Amanda Berger October Update
Breaking Cycles. Making Disciples. October 2026

Amanda Berger •
October 6, 2026

3 Minute Read
Breaking Cycles. Making Disciples. - Update from Missionary Amanda Berger serving in Armenia, Colombia 🌍
October 2026

September was a busy month with a lot of travel. I started the month in Peru for an Andean Area women’s retreat (pictured below)

It was such a rich week getting to know my colleagues, many of whom I had never met before! I needed the reminder that I am not alone in this work and that there are many who have gone before me and are surrounding me with wisdom to share.

I spent a week on the coast of Colombia with fellow Ms teaching Sexual Abuse Awareness in schools with my friend from the ProtectME project.

I went to help and learn so I could bring it back to the pastors in Armenia.

The week was interrupted by local paramilitary activity. But everyone was safe, and the Lord continued to open doors in the community!

In between trips out of Armenia, I had the privilege to travel to surrounding towns providing earthquake relief.

At each location, we shared the Gospel and gave away Bibles. It was so wonderful watching Pastor Hector (pictured below) share the Gospel in 1 minute. What a challenge to be able to share the Gospel in such a simple and tangible manner.

What a blessing Speed The Light has been to allow me the privilege of bringing food for the soul and body in the hour of people’s greatest need!


I’m so excited to share that I am starting to gain momentum with discipleship opportunities in a few local rehabs! Moving forward, I will be leading weekly bible studies at 2 different rehabs in the area.

Pastor Hector Perrilla is a Colombian Pastor who has worked to build relationships with local rehab directors and has truly paved the way for recovery ministry in Colombia.

The Lord has called him & his wife, Sonia, to serve in another country, and they will soon leave. He has said time & time again what an answer to prayer it is for me to be in Armenia ready to serve this vulnerable population. He has been the only one serving this population for almost a decade & he feared what would happen when he left. BUT GOD! I am so grateful for his friendship and wisdom.

Would you pray for them as they work to reach 100% FUNDED and leave by January?

PRAYER REQUESTS:
• Pray that hearts would change and they would find HOPE and FREEDOM in Jesus as we study his word together.
• Would you pray with me that doors would open to connect with their families?
• Pray for continued wisdom and open doors for equipping the local church to participate in recovery ministry.
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From this Collection: Missions Updates
October 7, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
KC DAY of HOPE Testimony
KC Day of Hope 2026: Hope in the Heart of Kansas City Summary: ❤️ 700 people were served at the 2026 KC Day of Hope. 🙌 250 volunteers and 20 church and community partners came together to serve Kansas City. 🌎 Your giving helped make it possible. Commission Church financially sponsored the outreach through Engage Network Ministries. What happens when churches and community partners come together with one goal: to love our city and share the hope of Jesus? This year's KC Day of Hope at Central Park gave us a glimpse. On September 19th, 2026, hundreds of people gathered at Central Park for a day of serving families, meeting practical needs, building relationships, praying together, and sharing the Gospel. And this year, attendance doubled from 2025! Look What Happened! The numbers tell an incredible story of what can happen when the Church works together. 700+ people served 37,000 pounds of food distributed Dozens of people were prayed for in the name of JESUS 250 volunteers 20 church and community partners And throughout the day, families also had access to a community resource fair, free haircuts, inflatables, prayer, and Gospel conversations. Behind every one of those numbers is a person, a family, a conversation, and an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus. Giving away food and providing community resources matters. But the Day of Hope is about more than what someone takes home at the end of the day. It's about creating opportunities for the local Church to be present in our community. Throughout the event, volunteers had opportunities to pray with people and have Gospel conversations alongside meeting tangible needs. That's the kind of impact we want Commission Church to continue being part of. Your Giving Helped Make This Possible Commission Church, thank you for giving. Because of your faithful generosity to our church, we were able to financially support Engage Network Ministries and help sponsor this year's KC Day of Hope. When you give to Commission Church, you're helping us do more than keep the lights on or fund what happens inside our building. Your generosity allows us to partner with ministries doing Gospel-centered work throughout our city and beyond. Mass outreaches like the Day of Hope simply aren't possible without people faithfully giving. You gave. Our church was able to give. And together with churches, organizations, and hundreds of volunteers across Kansas City, 700 people were served. Thank you for giving! We're Already Looking Forward to 2027 This year's Day of Hope doubled its attendance from 2025, and we're excited about what God could do next. We're already looking forward to next year's KC Day of Hope, and we're praying that Commission Church can play an even greater role in serving, giving, volunteering, praying, and sharing Jesus with our city. This is what it looks like to impact our world, right here in Kansas City. Thank you to everyone who gave, served, prayed, and helped make the 2026 KC Day of Hope possible.

