Jenny Riggs works in Loja, Ecuador, with the children’s ministry. She will work alongside, encourage and pray for those who are involved in children’s ministry in the local churches. She will also lead seminars and classes about reaching children for Christ for those interested in children’s ministry. Not only will she be working with the Ecuadorian children, but will also be helping teach the missionary kids. She also works with the eXtreme Walk program as a sherpa (a leader), Helping short term (10 month) as they minister in Ecuador.

Missions have always been a part of Jenny’s life, and God has been preparing her for the mission field since she was little. She was born in Mexico, where her parents are missionaries. Throughout high school, she helped translate for short-term teams in Mexico. Jenny attended Asbury College, where she earned her B.A. in Spanish education. Jenny first heard about OMS at Asbury. During her junior year, she went to Mexico City with OMS for a spring break mission trip. On that trip, God showed Jenny the importance of church planting and gave her the desire to be involved in it someday. After graduating from college, Jenny began teaching junior high Spanish in the public school system and at a Christian school. While teaching at the Christian school, Jenny realized that her interest in missions was not temporary but a calling. She realized through teaching that her passion is sharing her faith and loving kids, which was made more evident when she helped with children’s ministry on short-term trips to Costa Rica and Brazil.

She started praying about the next step in her life, knowing that God was leading her into missions. While talking to some friends about her desire to serve God in a new way, they asked her if she had thought about the eXtreme Walk program through OMS. She knew about eXtreme Walk through friends at Asbury. It was something that had always interested her, but this time when it was brought up, the Lord made it very clear to her that it was His will and desire for her to go to Ecuador as an eXtreme Walker.

Jenny was in Ecuador from July 2008 to May 2009. While there, God really worked in her heart and her life, showing her the potential that she has when she allows God to work freely in her and through her. She had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from a church-planting team. She was involved in many ministries with the church in Marcelino Maridueña. But, as before, the thing she loved the most was working with children.

In the fall of 2009, Jenny attended Children’s Ministry Institute, which is Child Evangelism Fellowship’s (CEF) training program. There she learned about ministering to children and teaching and training others to reach out to children. She is excited to use all the tools that God has given her not only from CEF, but from college, teaching and life experiences to glorify God and bring children to the feet of Jesus.

Missionary account #802389