Who We Are
An international association uniting care providers worldwide, representing diverse Christian churches and agencies committed to advancing high-quality, effective care for cross-cultural Christian workers.
Goals
Create a robust foundational framework upon which the discipline of Member Care is anchored, providing a clear and sustainable professional identity for its practitioners.
Strengthen the global capacity to provide compassionate and effective care worldwide.
Establish a collaborative platform through which Member Care leaders contribute collective expertise to shape the direction of the field.
Provide credentialing that reinforces standards and commitment to the discipline among individuals and organizations.
Advance training initiatives and the provision of quality services within the field with a focus on the underserved.
Foster interprofessional connections and networking through conferences and other collaborative events.
Board Members
Roni Pruitt, Ph.D., Director
A pioneer in the field of Member Care with four decades of experience, she served in Asia (China and Japan) and Europe (Hungary and Berlin) for 15 years and brings a lifelong commitment to mission care.
She founded the academic Member Care training program at Columbia International University (USA) as Professor of Clinical Counseling. Her Member Care leadership roles include serving as the North American representative on the Global Member Care Network Executive Board and as a member of the editorial team for The Member Care Journal. She served on professional conference committees coordinating the Global Member Care Conference for ten years and previously the Mental Health & Missions Conference for fifteen years. Serves with IPHC World Missions as a Clinical Mission Care Provider for 25 years, conducting candidate evaluations, placement, and counseling.
She holds a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies and Counseling Psychology, and a Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies. She is a U.S.-licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Licensed Clinical Supervisor.
Swee Gim Cheong, Association Board
A senior Member Care leader who has significantly advanced the discipline across Asia through 32 years with Operation Mobilisation (OM)—initially as a missionary and subsequently for 15 years as Regional Member Care Director for East Asia.
She pioneered Spiritual Formation within Operation Mobilisation (OM) and facilitated Silent Retreats in East Asia for a decade. A member of the Asia Member Care Network Committee for 10 years. Her international leadership roles within OM include membership on the International Executive Committee (2006–2014), the International Member Care Working Group (2008–2010), the International People Care Task Force (2014–2016), and the International Spiritual Formation Training Task Force (2019–2021), concluding her retirement in June 2023.
Her professional training includes OM People Care Training, Heartstream Resources Member Care training, and Member Care courses through Columbia International University. She also completed the 30-day Ignatian Spiritual Exercises at Seven Fountains Spirituality Center in Thailand.
Steve Edlin, MFT, Association Board
A forerunner in what later became known as Member Care, he began providing care services to cross-cultural workers in 1977 while serving as a cross-cultural trainer with Agape International Training. His awareness of the unique care needs of missionaries and cross-cultural workers emerged from seven years of field service in England, which informed his commitment to mission care.
He served as Director of Member Care for The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) for 21 years, where he implemented comprehensive care systems for field personnel. He was also Chairman of the founding Board of Olive Tree Counseling Center, a field-based clinical counseling center for mission workers originally established in Turkey and now located in Hungary. One area of his work has been serving as an Assessment Consultant with Dynamic Church Planting International.
Trained in Marital and Family Therapy, he is a U.S.-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and he brings clinical expertise to Member Care.
Sarah Hay, Association Board
An invigorating leader in Member Care with over two decades of international and organizational experience. She served in Nepal for three years and later spent sixteen years with European Christian Mission (UK), where she serves as Human Resources and Member Care Manager.
A co-founder of The Member Care Journal, the first Member Care publication. Her contributions include teaching in the Master’s in Member Care at All Nations Christian College and Redcliffe College (UK) for ten years, and currently as a guest lecturer.
She serves on the Executive Committee of Member Care Europe, supporting the biennial European Member Care Consultation, and is a core member of the Global Connections Member Care TCK Forum. She has been a chartered member, since 1994, of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
She holds a Professionals in Mission Certificate from Redcliffe College, has completed the CPCAB Foundation Counseling Course at Gloucestershire College, and is trained in debriefing and coaching.
