opening doors through education & faith
son teams carry hope
ONE MISSION: MAKING CHRIST KNOWN
more than a team
Spring 2026
Thank you for being part of the great cloud of witnesses and a vital member of the SON Team. Your prayers, generosity, and partnership make these relationships — and this mission — possible. In this issue, you will read about the many regional teams that make up SON: the North America Team, the Albania Team, the Estonia Team, the Ethiopia Team, the Latvia Team, the Slovakia Team, the Ukraine Team, the Uruguay Team, and the Short-Term Summer Mission Teams—all united in mission as one global SON Team. To God be the glory! -Pastor David Breidenbach
SON Teams
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes an entire global family in Christ to nurture that child in faith—no matter their age.
Where someone is sent, another has made the way. Where the Gospel is spoken, others have helped carry it there. Through this shared life together, and it is exactly how Spiritual Orphans are Connected to the Global Family of Christ.
christ centered relationships transform lives
SON Short Term Teams are not defined by a single trip, a single summer, or even a single role. They are shaped by something deeper. They reflect the reality that the Church is one body in Christ, where each member is called into His mission. In the places SON serves, the Church has been silenced and continues to be persecuted, first under Communist regimes that sought to eradicate faith and by secular cultures that now reject it. The result is lasting oppression and a deep spiritual void in countless lives. Each year, teams are formed and sent to serve through English Bible Camps and ministry opportunities across countries like Latvia, Albania, and Slovakia. This summer, 56 team members will serve in nine camps, helping create spaces where nearly 500 children, teens, and leaders will hear the Gospel and encounter the Love of Christ. These are not just events. They are places where His Word is spoken, where relationships are formed, and where lives are transformed in Him. This work never depends on human effort. God alone creates faith and accomplishes His purposes. Yet in His grace, He sends His people to carry His Word into the world. Through ordinary conversations, faithful teaching, and simple presence, He works through them to reach those who would otherwise remain untouched by the Gospel. Those who go serve in visible ways, building relationships and sharing the truth of Scripture. Those who send are no less part of that same work. Through their giving, prayer, and encouragement, they share fully in what is taking place. There is no dividing line between them. It is one mission, carried forward together. To be part of the SON Team is not a temporary identity. It does not end when a trip is over. It is an ongoing participation in the life of the Church and in the mission God Himself is carrying forward.
When we talk about Teams at SON, we’re not talking about competitive sports. We’re speaking about the unique, Christ-centered relationships that form the global family known as Spiritual Orphans Network. At the very heart of the SON mission strategy is relationship —genuine, long-term connections made and committed to one mission: to make Christ known, wherever the context may be. This is not about one-off mission trips or memorable experiences for a résumé. Every time we connect with our global family and serve together in reaching spiritual orphans around the world, lives are profoundly changed by the relationships that are formed through SON Teams. You are a part of this global family. You are a member of the team. I’d like to take a moment to share how I know this to be true. Before I became a believer, at the age of 25, the system that had been modeled for me taught that it is “every man for himself” and “you alone control your destiny.” I was a spiritual orphan—unaware that something essential was missing, and that there was a whole family in Christ just waiting to embrace and welcome me. God used several people to shape my faith. My wife, Angela, certainly. But also dear friends, Tom and Vicki Crow, who patiently walked alongside me as the idea that, in Christ Jesus, God is real began to take hold in my life. Even an entire church choir welcomed someone like me into their circle and eventually modeled what authentic Christian community looks like. I still remember the first time I heard that my identity had changed in Christ. Within my first year of becoming a believer, a faithful sister in Christ, Jennifer Bohnhoff, said to me: “You are a man of God, David!” She likely had no idea how profoundly those words would shape my understanding of belonging to God’s family. Decades later, they still stay with me. There are countless others who have walked—and continue to walk—alongside me, speaking into my life as we grow in our shared faith. Some have been pastors, but most are “regular,” everyday believers who recognize that the mission field is wherever God has placed them. And that describes you. You are already part of this family—sending, supporting, and praying as together we make Christ known. This is what a healthy family looks like: each serving in the contexts and capacities that God has given them, united in one mission and one purpose—building the Kingdom together. This is also how Christian mission is accomplished throughout the world: one soul at a time, loved and nurtured by an entire family of witnesses to the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ.
