Dear CF Family,

It is such a rich time in CF Missions these days. We have several upcoming mission trips all over the world, and we literally have the privilege of spreading the Gospel worldwide. Your generosity makes this possible! Thank you.

Bless you,

John Wills
Missions Pastor

Kenya Mission Trip

Once again, our Kenya mission trip was amazing this year! Champion Forest sent 17 church members to serve with our partner, International Treasure House.  International Treasure House is a rescue center for young women and children who have been sold into sex trafficking and/or have been abused.

Two years ago, our team was a part of a rescue.  Pastor Averri Lemalle traveled with Jennifer and Johnny, missionaries with International Treasure House, and members of the Kenyan government to “the bush” to rescue two young girls who were about to be sold.  They were 6 and 8 years old.  After they rescued the young girls, the girls were scared because they had never seen or been inside of a vehicle.  They were taken to the International Treasure House, where the team discovered that the girls had also never seen a house or slept in a bed. ITHM clothed them, fed them, continued to make sure they received an education, and, most of all, told them about Jesus.

Fast-forward to 2024. Our team received hugs from these two girls who were scared to hold our hands two years ago. Even better, one of the girls prayed to receive Jesus into her heart and was baptized in a pool at a local park with 14 others! We saw a total of 23 young girls pray to receive Jesus into their hearts and witnessed a total of 15 baptisms.

Our last baptism was a young man in his twenties named Luichi.  Two months prior, Luichi prayed that Jesus would rescue him because he was demon-possessed.  It took two nights of spiritual warfare until the demons left.  He is now living for Jesus and was baptized. 

Every year, we see God work miracles in Kenya!  It is truly amazing.  I encourage you to sign up and go with us next year.  Our dates are April 28, 2025, through May 8, 2025!

Calling Out the Called

In 2024, Champion Forest sent out Alba Mosquera (far left) to serve as an IMB Missionary in Verona, Italy. Over the next 12 months, Champion Forest will send out two more of our own to serve Jesus and share the Gospel. Maylei Yao (middle) will serve as a missionary with UK/USA Ministries to England. Hugo Octaviano (far right) will serve with ELIC as a missionary to Tunisia, Africa.

Is God stirring your heart to go on the mission field, or are you beginning to wrestle with a calling? Email jwills@championforest.org and let us help you process.

School Partnership Event at North Klein

The North Klein campus hosted 80+ teachers, staff, and their families for a bit of fun, food, and fellowship. We praise God for his provision of perfect weather. Thank you to S.A.L.T. and Verse by Verse Life Groups for grilling hamburgers and hotdogs and serving our Fox Family. Principal Combs told Pastor Steven Morris that they’ve never had an opportunity like this where their families were included and appreciated. Everyone had a blast and we are truly grateful. We’re sure we’ll see some of these families back on our campus soon, too.

Some teachers and families hung out long enough (over two hours) that they witnessed North Klein students running out of the church into the backyard, obviously excited for Midweek activities.  We overheard a group of teachers comment: “I’ve never seen a church like this before!”

What did they witness? NK students arrived and ran out of the “backdoors” to toss a football with Adam, Ryan, and other leaders; Amy Tomberlin rolled a cart of pizzas out to the student building; and a group of girls gathered at a picnic table with Carolina for some girl-talk. The teachers watched as we greeted one another with huge smiles, high-fives, and hugs, and were moved by the true love of a church family. What a testimony!

International Friendship Testimony

International Friendship is a longstanding missions ministry at Champion Forest designed to connect students to God, the Bible, Christians, and the church through ESL classes. Here’s what first-time student Nina Anderl had to say about the ministry:

“I am grateful to participate in this great (and free) program every week because I have met lovely people here, and I look forward to seeing them every week. Apart from the actual reason I attend IF—to learn English—interacting with the whole community I’ve found there is just great. We have great conversations in the large group, and I always learn something new. Also, IF leaders come up with something new to entertain the “students” and introduce them to American/Texan culture each week, which I enjoy. We had a chili tasting recently and a Thanksgiving dinner. I love attending IF, and I hope that I can continue to attend this wonderful program for a long time to come.”

Community Ministry Center

The CF Community Ministry Center is open six times a week to “meet needs” in our community. Since May 1^st, the CMC has distributed 17,897 food items and helped feed 408 families. That’s a lot of groceries!

We cannot do this without your generosity and the regular help of Life Groups on all 3 campuses.

Are you interested in helping the CMC distribute even more food items to families in need in our community? Try this: Once a month, as you do your personal grocery shopping, grab some of the needed items on our “needed item groceries list” and drop them off at the CMC whenever you run by Champions or CF Jersey Village. For the complete list of needed grocery items, text CMC to 77069 and click on “needed groceries list.”

Kingdom Impact at the CMC

At Champion Forest, we are committed to pursuing God as he moves in our lives and the lives of our friends and neighbors—our community. We are committed to joining him as he grows his kingdom in our hearts, and we get excited when he leads us through open doors to reach the community he has entrusted us to steward.  

We often ask: If Champion Forest ceased to exist, would anyone notice our absence? What kind of impact are we having right now that is felt and needed in the lives around us?

Last semester, we were able to sit back and watch the Lord throw open several doors in the community, giving our individuals and Life Groups the opportunity to carry the love and message of God to those hurting, marginalized, and in need of him.  The Lord opened doors in our local schools, and we packed over 3,000 bags for children who are hungry on the weekends in Spring, Klein, and Cy-Fair ISD, building relationships that eventually allowed us to share God’s truth with kids and families.  

The Lord opened doors among human trafficking survivors, and we were able to provide over 50 women and children bags containing much-needed rescue items like clean clothes and a Bible.  We were also able to landscape a rescue center and commit to providing regular food to rescued trafficking victims in our backyard.  

Finally, the Lord opened the doors of our CMC, and we have now seen over 71 people come to know Christ as their Savior and Lord. We continue to provide food and the gospel to the hundreds of families we serve monthly.  

In all of this, we are grateful to see the Lord stirring in the hearts of our own people.  As of this past spring, we have more Champion Forest individuals and Life Groups involved in serving the community than we have had in the last decade, and we are convinced that the Lord is continuing to allow us to be a people who are passionate about pursuing him as he lets us make an impact on those around us!  

If you are reading this and wondering how you can join what God is doing in our community, contact us. We can’t wait to hear from you! 

CF Missions Staff

• John Wills – Missions Pastor / Residency Director / CF Connect Director
• Owen Barr – Missions Associate
• Lezlie Armour – Missions Associate
• Luzma Bedoya – Administrative Assistant
• Ileana Gonzalez – Administrative Assistant

Missions Office Contact
281-885-6733
missionsministry@championforest.org