Ravi David, Ph.D., Association Board
Ravi has made a significant contribution to the field of Member Care, serving across the Asia Pacific region in various Member Care networks. He has traveled extensively across six continents, with a focus on listening to and understanding contextual realities on the ground. These insights inform collaborative conversations and locally grounded responses to mission needs that are contextually appropriate, culturally sensitive, and biblically rooted.
His professional contributions include service on multiple Member Care boards at both the national level in India and internationally. He serves as Program Director in the Practical Theology Department at the Asia Graduate School of Theology, Nepal, and has previously served as an Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology and Counseling in Indonesia and at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies in Bangalore, India. Over the past 15 years, he has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral research projects.
Ravi holds a PhD in Practical Theology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. His doctoral research was published as Mission Possible: Challenges for Indian Christian Mission Leaders in the Twenty-First Century. He is a certified Spiritual Director and is professionally trained in chaplaincy, counseling, debriefing, and trauma healing.
Antonia is a pioneer in the development of Member Care in Brazil, with a decade of service in Angola. She initially served in Angola as a seminary educator and later provided care for victims of war following the outbreak of conflict. She served for ten years as a leader in the Integral Care for Missionaries Department of the Brazilian Association for Transcultural Mission and currently provides personal and group-based care for missionaries.
She previously served for 13 years in student ministry in Brazil before transitioning into theological education. At the Evangelical Missions Center, she served for 17 years as a faculty member, Dean, and, for a period, Director.
Antonia holds a bachelor’s degree in Portuguese and English, a Diploma in Mission from All Nations Christian College (UK), a Master’s degree in Theology from the Baptist Theological Faculty in São Paulo, Brazil, and a Doctorate in Missiology from the Asia Graduate School of Theology in Manila, Philippines.
Her doctoral research focused on active care for missionaries serving in contexts of suffering and was published in Portuguese as Missionários Feridos: Como Cuidar dos Que Servem (Hurting Missionaries: How to Care for Those Who Serve).
Antonica van der Meer, D.Miss., Association Board
Amale Tayar, M.A., Credentialing Board
Amale is a Lebanese Member Care practitioner with more than 36 years of ministry experience serving pastors and ministry leaders in Lebanon and Europe. Alongside her husband, Dani, she has engaged in pastoral ministry, counseling, with a focus on supporting churches navigating conflict and division.
Since 2012, Amale has focused particularly on providing culturally sensitive coaching, trauma care, personal support, and opportunities for restoration to Syrian, Iraqi, and Lebanese leaders. Peacemaking and reconciliation have been important dimensions of her ministry, shaped by decades of serving amid war, displacement, trauma, and national crisis.
Hospitality is also central to Amale’s ministry as her family intentionally opens their home to provide rest, encouragement, and community.
Amale holds a Master’s degree in Musicology and has led worship seminars, and music training workshops. Her professional development also includes counseling studies, trauma-healing facilitation, and life-coach certification. Her extensive crisis-care experience has strengthen-ed her compassionate presence to help care- givers remain healthy as they care for others.
Mei Lin, M.A., Credentialing Board
Mei is a Taiwanese Member Care practitioner who has served in Member Care since 2017. She brings a distinctive combination of accounting and admini-strative expertise, cross-cultural ministry experience, and professional training in Ministry Care and Spiritual Direction.
She came to faith while pursuing her Master’s degree in Accounting in the USA. She worked in a CPA firm in Taiwan before applying her accounting administra-tive skills in mission offices. In 2016, she completed a Master’s degree in Member Care at Columbia International University. She later completed Spiritual Directors Formation training through Spiritual Growth Ministries Aotearoa in New Zealand.
Served in Member Care with SIM Taiwan starting in 2017 and with Chinese Bible Mission (CBM) since 2021 as part of CBM’s Member Care mentoring team. Mei assists with retreats for Chinese cross-cultural workers and currently facilitates a spiritual formation co-learning group.
Mei has also contributed to Member Care resources for the Chinese-speaking world. She has been involved in reviewing and editing the Chinese translation of Healthy, Resilient & Effective in Cross-Cultural Ministry. She brings a valuable Chinese and Asian perspective to the global Member Care movement.
