meet the team.

i thought it might be fun for you to see a bit of the demographics of the team God has brought together for this addis '09 trip. it is such a diverse and unique group. i also thought that this may be handy reference for those of you who are praying for our team - now you have everyone's name! so, straight from the mouth's of our team members....

Holly Garrett (one of two Americans on LIA staff who is going with us...HOORAY!) - I love to write and share God stories.  I also love to travel, run, and have a passion for missions and advocating for the poor.  I joined the staff of LIA in September of 2008.

Jan Hansen (team leader) - My heart was captured by Africa in 1992 when I visited David and Linda Giles where they served as missionaries for Christian Missionary Fellowship. The people, the culture, the amazing wildlife, but more than anything, the work that God is doing in the hearts of people. We must GO and be MOVED. This will be my 3rd trip to Africa. My other loves, my husband, Doug, being a good Momma and Nana to Lindsay, Allison, Rich, Grace, Cole and Camryn. Singing praises to our God!!

Doug Hansen - age 55; attorney/consultant; married to Jan, who is also on the team. This will the second trip to Ethiopia for Jan and me. I am privileged to serve on the Board of Directors for LIA-USA, so I have frequent opportunities to read about the incredible impact that LIA is making in eastern Africa, but reading about it doesn’t compare to the experience of seeing the work in person. My interests start with our grandkids, our daughters, and various sports interests. Living in Kansas City and being a sports fan, I am pretty familiar with suffering!

Lana Davis (team co-leader)- age 52--do you have to say that I still feel 35!! Occupation is serving at Urban Scholastic Center as mentor and food coordinator; MOPS coordinator; Extention Ministries team at CRCC. Interests include loving on kids and moms, being a loving wife to Gary, visiting college student son Matt in AZ and married son Tom and family in Boston, and spending time with daughter Angie in KC. Childhood dream was to be a missionary in Africa - finally at 52 it will come true and I am sure I will have a hard time leaving all we meet there. Prayer request - that I fall in love with those we serve in Ethiopia and am able to serve LIA in years to come in the name of Jesus.


Katie Reaser - Wife to Dennis for 17 years, mother to Trevor, 13, Masie, 10, Emma, 7, and Carter, 5. This is my first missions trip and I am so excited!

John Duma - 52 years old - criminal defense attorney, elder in church, married to Bonnie, two children Megan age 27, and Michael age 25. Looking forward to the Ethiopian trip to open myself up to God using me in a different way.

Bonnie Duma - a farm girl, turned "City", from Belleville, Kansas. Married to John for 32 years. Two GREAT grown children, Megan and Michael. Has worked as a "Med Tech" @ Shawnee Mission Med Center for 28 years!  Loves flowers and gardening.

Amber Bailey - I'm 28, well I guess I'll be 29 about half way through the trip, and I work at an upscale women's clothing store on the Plaza called Anthropologie. I feel like Anthropologie is my mission field for now. However, someday I feel like the Lord will call me to overseas missions, which is kind of a miracle considering that about 4 years ago I had no desire to ever travel overseas even on vacation. This will be my second mission trip overseas, and I would love for people to be praying that the Lord will give me wisdom and compassion through his sprit.

Peggy Beddall - If gray hairs signify a crown of wisdom, then Peggy might be really wise ... but in all likelihood it just means that she's older than anyone else on the team! At 56 yo, Peggy it just hitting her prime in life and in her faith walk. This trip is merely a part of the great adventure she began with God about 22 years ago when she gave her life to Christ! She finds herself currently serving in two areas at Cedar Ridge ... Worship Arts, production and Women's Ministry, director/Bible study leader. She also had the opportunity to co-lead MAD Camp, Music/Arts/Drama for elementary age, this past summer. Not currently working, Peggy spends most of her time volunteering at CRCC in various roles and also for the Olathe Fire Department as part of their Fire Safety Characterization Team (that's just a fancy way of saying "Clowns")! Married to Ben for 32 years, they are figuring out this "second half of life" and continue to be amazed at God's work in them and through them. They have two sons, Jason and John, one daughter-in-love, Marcia (married to Jason), and one beautiful granddaughter, Kaitlin! Peggy is eager see what God has planned for this part of their adventure together and is humbled by the opportunity to serve through Life in Abundance!

