Greg and Cherie Venturella

Answering the CALL - responding to the NEED

Our Mission:    

     Our first term began in 1998 when Cherie and I moved to Bucharest Romania along with our three children. I served as the construction coordinator for the Eastern European Area; Cherie served in the Eastern Europe Area office and the Romanian Field Office. I traveled throughout the Area working alongside the Missionaries on various projects.  We also helped to start Teen Challenge Romania. Greg served as the Field Moderator and served as the BCA school director for a very short time.  

            We came home for furlough and accepted a broader role with Global Teen Challenge, as the project development director, which included strategic planning, resource development, leadership development and training. We were planning to base in Eastern Europe, but due to some unforeseen circumstances that we now see as God’s plan we landed in Springfield, MO.  We then accepted an assignment to direct MAPS Construction. The MAPS Construction ministry is the main portal for churches to help missionaries around the world with various types of building projects. We were involved in project design and development including fund raising for several projects. During our time there, over 800 teams and nearly 15,000 volunteers went to projects around the world.  Most recently we directed the International department for Convoy of Hope focusing on the children’s feeding program, where nearly 50,000 children receive a hot meal daily. We were instrumental in initiating a women’s empowerment program in Ethiopia, as well as program expansion in several countries like the Philippines, Kenya, Guatemala and Honduras. We were also involved in the relief efforts after the earthquake in Haiti, and several other disasters ensuring food and nutrition security to the existing programs in those countries effected.

Currently we are serving the Balkan Peninsula as the Southeastern Europe Area Directors for the AGWM. The countries in the Balkan Peninsula are Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. Our assignment includes pastoral, strategic and administrative duties for missionaries located in each of these countries, as well as working with the various national church leaders.

Family Update:

Our three children:

Jonae and Bobby (Cunningham) are now living in Ellsworth, KS. Serving as associate pastors. Jonae works as a case manager for St. Francis county social services. They are happy and adjusting to a new life there in rural America.

They now have their first son Micah Bruce. Born March 16 2010

Nick and Haley are living in Ozark, MO. Its been fun watching them adjust to married life.

They too have their first son, Kellan Nicholas, born August 11 2010.

Andrew is enjoying working at Guaranty  Bank as a teller.

Looking to becoming a pilot