Around the World
Creating a Safety Net
Most boys at the juvenile prison where we minister have lived on the streets with no one to care for them.
These boys, boys as young as twelve years of age and up through age eighteen, have endured abuse, suffered from drug addiction, and gone without any formal education. Our hearts go out to them. We pour out as much love as we can on them every week holding Bible studies, leading worship, playing games, and enjoying meals together. The time we get to spend with them is making a huge impact on their lives. Three of the boys feel a calling to become pastors. Others want to become Christian leaders in other areas. Yet sadly, a lot of these boys are afraid to be released from prison because that means going back to the same environment that led them to where they are. It has been our dream and prayer to provide a safe place for these precious young boys when they are released from prison.
Our dream is finally coming to fruition. God opened up an incredible opportunity in November of 2019 for us to purchase a property in Nogales, Mexico, that we can use as a safe house for the boys when they are released. This property comes with a four-bedroom house and a large, partially constructed building behind the house. Once finished, it will have a living quarters complete with bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. There is room on the property to build a community center that can be used to hold Bible studies, church services, and community outreaches.
In addition, God has provided just the right house parents, Jaime and Mary Fuentes.
Jaime and Mary’s Story
Jaime and Mary Fuentes are no strangers to troubled backgrounds. We met Mary in 2012 at a prison Bible study we hold each week at a women’s prison. When Mary was just six years old, her father kidnapped her. She never got to know her mother. Then when she was just 14 years of age, Mary’s father died in an accident. She thought, “Why me? Why my dad?”
Four years later Mary met Jaime, who would become her husband. He was working as a drug dealer, and Mary became his top helper. She enjoyed the comforts of having nice clothing, cars, jewelry, and a house. The couple became parents to three beautiful children. As time went on, Mary started using drugs herself and became an addict. Christians would come to the house, but Mary always rejected them because she thought that if God truly loved her, her dad would still be alive. Even though she loved her children, she was afraid to change.
When Jaime was 13 years old, his father abandoned the family and Jaime became the father figure to his seven siblings. His family needed more income so Jaime decided to go to Nogales, Arizona, to look for a better job to help out his mom. That’s when he became a drug dealer. While running drugs back and forth from Mexico to the U.S., he ended up in jail for the first time. After his release he returned to running drugs and made lots of money, but soon he started using the drugs he was selling. He was 31 years old when he met Mary.
It wasn’t long before federal officers caught up with Jaime. He was jailed and soon deported. The couple lost everything and landed in Nogales, Mexico. Mary prayed God would do a miracle in her life. Although it was very difficult, both she and Jaime quit doing drugs and moved back to the U.S. with their five children.
Jaime found a legitimate job, enabling him to afford a house and cars. Nonetheless, in 2007 the family was deported and lost everything again. Now with six children, Jaime and Mary felt hopeless. Life in Mexico is hard, especially with six kids. When it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, on October 11, 2011, Mary was falsely accused of a crime and landed in prison. Jaime was forced to take over both dad and mom duties. It was not easy, as they were living in an abandoned house with dirt floors. The house had been gutted and had no electricity or water. There were no windows, doors, bathrooms, or kitchen.
Even though it seemed that their situation was hopeless, God answered Mary’s prayer for a miracle. That miracle occurred the day we met Mary at the prison and she accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. She was baptized in the women’s prison! We prayed with her for her freedom, and she was released from prison five months later.
When Mary told Jaime she had accepted Jesus as her Savior and that she met some missionaries who were going to help them, Jaime didn’t believe her. No one had ever done anything that nice for them.
We were happy to help the family get their lives in order, but then their son Isaias became very ill. He technically died, but God revived him and gave him his life back. That miracle really struck Mary.