Dustin & Hannah Padget - Married for just over a year, we are the newlyweds on the trip. Dustin works as an engineer, and Hannah is finishing up her last couple months at Paul Mitchell Cosmetology school. We also serve with the youth group at Cedar Ridge. We are so excited for this journey. We have always been interested in Africa and are really excited to see the work God i doing thee through this awesome organization. We're pretty stocked to see how God will shape us.

Allyson Cheney - 31 year old wife to the greatest husband on earth, and mom to three little ones (5, 3, and 1). I love to sing, photograph, run, talk with people, laugh. Praying that God will free me from any anxiety about my children/family back home so that I can focus on the work He has set before me in Ethiopia. Praying that God will pour love over my family during my absence in ways I could not match, and that He will use this experience to draw myself and others closer to Him.

Jeff Prince - works at Garmin doing technical support for dealers - mainly helping installers put our Marine devices into larger boats. He is married to Leanne and they have a baby daughter Lainey who was born last March. Leanne is a 2nd grade teacher at Rising Star Elementary in Lenexa. I have been on a few mission trips, World Changers in Texas, fixing up the Christian dorms at the University of Hawaii, and some random trips to help the less fortunate.

Julie Smale - Age: 24.
Current City: Louisville KY. Current Job: Missions Admin Assistant at Northside CC in New Albany, Indiana.
I am: just a child of God, following His requests.
I love: traveling to see God's projects- missions around the world, music, family, friends, baseball, cheesecake, playing with children, rain, snow and stars, swings and being outside, and kittens.
I don’t like: scary movies, bees, blow drying my hair, alarm clocks, tunnels, parking garages, or automatic transmissions.
I know: I was made to serve. I have been able to go to multiple countries and serve God in serving others. I have also been able to help where I can here in Kentucky. I got to go to Ethiopia back in February. That trip (just like the others in their own ways) changed my life. To see lives being changed for Christ... there is nothing better! We went to bless, serve and support the missionaries. But what happened was they blessed us beyond even what we could see. They have such a servant's heart and am so very excited to go back and learn more from them!
I will: try to make you laugh, share (as extensively as you allow) about any trip, talk your ear off about Poland (my 2nd home), try to take home children,  get giddy as a little girl as we get closer to E... and cry as we are leaving.
I am: nothing without my Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing would be possible without him. In him, I find life.

Erin Woodward -  I am excited to be leaving behind all that is comfortable, and journey into a great adventure being lead by our savior Jesus Christ. Traveling to Ethiopia will be a wonderful experience! I am very excited to be a team member on this missions trip. You can find me mostly in the kitchen cooking, and seeking out new restaurants around town.

And a few final thoughts from Jan....

"As we get into this phase of “packing our bags” I just wanted to share something for us to reflect on/ponder and KNOW. You may be asking “Why would God want me to be on this team? Why did God call me on this trip? Was it all of your giftedness? Was it your ministry experience? Was it your speaking, musical, theatrical, or construction abilities? Perhaps it was your theological training?
You can be sure that the primary reason you are called to this trip is not any one of those abilities. Your primary qualifications are that God has deposited His presence within your heart and your life, and that you have made yourself available to Him. You may also have some of those other abilities and experiences, and God will use them, but God’s passion is for nations to be drawn to HIM. God wants to exhibit Himself to the people in Ethiopia and the (airports and planes on the way) and He will use an available servant like you, JUST AS YOU ARE.” Prayer: “Father, thank You that before I was born, You knew me and knew my life circumstances. You set me apart for Your purposes, and I am responding to this stirring that You put in my heart to go to the mission field. Because taking the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is Your idea, I resist all temptation to focus on my personal limitations, nor do I care what others who know me might think. I am Your servant, and I trust You and Your call on my life.”

One week from right now, we will be in the air!!! More soon....

Peace...

(by Allyson)