Tom & Holly Schmidt |
How do we describe ourselves in just a few words? We love Jesus and we really like people, especially people that have felt overlooked by church or fallen through the cracks. A few things about us: We have 9 kids and a few years ago we back-packed with 6 of them through Central America. We have lived on a remote jungle island among Ngäbe Indians where we had to collect rain water, use solar for power and boats to get anywhere. Our life is about loving Jesus well and doing life with those who have been grafted into our family by birth, adoption or spiritual adoption, following Jesus closely - living a life of ‘Spirit and Truth’ and ‘Revival and Reformation’ - leading people to encounters with Jesus that are life changing and grounded in the Word of God.
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Andrea Cooper |
I'm Andrea, a typical Wisconsinite with a huge heart for missions, kids, and administration. Before serving full-time in missions, I was an elementary teacher, drama instructor, and customer service supervisor. Since joining YWAM in 2010, I've had the privilege of traveling to 13 countries, and have done ministry with at least 6 different indigenous people groups. I'm passionate about foster care and adoption, teaching, loving the overlooked, and helping small and pioneering YWAM locations flourish in their administration. I'm a huge Bible nerd and totally in love with world cuisine, maps of any kind, singing at the top of my lungs when no one is watching, photography and design, and great sweeping vistas that point to our Wonderful Creator.
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Israel & Leslie Bailey
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Hi, we're the Baileys! We love connecting people to the family of God! We started our YWAM journey in 2017 with a Crossroads DTS in Kona, but have been serving God in the local church and in missions, mostly Mexico (in small villages), since 2005 when we got married. While on our YWAM outreach in Germany our eyes were opened up to the refugee crisis in the middle-east as we reached out in camps. Our hearts were broken for them to know Christ as they journeyed the near impossible trek out of their war-torn homes. After that we were blessed to have a season of serving and loving refugees in Athens, Greece. Now God has turned the tide for us as He brought us to this brand new chapter in our story. We're excited to see how He'll use us as a family on mission here in Corpus Christi and abroad with YWAM Ships!
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Carl & Erin Baird |
Hey there! We are the Baird’s! Carl grew up in Indiana and Erin comes from Wisconsin. Erin’s favorite food is pickles and Carl just likes food. We recently got married in 2021, and have both been missionaries for a few years now. Carl did his DTS in Sligo, Ireland in 2014 and has since been in full-time ministry in various parts of the world. Erin did her DTS in Townsville, Australia in 2017 and has continued training since then. We’re excited to begin serving the Lord together in Corpus Christi.
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Joy Puumala |
Joy is a Texas transplant, but now considers herself a Corpus Christ native. She attended junior high, high school, and university in the beloved 'Body of Christ', Texas. She is a musician, a lover of God, and a lover of people. She is passionate about seeing Christians live in the fullness of what it means to be led by Holy Spirit. She believes that if every single Christian on the planet woke up each morning and asked God, "What do you want to do today?" and obeyed what He said, all of the world's problems would be solved.
Joy is fairly new to YWAM, having done her DTS in Orlando and Mexico in 2022. She has also traveled to São Paulo, Brazil and England for mission trips. She is an eternal optimist and is so excited for what the future holds with YWAM Ships. |