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. As time went on, the ministry grew and before long, a second and third person were brought on staff. 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 MAP build their own office space. Today the ministry is running their offices out of a 3,500 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.
Staff
Joe and Esther Keim, Staff
Executive Director
Joe Keim was born and raised in an Old Order Amish community in Ashland, Ohio. At the age of 16, one of Joe’s close Amish friends secretly shared that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. After a season of confusion, Joe followed tradition and joined the Amish church. However, he was unhappy soon after joining the church and decided to leave the Amish. While living in a world outside the Amish culture, Joe’s friend shared the gospel with him again, and this time, it made sense. With tears running down his face, he invited Jesus to become his Savior. Joe shared his faith with Esther Yoder, and she accepted the Lord into her life. Soon after that, they decided to return to their Amish community.
Upon returning to their Amish roots, Joe and Esther got married. As time passed, they read their Bibles and concluded they would have to leave their friends, family, and the Amish community to serve the Lord in freedom and grace. In 1987, they loaded up their belongings and moved into town, where they started attending Bethel Baptist Church and using their God-given abilities to serve wherever they could. In 1999, God called Joe into full-time ministry to the Amish people. Today, he serves as founder and executive director of Mission to Amish People, a ministry that has reached out to tens of thousands of Amish people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Holley Tolliver, Staff
Office Manager
Since Holley was young, she has loved riding four-wheelers and was saved at a Hot Wheel event at Bethel Baptist Church in Savannah, OH. She grew up around the ministry because her grandmother worked at Mission to Amish People, but she never felt called.
Covid changed everything. Holley started volunteering and kept adding more responsibilities until she was promoted to the position of office manager.
After a time, She had a moment of doubt about serving at MAP. She prayed for clarification, and God answered. Since then, she has had no plans to leave. God closed a door for her that day and showed her that she was making a difference in our SonLight Club students' lives. She plans to continue to teach our students the gospel and answer any questions they may have.
Tina Duffield, Staff
Admin Assistant
Tina was the office manager and SonLight Club coordinator at Mission to Amish People for nearly 20 years. She felt the Lord impressing upon her that it was time to step down. Tina planned to retire, but the Lord worked it out that she was to keep working at MAP as a computer operator. Her granddaughter, Holley, took her previous position, and the transition has been great. People keep asking Tina how it feels to be retired. Her reply is, “I don’t know yet!” That was four years ago. It is all in the Lord’s hands.
Alex Lyakhovets, Staff
Discipleship
Alex’s parents immigrated from Ukraine to the United States prior to his birth. Faith, religion, and God were never discussed in their home. Alex tried to fill the hole in his searching heart with drugs, drinking, girls, and partying but always came up short. One night, after deeply reflecting on his life, he realized that if we were just a random accident and there was no true meaning to life, there was no need for him to continue to feel pain. He said, “If something does not change soon, I should kill myself.” The following day, God used two friends who did not know each other to direct Alex to Himself. Alex’s journey continued as he considered various religions. He eventually recognized how unique Biblical Christianity is. Alex placed his trust in Jesus as the only way to get to heaven and gained peace beyond understanding. The troubles and cares of this world have become dim now that his eternity is secure!
Alex is working in the MAP office discipling adults in the Plowman’s Academy (mail correspondence Bible training) and Growing in Christ Academy (online Bible classes). He also uses his time as a taxi driver for the Amish to engage them in conversations about Christ.
Sandie Killion, Staff
Bookkeeper
Sandie grew up in rural northern Richland County on a 70-acre farm her father purchased from his grandparents. Life as a child was busy, being actively involved in 4-H, having a variety of livestock projects, "helping" her father tend to the pigs, or riding along while he worked the ground or harvested crops, and babysitting for numerous families in the township.
Sandie's paternal grandmother, Marlene, would pick her up and take her home from church every week - and at the age of 10 years old, she accepted the Lord into her heart.
Sandie is married to Chris, twenty plus years, and they have one son, Bryce - and if you've ever had the privilege of going to her house, you would know they love animals ... and reptiles.
"Being at MAP has made my heart so full. I love forming relationships with the ladies who come to New Beginnings and my 'co-workers' and see all the good God is doing through everyone who contributes to the ministry in one form or another."
Steve Flannery, Staff
Assisstant Bookkeeper
Steve grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, and married his high school sweetheart (Joyce) in 1989. Steve and Joyce have three kids and one grandson. After high school, Steve joined the Army and retired in 2013. He then worked in manufacturing for seven years after retirement. Steve assisted his church with bookkeeping and applied to MAP, hoping to further the Kingdom of God.
