Story
A missionary with a pastor's heart returning to Africa. Responding to an invitation at 11 years old from evangelist Billy Graham in the old Boston Garden arena, I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Redeemer. Karen responded to God's call in her teenage years through the testimony of her brother and an influential couple who led a coffee house ministry in her home area.
Karen and I met through combined youth group ministry and a new church start close to her hometown. She continued to get spiritual help in those post-high school years in New Hampshire and then in Maine in two different discipleship ministries. I went on to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and experienced spiritual growth and training in campus ministry. I felt compelled toward pastoral or missionary service through an inner moving of the Holy Spirit and a firm conviction from Holy Scripture.
Karen and I were married in 1981 after both of us had moved to the Boston area. Following seminary studies and pastoral ministry during seminary, we responded to the call to missions in 1985 and served for 15 years in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa. We had an amazing time in mission service in church planting, leadership development, medical ministry and outreach. We returned to the States in 2001, moving into a senior pastor role in Norfolk, Massachusetts. Over the next 15 years, we served in pastoral ministry while missions remained in our "blood and DNA." Traveling back to Africa into several countries on a yearly basis as well as Haiti and Eastern Europe, our heartbeat continued for the world.
Over the course of two years, our hearts were restless and we felt called to consider global ministry once again. In December 2017, we turned over pastoral responsibilities to the associate pastors of our church and responded to the invitation and call to serve in regional Sub-Saharan African mission leadership. God has allowed us to continue to coach pastors in Africa over the years and we look forward to continuing this ministry while we strengthen leaders and churches. Our purpose is to instill vision for multiplying and reaching several hundred unreached people groups of Sub-Saharan Africa. Karen and John have three children and seven grandchildren and speak English and French.
Financial Support can be given online through our website
https://converge.org/missionary/john-karen-ames
Checks can be made out to Converge and mailed to:
Converge - Dept. #9930 - PO Box 850001- ORLANDO, FL 32885-9930
Write our missionary ID # 78489 on the memo line.
Also, please add a note indicating the check is for
John & Karen Ames ministry 78489.
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Sub-Saharan Africa (West, East, Central and Southern Africa regions)
African continent below the Sahara desert consisting of 50 countries.
French, English, Portuguese and Spanish are spoken.
