The Bailey Family
We are the Baileys. After living in northern Tanzania for 16 years we moved to northern Mozambique in 2021 to join the Montepuez Team. We are passionate about biblical literacy, culturally relevant application, and personal and communal transformation resulting in organic church growth. We have participated in many styles of ministry but are most experienced in advocating church growth and maturation via healthy marriage and family and leadership training/mentoring. Before moving to East Africa in 2005, Aaron and Marisa were Youth Ministers in Southeast Texas for 3 years.
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Aaron and Marisa both graduated from Abilene Christian University with degrees in Missions (1999,2000). Aaron then pursued a Master of Art in Missions (2006). Marisa has
recently concluded a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University (2024). They both volunteer as leaders in Scouts BSA serving in various roles as their children move through the program.
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The Bailey kids consist of Trey, Rayna, Faith and Caleb. Trey, who has recently graduated from Harding University with a degree in Theater, is forging his way in the professional world. The three currently at home are active in homeschooling, Scouts BSA, Youth Group and life in general. Trey and Rayna are both Eagle Scouts and Faith is finishing her project so will be joining them soon. Caleb loves his present pets (3 dogs and 3 scorpions) but is actively looking for other animals to add to his menagerie.
Brooklyn Howard
My name's Brooklyn and I've been serving as a missionary in Mozambique since January 2023. I wanted to be a missionary since I was in high school but never thought I'd actually become one! I graduated from Harding University in the spring of 2021 with a degree in Exercise Science and a double minor in medical missions and pre-professional health studies. I wanted to be a mid-level practitioner in the health field and maybe one day serve God through medical missions. After a series of closed doors I found myself in Mozambique for what I thought was a gap year. I served as the team teacher for the 2021 - 2022 school year. After another series of closed doors, God opened the door to staying in Mozambique. He placed teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) on my heart and I - not knowing a thing about education or teaching a language - answered God's call with a "okay Lord, I trust you." At the ripe old age of 23 I moved to Mozambique to begin my career as a missionary. I started the first Bible-based English program in this region. I'm learning the language and building a house. I am constantly challenged and changed for the better. Most day I have no idea what I'm doing, but I know God is good and faithful to provide. He is alive and at work
here in our little corner of the world, and I'm honored to play a small role in it all. While I live alone here in Montepuez, I have a wonderful family back home, in Arkansas. My mother, father, and sister are an amazing support system. I'm so lucky to have them. I'm also blessed to live in this community of believers that love me like their own.
The Smith Family
We are the Smiths. Our family has had the blessing of living and serving in Mozambique since 2003. We have four boys: Luke, Andrew, Joshua, and Micah. Jeremy and Martha both grew up on the mission field. Jeremy’s parents were missionaries in Central America and Martha’s parents were missionaries in East Africa. Because of this influence both of us wanted to do mission work, as well. We met at Harding University where Jeremy got a Psychology/ Spanish BA and a Marriage & Family MA, and Martha got an Education BA & MA. We got married, formed a team, and headed over to Africa.
We have many passions in ministry. The biggest of these are training church leaders, discipling men and women, and working to strengthen marriages and families. Jeremy teaches several classes at the Bible school and we co-teach a Christian Families class. Jeremy also spends time on construction. He recently completed building the Bible School our team started. Martha works with a group of women who sew and make jewelry to sell
and help support their families. She has also helped to train some men and women to teach people in villages how to read, since the literacy rate here is so very low.
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It is important to us to serve together as a whole family. Our four boys have all been heavily involved in our ministry. We go out to villages for church weekly, often being gone for 9 or more hours. The boys help with weekly relief work for those in poverty and are also involved in activities with the Bible School students.
Currently Luke (21) and Andrew (19) are studying at Harding University. Luke is getting a degree in Film with a second major in Bible. Andrew is getting a degree in Computer Science, also with a second major in Bible. Joshua (16) and Micah (14) have finished their sophomore year here at our team school (homeschool). We are enjoying having them home with us for a few more years.
The Westerholm Family
We are the Westerholm family: Chad, Amy, Maggie, Jane and Jack Westerholm. We have been serving in Mozambique since 2003. Chad had a number of people in his life growing up who influenced his interest in missions including his parents who were part of the Exodus movement to plant churches in New Jersey and a youth minister who was a missionary and who spoke into his life. When Chad went to Harding’s study abroad program in Greece, he was very touched to travel to Turkey and meet people there who had never heard about Jesus. Chad has a heart for the lost and for the frontier areas left in the world where people have not yet been touched by the good news. Amy always wanted to be a missionary since she was a little girl. She was able to go overseas on short trips in high school that made a big impact on her heart. It’s a special blessing to her to be able to get to be a part of the work in Mozambique.
Maggie is 17 years old in her senior year of high school. She loves chemistry, math, playing board games and spending time with friends and family. She is planning to start Harding in Fall of 2024.
Jane is 14 years old in her sophomore year of high school. Jane is very creative and loves music, art, animals and having fun with friends and family. Jack is 7 years old and in the 2 nd grade. He enjoys Pokemon, Minecraft, Wii, playing with his sisters and reading books.
It’s a real joy for our whole family to be in Mozambique. We love our team and community and feel so blessed with beautiful relationships here serving the Lord together. Currently Chad teaches in a Bible School for church leaders for several months of the year. He also visits churches and teaches in the
villages on a weekly basis. Chad is passionate about translating the Bible into the Makua Meeto language. As the translation of the New Testament was completed recently, Chad is now involved with a project to translate the Psalms. Amy is involved with home ministry with the kids and serving the team and missionary community.