Staff: International Partners

Alicia Hamming

Alicia Hamming is from Smithville, Ontario Canada and has been working in Nicaragua since September 2007 with Christian Reformed World Missions. She works with the Overseas Semester Program, providing logistical support. After graduating from Redeemer University College with a BA in Business, she worked for 2 years at a non-profit organization called Feed the Children Canada. God placed a call and a passion on her heart for Nicaragua and it is through this experience that she will have the opportunity to serve, learn and deepen her relationship with the Lord.

E-mail: alicia.hamming@gmail.com

Steve Holtrop

Born in Spring Lake, Michigan, Steve Holtrop is the Sub-Director of the Nehemiah Center and specifically directs the Service-Learning Institute. With a background in engineering and a Masters in Missions, Steve works for Christian Reformed World Missions. Steve and his wife Kim lived in Haiti before joining the Nicaragua team in 2004. They have three children: Alia, Nathan, and Elise .

E-mail: sholtrop@crcna.org

Joel Huyser

Joel is one of the co-founders of the Nehemiah Center and continues to serve as an advisor to the organization. He is also the field leader of Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) for Central America. Before joining CRWM in 1995, Joel practiced law for 14 years in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He and his family attended Madison Square Christian Reformed Church where Joel was an elder. Joel and his family moved to Nicaragua in 1996 after spending a year in Costa Rica studying Spanish. Joel and his wife Jeannie have four children and three grandchildren.

E-mail: jhuyser@crcna.org

Lora Kleinsasser

Lora Kleinsasser is the Partnership Facilitator for the Partners Worldwide Latin American programs. Lora started working for Partners Worldwide in 2005 after graduating from Calvin College. In July 2007, she and her husband Joel, who teaches at Nicaragua Christian Academy, moved to Nicaragua in order to learn from, teach and serve the people of Latin America.

E-mail: lorak@partnersworldwide.org

Eric Loftsgard

Eric is the President of Missionary Ventures Nicaragua and has been part of the Nehemiah Center team since its formation in 1999. Eric arrived to Nicaragua in 1998 with his wife Marilyn and six children after being a building contractor for several years in Bend, Oregon. In addition to the "Development" of his own family Eric is focused on the "Transformational Development" of Nicaragua working with the Church and Christian Education. He has also served on the school board of the Nicaragua Christian Academy since 2001.

E-mail: loftsgard@mvnicaragua.org

Carl Most

Carl, his wife Kathy, and their two children Jared and Corey are missionaries in Nicaragua through Caribbean Ministries Association. The Most family, from New Zealand has been serving in Nicaragua for the last 10 years, and joined the Nehemiah Center collaboration in 2006, implementing the Mission for Transformation, a spiritual development program for youth leaders with a focus on outreach to at-risk youth. Carl has worked in youth formation for more than 20 years in both New Zealand and Nicaragua.

E-mail: carlandkathy@missioncma.com

Nathan Sandahl

Nathan is serving as Associate Country Director for FH and International Staff Coordinator for the Nehemiah Center. He grew up in Ecuador, where his parents were missionaries. It was during this time that he developed a love for the people of Latin America and the Lord placed it on his heart to serve Him in the future. Nathan earned a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Anthropology, as well as, completed the Human Needs and Global Resources program at Wheaton College (IL). After college, Nathan served in various capacities with Food for the Hungry in Guatemala for six years prior to moving to Nicaragua.

E-mail: nsandahl@fhi.net

Jairo Solano

E-mail: jsolano@fh.org

Dave Stienstra

Dave serves in a variety of capacities at Nehemiah Center ranging from technical assistance and Media Center facilitating to community support and project evaluation. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA), he graduated from Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada) in 2004 with a BA in Business. From there he went on to work for 1 year as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in his hometown followed by two years of teaching English a second language at Nicaragua Christian Academy Nejapa until the end of 2007. January 2008 marked the beginning of an initial two year commitment with the Nehemiah Center.

E-mail: dave.stienstra@gmail.com

David and Wendy Van klinken

David and Wendy Van klinken left their jobs in agriculture and nursing to develop new careers as missionaries for Partners Worldwide. Since 2003, they have been Resident Mentors in Nicaragua working in the areas of agriculture and health. Collaborating with different Nicaraguan Organizations, they assist in public relations and communication between North and Central America as well as in the hosting of teams. They are originally from Prosser, Washington, and are members of the Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church.. They have three daughters and 2 grandchildren.

E-mail: partnerwendy@gmail.com

Mark Vanderwees

The Vanderwees family has been serving with CRWRC since 1991. They spent the first eleven years in Haiti, then in 2003 they joined the Nicaragua field. Originally from Canada, they enjoy living cross-culturally; all three children were born in Haiti--Jesse (1992), Lisa (1995), and Kaitlyn (1998). Mark has a background in agriculture and management and thrives in being part of a dynamic country team. His wife, Nancy, is a trained occupational therapist who is currently balancing volunteer work at a local rehabilitation center in Managua and three active kids at home.

E-mail: mvanderwees@crwrc.org

Lennin Zamora

E-mail: lennin.zamora@gmail.com