When the Nations Come to Us

Brianna Langley • Oct 17, 2017

Syrian refugee Ibrahim* instantly tensed when he saw the American couple approaching from across the park. Would they be friendly? What would they think when they realized he couldn’t speak English?

“As-Salaam-Alaikum,” said the American man as soon as he was within earshot of Ibrahim.

Ibrahim’s fears immediately melted away. This American knew the traditional Arabic greeting: “Peace be unto you!”

Astonished and relieved, Ibrahim and his family made their first two American friends, TEAM missionaries Miles and Ava Douglas.*

Two Nations, One Ministry

When the Douglases moved to America after 30 years in the Middle East , it was amazing how little their life changed.

The couple met at a hospital in the Arabian Peninsula. Ava was serving there as a nurse. Miles went as a short-term missionary and ultimately felt God calling him to stay.

“I ended up staying there 30 years, working in many different roles in the hospital,” said Miles. “I worked in engineering, maintenance, administration — but the main focus of what we were doing there was reaching out to the Gulf Arab people.”

In 2014, the Douglases realized God was now calling them from the Middle East to the United States.

“But, when we began to first sense that, we never once sensed that we would be leaving our ministry to Muslim people ,” explained Miles. “Actually, when we first came back, we began thinking immediately about where we could plug in here in regards to Muslim ministry.”

The Douglases continue to serve Middle Eastern communities as missionaries — only now, in the U.S.

Reaching Muslims through English

Muslim ministry in America

Since returning to the States, Ava Douglas has started working for a local English tutoring ministry, which has opened doors for discussions about Jesus Christ. Photo by TEAM


The Douglases moved to a city where a local children’s hospital takes a large number of patients from the Gulf. Because of the hospital, many Gulf Arab families end up spending a year or two there.

Miles thought he would work at the hospital, too. Instead, God directed him to a job as an Arabic interpreter for the local school system.

“Of course God knew better, because now, we have so much more freedom through the schools,” said Ava. “I mean, if Miles had ended up at the children’s hospital, I don’t think we would have the freedom that we have now to visit families after hours, and I think giving them Bibles and things would be difficult.”

As for Ava, she now serves as a facilitator for a local English tutoring ministry.

Through Miles’s work with the schools, the Douglases quickly recognized that Arab families face pressure to learn English as soon as they arrive in the U.S. That’s where Ava’s work comes into play.

“We’re in touch with several different churches in the area that have put announcements in bulletins and things that we need tutors for Arab families,” Ava said. “Then these Christian, American ladies will call me and I will match them up with a family that they can go to and tutor.”

The tutoring program is flexible. Some volunteers prefer to help women with simple, conversational English, while others prefer to help children with their American schoolwork.

Most tutors have no background in English education or even Arabic. It truly is an opportunity for anyone with a heart for reaching Muslims.

“The testimonies that we hear are really amazing,” said Ava. “When you have a Muslim lady one-on-one, it becomes so much easier to talk with her about the Lord and about … what Jesus means to us.”

The Friendships Immigrants Crave

Muslim ministry in America

Much like anyone else, Muslim refugees crave friendships. By connecting with them, missionaries can offer love and understanding. Photo by TEAM


When Samira* came to the U.S. from the Arabian Peninsula as a university student, her brother was suddenly the only person she knew.

She desperately wanted American friends. But she didn’t know their language or their culture. She’d never felt such intense loneliness before.

By God’s grace, someone told her about the Douglases.

They told her they knew an American woman who was her age and studying at the same university. They said this woman had a love for Middle Eastern culture and was praying for a friend just like Samira!

The Douglases say stories like Samira’s are one of the most rewarding aspects of their ministry. Through their efforts, friendships are formed and fear of the unknown dissipates.

“They love to have American friendships. They really do,” said Ava. “It’s something they want, and something most of them don’t get.”

One of the most effective ways to bring a Muslim to Christ , the Douglases say, is to show them Christ’s love in action and not be afraid to reach out to them.

“I think with Americans, there is a discomfort and fear when it comes to Muslims, but that also goes the other way around,” said Ava. “There is a fear Muslims have of how Americans might receive them. … Both sides must lose their fears .”

Now, with the influx of Syrian and Iraqi refugees , Christians in America have more opportunities than ever to reach out to Muslims with the love of Christ.

Most Middle Eastern refugees have experienced great violence and trauma at the hands of Islam. Because of that, some are abandoning their faith in Allah after coming to the States.

“There’s just an openness to hear about something that does work, and to see it in action through the Church,” said Miles. “You can talk until you’re blue in the face, but if they don’t see it in action, it won’t mean anything to them.

The World in Your Neighborhood

Muslim ministry in America

With 360 unreached people groups in North America, mosques are becoming a more common sight in the U.S. Photo by TEAM


Between the refugee crisis and a general uptick in Middle Eastern immigrants, the landscape surrounding North American Christians looks much different now than it did 30 years ago.

The Douglases believe God is bringing Muslim immigrants and refugees to America in order to make Christ’s Gospel more accessible to them.

“There are people from over 360 unreached people groups here in North America now,” Ava said. “It’s incredible. Only God can do something like that.”

The need for overseas missionaries continues, but local churches now have a unique opportunity to reach unreached people groups within their own neighborhoods.

Scriptures such as Romans 13:10 and Hebrews 13:2 issue strong commands to welcome and love both strangers and neighbors. And this calling is not lost on the Douglases.

“As Christians, it should come from us anyway to be the first to reach out to them,” said Miles. “We really should be the first ones welcoming them here.”

*Names changed

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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