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Viv Grigg is a leader with a prophetic voice for those who serve in the slums of the world’s mega-cities. He studied theology, community organisation and urban anthropology. Viv directs the Urban Leadership Foundation and trains grassroots networks of slum pastors in over 20 cities, creating organizations that transform poverty. He wrote Companion to the Poor, Cry of the Urban Poor, and Transforming Cities. Viv is from New Zealand, and met his wife, Ieda, while serving in India.

Learn more about Viv Grigg's work.

Ieda Grigg, started preaching at sixteen. When she was twenty-three she became the first Brazilian missionary to India, making her way to Asia aboard the Doulos. She is a wife, a mother, and a funny yet deeply incisive motivational speaker, touching to the depths of spirituality. For a number of years she has been a hospital chaplain particularly dealing with grief and loss, death and dying. She and Viv live in Los Angeles with their three teenage children.

Read Ieda Grigg's Bio

Afshin Javid is an Iranian believer who was a devout and fervent follower of Islam. At the age of twelve he joined the Baseej; a branch of the Hezbollah. He was enlisted to preach in North America, but was arrested in Malaysia while carrying 30 different passports. Jesus appeared to him in his prison cell; leading to his conversion to the Christian faith. Afshin and his wife lead a church in North Vancouver and recently started a ministry called I AM Thirsty.

Listen to Afshin’s testimony and learn about I AM Thirsty 

Stephen Lungu was abandoned by his parents at the age of seven and grew up as a street kid in Harare, Zimbabwe. He scavenged for food in the garbage of rich whites and slept under a bridge. He was the angry leader of a gang of young thugs called the Black Shadows, until a dramatic conversion changed the direction of his life. Today Stephen is a bold evangelist, serving as CEO of African Enterprise International, an urban word and deed ministry. Stephen lives in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Learn more about Stephen Lungu's work with African Enterprise   

Michael Oh is president and founder of Christ Bible Seminary in Nagoya, Japan. He was born and raised in a Korean-American family. His parents taught him the meaning of Christ-like forgiveness through his father’s example, who grew up in Korea under the occupation of the Japanese Imperial Army. Michael attended the University of Pennsylvania, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Harvard University. He and his wife and four children moved to Japan in January 2004 and founded Christ Bible Seminary in 2005.

Learn more about Christ Bible Seminary in Japan

Hear Michael at Urbana 2009

Marilee Pierce Dunker is the daughter of Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. She is an author and public speaker who travels the world to share the story of her father and the birth of World Vision after the Korean War. Marilee has a passion to help Christians fulfill their God-given mandate to care for the poor. She and her husband have two daughters and three grandchildren. They live in California.

Hear Marilee speak

Mike & Danae Yankoski return to Missions Fest to update their journey as they continue to study and write about Christian involvement in global social and justice issues. Their book, Zealous Love: A Guide to Social Justice, was published earlier this year. Mike wrote Under the Overpass, and spoke at MF-2009. Danae co-authored Crazy Love and Forgotten God with Francis Chan. They live in Vancouver, attend Regent College, and enjoy running with their Labrador Retriever, Elliot.

Read about Mike & Danae