As a child, Steve went to church with his grandmother and was saved by the Lord in 1999. He served as the Council President of Clay Memorial Lutheran Church for four years and still helps where needed. Steve coaches wrestling at Lucas High School and seasonally runs a voting location for the Richland County Board of Elections. He spends his spare time with his family and mountain biking.
Michal Nutt, Staff
Publications
Michal grew up in rural Ohio listening to her parents relate conversations they had about Christ with their Amish neighbors. After homeschooling her three daughters, Michal found Mission to Amish People an easy fit for ministry during her “retirement” years. Michal oversees MAP’s publications, including The Amish Voice, the Ministry Update, tracts, booklets, and flyers. Michal is also involved in event planning and coordinating.
Michal is thankful for God’s gift of family…her biological family, church family, work family, and her family of friends!
Rachel Garwood, Staff
Website/Social Media
Rachel and her husband, David, are parents to four children, and they love spending time together as a family.
Rachel started working at MAP Ministry by helping in the office during her high school and college years. After getting married and moving to the Columbus, Ohio area in May 2013, she took over managing the ministry's website and social media from home. As Joe Keim's daughter, Rachel enjoys being able to contribute to the ministry's work every day.
David Garwood, Staff
Video/Graphic Designer
David began his internship with Mission to Amish People in August 2011 while attending Malone University. After graduating, he continued assisting the ministry by offering his graphic design and video production expertise.
David is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful organization centered on spreading the Gospel.
Arlen Yoder, Staff
Grant Writer
Arlen grew up in Holmes County, Ohio. His father was Amish, and his mother was Mennonite. He attended North Central State College and spent the last twenty-seven years working for the Appleseed Community Mental Health Center. He and his wife, Dee, have been longtime friends and supporters of MAP.
Arlen plans to use his skills at MAP one day a week to apply for grants and help raise funds to help support the work and ministry.
Rachel Arnold, Staff
GED Manager
Rachel Arnold began volunteering at MAP in 2012. Shortly after, she started her college journey studying Christian Counseling and Psychology. In 2014, she tackled an internship helping with the needs of those who left the Amish. This began the journey of G.E.D. education. The G.E.D. program was birthed in 2014. Rachel has been helping those who leave their Amish communities as well as those in the area!
Rachel Hostetler, Staff
Data Entry
Rachel grew up on a 100-acre farm in Chesley, Ontario, Canada. She left her Amish family in March of 2022 when she was 18 and moved to Ohio a few months later. Since she was dating an American, she started the legal process of becoming a US citizen.
Some friends recommended MAP to her. In August, she and Jonathan were at the MAP office, and Joe Keim shared the gospel with them. That evening, they were both led to Christ, and their lives were changed in a very beautiful way. To this day, she can still not fathom how many emotions she felt at that moment! Shortly after, God started opening some doors she never dreamed would come true. She is now a songwriting artist, has released a few singles, and played in some live shows with a cousin who is also from an Amish background!
She has been working at Mission to Amish People since mid-2022. She and Jonathan married in September 2023 and decided together to build our future on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are so blessed! God has poured down on them so richly! Although she is in the US on an R1 visa, she is still awaiting a marriage visa and then will pursue citizenship.
Volunteers
Jerry and Carol Gess, Volunteer
Lesson Graders
Jerry retired from working at General Motors and now works as chaplain of a large nursing home in Ashland. In 1987, both Jerry and his wife, Carol, gave Joe and Esther a home until they were able to get on their own feet.
Jerry and Carol have three daughters, three sons, and many grand children as well as great grand children; two sons have gone home to be with the Lord.
Jerry and Carol both have always been very involved in the MAP ministry and are very enthusiastic to be able to be used by the Lord to reach the Amish for Christ.
Jerry and Carol volunteer 1-2 days a week.
Linda Echelberger, Volunteer
Floater
Linda has four children and four grandchildren. She had always been curious about the Amish culture. After hearing about 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 Bible 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.
Rhoda Brubaker, Volunteer
Lesson Grader
Rhoda grew up in an Old Order Mennonite community; both of her grandfathers were ministers in the Mennonite church. When she was driving by MAP one day and saw the Beyond Measure Market sign going up, she did some research and found that we are a ministry to the Amish. She had always had a burden for the Amish, so after meeting Joe Keim, she decided to begin volunteering.
God’s truth is important to her, and she is excited to see that MAP is sharing the truth and the Word of God. She's happy to be able to be a part of such a life changing operation.
Rhoda volunteers 1-2 days a week.
