Missionary Spotlight: Katherine Clark | May 29, 2017

Missionary Spotlight Katherine Clark Meet Katherine Clark, one of our newest staff members. Katherine officially joined staff in January of this year as the Finance Coordinator in our Guatemala location after marrying Wayland Dietrich, one of our Guatemala Field Coordinators. INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. Hi friends! I graduated from Indiana University Southeast in 2015 with a dual concentration in Accounting and International Business and a Spanish minor. In my spare time, you can find me in my garden or at our local gym. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? I have always felt called to serve nonprofit organizations. My goal is to aid nonprofits with their finances, so in turn, they will be able to benefit more people. After meeting my husband, Wayland, I decided to participate in a Juárez, México Team Casas trip to ensure that I could dedicate my heart to the same ministry that he fell in love with. In 2016, I completed a three month finance apprenticeship in the El Paso office and moved down to Guatemala to serve in January of 2017. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? On a daily basis, I am reminded of the work God is doing. I see God in the teams coming to build, I see God in the families we serve, I see God in the pastors ministering to these families, and I see God in the missionaries at Casas. Specifically, I see God in the group of children that come to our house weekly to help me with my garden, learn English, and eat PB&Js. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? My biggest challenge is the feeling of isolation from being so far away from my family and friends in the States. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Please pray for the teams coming down to build in each of our locations. Pray for the families that are waiting to receive homes. Pray for the families that we have not reached out to yet. Pray for the missionaries and their families during this busy summer season. Pray for the pastors and their families. Pray for our local schools and partnerships. Pray for the entire communities we are serving. And pray for the direction and leadership of the ministry. For me personally, I ask you to pray for my new marriage, my new friendships, and my new role in this ministry.

SUPPORT KATHERINE SUBSCRIBE TO KATHERINE'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | The Stubblefield Family | December 5, 2016

Meet Donnie Stubblefield, his wife Leslie, and his children and grandchildren. Donnie has been leading teams on trips with Casas por Cristo for many years, but he officially joined staff this August to help us with team recruitment and development. His vision is to help Casas reach 1,000 homes a year by the year 2025. INTERVIEW WITH DONNIE STUBBLEFIELD 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. Growing up in Versailles, Missouri, my parents did not attend church. So I went to the Presbyterian, Methodist, Assembly of God, and Baptist churches with friends that invited me. I was baptized in the First Baptist Church of Versailles as a teen. One day in high school, a beautiful young girl from our rival town, Stover, walked into the fast food restaurant where I worked. When I was off of work that evening, she and I talked for three hours. At the end of the night, I asked her if she would be willing to go on dates with me Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. She said yes, and I knew right there that God wanted me to be Lutheran. Leslie and I married three years later. I ran the family lumber and hardware business, and she worked as a registered nurse. In 1994, I felt called to youth ministry and missions. In 1996 we began serving at St. John's Lutheran Church in Ellisville, Missouri. Then in 1997, I brought my church on our first mission trip with Casas por Cristo. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? Kristin Thomas [now Dr. Kristin Thomas Sohl] was a high school senior and asked me if we could do a faith building mission trip to Latin America. I had a Casas flyer from a conference, and I gave it to her and asked her to pray. She called Casas, and then we visited Juárez. We have been building relationships in Christ there for almost 20 years now. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? Mark 10:45 stands out as an answer when Jesus said, "the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve." I have witnessed the change in the lives of so many students and adults when they pass the Bible and the keys to the new home to a family living in poverty. The Holy Spirit moves faith from their head to their heart, and in that moment, they are blessed to realize how they are "Jesus with skin on" for that family and each other as they serve for His Glory. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? I want more people to experience how building houses builds disciples. So, my biggest challenge is getting the word out about what God is doing through Casas por Cristo for His people and His church! People hear Juárez, México, and they worry about the violence. I understand their concerns, but, the need for homes for families living in poverty is BIGGER than México. That is why Casas is in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and is looking to expand to 12 more countries! We are commanded to "go and make disciples." With 5,000 homes built so far, Casas is looking at over 22,000 people hearing the Truth and experiencing His Love! 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Pray for my family. We are all moving to the Southeast next year. My oldest son, Josh, and his wife, Taylor, are expecting twins in February in addition to their one year old son, Emerson. They live in Savannah, Georgia. Also, pray for my daughter, Chelsea, and her husband, Eric, with the sale of their home and moving their daughters to a new school and church. Pray for my youngest son, Nick, who is studying Engineering at NIU and for Leslie and I with the new chapter of missions and youth at Casas por Cristo.