SON North America Team: Pastor David Breidenbach Executive Director Angela Breidenbach Director of Global Mission and Formation Mike Wind Director of Development Pastor Mark Wilhelm Director of Donor Growth and Formation Rachel Haseley Communication and Marketing Manager Danette Edgar Bookkeeper and YOU!
investing in their education today helps shape future leaders who will impact their communities & families with the love & message of jesus.
SON is inviting you to join the team and become part of this mission by helping sponsor a SON international student on their pathway in faith. The total need for all four students in the upcoming school year is $50,000. Your investment can help open doors to education, deepen faith, and raise up future Christian leaders who will carry the hope of Christ to the nations.
opening doors through education and faith
In Ukraine, ministry is shaped by the realities of war. Daily life is marked by uncertainty, disrupted routines, and the weight of ongoing conflict. Yet in the middle of it all, the Church continues to move toward the needs around it, bringing the hope of Christ into places where it is needed most. Across the country, SON Global Workers and local leaders are serving in ways that reflect both courage and deep commitment. In the Odesa region and surrounding areas, SON Global Worker Pastor Alexander Gross provides leadership across multiple congregations, including those near the front lines. His work centers on strengthening churches, encouraging pastors, and ensuring that even in the most difficult conditions, the Gospel remains present and active. This ministry is not without personal cost. In the midst of the ongoing conflict, Pastor Alexander’s daughters, Anna-Mariia and Marta, were brought to the United States to live with SON Directors Pastor David and Angela Breidenbach. Through the generous outpouring of love from the SON family in Christ, they are able to study, grow, and be part of a church community, while remaining deeply connected to their home in Ukraine. It is a powerful reflection of what it means to be one global family, caring for one another in tangible ways. Further inland, SON Global Worker Pastor Scott Yount is serving in the Kyiv region, focusing on children with special needs and their families. In a country where accessibility is already limited, the challenges of war have only increased isolation for many of these families. Through weekly visits, worship, and intentional relationship building, Scott and his team are creating spaces where these children are seen, valued, and reminded that they are deeply loved by God . Their ministry extends beyond weekly gatherings. From Bible camps to ongoing support for families and the distribution of humanitarian aid, they are walking alongside people in both practical and personal ways. In a time when so much feels uncertain, these consistent acts of care bring stability, encouragement, and a renewed sense of hope. The SON Ukraine Team reflects a shared commitment across different regions and roles. Pastors, ministry leaders, and believers are serving side by side, supported by a global network that stands with them through prayer, presence, and partnership. Even in the midst of hardship, the Church in Ukraine continues to shine with quiet strength. And through this team, the hope of Christ is reaching into lives that need it now more than ever.
pathways in faith
A vital part of One Mission is building relationships through shared learning and growing in the Gospel with students and their families. These relationships often lead to conversations about the future and exploring how God may be calling them to use their unique gifts. Yet not every young person has access to the opportunities needed to answer that calling. This is where SON can open an entirely new path. A path that only God can make possible. In 2022, SON launched a new area of ministry: creating an affordable pathway to higher education for promising students who desire not only to pursue a career, but also to grow in their faith and identity in Christ. SON seeks to build pathways to education and Christian faith for underprivileged students from countries such as Albania and Ukraine by providing access to quality education and equipping them to become strong, Christ-centered leaders in their communities. Through scholarships, mentorship, and spiritual encouragement in Christian community, students are empowered to grow academically, personally, and spiritually. These pathways provide students with the tools and knowledge needed to bring positive change to their home countries, while grounding them in Christian values and servant leadership. Investing in their education today helps shape future leaders who will impact their communities and families with the love and message of Jesus Christ This past year, SON sponsored four students: Anna-Mariia and Marta from Ukraine, and Fjoralba and Klara from Albania. All have pursued undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico and are fully immersed in the local Christian community. Anna-Mariia has now completed her degree in Business Administration and Marketing, creating space for a new student to begin classes in August 2026.
