Meet the Staff and Volunteers

Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I am the office manager at Mission to Amish People (MAP). My husband and I have been married for over 30 years and have four daughters ranging in age from 17 to 27. I previously worked in banking for 20 years and “retired” at age 39 to focus on our family.

I grew up attending Sunday School and church, and gave my life to Christ at nine years old. In recent years, my husband and I have taught Sunday School to children, teenagers, and young adults, and we are active in various church roles.

When I returned to the workforce, I wanted a Christ-centered position. My journey with MAP started as a cashier at Beyond Measure Market, then assisting with the deli and café staff. I was later asked to temporarily step into the office manager role at MAP. As I saw the Lord’s hand in this ministry, I truly felt at home.

I work alongside staff and precious volunteers who freely give their time and talents to the SonLight Club. New lessons reach children every other week, and it is an honor to be part of making sure these students receive Bible lessons and encouragement. If you would like Amish or Mennonite children to be part of the SonLight Club, please email their name, address, and age to: Jennifer@mapministry.org.

Hi, I’m Jennifer, a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Several years ago, I said that one day I wanted to be a missionary to the Amish—now here I am at MAP Ministry! I’m truly grateful to be around such a wonderful group of people. Everyone is so sweet, and I am excited to see what the Lord has for me here.

Being a follower of Christ can be challenging, yet incredibly rewarding. Sometimes it feels easier to trust Jesus with eternity than with the daily needs and struggles of life. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and we often end up in places we never anticipated, but Jesus remains faithful, and I’m thankful to be forgiven even though I fail every day.

I love spending time with family and friends and enjoy anything that involves serving the Lord. We all need help and encouragement, and I strive to be a blessing in any way I can. I also enjoy learning about nutrition and healthy cooking, preparing meals for others, and discovering new coffee shops for a good cup of coffee.

Steve grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, and married his high school sweetheart, Joyce, in 1989. They have three children and one grandson. After high school, Steve joined the Army and retired in 2013. He then worked in manufacturing for seven years.

Steve attended church with his grandmother as a child and was saved by the Lord in 1999. He served as Council President of Clay Memorial Lutheran Church for four years and still helps where needed. He coaches wrestling at Lucas High School and seasonally runs a voting location for the Richland County Board of Elections.

Steve enjoys spending time with his family and mountain biking. He applied to MAP hoping to further the Kingdom of God through his skills and experience.

Michal grew up in rural Ohio listening to her parents share conversations they had about Christ with their Amish neighbors. After homeschooling her three daughters, Mission to Amish People became a natural fit for ministry in her “retirement” years.

She oversees MAP’s publications, including The Amish Voice, the Ministry Update, tracts, booklets, and flyers, and is also involved in event planning and coordinating.

Michal is grateful for God’s gift of family—her biological family, church family, work family, and her family of friends.

Laina grew up in a Christian home and attended Awana as a child. At five, she prayed with her mom to accept Jesus after hearing about hell. At seven, she was baptized, but fear of not being saved led her to repeatedly re-invite Jesus into her heart and even baptize herself for reassurance.

As she grew older, she became legalistic and punished herself for sin. She served in church activities and missions but lived in constant fear of not being good enough for God. In college, she judged others for not being strict and eventually felt that God hated her. While serving as a missionary in East Asia, she faced deep spiritual oppression and returned home early after a breakdown.

In the years since, God has healed her heart. She stopped trying to earn His favor and finally understood that Christ bore her punishment and cleansed her completely. A documentary about a family leaving the Amish and coming to Christ rekindled her interest in the Amish, and she later discovered MAP Ministry and sensed God leading her to apply.

Today, Laina is grateful to serve with MAP Ministry and share the gospel with the Amish and others.

Rachel and her husband, David, have four children and enjoy spending time together as a family. Rachel began serving at MAP by helping in the office during her high school and college years.

After marrying and moving to the Columbus, Ohio area in May 2013, she began managing the ministry’s website and social media from home. As Joe Keim’s daughter, Rachel appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the ministry’s work each day.

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.

Rachel Arnold began volunteering at MAP in 2012. Shortly afterward, she started studying Christian Counseling and Psychology in college. In 2014, she completed an internship helping those who had left the Amish, which led to the birth of the GED program.

Since 2014, Rachel has been helping those who leave their Amish communities, as well as others in the area, pursue their GED and move forward with education and opportunities.