SUPPORT THE STUBBLEFIELDS SUBSCRIBE TO DONNIE'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | The Dion Family | October 31, 2016

Meet Brigham Dion, his wife Jamie, and their beautiful girls, Caris and Calla. Brig joined staff this September as our new intern and volunteer manager. He will oversee our intern program across all our locations. He will also be laying out plans for recruiting, training, and spiritually guiding our interns before, during, and after their time serving with Casas por Cristo. We are excited to have him and his family join our Casas team. INTERVIEW WITH BRIGHAM DION 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. I grew up in a little town in Illinois called Carthage. I grew up going to church, and when I was entering into high school I gave my life to Christ. After going on a few mission trips, I decided I wanted to serve God through mission work. I attended Ozark Christian college for a couple of years, which led to an internship with Casas por Cristo in 2006. As an intern I met my wife, Jamie, and for nine years we served in youth ministry in Illinois before coming here. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? My first mission trip as a student was with Casas. I love seeing the tangible gift of a house being built up coupled with a very real message of God's love and grace. As an intern, I was given some of my first leadership responsibilities and opportunities. It showed me what kind of leader I could be. Now it is my honor to be in a position to help mold and shape future leaders for God's Kingdom as they come to be interns with us. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? I have seen God at work in the lives of those who have come down to build. I've had the privilege of witnessing the change that He makes in individuals' hearts and minds as they serve and then return home as different people. They've gained a new perspective and heart for God and those He loves. I've seen God at work in the staff here at Casas. They are people who have answered God's call on their lives and serve Him on a daily basis. I get to serve alongside men and women who are passionate about doing God's will and reaching out into their respective communities.   I've also seen God at work in those who are receiving homes. Their faith in the midst of trials and struggles humbles me. To see God's love and faithfulness validated for them as they receive a home is beyond words. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? The biggest challenge for me so far has been the learning curve that comes with a new ministry, new build design, learning Spanish, and moving to a new location. But with new challenges comes new opportunities to grow and for faith to be increased. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Please pray that God would use me to influence the lives of those who come to be interns with Casas. Pray that He would provide direction and that I would hear His voice.

SUPPORT THE DION FAMILY SUBSCRIBE TO BRIGHAM'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | Meet the Imhoffs | October 3, 2016

Missionary Spotlight The Imhoff Family Meet Josh Imhoff, his wife Katie, and their three children, Eli, Emi, and Bergan. Josh joined staff as the Project Manager just a few months ago to oversee the new building project at our headquarters in El Paso. He also leads home building projects for families in need in México, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. INTERVIEW WITH JOSH IMHOFF 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. Both Katie and I were born and raised near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I grew up in a small country town where I had plenty of time outdoors for hunting, fishing, and biking. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? When I came on my first trip back in 2010, I was struck by the intricate structure that Casas has. It empowered local pastors, it allowed the individual a glimpse of what God created us to do, and it met the need of a family by showing God's provision for them and His pursuit of them. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? Since I have only been here a short while, this is an ever changing one for me. I have a newfound fulfillment in what I do, even though what I am doing now is the same thing I did prior to Casas. It has also allowed me to connect with my family in a new way. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? Moving across the country, leaving behind my family and friends, and no longer having the businesses that I poured into for so many years have been the biggest challenges. Even though these were hard, they have turned into blessings. The sacrifice was totally worth it. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Please pray that as we are expecting a new baby we would be able to navigate the new challenges of being away from the comforts of home. Also, please pray that our house in Sioux Falls would sell and that God would continue to provide support so we can serve. Finally, please pray that I would continue to prioritize my family and make wise decisions as we work through the new building project.

SUPPORT THE IMHOFFS SUBSCRIBE TO JOSH'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | Wayland Dietrich | September 5, 2016

