Posts by Leanne Monge Barrera
An Open Door, a Warm Meal, and a Seed of Hope
Most missionaries have experienced praying for, serving, and investing in a specific person, only to lose touch and wonder what happened to them. Did those conversations matter? Did those prayers make a difference? Did the seeds of the gospel ever take root? Meet Michelle Weppler. She has been serving in Romania with her husband, Kevin, for the past 20 years. At the beginning, their lives in Eastern Europe were challenging.…
Read MoreMinistry through the Arts: A Pathway to Connection & Curiosity
His eyes moved slowly across the paintings before him. Drawn in by the vibrant contrasts of colour, the intertwining brushstrokes, and images emerging from abstract shapes, he stepped closer to the canvases. A quiet sense of connection to an unknown creator stirred within him as he lingered. There was something peaceful about the blues washing over sharp…
Read MoreInside a Growing International Student Ministry in Budapest
On any Thursday, if you were to walk down the stairs to the basement of the building that Danube International Church rents, you would hear the overwhelming sound of university students chattering. The room is set for worship, and you’d be instantly invited to join in someone’s conversation. Danube Uni Students (DUS) began in 2019 and now has 70…
Read MoreSports Ministry & The Great Commission: Encouragement for Planting & Watering Seeds
Does it ever feel discouraging to pursue the Great Commission? You tell others about Jesus and demonstrate His love, but don’t see transformation as quickly as you’d like—if at all? Don’t lose heart! Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow… Each will receive…
Read MoreVolleyball Ministry: How Sports Create Opportunities for Discipleship
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to…
Read MoreHope on Campus: How God is Changing Lives in Lille
I believed in God. No…I hated God. I saw Him the way I saw my father: cold, distant…and when He showed up, it was to punish. I looked at the world—the suffering of my loved ones, of my family, of people everywhere—I asked Him the question many have already asked themselves: ‘Why do You let all this…
Read MoreWhen Ordinary People Change the World: The European Movement God is Building
A Growing Christian Movement in Europe Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV) Picture this: Two fishermen stand before the most powerful religious leaders of their day. No seminary degrees, no…
Read MoreDiscovering Faith at a Christian Camp in Spain
The female counsellors at Spain’s L’Arcada Christian Camp never knew from week to week what type of campers they would have in their teepees. Would the girls be giggling and constantly whispering about boys, or would they be serious-minded seekers? It usually ended up being a combination of both and everything in between. GEM worker Dani Rhodes, who worked on…
Read MoreUnited for His Glory: Celebrations 2025 in France
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 corinthians 12:12 Imagine what can happen when God’s children willingly and humbly work together for His glory. It wasn’t long ago when France’s spiritual landscape was quite dark. There were few Christians, and they were divided. Instead of uniting to grow God’s Kingdom, they found fault in one another, accusing others…
Read MoreWhen the World is Your Home: A New Book for TCKs
It started with a question. What happens when bedtime stories don’t reflect your child’s reality? For GEM worker Alyx Scholl, that question led to writing When the World Is Your Home, a book for children growing up between cultures. Alyx and her husband, Nick, have been serving with GEM in Italy since 2022, along with their two young children, ages four and one. The idea for the book came from a desire to help…
Read MoreSix Core Values of GEM Explained
Over the past six months, GEM Canada shifted from producing regular monthly blog posts to producing monthly newsletters focused on our six core values. Now that we’ve concluded the series, we’ve combined our written efforts into this one blog post. Let’s dive deeper and explore the heart of our organization. COMMUNITY Imagine having a dream…
Read MoreBrewing Hope: How One Albanian Café Is Transforming Lives
There are more coffee shops per capita in Albania than anywhere in the world, but one offers more than just a good brew. The Bridge offers hope and community. In Albania, the unfortunate reality is that many citizens feel hopeless about their country and its economic prospects; anger and aggression run high; mistrust in the…
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