United Methodist Global Ministries missionaries Rev. Jonathan McCurley (serving Japan) and Rev. Dexter Ceballos (serving Mongolia) visited United Methodist congregations in the Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Annual Conference in February and told inspiring stories about how God is transforming lives in those nations. First UMC of Arlington Heights, Our Redeemer’s UMC in Schaumburg, Our Saviour’s UMC in Schaumburg, Christ UMC in Rockford, and Morgan Park UMC in Chicago hosted the missionaries in Northern Illinois.

Rev. Jonathan McCurley (serving Japan) speaking at Rockford: Christ UMC

Rev. McCurley, an elder in the Florida Annual Conference, works as a chaplain at the Asian Rural Institute in the Tochigi District. This ecumenical ministry seeks to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world in which all people can live to their fullest potential.

Rooted in the love of Jesus Christ, it trains rural leaders for grass-roots work in communities primarily in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific region. It emphasizes sustainable agriculture, sound ecological practices, leadership development, and community development. Since 1973, ARI has trained over 1,300 women and men from nearly 60 countries throughout Asia and Africa.

Rev. Dexter Ceballos (serving Mongolia)

Rev. Dexter Ceballos has been serving as the country director of the United Methodist Mission in Mongolia for two years. Dexter is an elder in the Southern Tagalog Provisional Philippines Annual Conference East. The Mongolia Mission Initiative, where Dexter is assigned, continues to progress steadily, especially in the areas of congregational and leadership development, Christian education, and social ministries. Initiative leaders envision a strong, vibrant, and witnessing church in Mongolia, and the role of the country director is crucial in realizing this vision.

In and around Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, are two children’s ministry centers, a detention ministry, a hospice ministry, and 12 United Methodist churches. Two of these congregations, with memberships exceeding 200, serve local communities through various outreach ministries, including after-school programs for children. A major characteristic of United Methodist mission in Mongolia is the large number of highly educated young adults in the church. They play significant leadership roles in developing and expanding the church’s ministries. One of Dexter’s responsibilities is to teach Wesleyan studies at Mongolia Trinity Bible College, where most of the country’s future UMC pastors are trained.

If you are interested having a missionary visiting your church when they are visiting the NIC, please reach out to Rev. Shirley Pulgar-Hughes, NIC Secretary of Global Ministries.