Missionary Spotlight Wayland Dietrich Meet Wayland Dietrich, missionary with Casas por Cristo. Wayland came on staff March 1, 2016 as a Guatemala Field Coordinator after serving with us for two summer internships. On top of leading teams through the home building process, Wayland also has several different responsibilities in Guatemala. First, he coordinates with different teams to ensure they have a great mission trip experience. In the spring, he works alongside the other Guatemala missionaries to scout every site that will be built during the summer. Also, from time to time he represents Casas por Cristo at conferences where he can share about the ministry. Lastly, this summer he has had the opportunity to manage the interns in Guatemala. INTERVIEW WITH WAYLAND 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. I grew up in a very small town in southern Indiana called Lexington. We were a farming family raising mostly beef cows. After high school I went to a small college in New Albany, Indiana. I left in 2013 to pursue my dream of overseas missions. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? I discovered Casas por Cristo through Northside Christian Church. I had been to Northside a few times during college and knew that they had a very active missions program. When I decided to follow my call to mission work, Northside was the first place I started to look. Coincidentally, they were preparing for a mission trip to Guatemala at that time. The words "construction" and "Guatemala" stood out to me, and I knew this was something I wanted to pursue, especially since I had grown up doing construction work and wanted to put my knowledge and skills to use. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? First, I have seen God through the people that come down to serve. I can see how God changes the perspective of their lives. It's hard to complain about not having the newest iPhone when you just built a house for a family living on a dirt floor. Second, I have seen God through the families we serve. It is difficult for them just to maintain what they have. Yet, their faith is so strong. They work very hard while they wait patiently for God to provide. Whenever we build a home for a family I can see how their faith grows exponentially. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? This summer, managing the interns has been a challenge. Being responsible for myself and my teams is hard enough. Add four more interns and up to four more teams on top of that, and it gets overwhelming sometimes. Being somewhat fresh out of the intern program myself and knowing what they are experiencing has helped me to be there for them. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Pray that God would continue to unfold His plan for my life. Ever since I began listening, I can see significant progress. Pray that I keep the ability to recognize where He is leading me. SUPPORT WAYLAND SUBSCRIBE TO WAYLAND'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | Nick Wille | August 8, 2016

Missionary Spotlight Nick Wille Meet Nick Wille, missionary with Casas por Cristo. Nick came on staff in 2016 as our Acuña Field Coordinator after serving with us for two summer internships. On top of leading teams through the home building process, Nick also scouts work sites, creates maps, and maintains the Casas facilities in Acuña. INTERVIEW WITH NICK 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, but I was born in Seoul, South Korea and was adopted when I was three years old. I love keeping up with sports (for sure the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues). I love working with my hands, and I have done a lot of woodworking in the past. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? I went on a Casas trip as a high school freshman and could not get the experience out of my mind. Before I started working with Casas por Cristo, I loved working with my hands and being able to create something. I also really enjoyed serving others and helping them in any way I could. My other favorite thing to do when I was back home was hang out with the high school students. They drove me crazy sometimes, but they were fired up about God and wanted to learn. Casas por Cristo combines all three of these passions, making it the perfect fit for me. 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? I've seen God in so many ways. I think the biggest thing I've seen from God is that He has given me so many opportunities to tell my story, which is actually His story. I had no control over the events of my life, and sometimes I felt like I was lost or misplaced, but God placed me exactly where he wants me to be able to do the work He has planned for me. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? The biggest challenge for me so far has been the language barrier. Learning a new language does not come easily to me, but I have been working to improve my Spanish. I am looking forward to spending four weeks studying Spanish in Guatemala. It has also been a challenge for me to be so far away from family and friends. But I am thankful for the other Casas staff and how they have taken me into their families. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Please pray that my faith continues to grow, that I develop more skills for working with teams, and that my Spanish becomes better. I would also ask people to pray that I would find friends and be able to build new relationships in Del Rio.

SUPPORT NICK SUBSCRIBE TO NICK'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | David Robertson

