Casey Bishop

President

God has quietly been calling Casey and Lesli Bishop into full-time mission work for some time. The stirrings began with Lesli. With a soft heart for orphans, she has served in Africa, Austria and India through the years. Casey indulged her passion “Letting me go just to keep me quiet,” laughs Lesli, but had little interest in such work himself. “I thought parenting and making money for the family was the way to go,” he remarked. The first outreach they shared was in 1999 through Missions Ministries. “We were both excited,” remembers Lesli, “to find something that could include our sons, Cole (10), Tanner (8) and Weston (6).” A Spanish speaker, Casey was able to bond with Leo Pineda in a powerful way during the Bishops' eventual three visits to Juarez. “Missions Ministries tendered my heart”, observes Casey. Then Lesli insisted we take the Perspectives class, which added conviction and confirmation.” Now in oneness, the Bishops pursued a chance to run an orphanage in Africa. They visited, they trained, they packed. Then, abruptly, the plan stalled. “It was so frustrating,” says Lesli. “From October to February, I chafed at the whole thing, grieving what we thought was our appointment from God.” Much slower came understanding. “I think God used all our Africa preparation to primarily teach me,” confesses Lesli. “I was the one, not Casey, that needed to be turned inside out. I was caught in the lie that all my boundless energy was never enough. My global passions were pulling me away from my first priority: family. God has since quieted my heart. That gave Casey the room to step up and discover Missions Ministries himself as the best fit for us.” Amidst this revelation, two-year-old Catherine arrived from Kazakstan. “Instead of my serving many orphans in Africa, God gave me one of my very own,” muses Lesli. “Adopting Olly was the solidifying piece."

Chris Henshaw

Operations Manager

After many years of sucess in the custom home builing market in the Denver area, God called Chris to serve full time with Missions Ministries. Chris has been involved in the ministry since the late 1990's both as a team leader and participant. His wife Rosina, a Missions Ministries Board member, and he have two wonderful children, Joel and Marina.

We’re delighted to report that Bill Orange, a long time friend of MM, is now on staff. Bill will serve as caretaker/security guard of our ministry complex, now taking shape in the heart of the colonias. His call to Juarez was clear after a 3-month trial run last spring. "I was never so warmly welcomed in my life." Says Bill with a grin. Not that this was his first time across the border. In eight years, he’s made ten trips, building houses for others and building a missionary’s heart in himself.

"I was hooked right away. The Mexicans don’t have much, but they’re the happiest people I’ve ever seen. It’s so great to give them some tangible gift in return. And on your return, you find you have nothing to complain about in your own life." One pale-looking "Mexican" named Ed Bullis made a big impression on Bill. "Ed’s been my mentor for years, without even knowing it!. He always has a listening ear and has proven to be a great friend and advisor." Nevertheless, when Ed first proposed this job 2 years ago, Bill’s knee-jerk reaction was "No way!" "I’m single and 45 years old. Why would I want to live in the middle of nowhere, not knowing a soul? Add to that a lot of fear." But he told Ed he’d pray about it and he faithfully did. And, glory be, God moved! "I can see His plan in it all now." Says Bill. "What he’s done in me and with me and through me over the last two years. It’s exciting!" Bill also had a million details to iron out in transferring his life from here to there. Low and behold, God showed up again. "He worked it all out better than I could have ever planned." That’s confirmation. That’s peace. Reducing his personal possessions dramatically "it was kind of cleansing!", Bill moves down at summer’s end, just in time to greet a large men’s group who built our team center’s common area dining hall.

Deb Wall

Team Coordinator

Committed, caring and capable..that’s Deb Wall, our Team Coordinator.  She is the friendly voice that answers the phone, the competent hand that manages the details of getting a team informed, organized and transported to sunny Juarez, and is the mind that keeps our financial "p’s and q’s" in good order in the ledger. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Deb joined us in 2000 as our accountant. She worked in that role for 2-1/2 years before taking on additional duties. Deb loves the vital minutiae that keeps our office humming, but also wants to put her heart where her head is. Hence, she’s traveled to Juarez many times, accompanied by her husband, Gary, and 2 daughters, Laura and Lindsay. "It makes my work that much more meaningful to see firsthand how Missions Ministries is helping," remarks Deb.

Marilynn Deines