Brandon & Rachel Ivy
Missionaries to Manila, Philippines
Testimonies
Brandon
I grew up in church my entire life. I accepted and trusted Jesus as my Lord and personal savior at youth camp when I was in High School. From the time I was a little kid I knew I wanted to be in law enforcement. I dreamed of being a federal agent. This is the dream I pursued. In 2003, I went on a missions trip to Nicaragua. It was then I started feeling God doing something in my life. I felt like he was calling me to be a missionary overseas. However, I decided rather to just get involved in local church ministry. Just before I was going to advance my career, I was involved in a major car crash, which prevented me from pursuing my law enforcement dream. After I went through neck and back surgery I began to surrender to full-time ministry. While on a missions trip in 2004 to the Philippines God impressed upon my heart that was where He wanted me to spread the gospel. I immediately enrolled in Baptist Bible College. I still wrestled with the call to move overseas as a missionary. Finally as graduation came closer, and after 7 years of working for the police department, I resigned. Recently, we returned from our survey trip to the Philippines. Once again my heart was stirred to share the love of Christ with the Filipino people. While we were there, we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture, get to know many locals, and participate in local church ministries. We worked with Veteran missionaries Lance and Melanie Gotcher's team. God pressed upon my heart the desire to return to Manila, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, plant churches, and disciple! Our plan when we return to the Philippines is to partner with the Gotchers team to carry out this desire!
Rachel
I grew up on the mission field as the daughter of Ole and Renee Konnerup in Kenya, Africa. Although, foreign missions has been a part of my life from a young age I wanted to pursue the American dream after graduating from high school. Soon after I became a dental hygienist I became unsatisfied and knew there had to be more to life. God challenged me about what I was doing to further the Gospel. Through various missions trips God confirmed He wanted me in full-time service on the mission field. After Brandon and I took our survey trip to the Philippines we witnessed the immense need for more laborers in Manila. There are villages and people everywhere. The devastation of so many worshiping idols in the Catholic Church deeply saddened my heart. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God wants everyone to have the opportunity to hear the gospel and there are still millions of people in Manila who have not heard and God wants to use us before the time is too late.