Even so, the Fuentes family had their new-found faith tested. In 2014, during Isaias’s continued struggle with lung problems and seizures, Mary found out that after being cancer free for seven years, her leukemia had returned. She had to take a bus to and from her four-hour chemotherapy sessions. Jaime was left to tend to Isaias’s serious health issues and care for their other kids as Mary was not able to. Yet the couple stayed committed to God and relied on Him to heal both Isaias and Mary. In the midst of their struggles, they asked us if they could serve in ministry alongside us. They remained faithful, continued to seek God, and eventually became part of our ministry team, God is on the Move.
Now Jaime ministers with us at the boys’ prison every Thursday. He even helps us baptize them. He understands the young men, having himself experienced drug addiction and life in prison. His advice carries great weight.
Jaime said, “God has made me into a new creature that is thirsty for His Word. He made me a man, a father, a husband, and He gave me a new life full of love. My father abandoned me when I was young, but God, my heavenly Father, has never left me.”
Mary has been cancer free since November 2017. She serves and ministers weekly to the women who are in the same prison where she herself was once incarcerated. She reflected on her journey:
These missionaries didn’t care who we were or what we had done. They came and showed us love and helped us like no one else did. They showed us God’s love has no boundaries. God brought my youngest son, Isaias, back from the dead. Only He could do that. After I accepted Jesus as my Savior, He changed my life from a life of pain, sadness, hopelessness, and drugs into that of a happily baptized, married woman with six wonderful kids. Now God rules my life and I am the happiest I have ever been. I know God gave His only Son for me and that He loves us no matter who or what we are.“
About the Author
Bill and Fayth McConnell (far right) are Open Bible missionaries to Northern Mexico. Click here if you would like to learn more about their ministry or to support their ministry.
On October 31 – November 5, 2025, Japan Open Bible Churches celebrated their seventieth anniversary. Global Missions Director Vince and Lois McCarty, Open Bible President Michael and Julie Nortune and I were honored to join them for this celebratory occasion.
My own connection with Japan goes back to my twenty-third birthday when I boarded a plane to Kobe with two suitcases, only five words in my Japanese vocabulary, and a heart full of missionary zeal. During my six years there, the Japanese church shaped me deeply as both a missionary and a person. When I left Japan thirty-six years ago, I left a piece of my heart. Joining them again to celebrate seventy years brought me real joy!
When I left Japan thirty-six years ago, I left a piece of my heart.
Japan Open Bible has become a true partner in ministry with Open Bible Churches globally, a partnership especially visible across Asia. The anniversary celebration honored the legacy of Japan Open Bible missionaries and the heritage of churches they planted while also affirming the importance of today’s smaller, community-based congregations. We visited, preached in, and celebrated with churches and pastors in both eastern and western Japan.
Japan’s geographical isolation and a 250-year ban on Christian missions in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries gave Japan a reputation as “the missionaries’ graveyard.” Yet, after World War II some US veterans, having seen the spiritual vacuum in Japan, returned as carriers of the hope of the Gospel. The Jake Collins, Eddie Carnes, and Phil Rounds families were among the first in the 1950s era to be sent by Open Bible Churches.
From a handful of missionaries and new believers in the early years to a network of Open Bible Churches across Japan today, God’s presence has been a steady flame of hope in the darkness.
From a handful of missionaries and new believers in the early years to a network of Open Bible Churches across Japan today, God’s presence has been a steady flame of hope in the darkness. Even though fewer than one percent of Japanese identify as Christian, today across Japan we see our churches, large and small, alive with joy and power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the early converts, now ninety-year-old Yaeko Yoshinaga, is likely the oldest surviving member of those first Japan Open Bible congregations. As an eighteen-year-old, she lived with the Rounds family helping in the home. She loved their children and learned to love potatoes (more than rice) as they did, but even more, came to faith in Jesus Christ.
Yaeko says, “I would not have believed in Jesus if I had not met Mr. Rounds, the missionary.“ She and her husband later pastored for 45 years, and today her son and wife pastor the flourishing church. Decades later, the flame of God’s love still burns brightly in Yaeko sensei. Her love, joy, humility, and faith impact every generation in the church. She remains a powerful reminder of how one relationship can change the direction of an entire life.