Monica is a Kenyan Member Care practitioner who has advanced Member Care across East Africa. With more than a decade of experience, she is committed to strengthening sustainable, holistic care for African missionaries and their families.
In 2011, she founded Great Commission Support (GCS), which networks with churches and mission agencies throughout East Africa to promote the care of missionaries and MKs. GCS supports global workers by organizing and facilitating debriefings, conferences, and retreats to enrich and offer physical, spiritual, and emotional support to cross-cultural workers and missionaries.
Since 2017, Monica has served on the leadership team of MANI (Movement for African National Initiatives), where she mobilizes churches across Africa for missions. She also serves on the Board of the Global Member Care Network (GMCN) and was instrumental in hosting the 2025 Global Member Care Conference in Kenya.
Monica is trained in office administration, community development, and biblical counseling. Her specialized Member Care training includes the Missionary Care Foundations Course, Trauma and Crisis Debriefing training, and Level 1 Le Rucher Debriefing. She brings an important African voice to the global Member Care movement.
Monica Maiko Credentialing Board
Credentialing Board
Rosie Button, M.A., Credentialing Board
She has extensive experience, serving in Member Care for 9 years, and served in missions for 33 years, with 15 years invested in theological education in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.
Serves as Course Leader of the MA in Staff Care and Wellbeing (Member Care) at All Nations Christian College (UK), which was previously located at Redcliffe College, where she taught in Biblical Studies and Member Care. She has taught in higher education for 28 years. She is a co-founder of The Member Care Journal, the first professional journal in the discipline, and serves on its editorial board.
Her Member Care roles include Resources Coordinator and pastoral care team member with Refugee Highway Partnership Europe from 2020-2023, and she is currently Member Care Coordinator for Pioneers, UK Ireland.
She holds a BA (Hons) from the University of Cambridge in Theology and Religious Studies, an MA in Contemporary Christian Missiology from All Nations Christian College (OU), a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from the University of Cambridge in Religious Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Information and Library Science (ILS) from Aberystwyth University. She is trained in Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Debriefing, having the Le Rucher Level 1 training.
Paul Choi, Ph.D., Credentialing Board
Paul is a Korean Member Care leader with extensive experience in theological education, intercultural studies, missions, and the development of Member Care for cross-cultural workers.
He currently serves as Executive Director of the Korea Member Care Network (KMCN) and Chairman of the Member Care Committee of the Korea World Mission Association (KWMA). He also serves as Co-Director of Heartstream Resources Korea, providing resources and support for cross-cultural workers. From 2018–2024, he served on the Board of the Global Member Care Network.
Paul’s academic career at Seoul Theological Univers-ity has included serving as Vice President and Dean of the Seminary. He has held significant leadership roles within the Lausanne Movement, including serving as Associate Congress Director for the Fourth Lausanne Congress in Seoul in 2024. He also serves as Chairman of Fresh Expressions of Church Korea (FX Korea).
He holds a B.A. in Theology from Seoul Theological University, a Th.M. in Christian Ethics from Yonsei University, and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary, USA. His doctoral research focused on preparing Korean missionaries for cross-cultural effectiveness. His research is a significant contribution to Korean Member Care.
Jessie brings a rich combination of Member Care, counseling, and mentoring, with more than two decades of experience in higher education. Together with her husband, Vijay, the former Director of Ambassadors for Christ India, she serves through Urban India Ministries (UIM), providing counseling, family ministry, seminars, and training for churches and mission organizations.
A significant part of Jessie’s Member Care ministry has been conducting family enrichment seminars and conferences for mission organizations and Christian ministries. Through these seminars, she addresses the relational, emotional, and practical challenges faced by couples and families involved in ministry, equipping them to build healthy marriages, strengthen family relationships, and navigate the unique pressures of Christian service.
Jessie’s professional background provides a unique foundation for her ministry. She holds a Master of Science in Chemistry, a postgraduate degree in Analytical Chemistry, and a Diploma in Counseling from United Theological College, Bangalore, India. She began her career as a research chemist with a pharmaceutical company and served for 20 years as a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry before becoming Head of the Department of Chemistry. In 2006, she took voluntary retirement from her academic career to join Vijay in full-time Christian ministry.
