The McLaughlins

Eric and Rachel met in 2003 at the world famous Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, KY (held every November--we HIGHLY recommend it!). They were married in 2005 just in time for the tax deduction. Since then, they have tramped all over this good earth, meeting many wonderful people along the way.  Their personal blog is found here.  Some fun facts below:

Eric

Born: Anchorage, Alaska - 1981

Grew up: mostly Tennessee

Favorite Bible passage: Hebrews 2:8-9 - "Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus..."

What he does all day: Family Medicine physician, teacher, songwriter, worship leader
Favorite authors: CS Lewis, Frederick Buechner, NT Wright, Thomas Hardy, Tim Keller

Rachel

Born: Cleveland, Ohio - 1979

Grew up: Minnesota, etc

Favorite Bible passage: Rev 21-22 (I am making everything new)

What she does all day: OBGYN, teacher, supermom, travel agent, list maker
Favorite authors: JK Rowling, Tracy Kidder, Stephen Lawhead, CS Lewis, Andrew Peterson

Maggie

Born: Ann Arbor, MI - 2009

Growing up: Bomet, Kenya, Albertville, France, and Kibuye, Burundi

Favorite Bible passage: Esther

What she does all day: Go to school, play with friends, practice piano, read books
Favorite authors: Mary Pope Osborne, Roald Dahl, Daisy Meadows, and Louis Sachar

Ben

Born: Tenwek Hospital, Kenya - 2011

Growing up: Albertville, France and Kibuye, Burundi

Favorite Bible passage:  1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love"

What he does all day: Go to school, Climb trees, play with friends, play Legos/games
Favorite authors: Goscinny (Asterix comics)

Toby
Born: Albertville, France - 2013
Growing up: Kibuye, Burundi
Favorite Bible passage: David and Goliath
What he does all day: preschool, ride his bike, and be involved in anything his brother and sister are doing
Favorite authors: Stan & Jan Berenstain, Arnold Lobel, Where's Waldo?

The Wendlers

Carlan and Michelle mark the first time the McCropder Team has grown via marriage. Carlan met John when he was 16 years old visiting his sister at college. John later recruited him to the University of Michigan for medical school and Knox Presbyterian Church for worship. He quickly bought in to the team vision and, as soon as he completed residency in 2012, joined everyone else in French language study in Albertville, France. Michelle entered the picture in 2014 when the two met at a missionary conference hosted by their home church in Los Angeles, Grace Community. She was on stage playing the piano and by God's grace sat behind him during a Friday night service. They began talking after the sermon and in July 2015 they were married at that same church. They were approved by Serge for service as a family five months later and went through language school in France before getting to Burundi together in 2017. Gabrielle joined their family and our team in June 2019 and Isaiah in March 2021.

Alyssa Pfister

Fun facts about Alyssa:

-She lived on the Mexican border during high school

-She was paralyzed for some long period of time when she was young due to transverse myelitis (but she got better and climbs mountains now).

-Wheaton, then East Tennessee State, then U of Alabama Birmingham

-No fancy foods, please, she'll take the mac n' cheese

-Double board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

-She became interested in missions during travels in South America

-She was the only one of us to visit Tenwek (in med school) before moving here

-Her place has the coolest kid toys and all the McCropder kids know it

Her own blog can be found here.

The Johns

It's been over a decade since God first called Ted into the field of medicine for the purpose of bringing medical help to those who would otherwise have no access. Somewhere along the way, God brought Eunice into the picture through a shared love of children's ministry, particularly children's worship...and Del Taco. They are also both from Southern California and are INFJ's. Together, they have committed their lives to taking the hope of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. 

The John family is currently in language school in Albertville, France. They will be joining the Serge-Kibuye team in mid-2018 through World Medical Mission's Post-Residency Program. The Johns look forward to doing life together with the team! 

Theodore (Ted): 

Ted is a general surgeon by training. He spent nearly a decade in Ann Arbor, MI where he attended The University of Michigan for medical school and then completed his residency at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. He enjoys running, basketball, hiking, and being outdoors. He also likes eating Mexican cuisine, exploring new cities and cultures, cheering for UM college football (Go Blue!), taking naps, and watching superhero and action movies.

Eunice: 

Eunice is a former middle school math teacher. She taught for 6 wonderful years before becoming a stay-at-home-mom. She loves teaching, children's worship/ministry, heart to hearts, Costco samples, meal planning, trying out new recipes, cleaning (or rather, a clean home!), and watching her kids grow. She has an intense phobia of snakes and is relieved to hear that snake-sightings are far and few between in Kibuye.  

Tobias (Toby): 

Toby was born in 2014 in Ann Arbor, MI. He is full of energy and spirit. He loves garbage trucks (and vehicles/machinery of all types), food, people, "organizing/cleaning", helping, playing outside, dancing, singing -- to sum it up: Toby loves life! He doesn't care for onions and any article of clothing that extends past his knees or elbows. 

