Helpful things to know
Meet the People of PIMI
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Bob and Yvonne Ward In 1997 I resigned as pastor of Washington
Avenue Baptist Church in Cookeville, Tennessee after having
served there for 13 ½ years. The resignation came as God called
both my wife Yvonne and me into full-time missions to Romania.
This step of faith seemed like we were stepping into an abyss
but we found immediately that we were stepping into God’s
gracious arms. He has met our every need and we praise Him for
allowing us to be on mission with Him.
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Board Members |
Associate Missionaries
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Dale and Denise Bowhannon
My involvement with PIMI began as a volunteer on a mission trip in May, 1999. Seeing firsthand the response of spiritually hungry people to the Gospel was overwhelming. Those few days of helping start the only evangelical church in a small village and sharing the joy of the Romanian believers was one of the richest spiritual experiences of my life. It opened my eyes to the world-wide scope and urgency of the Great Commission.
I have been supporting PIMI since then financially and as a board member. It is important for more of American believers to have the opportunity to physically participate in world-wide missions to see how the Holy Spirit really works with all people and to share personally with the souls the Lord is adding to His Kingdom. We have been given much, so much is required of us. I want to do my part to support this great work which is changing the lives of thousands. |
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Ric and Sharon Herrera
Our "connection" with Partners in Missions, International began in 1990 when Ric and Sharon moved to Cookeville, Tennessee from the frigid world up north in Minnesota.
No, PIMI, did not yet exist except in the Heart of God. We soon became part of not only Washington Avenue Baptist Church where Bob pastured, but also part of the Ward's life. God blessed us with a Pastor who was also a friend....a rare, but special combination. We moved on to Nashville in 1994, but left part of our hearts in Cookeville with Bob and Yvonne. When they began PIMI in 1995, Ric was asked to serve on the Board. Because we knew that God was calling Bob to that new ministry and because of our love and respect to Bob, we agreed. We were not "into Romania"!
March 17, 1998, Sharon a CPC counselor in Nashville, was asked by Bob and Yvonne to go to Romania and begin a crisis pregnancy center which would become known as Iochebed. God spoke, she went, Iochebed was born. She was "into Romania"....hands, head and heart! In October 1998 after a long summer of hearing daily about Romania, Ric joined Sharon on a trip......mostly to quiet his wife who kept insisting that he "just had to go". We have lost count of the times we have since traveled to Romania. Ric retired a year ago to becoming a CSO (chief servant officer) rather than a CTO. We have an apartment in Oradea, Sharon can cook mamaliga and sarmales, Iochebed has grown to four Romanian centers and one in Moldova, we have made wonderful, lasting friendships with Romanians. Although Iochebed separated from PIMI and became a USA nonprofit and a Romanian Fundatia in October, we will always be partners in the mission to Romanians. If I wrote this tomorrow, I could add other things to the list! God opens doors to new ministry possibilities daily.
We are definitely "into Romania" and more importantly, we know that we are following His call to us in our life. We are seeing Ephesians 3:20-21 worked out daily in our lives. Life can't get any better than that! |
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Tracey Hipps
Coming Soon |
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Cameron Riviere
Coming Soon
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Scott Martin
Sept 11,2001 was my first trip to Romania. We were in Budapest Hungary when we heard about the attack on the World Trade Center. At that time, we were unsure of what was going to happen to us, the airports were closed, we were in a foreign country and we didn't know the language. At that time, Bob came on to our bus and asked the group whether we should continue on the mission that God had brought us here to do or go to the American embassy and try to get home to our families. The answer was unanimous that we go and do what God had put on our hearts. To continue to go to this place and share the Gospel with these people.
Little did I know what I was about to embark on, it was one of the most glorious times that I had ever known. We seen so many people come and pray to receive Jesus Christ as there personal Lord and Savior. It was then that I knew I would have to come back as much as possible to these people and just be there for them. It was a year before I was able to return to Romania, all the smells, sounds and feelings that I had had the year before just swelled up in me. God showed me that he wanted me to be a part of PIMI and what they are doing here in Romania.
I feel that I have a true calling to do Gods work in Romania by working through PIMI and by the grace of my Lord and Savior, he gives me all the strength I need in the times that I need it. I can truly say he is the one working through me doing all the things that gets completed. God Bless
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