to Meadow Lake to serve at the Waterhen Lake First Nation. Since 2000, the Brownings have served in a different capacity as facilitators among the Cree people in the Native Fellowship of Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, located on the Makwa Sahgaiehgan First Nation reserve. They encourage and help the leadership as well as have a discipleship ministry. They also teach a relapse prevention program for people with addictions.
Canada
Andy & Jesi Chinn
BIRTHDAYS
Andy: July 4
Jesi: December 11
ANNIVERSARY: December 14
Andy and Jesi began working with InterAct ministries in 2015 in a First Nation community in British Columbia. Now they reside in Calgary, Alberta, the traditional territory of the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood), Piikani (Peigan), Tsuut’ina (Sarcee), and Stoney-Nakoda including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations as well as the Metis Nation of Alberta. They are passionate about learning from the indigenous community and co-journeying with their indigenous brothers and sisters in the faith. They are currently involved in several different discipleship ministries in and around Calgary.
CANADA
Tim & Gwendy Colwell
Birthdays
Tim: November 8
Gwendy: January 21
Joe: August 16
Jenna: May 7
Anniversary: December 30
Tim and Gwendy Colwell, along with their children have served among the Kaska and Mt. Slavey First Nations people of Ross River, Yukon since February 2001. Their focus is to see the lost come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior and to see the saved become devoted followers of Jesus Christ as Lord. Their ministries include visitation, Kid’s Bible Club, Bible studies, after-school program, Bible camps, discipleship, regular fellowship with believers, and serving the people of their community. Their desire is to see a vibrant, growing church established in Ross River.
Canada
Dave & Sally Cross
BIRTHDAYS
Dave: April 2
Sally: February 24
ANNIVERSARY: June 8
Dave and Sally grew up in very different environments: Dave, in a Christian home in western Canada and Sally, in a Muslim home in Guyana in South America. Nevertheless, as only God can do, Sally became a believer and the Lord used their common interest in missions to bring them together in Papua New Guinea in 1990. There they served with New Tribes Mission until 2007. Subsequently, they joined GoodSeed and worked in the Canadian office for ten years. The Crosses joined InterAct Ministries in 2018. Dave’s primary focus has been developing a resource that will help bridge the gap between the Biblical worldview and the traditional worldview of First Nations. Sally is part of InterAct’s mobilization team with a specific focus on EnGage! (InterAct’s internship program). They live in Olds, Alberta.
Canada
Mark & Emma Dabrowski
BIRTHDAYS
Mark: February 14
Emma: August 12
Joseph: July 16
Samuel: January 16
Michael: December 5
ANNIVERSARY: July 30
Mark was born in Poland and Emma in Australia. They met while living in Calgary, Alberta and were married in 1999. Mark attended Millar College of the Bible in Saskatchewan. They felt called to missions and spent two years in New Tribes Mission Training in Ontario. The Lord then led them to spend five years serving in Papua New Guinea with New Tribes. During their time there, health issues led them to return to Canada and God guided them towards InterAct Ministries. They are currently serving at the Native Bible Centre, which provides Bible training and correspondence courses for ministry partners.
Canada
Akmal & Sarah Erastus
BIRTHDAYS
Akmal: December 1
Sarah: October 10
Anniversary: October 23
Akmal and Sarah grew up in Pakistan, where they served with Operation Mobilization in their home country for over ten years, and their main ministry was reaching the unreached with the gospel during that time. In 2011 Akmal and Sarah and their three children moved to Canada. Then in 2013, they joined InterAct Ministries and are serving and pastoring a new immigrant church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Canada
John & Anne Giesbrecht
BIRTHDAYS
John: July 5
Anne: December 18
ANNIVERSARY: July 31
John and Anne both grew up in Mennonite homes in Saskatchewan. They were married in 1965 and moved to Fort St. John in 1968 as farmers. They rededicated their lives to the Lord in 1974. In 1978 they sold the farm and went with Shantymen’s Mission, where John was a mission pilot for twelve years. They joined InterAct Ministries in 1990. They have a ministry in Fort St. John with the First Nations community and reserves, visiting people in their homes and helping with Bible studies. They often fly to Fort Ware, where they have a similar ministry of evangelism and discipleship in the Native community.
Canada
Barbi Gonzales
BIRTHDAY July 15
Barbi and her late husband Ernie met in Chicago, Illinois, while she was training to be a nurse. Ernie was a missionary with God’s Invasion Army. They were accepted as missionaries with Rural Bible Crusade before their wedding in 1957. They moved to Canada in 1969 to do church planting and were accepted as InterAct missionaries in 1984. They have four grown children. Since Ernie’s home-going in November 2011, Barbi has been involved in member care for the Canada field, focusing on prayer needs for the Canada staff and their ministries.
