Search
Close this search box.

Timo and Laura

Having previously worked for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Bunia and Nyankunde, DR Congo, Timo (from Finland) and Laura (from the USA) are now serving in Finland among the Congolese refugee population, sharing Jesus with them, and equipping Christian refugees to reach out to the Finns they live among.

In DR Congo God showed Timo the enormous need for solid, thorough, biblical teaching. Timo enjoyed teaching in a rural Bible school, and by the time God moved Timo and Laura out from northeastern DR Congo, a learning centre was being constructed where pastors could be given additional training.

As often with God’s timing, it was a surprise when God brought them back to the USA to work at MAF headquarters. Then, when Laura left full time ministry to raise their family, a switch to AIM whose ministry in DR Congo matched Timo’s interests was natural.

Planning to return to Africa, it was yet another surprise when in 2020 God suddenly routed them back to Timo’s home country, Finland. Thinking it would be temporary, Timo and Laura were again surprised when God showed an enormous need in Finland, for which they were uniquely suited.

One of the main refugee populations in Finland is Congolese, and they were desperately in need of help in many ways. Because of their time in Congo, and Timo being Finnish, they can come alongside the Congolese and bridge the two cultures. Finland is only about 2% Christian. The other refugees are largely of Muslim background.  This makes the Congolese one of the main Christian people groups in Finland. However, they bring with them many of the same needs there are in Congo – for discipleship and solid Bible training. 

With this in mind, Timo and Laura are seeking to equip the Congolese (and others) to reach Finns and Muslims with the gospels. The language and cultural barriers are immense. The Congolese and Finns couldn’t be more different! Timo can help the two groups start to work together. When serving in DR Congo, Timo loved to come alongside the Congolese pastors, seeing where they felt their needs were, offering them a listening ear and support, and teaching. In Finland, Timo plans to teach, encourage, and equip future pastors, missionaries, and church leaders primarily among African people. Timo desires to equip, encourage and disciple African Christian churches and groups to reach out to their unreached diaspora neighbours. 

Laura is able to connect with the Congolese and other diaspora as she too is a foreigner, seeking to learn Finnish. As well as focussing on their family, Laura plans to focus on relationship building with African women and other women’s groups.

Could you partner with them in this work? 

Latest Prayer News

Pray for our Borderless workers, working among African diaspora communities across the UK. Pray for the women’s literacy and sewing classes occurring in a UK city in the weeks leading up to Easter. Pray for the teachers and students as they explore the reason for Easter. Pray that these students will continue to attend these classes and find fellowship and gospel discussion, despite Ramadan being a time when attendance tends to decline. 

Pray for one of AIM’s Borderless (AIM’s ministry seeking to support and disciple African peoples in the UK and around the world) workers who are mourning the passing away of their father-in-law. Pray for strength for them and for the Lord to comfort them and their family and remind them that Jesus ‘…heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147.3). 

Timo and Laura serve in Finland among the Congolese refugee population, sharing Jesus with them, and equipping Christian refugees to reach out to the Finns they live among. Give thanks that after much discipleship, enough gospel volunteers have joined their ministry, that they can confidently call themselves a ministry ‘team’. Pray for unity in this team with members from five continents, that this unity will drive them to greater boldness in Christ amid spiritual opposition. Pray especially for them as they host a Christmas party for international students today. Pray that the true message of Christmas will interest the students and that this outreach might lead to more students wanting to study the gospel further in the future. 

Pray with our Borderless workers in a city in the UK where their regular women’s English classes come together today to enjoy some Christmas craft together. Their international women’s sewing group are also meeting for lunch and discussion about the true meaning of Christmas. Pray for both groups of women as they discuss who Jesus is and pray for God to stir their hearts to want to have a relationship with Christ themselves. 

Pray for the AIM Borderless Team’s Midlands Outreach Week which has now begun.A Midlands city centre church is seeking to reach out to a community from a North African background on their doorstep. They have asked AIM to partner with them for a week of outreach events. Pray that the volunteers will enjoy working together and that sincere friendships will be made with their African neighbours. Pray for the Holy Spirit to draw people to the Church and for the gospel to speak to the souls of many who hear it. 

United Kingdom & Europe

Ministry in the United Kingdom & Europe ranges from being a part of mobilising offices, to teaching in Bible colleges to being involved in work among the African Diaspora across the continent. LEARN MORE

Diaspora

Taking the good news of Jesus to Africa’s hardest to reach people does not always mean a move to Africa. Today, millions of Africans live outside of Africa: in North America, Europe, and around the globe – the African diaspora. LEARN MORE
Please spread the word...

Related articles

The deepest needs

“My heart hurts to see how people are suffering without Jesus.” Tom Desloges, AIM’s Unit Leader in DR Congo shares his conversation with Congolese missionaries Justin and Clement, who had just returned from a stint in one of Congo’s poorest and least developed regions.

> LEARN MORE

Closer to home

In July 2019, Luke & Jenny Herrin, AIM’s International Director and his wife, went on an AIM summer team in Catania, Sicily.

> LEARN MORE