Field Representatives
Larry Carruthers
Larry has played an important role with KCC missions for the past 12 years. He has chaired the Mission Committee, served on many fields and taken teams on mission trips in several countries around the world, recently leading teams into Africa. Even though he networks with many of the Building Beyond Borders projects and field reps, his primary role is establishing and developing projects in Africa.
His compassion for orphans and street children, keep him focused on the task of raising both, awareness and funds. He encourages businesses, foundations, organizations, and individuals to get involved in the lives of destitute children in east Africa.
His role requires him to stay in continual contact, building stronger relationships and trust with our national partners on the ground. He is currently serving and working on site with our African counterparts for a one year period.
If you'd like to stay in touch, check out Larry's Blog.
If you'd like to know more or how to get involved check our Kenya Project page.
Clint & Diane Eccles
Clint and Diane connected with the ministry of KCC about six months after it began in Kelowna in 1982. They have served together as elders at KCC for over 20 years and now also as elders at Lake Country Life Center.
Clint’s strengths lie in the area of finances and administration while Diane’s in the counseling area where she was part of the pastoral counseling and equipping staff for approx 10 years.
They also serve on the KCC Missions Committee with a heart for missions. They have travelled to the Puerto Escondido area for the last 15 years and find delight in serving the people there.
Isaiah 61 has kept their hearts focused ‘ to preach good news to the poor and heal the broken hearted, setting the captives free.’
Nurturing, equipping, empowering, and liberating God’s people in order to advance His Kingdom remains their heart’s desire.
See the Mexico Project
David Kalamen
David Kalamen is the founder and lead pastor of Kelowna Christian Center and over the last 28 years he has cultivated a heart for missions in the DNA of KCC. This call has taken him to over 30 nations of the world, and over the years this missions influence has grown through church plants, church leadership, community development, education, and relief efforts.
In recent years his heart has been focused towards the Asian community and through his connections he has travelled to Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China on a number of occasions. He has been called upon to speak at national and international conferences around the world and has shared on a wide range of leadership issues touching Christianity, politics, social justice, city transformation, mercy missions and kingdom business.
See the Vietnam Project
Kevin & Laurel Penner
As members of Wycliffe Bible Translators, our vision is to see that every man, woman and child has access to the life-changing Word of God in the language that they understand best. We believe that access to the Word of God in one’s heart language is of utmost importance for personal discipleship and for establishing stable, growing, Bible-believing, outreaching churches. This is why in January 2003 we began living and working with an indigenous group in Mexico to learn their language and culture and translate the Bible into their language.
In 2005 we began translating in the book of Genesis, but in 2006 our youngest child, Alyssa, was born with severe brain damage and we had to return to Canada in order to care for her. We continue working on the translation from Canada and Kevin travels to Mexico periodically to work with the translation team. Much collaboration can be done long distance, however, since we were able to install a satellite Internet connection in the home of the translation team leader.
We are so thankful that people like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale sacrificed their time, energy and even their lives to translate the Bible into English over 600 years ago. Our love for Christ also compels us to consider the 200 million people from 2,300+ different languages who, 2,000 years after the death of Christ, still do not have even part of the Bible in their language.
Tony & Barbara Price
Tony and Barbara Price have been part of our missions thrust since 1984. They have personally pioneered an outreach center in Kelowna reaching street people and those in need, been involved in evangelistic itinerate ministry, have started churches in England and Lake Country, and travelled to many nations, advancing the Kingdom of God. They are currently strengthening and giving oversight to a church in Prince Rupert as well as traveling to many cities in BC and abroad, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.
Video - 'Salt & Light at Sea' (a ministry Tony is involved in)
Ryan & Judy Sawatzky
Ryan and Judy are part of our KCC family and represent KCC’s heart for impacting Asia. They are directors of Ethnos Ministries(www.ethnosministries.org) and are an extension of Building Beyond Borders and the work we do in these countries. They provide training for leadership, resources for community development projects and care for widows and orphans. They are members of KCC and on the Committee for Building Beyond Borders. They would love to invite others to come to Asia with them, so if it is on your heart please contact them at info@ethnosministries.org, and they will give you more information.
Carl & Kathy Thompson
God has called each of us to make disciples. It is our desire to do that with every person we meet, whether at home or abroad. We desire to see each person discover and live out God's intentions for their lives. God made each one different because He has a specific calling and purpose for each one.
Currently, we are working to see transformation to come to Elias Pina, Dominican Republic where many have a fatalistic view of life under the control of an angry God. We know that we serve a loving God who has great plans for His people and wants them to know Him and realize the plan He has for them. We work alongside the local church. We teach, train and share His love through daily life as we live and work alongside the people in education, health, agriculture, government, and business. We take every opportunity to share His character and truth with those we meet. Our desire is not to do things for them but to help them to do things for themselves, using their own resources that God has given them to see their lives change so that they can in turn show others how to change. May God receive all of the glory as He changes them.
Brandi Watson
Brandi Watson is a missionary with YWAM Orlando.
Brandi has given her life to train up young people and is responsible for equipping teams for the mission field and taking them out to the nations. Her real passion is to make friends and share God's love with the Muslim people. She reaches out to Muslim women in the United States locally, as well as visiting and doing missions in countries like Turkey, Jordon, Egypt and Lebon and Israel. Brandi has a willing heart to go wherever God is calling her to go.