Canada
Greg & Laura Hamilton
BIRTHDAYS
Greg: March 21
Laura: March 19
ANNIVERSARY: May 1
Greg grew up in Delta, BC and Laura in western Montana. They met at Briercrest Bible College in Saskatchewan, and then Greg went on to complete his MBA. From 2000 to 2010, they served with North American Indigenous Ministries (NAIM) at Gladstone Mt. Gathering Grounds in southern Alberta, then transitioned to InterAct. Greg served with InterAct as Assistant Field Director for Canada for ten years, and the Hamiltons were involved with nearly every aspect of field work, including the EnGage! internship program. In February 2021, Greg stepped into the role of Field Director for Canada and now gives primary leadership for the personnel and strategy for the field. Laura administers the Vulnerable Sector Policy for the Canada Field and serves alongside Greg to supervise staff and coach interns in EnGage!
Canada
Dottie Kasten
BIRTHDAY January 25
Dottie met her husband Ellis while attending Grace College of the Bible in Omaha, Nebraska. They were married in 1964 and two weeks later participated in a missionary internship in Michigan. After serving two years in Ellis’ home church, they joined InterAct (then Arctic Missions) and went to Alaska in 1967, where they were involved in church planting in Ruby for two years and Tanana for two years. They then served in Cantwell for seven years, after which they took an educational furlough and immigrated to Canada. They served two years in Slave Lake, Alberta, and then directed the mission’s correspondence ministry for six years. They were church planters in Grande Prairie, Alberta, then Kamloops, B.C., where their ministry was to teach and equip the believers so they could have a strong local church. They have four adult children and eleven grandchildren. Ellis went to be with the Lord in October 2013. Dottie continues to minister as part of the Kamloops Native Fellowship.
Canada
Dan & Bev Mayerle
BIRTHDAYS
Dan: February 4
Bev: February 12
ANNIVERSARY: December 23
Dan and Bev Mayerle are both from Saskatchewan. He trained as an aircraft mechanic and she as a nurse. They volunteered to serve with the First Nations church in Calgary, Alberta and felt God leading them into full-time ministry with InterAct. Dan served from 2006-2021 as the Canada field director, with his responsibilities including coaching, resourcing and overseeing administration for existing ministries and missionaries. Bev coordinated the annual staff conference and served alongside Dan discipling and encouraging missionary staff. Dan is currently in the assistant field director role. The Mayerles plan to transition back into disciple making and church planting in Calgary’s First Nations community. They have a passion for encouraging and equipping the next generation to follow the Lord’s call into ministry.
Canada
Thomas & Nicole Olney
BIRTHDAYS
Thomas: February 15
Nicole: July 15
Abigail: January 31
Lily: February 12
Samuel: September 21
Ezra: December 6
ANNIVERSARY: October 1
Thomas and Nicole met at Prairie Bible Institute while studying in the aviation program and were married in 2011. Following a trip to Midway Bible Camp near Thompson, Manitoba, in the summer of 2016, they applied with InterAct Ministries. They currently serve in northern Manitoba with Midway Bible Camp during the summers and small group discipleship ministry with youth throughout the year. They are also involved with Berge Lake Bible Camp near Lynn Lake, Manitoba. Thomas and Nicole have four children. They desire to see relationships formed and deepened with the youth and to see them following the Lord.
Canada
Kyla Plett
BIRTHDAY February 1
Kyla grew up in a small town in southern Manitoba. She felt the call to be a missionary from a young age and attended Steinbach Bible College after high school to prepare for that calling. She currently lives and works out of Thompson, Manitoba, mainly leading and discipling youth. She loves building relationships with people and seeing them grow into a deeper relationship with God. She also works with the training program for younger teens that wish to work at Midway Bible Camp.
Canada
Byron & Danielle Sayer
BIRTHDAYS
Byron: April 29
Danielle: February 26
Teagan: January 28
Kadence: May 4
Hayden: May 31
Daman: March 19
ANNIVERSARY: August 24
Byron and Danielle grew up in rural Alberta and met while counseling at a camp in northern Saskatchewan. They currently live in Kamloops, BC, where they serve in the Kamloops Native Fellowship. They lead the youth ministry, preaching and building relationships with young adults. The Sayers use their background in recreation and heart for First Nations youth and children to minister to them and point them to Christ. The Sayers have four children.