Jessie Hebbal, M.A., Credentialing Board
Sampson Dorkunor, Credentialing Board
Sampson Dorkunor is a seasoned Ghanaian mission leader with extensive experience in Member Care, missionary training, church planting, and mission mobilization across Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire. His experience gives him a broad understanding of the realities facing African missionaries.
Sampson is the Director of Reaching the Unreached Ministry in West Africa, supporting the care of field missionaries and pastors. He has also served with the Mobile Member Care Team of West Africa (MMCT) and the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI). As Ghana’s country representative for REMAP II, a World Evangelical Alliance retention research project, he gained valuable insight into missionary resil-ience, retention, and culturally appropriate care.
He served as the second President of the Ghana Evangelical Missions Association (GEMA) and continues as General Overseer of Living Bread Missions, an indigenous Ghanaian mission.
With a background in business and economics, Sampson brings a broad leadership perspective to mission care. Sampson brings an important African voice to the global Member Care movement.
Rubia Mara, Credentialing Board
Rúbia, a pioneering leader, has served in Member Care in Brazil since 2010, providing leadership in its development among mission agencies and churches. She is a debriefer and resources workers. She serves as General Coordinator of the Member Care Depart-ment of the Brazilian Association of Cross-Cultural Missions (AMTB), where she develops training, resources, and initiatives that equip Member Care providers throughout Brazil.
A significant contribution to Member Care has been her work in translation and resource development, making key Member Care materials accessible to Portuguese-speaking mission communities. She has contributed to training resources of several Member Care books, including Biblical Perspective on Member Care and Single, but Not Alone (Solteiros, mas não solitários). She has also coordinated the translation and publication of the books, The Uninvited Companion, Tender Care, RE-ENTRY: The Homecoming Missionary, and Our Love, Our Worlds.
Rúbia also serves as Brazil’s representative with CIM COMIBAM and on the International Care and Dev-elopment Team of Peoples in Mission International (PMI). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and postgraduate training in Higher Education Teaching. Member Care training includes Debriefing Level 1 (Le Rucher), People Care Level 1 (OM), Basic Foundations for Crisis Intervention (AWM Germany), and Care for Third Culture Kids (COMIBAM).
Belinda Ng is a seasoned Singaporean Member Care practitioner with more than three decades of experience. She and her husband served 12 years with Serving In Mission (SIM) in medical missions in Niger, West Africa, followed by 16 years as Personnel Director for SIM East Asia, overseeing candidate selection, pre-field orientation, and Member Care.
She became involved in the global Member Care movement following the 1997 consultation on missionary attrition; she contributed a chapter to the book Too Valuable to Lose. She later served for 12 years on the Global Member Care Network (GMCN) board and contributed editorials to its newsletter.
In 2002, Belinda helped establish the TCK Care Fellowship in Singapore, serving as chair for more than two decades. She served five years as SIM International’s Member Care and MK Education Consultant. She represented SIM on the board of Asia Education Consortium (now Serving in Asia for Family Education SAFE). Since 2014, she continues to provide Care for SIM Asian international teams.
Belinda earned a Master’s in Member Care from Redcliffe College, University of Gloucestershire, UK, in 2023. She is a Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills facilitator and Master Facilitator for the Trauma Healing Institute. Involved in Singapore’s annual re-entry retreats since their inception and completed additional Member Care training through Heart Stream Resources and the Narramore Foundation.
Belinda Ng, M.A., Credentialing Board
Tania Biosseleau, M.D., Credentialing Board
Tania is an Argentine psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and experienced Member Care practitioner with more than 15 years of experience caring for missionaries and cross-cultural workers.
She has served in Comprehensive Care for Missionaries (CIM) at multiple levels, including coordinating CIM teams in Argentina and the Southern Cone region. Since 2022, she has served as Director of CIM within COMIBAM, providing leader-ship for missionary care across the Ibero-American missions community. She is the Ibero-America representative with the Global Member Care Network (GMCN).