Meet David Robertson, missionary with Casas por Cristo. David came on staff in 2005 as our Executive Director after serving as a youth minister for fifteen years. He casts the vision for the future of our organization and makes sure the day to day operations are running smoothly at each of our locations. INTERVIEW WITH DAVID 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. I am a missionary's kid. My parents served as missionaries on the US/México border for 37 years. So mission work is in my blood. I met my wife, Rio, at the first church I served at in Midland, TX. She has made me better every day since then. From there, we went on to serve at churches in Weslaco, TX and Lubbock, TX. Our daughter, Taylor, was born while we were serving in South Texas. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? I had been running from the mission field my whole adult life. At all of the churches we served at, we helped make missions a priority by taking youth and adults on mission trips. We had the privilege of getting to help lead a number of trips for various other mission organizations. But I would never entertain the thought of serving in the mission field myself. I was asked to serve on the board of Casas, and within a few years knew that this is where God wanted me. I could not run any longer. I was so impressed with this ministry that organized and facilitated turn key trips. Teams were actually able to come in and give a family a real, tangible, and completed home. This screamed Matthew 25 to me. I knew that this is where God wanted me and my family, yet it still took the constant encouragement and push from my wife to get me to take the plunge. "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." - Matthew 25:34-36 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? I see God in the interaction between each team and family. I see God through team members' lives being radically changed because they offered themselves as His hands and feet for a week. I see God through the countless numbers of family members that encounter the love and grace of Jesus Christ for the very first time. I see God through the incredible unity that we have in our local pastors committees. I see God through pastors that are able to put their love for God and for the families in their communities above any denominational differences. I get to see God through the incredible team of missionaries that God has assembled here. I am always amazed by their service, sacrifice, and constant desire to know Him more. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? My biggest challenge has always been to get myself out of the way and let God's incredible plan move forward. The years of violence here in Juárez were very difficult for all of us, but through the challenges God grew this ministry to Acuña, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. Each expansion has presented its own challenges, but God has used each one to prepare us for future growth. 5. What are some things people should be praying for on your behalf? Specifically you can pray for our family. Our only child, Taylor, is heading off to college in the fall. This is going to be a new chapter for all of us. Pray that we all glorify God through this transition.   And as always, pray for Casas por Cristo. Pray that we would always follow God's plans and strategies rather than our own. Pray for those families that we don't even know about yet that God is going to reveal himself to through a team of volunteers, a local pastor, and the gift of a new home.

SEND DAVID A MESSAGE 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org

Missionary Spotlight | Jake White

Meet Jake White, missionary with Casas por Cristo. Jake came on staff in 2015 as one of our Juárez Field Coordinators after serving with us for two summer internships. Jake helped to develop the new model house plans for our Acuña location, and he makes sure all of our tool kits and nail crates are ready to go for each build. INTERVIEW WITH JAKE 1. Tell a little bit about yourself and where you're from. Hello! My name is Jake White. I am 24 years old. I grew up in Northeast Ohio. I will always have a deep love for Akron/Cleveland and all sports teams from that area. A year ago, I graduated from the University of Akron with my Bachelor's in Construction Engineering. Like I said, I love Ohio, but I knew God was preparing me to be sent out. I like to get dirty, work with my hands, travel, and be outside. I am into martial arts, backpacking, and occasionally mountain biking. I enjoy reading and playing guitar to relax in my downtime. The thing I want most for my life is to be most effectively used by the Lord for His purposes. 2. What made you choose to serve at Casas por Cristo? I came on my first trip with Casas por Cristo back in 2012 and fell in love with missions. I was asked about signing up for the intern program and decided to take that leap of faith. I ended up spending a life-changing summer in Guatemala. It was there that God showed me I was created for missionary life. I came back for a second internship and spent the summer here in Juárez, México. It was here that God showed me the eternal effect this ministry has in the lives of the people we serve as well as those we serve with. I was so sure that God wanted me here that it was as if he spoke directly to me. Not with words, but with the Spirit guiding my life. I applied to join staff that summer and moved down six days after graduating college. Life has been a whirlwind ever since, but I have God to cling to through it all! 3. How have you seen God through your ministry at Casas por Cristo? The short answer is that I have seen him in every way. I have seen Him in my life, my coworkers' lives, in the lives of our volunteers, and especially in the people we are privileged to serve. It seems like everyday something happens, and I think to myself, "What a God thing!" He is so abundant in our ministry that I never question if we are aligned with the Spirit or not. There is something so simple yet amazing about the way we serve people. We work, sweat, and hurt with the families we serve. It's not glamorous, but that's why I love it. Jesus got dirty to love us, and that's how we want to reach out to people. 4. What has been your biggest challenge so far? It was definitely tough to leave behind life as I knew it to move here and serve. My biggest struggle has just been finding myself in the midst of a new lifestyle. I am constantly learning more and more about how God has created me and gifted me. It's been a crazy transition from being a college student in Ohio to serving as a full time missionary down here in Juárez. I'm trying to forge a new life here, and fundraising isn't always the easiest thing either. 5. What are some things people can pray for on your behalf? I would love prayer that God would use me to show His love to the world and to glorify Him. I would also appreciate prayer that our ministry would continue to grow and reach the world. Lastly, pray that I would figure out this new lifestyle and get connected with the generous people I need to be able to stay here long term. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

DONATE SUBSCRIBE TO JAKE'S NEWSLETTER 915.778.0046 | questions@casasporcristo.org | casasporcristo.org