That new student is Sea Muglica, an outstanding young woman and strong Christian from Albania. She will begin at Menaul School this August to complete her final year of high school. Through the unique New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship—available to all New Mexico high school graduates—Sea will be able to follow the same pathway as Marta, Fjoralba, and Klara by attending a New Mexico university with 100% of tuition covered for all four years. This is what makes sponsoring a SON international student in New Mexico both strategic and affordable. The average annual cost to sponsor an international student—covering housing in dorms or host home, meals, support, and spiritual care within a Christian community—is approximately $12,000 per academic year.
son ukraine team
SON albania TEAM
space for people to encounter Christ in everyday life. The church there, along with a newly dedicated worship space, is a direct expression of their ministry. What began with a simple prayer for even one baptism has already become a testimony to God’s abundance, as lives are being transformed and a new community of faith is taking shape . This space has become a place where children learn, families gather, and the Gospel is shared again and again, strengthening a growing community of believers. In the northern region of Dibër, Pastor Ermal and Sarah Lushi serve through Alpha Omega Church in Peshkopi. Their ministry reflects the same commitment to discipleship and community, investing in people and building a strong, local church. This summer will mark the ninth season of English Bible Camps and the teen seminar, Rooted in Truth, in Peshkopi, where students are invited to wrestle with real life challenges through the lens of Biblical truth. The SON Albania Team is not defined by programs or projects, but by people. SON Global Workers, local believers, and a global family stand together, each playing a role while sharing one purpose. Together, they are living out one mission, bringing the hope of Christ to those who need it most.
son slovakia team
In Albania, the mission is not carried by individuals alone. It is lived out through a growing, unified team of believers serving their communities with faith and consistency. From central Albania to the northern region of Dibër, God is building something deeply relational and enduring. Albania’s history provides important context for this work. Once a strong center of Christianity, the country endured centuries of Ottoman rule followed by decades of strict communist oppression, where faith was pushed out of public life and even outlawed. Over time, this has shaped a largely cultural Muslim identity for many Albanians, though often without active religious practice. The result is a deep spiritual gap, where many have little connection to personal faith or an understanding of the Gospel. It is into this space that the Church is now faithfully stepping, bringing the hope of Christ to a new generation . In central Albania, SON Global Workers Denis and Ela Shallari are faithfully walking alongside families in places like Moravë, teaching, praying, and creating
After Slovakia regained its independence, the mass secularization caused by the communist agenda left the Church in ruins and Christianity near extinction. It is an era of occupation remembered as a very dark and painful time for its people. However, as in all former communist countries where SON teams serve, a small remnant of the Church persisted. It is with these faithful servants of God with which we are privileged to work, and we are honored to partner to bring English Bible Camps and Life and Adventure Teen Retreats to students throughout this beautiful country. The incredible SON Slovakia Team: Miro Mudrak, Pr. Miro & Janka Maťo, Pr. Vlado & Monika Maťaš, and Pr. Daniel & Tatiana Benuch continue to nurture children and youth in the faith through the ministries of Slovak Evangelistic Youth (EVS) organization, local church communities, public schools, and a para-church organization headed up by Dr. Slavo Slavík and Lydia Melušova to share and spread the Good News of the Gospel through an impressive Christian ministry NGO – EVS – focused on creatively reaching all sectors of people with the Gospel. It is important to also note that the SON Slovakia Team continues to provide significant on-the-ground support to Ukrainian Refugees and through regular transports of supplies for distribution inside Ukraine as part of SON Ukraine Relief Fund efforts. By God’s grace and provision, every year the SON Slovakia Team connects more and more spiritual orphans to the global family of Christ. Thank you for your continued support and willingness in serving as part of the team!
The partnership between SON and Estonia is not new - it is a relationship built over decades of trust, faithfulness, and shared commitment to the Gospel. At the center of this connection is the Haamer family, representing four generations of Lutheran pastors and leaders who have faithfully served the Church in Estonia. Alongside them, the Estonian Lutheran Church has been a consistent and trusted partner through every season. These are not simply ministry relationships- they are enduring friendships in the Gospel. Today, Pastor Siimon Haamer continues this legacy as President of the Tartu Academy of Theology (TAT), a key SON ministry partner. TAT is equipping leaders and creating space for people to encounter Christ - often for the first time. Recently, we saw a powerful picture of what One Mission · One Team truly means. At a gathering at Home of Hope, local Estonians stepped forward to support pastoral care and ministry in their own country - while long-time partners from the United States stood with them in shared commitment. This growing spirit of generosity reflects something deeper: the mission is faithfully led by Siimon and TAT - and we are privileged to stand alongside them as part of one team. This is the beauty of the Gospel at work through SON - one mission, shared by one team, across nations. SON is also honored to help coordinate the Persecution Pilgrimage in Estonia, where the Haamer family and TAT guide participants through the story of faith and endurance captured in We Shall Live in Heaven- a testimony that continues to shape hearts today. We are deeply grateful for this long-standing partnership- and excited to see what God will do next.