Amos: 

Amos was born in 2016 in Pasadena, CA. He is full of smiles and is a sweet baby. He loves hanging out with people and exploring the world around him. He doesn't care for naps but will comply with whatever his mom asks him to wear. He only has two teeth so far, but he has an appetite as big as his brother's!

The Banks

Logan and Julie are old team friends from our first days in Kenya in 2010.  Logan is a full-scope family doc that will be able to serve on the Adult, Pediatric, and Maternity wards, and also comes with five years of residency teaching experience.  We're delighted that their family is going to come out to Burundi to round out our team. 

Find out more about them at www.TheBanksOffshore.com

The Faders (CK)

Caleb, Krista, Liam, Gavin, and Baby Boy #3

Caleb: is a civil engineer (and younger brother of a certain Kibuye surgeon) who spends his days working alongside local engineers, architects, and tradesmen to build and renovate the hospital and surrounding residential areas. 

Krista: is a nurse practitioner who is busy raising the boys and serving part time at the hospital in Burundi’s first chemotherapy program for pediatric patients with retinoblastoma (eye cancer). 

Liam: is an active little boy who loves being outside and playing with other kids.

Gavin: is a sweet toddler who keeps us all on our toes with his never-ending curiosity.

Baby Boy #3: is busy growing and planning his arrival sometime at the end of March 2018.

The Baskins

Darrell is a retina surgeon and Becky is a super-mom.  They are planning to move to Burundi in 2016 after finishing French language school.  We look forward to welcoming the Baskin Brigade to Kibuye.

The Thiessen Family

We are the Thiessen Family

Jesh and Julie knew of each other since childhood but reconnected over coffee and discovered a shared passion for missions. Julie had previously taught primary school in Burundi and Jesh had previously travelled to the Dominican Republic and Myanmar on short-term missions trips. They connected with Jason Fader at the Global Missions Health Conference in 2014 and felt God's desire for them to work towards joining the Kibuye team shortly after. After completing language training in Albertville, France they will join the Kibuye team in June 2018. 

Jesh is a Canadian trained General Surgeon with a background in Electronic Engineering Technology and manufacturing. Originally from British Columbia, Canada, he completed medical school at the University of Calgary and his General Surgery Residency at Queens University in Ontario. While not passionate about food, he does appreciate ice cream and a good steak. He enjoys fixing almost anything. He may have convinced his bride to watch the Lord of Rings Extended Edition on their honeymoon! 

Julie loves hospitality, cooking and being a mother. She has travelled to India and Burundi, teaching in both countries. She is definitely more passionate about food then Jesh, and looks forward to embracing the challenge of cooking and making a home. She has had a long held desire to work overseas, and has been a support to her husband through the many years of schooling. She does not feel the need to watch Lord of the Rings (extended edition) ever again. 

Kaden surprised his parents by arriving early while we were out of town in British Columbia. He loves to build, read and spend time outdoors. He prides himself in keeping all our devices fully charged at all times.

Seija was born in the Northwest Territories in Northern Canada. She loves princesses, cheese, and chocolate, and has been known to beat her parents at games like "Settlers" and "Quirkle".

Kai is the newest member of the family born in Ontario during Jesh's surgical residency. He enjoys things like crackers and bottles of milk at all hours of night. Despite wanting to socialize while all other creatures are sleeping, he is adored by us all.

For more information check out thiessensburundi.blogspot.com

Kayla Hedin

Kayla grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and graduated from Spring Arbor University with a degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in reading and teaching English as a second language. Although Kayla has wanted to be a teacher for almost as long as she can remember, teaching outside the U.S. was not always on her radar.

Her interest in teaching abroad was sparked in high school and was quickly ignited after spending the summer of 2015 in Japan helping teach English at a kindergarten. The following year, she became friends with a fellow Spring Arbor student who had family roots in Burundi. After talking with this friend and her family about Burundi and the team in Kibuye, Burundi seemed to be written on her heart. Kayla joined the team in Kibuye in April of 2018 to teach at Kibuye Hope Academy for a two-year term.

The Nimmons

Scott and Lindsay are joining the Serge Kibuye team as teachers for the burgeoning number of team members’ children. In 2003, Lindsay was working as a studio manager for Olan Mills Family Portrait Studio when she was asked to train the new guy (Scott). One year and one day after that training began, Scott and Lindsay married. They have enjoyed living and working in a variety of places, including Shippensburg, PA, Dublin, Ireland, and most recently Williamsburg, VA. Together, they worked on a number of projects, most notably including their own photography business, teaching humanities at both primary and secondary levels, and initiating a program of urban arts outreach. They now anticipate serving together in Kibuye as God expands the reach of the ministry in Burundi. 

Information on supporting the Nimmons can be found by clicking here.