Her Member Care experience includes clinical care, debriefing, self-care training, field visits, and retreats for cross-cultural workers and TCKs. She has contributed to missionary training and helped develop Spanish-language Member Care resources with Le Rucher Ministries.
In addition to her medical and mental health training, Tania has postgraduate training in Psychoanalysis, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and coaching, and is certified in Le Rucher Debriefing. She is completing a Diploma in Humanitarian Management and Development, focusing on mental health care in challenging contexts.
Georgina Takundwa, M.A. Credentialing Board
Georgina is a cross-cultural missions practitioner with a strong focus on Member Care and the well-being of African missionaries. She currently provides debriefing, mentoring, and crisis and trauma support to cross-cultural workers. Since 2009, she has served with Operation Mobilization (OM), including extens-ive ministry among Somali-speaking communities and displaced populations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia/Somaliland, and Uganda. These experiences have given her insight into the support needs of those serving in complex environments.
One of Georgina’s contributions to Member Care is helping expand the development and accessibility of resources through translation, utilizing her linguistic training. She also serves as a Global Board Member of the Global Member Care Network (GMCN).
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a minor in Japanese from Tokyo Christian University in Japan in 2019 and a Master’s degree in Peace, Conflict and Development from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom.
Georgina is committed to strengthening the care, resilience, and well-being of mission workers. She brings an important African perspective, particularly in developing culturally relevant care and resources for missionaries.
Karen has 30 years of experience in pastoral and Member Care. She served alongside her husband in Bangladesh, Malawi, and Central Asia before becoming the Personnel Director with Australian Baptist Mission and later with Interserve Australia. She currently serves as a Member Care Consultant with Interserve, providing mentoring, supervision, spiritual direction, debriefing, pre-field training, and refresh retreats.
Significant Member Care leadership roles include serving as the board chair for 3 years at the Red Sea Counselling and Member Care Centre and for 12 years and as the South Pacific representative on the Global Member Care Network Board. An ordained Baptist minister in Australia, she also provides pastoral care for women and seniors and previously led the multicultural ministry of her local church, which reflects her commitment to international ministry.
She holds a Bachelor of Theology, Advanced Diploma of Ministry, Certificate Level IV in Training and Assessment, and certification in Spiritual Direction. She is trained as a PeaceWise Level 3 mediator, in Le Ruecher critical incident debriefing, and is certified in Myers-Briggs and CernySmith assessments.
Karen Newnham Credentialing Board
Laura Mae Gardner, D.Min.,
Association & Credentialing Board
A distinguished leader in the development of Member Care in North America with more than 50 years of experience. She served for two decades in Mexico with Wycliffe Bible Translators, translating the New Testament into an indigenous language.
As an early pioneer in the discipline of Member Care, she established the first Member Care department, integrating Member Care into the organization's institutional framework. She subsequently served at Wycliffe as Intl. Vice President for Personnel, overseeing global crisis response initiatives.
Her influence on the discipline has been extensive. She has served on numerous boards and has advised multiple organizations in establishing Member Care departments. A lecturer in the Member Care degree at Columbia International University for a decade.
A prolific reader and writer, she reads a book a week and has authored about 1,200 articles and contributed to more than 250 published articles and chapters in books. Most recently, she co-authored Global Servants: Crosscultural Humanitarian Heroes, Volumes I-III, with Dr. Lois Dodds.
Her professional training includes a bachelor's degree in Bible and Music from Prairie Bible Institute (Canada), linguistic training at the University of Oklahoma, a master's degree, and a Doctor of Ministry in Counseling from Denver Seminary.
Committee members listed by region
Credentialing Review Committee
Gallery
Snapshots of connection and professional engagement
Our Work
Supporting care providers worldwide.
Training Hub
We offer specialized training programs designed to equip care providers with practical skills and culturally sensitive approaches for global member care.
Resource Library
Our comprehensive resource library maintains a curated catalog collection of Member Care literature, providing access to current research, evidence-informed tools, and practical guides tailored to support the diverse contexts of Member Care practice.