Pastor Yoshio Ishikawa told me the story of how he came to Jesus as a young boy. In the late 1960s, ten-year-old Yoshio’s family lived near an Open Bible Church in the Sumida neighborhood of Tokyo. He recalls, “When I was ten, I saw a TV drama about an incurable disease. It scared me, and without really knowing why, I walked into the church in my neighborhood that I had passed by many times. That church was Sumida Open Bible – the church I now pastor.”
Today, Pastor Ishikawa uses his talent as a skilled musician to reach people in new, non-traditional ways. He teaches a group ukulele class as a bridge to the gospel. Students learn to play the ukulele, then hear a teaching from the Bible and join in prayer. Other approaches, like book clubs, English lessons, and choirs, give churches relational ways to connect and open doors for evangelism.
In fact, many “unconventional” forms of evangelism are used to touch lives in churches in Japan. Often, churches and Christians invest years building trust and relationships before someone decides to follow Jesus. In my own experience, I saw that converts under my ministry were often a result of groundwork laid by others before me.
Looking ahead, Japan Open Bible embraces a bold vision: to plant ten new churches throughout the country in the next decade. I, for one, believe it can happen! God has not abandoned Japan. The hope of the Gospel that the missionaries brought with them back in the 1950s continues to burn brightly in our brothers and sisters of Japan Open Bible. May God fan that flame as they carry His hope across the country in ways we have not yet imagined!
As I leave Japan once again, I reflect and am grateful to have shared in the celebrations of what God has done, excitedly anticipating what He will do next!
Listen to Yaeko Yoshinaga’s testimony:
About the Author
Tammy Swailes is passionate about cross-cultural Christian education, so working with INSTE Bible College to disciple and equip leaders throughout Europe and beyond is a great fit! Tammy has lived in Europe since 1999 – first in Hungary and now Ukraine. Before that, she was in Japan, as well as Spokane, Washington. She now serves as INSTE regional director in Europe, assisting INSTE programs in five languages. Tammy has her undergraduate degrees in both Missions and Christian Education and a MA in Intercultural Studies. Photography, good coffee, multi-cultural experiences, and the family’s Yorkie are some of Tammy’s favorite things.
Around the World
Hope Rising in Venezuela: How Open Bible Churches are Transforming a Nation Through Faith and Compassion
Despite Venezuela’s fifteen-year ongoing humanitarian crisis, with nearly seventy percent of the population enduring multi-tiered poverty and almost half facing severe humanitarian needs, a movement of hope has unfolded in Open Bible Churches. Across the country, Open Bible is not only responding to urgent physical needs but is also nurturing a generation of believers in faith and service to stabilize Venezuela’s future.
Open Bible is not only responding to urgent physical needs but is also nurturing a generation of believers in faith and service to stabilize Venezuela’s future.
Church soup kitchens have long ministered beyond their walls to ensure that vulnerable children receive a hot meal. They also see that families receive food supplies, clothing, and shoes, bringing tangible relief to their neighborhoods. The Church has also stepped in where public services falter through medical outreaches – with eye exams, vaccinations, and even free haircuts. Through these initiatives, a vibrant children and youth ministry has emerged. The youth are not just recipients of aid but have become leaders, actively involved in church life – in worship, evangelism, and home groups.
Often, children and youth have no Christian family support and are the only believers in their homes. Many were left with relatives when their parents went to nearby countries in search of a better life. So, the church teaches and empowers youth to grow spiritually and practically. These “little-big giants” are proving to be a wave of hope as they grow “in wisdom and stature, and favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
Venezuela’s church is resilient, reinventing itself to meet the social, spiritual, and familial challenges with creativity
Over the years, events like the “Good News Festival” have sparked revival, resulting in Open Bible church plants. This festival, focused on children, reflects God’s heart for the youngest and most vulnerable, and brings new life and whole communities into faith. It is not unusual for entire families to be brought to Christ through their children.