son latvia team
Pastors Miguel Nuñez and Varinia Cuello are pioneering Christian missionaries serving the secular country of Uruguay. In 2026 they will officially begin leading the SON Uruguay Team as SON Global Workers. Pr. David and SON Board member, Vic, recently visited Uruguay. Varinia and Miguel shared some insights from their visit: "The visit from our brothers and sisters at Spiritual Orphans Network was a great blessing. They arrived very early one day in "el paisito" (as Uruguay is called because it's a small country) and had a very intense week of activities, travel, conversation, and prayer. When we met at the LCMC Gathering in October 2025, we realized we had something in common: SON, like us, seeks to reach people who believe their lives are fine without God, who live as if God didn't exist. That is the reality in Uruguay. During the time David and Vic were with us, we tried to show them and let them experience the mission we carry out. We visited the Christian ministries that walk alongside us. We asked Pastor David to preach at the Palm Sunday celebrations in both Punta del Este and in Montevideo. They perceived the needs of Uruguayans and the differences between the two cities. And they experienced firsthand the reality of a secular country within the Latin American context. When the time came to envision working together, we talked and prayed to God for His guidance and care. We are certain that it is God who has opened this possibility, and that His grace and mercy upon the opportunities that arise from this collaboration are limited only by His will." SON is overjoyed to be a part of the team already serving in Uruguay and we invite you to join in supporting, praying, and serving as part of the SON Uruguay Team!
son uruguay team
son ethiopia team
In Latvia, the mission is not new. It is the fruit of over twenty years of faithfulness — ordinary people responding to an extraordinary call, and a growing network of local leaders who have made that work possible. Latvia is not a place SON is trying to reach. It is a place where the Church is actively recovering, and where we are privileged to join what Jesus is doing. At the heart of the Strikī camp is Principal Daina Zandberga, where camp takes place — a partnership built on genuine trust across many seasons. Serving alongside them is David Michael Carrillo, a Musicianary from Indiana who is rooted in Saldus, Latvia. David Michael leads worship at camp, teaches at Daina's school, preaches in local churches, and speaks at conferences across the country. He is not a visitor. He is woven into the life of the Church here in a way that reflects what long-term mission partnership is meant to look like. Raimonds Mežiņš, is a trusted friend who leads the St. Gregor's Education Center where the team stays for the week. From there, they travel to the school each day. In Sabile — a small, predominantly Roma community of fewer than two thousand — Latvian pastor Maris Gross and his wife Ilze host the camp and serve their neighbors with quiet, sacrificial faithfulness. The world moves past places like Sabile. We do not. Six of the twelve disciples came from a small fishing village. God has a pattern of doing the most from places no one expected. Thanks to those of you who give to make all of this possible. Your giving is the stone that hits the water. The ripples go further than you know. You are the SON Latvia Team too! Give now at SONetwork.org — and consider joining us in 2027.
son estonia team
Though the Soviet-backed communist rule in Ethiopia lasted less than one generation, its effects continue to wreak havoc today, in Africa’s oldest independent country that is second-largest in terms of population. As a rare exception among African countries, Ethiopia was never conquered or colonized by European powers, except for the Italian occupation during 1936-41. Today, Ethiopia has the largest and fastest growing Lutheran Church body in the world - Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). This is good news for the Church, but sadly education, especially amongst the poorest populations, make Ethiopia one of the least literate countries in the world (51.8% average literacy rate). This is why our focus is on high quality/low-cost K-12 Christian education for Ethiopian youth. SON Global Worker and Ethiopia Team leader, Rev. Dr. Gemechis Desta Buba was born in Addis Ababa and raised in western Ethiopia under the communist regime. Dr. Buba’s life was profoundly shaped by the transformative power of education and the Gospel. As a young man, he attended an American missionary-run boarding school in Dembi Dollo, an experience that ignited his passion for education and ministry. Rev. Buba (Ph.D,) is the founder and chancellor of Leadstar Christian University. As Chancellor and Executive Board member, he oversees the entire management of the university, strategic planning and development, as they also partner with Mekane Yesus Church - Dr. Gemechis plays a key role in the development and vision of the university, which will graduate 1000 students in August 2026! Dr. Buba also founded Cambridge Academy Ethiopia (CAE) — a rapidly growing school now serving more than 700 students with high-quality, Christ-centered education. Proceeds from this for-profit school directly fund seven other non-profit, rural schools that are providing high-quality education for children living in under-resourced regions throughout Ethiopia. Today, Dr. Buba and his family have moved permanently back to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they are investing in the next generation. A hugely gifted preacher, teacher, speaker, and developer of leadership; SON is honored to serve alongside Dr. Gemechis Buba and the entire Ethiopia Team. We invite you to become part of these vital and growing ministries as part of the SON Ethiopia Team!
