Meet the Staff and Volunteers
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In 2001, Mission to Amish People [MAP] started out in a small Sunday school room, located inside Bethel Baptist Church. But as time went on, the ministry grew and before long, a second and third person had to be hired. And since each Sunday school room was small in size, they had no choice but to keep branching out until the ministry had used up three classrooms. At that point, the church asked the ministry to consider the idea of building their own office space. Today the ministry is running their offices out of a 2,000 sq. ft. building, located about 500 feet away from the main church building. It is not uncommon to see between 20 and 30 volunteers working on mailing day.
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Joe Keim |
In 1999, while working as a tool and die maker at one of our local manufacturing plants, the Lord began to work in Joe's heart about taking the gospel back to his people. For over a year, Joe went through some tremendous struggles before giving up and making himself available to go wherever the Lord wanted him to go. By April of 2001, the Keim family had raised just enough financial support through local churches and individuals that they decided to take the scary plunge, let go of Joe's secular job, and go into full time ministry. As you can tell by looking through this web site, the Lord has blessed the MAP ministry far beyond anything they could ever have imagined. Many thousands of lives have been changed for all of eternity because the Keims made themselves available and were obedient to God's call. |
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Tina Duffield |
Tina is married and has two grown daughters and four grand-children. She got saved in the fifth grade while attending a Vacation Bible School. It would not be until after she was married that some wonderful Christian ladies drew her to the Lord, by loving and mentoring her. Today, Tina works as the secretary of MAP. Her job requires her to manage all the volunteers, run the SonLight Club, order ministry materials, help with the finances, take all the calls, and about 100 other things. Her prayer is that the Lord will always be able to use her for His work, no matter what that might be. |
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Bea Kennedy |
Bea Kennedy, the oldest child of Salvation Army Officers, has worked as a secretary, computer repair technician, and a medical transcriptionist. She and her husband, Terry, have three daughters and three grandchildren. In January of 1999, the Lord saved Bea. By fall, she was serving in her home church, working with 5th and 6th grade girls during the Wednesday night Bible clubs. Several years later, she began leading the ladies Sunday school class as well as doing an in-home Bible study with a neighbor. Today, Bea plays a big part in managing the web site for Mission to Amish People. Her position requires her to format and upload articles, upgrade web pages, advertise the ministry and make sure everything is in working order. She is also involved in developing and managing web sites for other ministries. |
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Eli and Rachel Raber |
If you have ever listened to a CD or watched a DVD that came from MAP, there is a very good chance that Eli and Rachel burned and printed them.They have a CD duplicator that copies up to seven CD’s at a time, and two printers that put labels right on the media. Both of them consider it a privilege to be part of the MAP outreach and would one day like to become more involved in mentoring others who come out of the Amish culture. Eli writes, MAP has had a very good influence in my life and I want to be able to help others who are in similar situations that I was in when I left the Amish.
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Rachel Arnold |
Hello, my name is Rachel Arnold and I have been helping at Map for almost two years now. I volunteer at the MAP office one day every other week to organize and send out the Awards for the SonLight Club. Most recently I have been working on the SonLight Club newsletter in which I can work from home on this project. I have a wonderful and supportive Husband named Emery. We have been married four and half years now. We have four heavenly angels and two boys that we are hoping to adopt. We are both very faithful in God's timing and God's plan for our lives. Throughout my time here at MAP I have learned many things. The most important lesson I have learned through serving in this Ministry is the fact that I am serving a most compassionate God. Volunteering can be difficult, but when you remind yourself that by giving your time to God's greater cause it brings a smile to your face and praise in your heart. |
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Tom and Pat Thomas
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When an Amish or former Amish person/family comes to MAP for emergency help, Tom and Pat are the first on call. They take the person through an application process, and if approved, they will assist them with short term financial help toward housing and living expenses. Tom and Pat have two grown children and are actively involved as board members of the MAP ministry. Tom is a Sunday school teacher at his home church and works as the plant manager at a large tubing manufacturing plant in Shelby OH. Pat, on the other hand, spents her time voluntering at MAP and being a home maker. This is a volunteer position |
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Norma Henry |
Norma has been a widow for many years. She has four children and seven grandchildren. In 2002, she sold her restaurant which she had owned and operated for 14 years. After retirement, she realized that she had extra hours in which she could be of service to my Lord. She helps MAP two days a week, grading and mailing out lessons and certificates for the SonLight Club. Norma volunteers 2 days a week |
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Lori Stackhouse |
Lori is married and has 3 children and 3 grandbabies. She retired from a landscaping business that she and her husband had for many years. Today she works at the MAP office from 9am to 5pm, four days a week. Her main job is entering Bible lessons into the computer, but as you might imagine, she does so much more than that. It is not possible to know what we would do without Lori. She is a full-blooded comedian and keeps the office alive for 8 hours a day, 4 days a week. Lori volunteers 4 days a week |
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Miriam Yoder |
Miriam, and her husband Levi, left the Amish when their children were still very young. And for 20 years they owned and operated a grocery store in Kentucky. In 2004, Levi and Miriam started talking to Joe about their desire to move to Ohio and help out with the MAP ministry. Several times we gave up that this would ever come to pass, but we also knew that if it was God's will, it would happen when the time was right. Month after month went by and finally, in October of 2005, they made the big move to Ohio. Miriam helps out with the SonLight Club at least 2 days a week. Miriam volunteers 2 days a week |
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Esther Gray |
Esther, and her husband, Glenn, have five children and a handful of grandchildren. They are country folks who just love to serve the Lord wherever they can. As for the MAP Ministry, Esther works at least 2 days a week grading Bible lessons. Like all the other volunteers, it would be hard to know what we would do without her presence. Esther volunteers 2-days a week |
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Linda Eichelberger |
Linda has 4 children and 4 grandchildren. She had always had a curiosity about the Amish culture. After hearing about the MAP Ministry through her church she felt a desire to volunteer to do what she could. She says it is such a blessing to see the many lives being changed through the SonLight Club. Linda works one to two days a week grading lessons or putting them together getting them ready to mail. Linda volunteers 1-2 days a week |
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Pat Thomas |
Pat is married and has two children. She has been a stay at home mom and with her children now attending college it has given her the opportunity to serve outside the home. She works one to two days a week entering Bible lessons in the computer and helps wherever needed. She enjoys serving the Lord in the SonLight Club. Pat volunteers 2 days a week |
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Carolyn Glenn |
Carolyn and her husband Dean have two children, 4 grandchildren (one in Heaven) and one great grandchild. They own a 20 acre farm where they raise 30-40 sheep. When Carolyn retired two years ago she was privileged to hear Joe Keim speak at her church about the MAP Ministry. It immediately sparked an interest in her, and since then she works one to two days a week matching lessons, grading or wherever needed. Carolyn volunteers 2-days a week |
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Kathy Patton |
Kathy and her husband Troy have been married for 22 years. She has a daughter Ashley and a son Ross. Originally from Oklahoma, Kathy, her husband and children moved to Ohio in 2001. She says, “If someone would of told me ten years ago that I would be moving away from my family in Oklahoma, I wouldn’t have believed it!” But God has blessed us beyond measure, because of our faith in trusting Him.It has really been the most amazing journey in so many ways. She volunteers at MAP at least two days a week and it is truly a privilege. She considers the other volunteers to be a blessing to her more than they will ever know. Kathy volunteers 2-days a week |
I Am New"Joe, I did want to say how much we and our church enjoyed your visit and presentation with us. Many people commented on your presentation and how much it opened their eyes. It is my prayer and that of others also that we will be able to bring you on for support but of course that is not up to me. "