Despite the widespread emigration of many adults, Venezuela’s church is resilient, reinventing itself to meet the social, spiritual, and familial challenges with creativity and, above all, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our Open Bible brothers and sisters in Venezuela demonstrate how the Church can thrive despite adversity by living out Jesus’ command to love our neighbors, serve the least, and disciple this generation. Through continued partnership and prayer, we look forward to seeing Venezuela transformed by the hope, faith, and love found in Jesus. If you’d like to support our Open Bible family in Venezuela as they share Christ’s love and serve those in greatest need, please send a check to:
| Open Bible Churches 2020 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50315 | Make checks payable to Global Missions of Open Bible Churches and write “Venezuela humanitarian aid” in the memo line. |
Thank you for partnering with us to extend Christ’s love and mercy in Venezuela.
About the Author
Tammy Swailes is passionate about cross-cultural Christian education, so working with INSTE Bible College to disciple and equip leaders throughout Europe and beyond is a great fit! Tammy has lived in Europe since 1999 – first in Hungary and now Ukraine. Before that, she was in Japan, as well as Spokane, Washington. She now serves as INSTE regional director in Europe, assisting INSTE programs in five languages. Tammy has her undergraduate degrees in both Missions and Christian Education and a MA in Intercultural Studies. Photography, good coffee, multi-cultural experiences, and the family’s Yorkie are some of Tammy’s favorite things.
One of wonderful things I get to do as Executive Director of Global Missions is discover new missionary candidates. God is still calling young people to be missionaries, the “sent out” ones. We are always looking for those who are called to help us reach the unreached people of the world with the gospel of Christ.
In today’s culture with high-tech technology, advanced communication, and even AI, we have a special need for young men and women who are able to respond to the Great Commission and spread the gospel in today’s context.
For this reason, we are excited to announce the appointment of our two newest missionaries, both of whom were presented at our recent national convention in Kissimmee, Florida.
McKendre Veenstra has been appointed to serve as a missionary in Japan. The leaders of Open Bible Churches in Japan have long desired to have a missionary come to teach English, not only as a means of learning the language but also as a tool for evangelism. In addition to teaching English, McKendre will also be using his God-given talents to assist our churches in Japan with worship and youth ministries. This collaboration between Global Missions of Open Bible Churches and Japan Open Bible Churches is a great effort to work together to reach the Japanese people with the gospel of Christ.
McKendre is currently itinerating in the Central Region to raise his support and hopes to go to Japan in fall of 2025. Thank you for your prayers and support! Donate to McKendre here.
Zac Anderson will be serving alongside the directors and staff of Puente de Amistad in Tijuana, Mexico. He will be leading teams and supporting existing ministries and churches in their work to reach the youth of Tijuana. Since 2010, Zac has impacted the lives of thousands of children throughout the Ohio region and around the world. His life verse is Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (NIV).
Zac shares, “I know what it’s like to be ignored and feel unloved. My goal is to be the person someone feels comfortable talking to who will point them toward the Savior who changed my life.”
Zac will be itinerating in the Open Bible East Region in fall of 2025 and plans to move to Tijuana, Mexico, in January 2026. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Donate to Zac here.
God is still calling young people to be missionaries, the “sent out” ones.
Please pray for the Lord to anoint and bless McKendre and Zac as they begin their ministry overseas. We are expecting God to do great things through their lives and ministry as they obey God’s calling.
Vince McCarty serves as the Executive Director of Global Missions, giving oversight to Open Bible’s work in 55 countries of the world. He is thankful for the great missionary staff and all the national leaders he has the opportunity to serve with. He would like us to remember that the Great Commission is too big for anyone to accomplish alone and too important not to try to do together.