If you already give, consider deepening your commitment. If you give occasionally, consider becoming a consistent partner. If you’ve been watching from a distance -this is your moment to engage. Because the future of this mission will not be built on one-time gifts alone. It will be built through faithful, recurring partnership- men and women who choose to stand with this mission month after month, fueling ongoing impact around the world. A recurring gift is more than convenience. It is commitment. It is stability. It is what allows the mission to grow with confidence and clarity. And for some, God may be calling you even further. To consider how your life’s resources - your legacy - can extend the reach of the Gospel beyond your lifetime. Through SON’s Generations Legacy Fund, you have the opportunity to make a lasting investment that will continue to impact lives for years to come . One Mission · One Team Across every country you’ve read about… Across every story in these pages… There is one mission being carried forward. And one team making it possible. You are part of that team. And today, you have an opportunity: To give. To commit. To invest. To leave a legacy. Because together, through faithful partnership, we will continue to bring the hope of Christ to those who need it most. One Mission. One Team. One opportunity to make an eternal difference - starting now.
A mission experience leads to deeper engagement… which leads to long-term partnership… which fuels sustainable, growing impact around the world. Your generosity is what makes that possible. Because of you: A first-time participant becomes a lifelong advocate A global partner is strengthened and encouraged A church steps into deeper mission engagement The Gospel continues to move in places we could never reach alone This is not short-term impact. This is multiplying impact.
we are in a pivotal season. opportunities are increasing. doors are opening. partnerships are growing stronger.
one opportunity for eternal impact.
As you come to the close of this edition of the SON Magazine, you’ve just traveled the world. You’ve seen teams preparing to go. You’ve read updates from Albania, Estonia, Ethiopia, Latvia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Uruguay. It’s inspiring. But it can also feel like a lot of different stories. Different places. Different needs. Different ministries. So let’s be clear about something important: This is not many missions. This is one mission. And you are a vital part of it. At its core, Spiritual Orphans Network exists for one reason: Connecting Spiritual Orphans to the Global Family of Christ. That mission does not change based on geography. It does not shift based on opportunity. It is consistent, focused, and grounded in Christ. Everything we do is aligned around a single, Gospel-centered mission carried out through trusted global relationships. So when you support SON, you are not giving to a country. You are not funding a project. You are advancing one unified mission - globally. That mission is carried forward by a team. Not just staff. Not just global partners. Not just those who go. You.
one mission. one team.
But for the mission to move forward effectively, there must be clarity and unity - especially in how it is funded and sustained. That is why we are leaning fully into a “One Mission · One Fund” approach - ensuring that every dollar strengthens the entire mission, not just one part of it. Your giving becomes more powerful when it is aligned with a unified strategy. More focused. More efficient. More impactful. So as you finish this magazine, here is the invitation: See what God is doing. And join us -Step fully into your role on the team.
The truth is simple: There is no “sending” without those who give. Every trip you read about… Every leader being trained… Every relationship being built… exists because someone chose to invest in the mission. Our model is intentionally relational and connected. It is not fragmented or siloed. The strength of SON is that we operate as one unified team, aligned in purpose and strategy. That means your giving doesn’t stand alone. It works together - with others - to create real, lasting impact. From Giving to Global Impact It’s easy to think of giving as a transaction. But in SON, it is something far more powerful. It is participation. Our strategy is built around a simple but transformative idea:
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