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JJ TenClay spent four years in Italy as a missionary for the Reformed Church in America (RCA) working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. She returned to the United States in July 2018 and is now the Refugee Ministries Coordinator for RCA Global Missions. She is thankful to have seen the image of God reflected so diversely in the faces of those to whom—and with whom—she served abroad, and is excited to continue serving the RCA as it continues to develop a faithful response to the ongoing global refugee crisis.

Brendon currently works as a Grant Writer for EarthRights International out of their Washington D.C. office. Though a native of Grand Haven, Michigan, Brendon has spent most of the last six years living throughout Asia. He was previously based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where he worked at a law firm on environmental governance reform efforts related to extractive industries and renewable energy promotion. As a former Peace Corps volunteer (China 中国,甘肃省), Brendon enjoys spending his time traveling through remote areas on the maps edge, competing in endurance sports, doing yoga, and spending time with family along Lake Michigan. 

Bill Thornburg manages the Volunteer Program for Resonate Global Mission. 

Nine ministries including the former Office of Social Justice have joined to equip and encourage our congregations more than ever before. Our new name is Thrive. Working together enables us to be more accessible, more integrated, and more responsive to the needs of our churches.  Learn more about the amazing resources that Thrive offers at: https://www.crcna.org/thrive

Doug Tjapkes is the founder and President of Humanity for Prisoners, based in Grand Haven, Michigan, and is author of the book Sweet Freedom. He and his son Matt work full-time in the charitable organization that helps Michigan inmates, one-on-one, in dealing with a multitude of in-prison issues. An active church organist, he has been on the music team at Ferrysburg Community Church (CRC) for 50 years. He and his wife Marcia live in Ferrysburg and have four adult children and 9 grandchildren.

Liz Tolkamp is the Children's Pastor at Willoughby Christian Reformed Church in Langley, British Columbia and also serves as a Faith Formation Regional Catalyzer for Classis B.C. South East, Classis B.C. North-West, and Christian Reformed churches in the state of Washington.

Evan Trowbridge is the Director of Communications for the Association for a More Just Society, a Christian organization that works with victims of violence, crime and corruption in Honduras. He lives in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. To learn more about AJS, visit ajs-us.org. Respond to Evan on Twitter at @edtrowbridge.

Angela Tuininga resides with her husband Cliff in rural Alberta attending Neerlandia CRC where she has been involved with refugees for 35 years either on the Refugee Committee or as friends. At present she is on the CRC Refugee Justice Task Force.

Marinel Sumook Ubaldo, 25, is a climate justice, gender equality, and human rights activist from the Philippines. In 2015, as a youth ambassador, she addressed the UN delegates who signed the Paris Agreement. A registered social worker who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in environmental management at Duke University, Marinel has founded or worked for a number of environmental organizations, including Living Laudato Si’ Philippines. She is an EarthOrg ambassador and part of UN Women’s 30 by 2030 Network.   Learn more about her work on Instagram.

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