Akouvi Blessing?Dedjinou?is an International Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service. The Global Mission Fellows program offers young adults ages 20-30 an opportunity to travel from their home environments to live and work in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world.? Akouvi is a member of the Methodist Church of Togo, on the west coast of Africa. “I started going to church from a young age,” she recalled, “because my parents are Christians and they taught me how to walk with God. Yet, Christian life is not about just going to church but also having a personal relationship with the Creator. “As I grew, I began to seek the Lord’s will for my life. God, with overflowing grace, met me, and it was in 2020 that I really gave my life to Christ.” In 2023, Akouvi is taking the final steps to obtain her bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Watching her older sister struggle with a severe digestive disease, Akouvi hopes to use her degree to concentrate on nutrition, food contaminants and what the body needs to stay healthy. “I now understand that many of the diseases we face are caused by the food we eat,” Akouvi said. “For this reason, we need to focus on food security for the development of the whole population so that we can all live healthy lives.” The origins of her sister’s diagnosis turned out to be poor nutrition from a poor food source. In addition to her passion to improve food security, Akouvi expresses a strong desire to help young people understand God’s call on their lives and how they can develop good relationships with God. “I see myself, by the grace of God, available to do God’s mission here on earth,” she said, “so that others can learn from my experience and get closer to God.”

Jennifer Olivia Dihardjo is an international Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service. The Global Mission Fellows program takes young adults ages 20-30 out of their home environments and places them in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong young leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world. Jennifer is a young adult member of the Indonesian Christian Church in Karangsaru. Her involvement includes choir member and musician, event planner, youth committee secretary and actor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in film, with specialization in animation, at Multimedia Nusantara University, Tangerang, Indonesia. “I have experience both academically and professionally in animation and motion graphics,” she said. She interned at Stadikel Edukasi Teknologi (Technology Education Stadium), Bekasi, Indonesia, and the Mennonite World Conference in Ontario, Canada. Jennifer believes that participation in Global Mission Fellows will help her to grow and to explore God’s grace by engaging in communities. “My eagerness to learn and experience a whole new environment,” she said, “has driven me to seek an opportunity to be part of a new community. Multiple times, I feel that God has told me to take a chance to learn new things. I want to broaden my knowledge and my mind about things that are happening in the world. “Being part of communities would let me see the world with an open mind,” Jennifer added. “By engaging with people, we can share each other’s stories and how God has worked in our lives.” She is excited about contributing to change. When her Global Mission Fellows term ends, she hopes to implement the experience and skills she gained. “I want to make changes to be better,” Jennifer said, “and they do not have to be big changes. I want to see how this opportunity that God has given me will change how I behave and think about the issues happening in the world.” She is eager to live outside of her comfort zone. “I am always curious about different cultures,” Jennifer said, “and I have always wanted to learn. This program will assist me in becoming a better person.”