Canada
Stefan & Kaitlyn Schulz
Stefan and Kaitlyn, along with their son, live in Calgary, AB. They are part of a team journeying alongside the Indigenous community. They have a heart to learn what it means to walk well with their Indigenous neighbors. Their team offers work opportunities, mentorship and youth drop-in for Indigenous young adults in and around the city.
Canada
David & Vicky Sebald
BIRTHDAYS
David: March 9
Vicky: April 17
Ellery: July 22
Micaiah: November 3
Alena: October 2
ANNIVERSARY: July 12
David and Vicky grew up in Asia and met at school in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. They have three children. They spent two summers in Eden Valley, AB, with InterAct’s EnGage! internship program in 2012 and 2017. David and Vicky now work as part of the Urban Fire Communities team, launching discipleship homes and workplaces in Calgary and volunteering with youth groups on surrounding reserves.
Canada
Morgan & Krista Serger
BIRTHDAYS
Morgan: January 12
Krista: June 18
Obadiah: December 8
Enoch: May 20
Amos: November 1
Hannah: May 5
Isaiah: October 23
ANNIVERSARY: June 11
Morgan and Krista grew up in the same church and served in music and children’s ministries. They took an interest in each other when Morgan attended the University of Manitoba to be a teacher, and Krista was in grade twelve in high school. They were married in 2005. After completing his bachelor of education in 2007, Morgan and Krista moved to Thompson, Manitoba, where they volunteered at Midway Bible Camp, and Morgan taught grade three in the public school. Two years later, in 2009, they joined Midway Christian Leadership (formerly known as Continental Mission) as full-time missionaries, working as the camp director and then as general director of the mission until the organization merged with InterAct in 2016. They live in York Landing, Manitoba, a Cree community with their five children. Morgan is the principal of a school on the reserve, works with the local church, and is involved with the ministry of Midway Bible Camp during the summer.
Canada
Valen & Carol Straley
BIRTHDAYS
Valen: October 29
Carol: December 9
ANNIVERSARY: July 20
Carol and Valen met when they attended White River High school in Buckley, Washington. After graduation, Carol went to Dental Assistant training school, and Valen attended Prairie Bible Institute. Carol and Valen were married in 1974, and they returned to Prairie in 1975. While there, they felt God calling them to full-time service. God used many circumstances in their lives to eventually lead them to InterAct Ministries in 1987 as missionaries to the First Nation peoples of Canada. They worked for ten years in North Battleford, SK, where they discipled Native believers and helped establish an indigenous church. In 1998 they moved to Kamloops, BC to work with the Kamloops Native Fellowship with the desire to see strong believers and families who will take on the leadership of the church. They have two children and three grandchildren.
Canada
John & Tracey Tobin
BIRTHDAYS
JOHN: JANUARY 22
TRACEY: JANUARY 17
ANNIVERSARY: JUNE 24
John and Tracey grew up in Pennsylvania and Ontario and met at Moody Bible Institute in Illinois, where they learned about the needs of the East Indian Sikhs of Canada. After spending a summer ministering to Sikhs, they joined InterAct in 1994 and began a church-planting ministry among them in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. John partners with the Indo-Canadian Christian Fellowship in Abbotsford, BC. He spends some of his time with Punjabi men who are in the clutches of addiction. Tracey builds relationships with Punjabi woman ministers to them.
Canada
Boris & Mirka Vyskocil
BIRTHDAYS
Boris: August 19
Mirka: July 4
ANNIVERSARY: December 21
Boris and Mirka were born in Slovakia, raised in Christian homes and met as young children long before marriage. Boris accepted the Lord at age thirty-seven and Mirka at fourteen. After immigrating to Canada, they began to get involved with ministry to First Nations people. In April 2001, they began ministry on the Moreley Reserve 55 km west of Calgary. As “tentmakers,” they help cover services in the local church, visit people and share the gospel in their homes, conduct VBS and wellness programs, wake and funeral services, cooking classes, and other activities throughout the year.
Canada
Brooke Wortham
BIRTHDAY July 21
Brooke was born and raised in northeast Georgia and loves the outdoors. She studied at Toccoa Falls College and graduated with a degree in Cross-Cultural Studies in 2015. She participated in the EnGage! internship program in 2014 and knew that God was leading her into full-time First Nations ministry. Brooke’s vision is to help indigenous young adults experience whole-life healing and reconciliation through developing strong and healthy relationships with God, people, and themselves. In 2021, she joined the Urban Fire team in Calgary, Alberta, to live in a whole-life discipleship ministry to fulfill that vision.