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor

Currently Reading
October 6, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Amanda Berger October Update
Breaking Cycles. Making Disciples. - Update from Missionary Amanda Berger serving in Armenia, Colombia 🌍 October 2026 September was a busy month with a lot of travel. I started the month in Peru for an Andean Area women’s retreat (pictured below) It was such a rich week getting to know my colleagues, many of whom I had never met before! I needed the reminder that I am not alone in this work and that there are many who have gone before me and are surrounding me with wisdom to share. I spent a week on the coast of Colombia with fellow Ms teaching Sexual Abuse Awareness in schools with my friend from the ProtectME project. I went to help and learn so I could bring it back to the pastors in Armenia. The week was interrupted by local paramilitary activity. But everyone was safe, and the Lord continued to open doors in the community! In between trips out of Armenia, I had the privilege to travel to surrounding towns providing earthquake relief. At each location, we shared the Gospel and gave away Bibles. It was so wonderful watching Pastor Hector (pictured below) share the Gospel in 1 minute. What a challenge to be able to share the Gospel in such a simple and tangible manner. What a blessing Speed The Light has been to allow me the privilege of bringing food for the soul and body in the hour of people’s greatest need! I’m so excited to share that I am starting to gain momentum with discipleship opportunities in a few local rehabs! Moving forward, I will be leading weekly bible studies at 2 different rehabs in the area. Pastor Hector Perrilla is a Colombian Pastor who has worked to build relationships with local rehab directors and has truly paved the way for recovery ministry in Colombia. The Lord has called him & his wife, Sonia, to serve in another country, and they will soon leave. He has said time & time again what an answer to prayer it is for me to be in Armenia ready to serve this vulnerable population. He has been the only one serving this population for almost a decade & he feared what would happen when he left. BUT GOD! I am so grateful for his friendship and wisdom. Would you pray for them as they work to reach 100% FUNDED and leave by January? PRAYER REQUESTS: • Pray that hearts would change and they would find HOPE and FREEDOM in Jesus as we study his word together. • Would you pray with me that doors would open to connect with their families? • Pray for continued wisdom and open doors for equipping the local church to participate in recovery ministry.

Amanda Berger

August 27, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Bradfords August Update
We hope you have had a great summer! As students are heading back to school and families are getting back to their typical rhythms, we are continuing to itinerate. We have BIG news regarding our itineration: We have raised 50% of the monthly commitments we need!!! And we are close to reaching 60% of that same number. We are SO grateful for and happy with this progress. We are pushing to be fully funded by the end of November, just 3 months away! With that being said, NOW is a great time to financially partner with us! Click this link or the button below to give. We need YOUR monthly giving commitment to get us to Belgium. Click to Give Once 100% of our monthly budget is fulfilled through giving commitments and 100% of our cash/one-time costs budget is raised, we will be cleared to apply for our visa. We want to have finished the visa application process by the end of the year. With this timeline, we would, hopefully, be able to head to Belgium in early 2027! Please be faithfully praying with us that this will happen. We are eager to get to Belgium! We are currently itinerating in Kansas City. We will head back to Indiana next week. We will be taking a long itineration roadtrip down to Lakeland, Florida for a Wednesday night service in early October. We plan to schedule many services and meetings on the way there and back. We can't wait to meet and share God's call on our lives with many pastors and churches. Belgian wildfires Belgium is currently experiencing the largest wildfire in their history. It has burned over half of their oldest and largest nature reserve. Thousands of people across Belgium and Europe overall have been forced to evacuate because of the growth of the fires. Pray with us for the people of Belgium and all those affected by the wildfires across Europe. Prayer requests: Continued safety while traveling and no issues with our car Individuals would be led to partner with us through monthly giving commitments Churches would be led to partner with us through monthly giving commitments Europe's wildfires to be controlled and extinguished Xander and Taylor Bradford (765) 637-8377 xander.bradford@eu.agwm.org

Xander Bradford

August 12, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Missions Update: Amanda Berger Aug 2026
Missions Update | Colombia This month, we received an encouraging update from one of our missionaries serving in Colombia. While there are reasons to celebrate, there are also urgent prayer needs we want to share with our church family. Read Amanda’s update below: Thursday Evangelism Every Thursday morning I join my local church to minister to ladies working in prostitution. We pray with them, provide a snack with Scripture, and work to train them in other crafts to help them generate income in a different way when they are ready. Some are also struggling with substance abuse, so I have been intentionally focused on connecting with those individuals. Rehab Ministry This month I was able to connect with a few rehabilitation centers in the area and share a devotional! My hope is to build strong relationships and begin ministering weekly at several different rehabilitation centers in order to disciple individuals during their time in rehab and connect them and their families with local churches after they leave the program. Please pray that God continues to open these doors and establish lasting relationships. A Speed the Light Miracle In July, I received my Speed the Light vehicle! I am so grateful to receive this miracle. Thank you for your generosity that enables missionaries to have reliable vehicles. Having this vehicle allows me to minister in places that would otherwise be unreachable or unsafe for me to travel by bus or taxi alone as a single female. [Note from Ps. Abram: For over 15 years, I have personally been giving money to Speed the Light, supplying cars like this across the world! Each time I see a STL VEHICLE, I am overwhelmed that our money can be used for God’s Kingdom across the world!] Earthquake Update On Monday, August 10, Colombia experienced a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that lasted four minutes, an unusually long amount of time. The epicenter was about an hour away from me and was felt over a wide radius. Thankfully, all AGWM [Assemblies of God World Missions] personnel serving in Colombia are safe. I was asleep in my apartment on the 13th floor when it happened. I grabbed my puppy and ran down the stairs. It felt like being on a boat that was hit by strong waves while trying to walk down stairs at the same time. Thankfully, my building is structurally sound, and I am back in my apartment, which miraculously doesn't even have a single crack in the wall! Other apartments in the building experienced superficial damage, and I am so grateful for God's protection over my home. Armenia experienced a devastating earthquake in 1999 that changed building engineering standards, which I believe helped reduce the devastation this time. However, the trauma from that event, along with the recent earthquake in Venezuela, has left many people feeling anxious. Towns near Pereira, Cali, and Manizales are still searching for missing people beneath the rubble. The national church is gathering food, water, hygiene supplies, and volunteers to distribute aid throughout the affected areas. I will be joining these efforts to meet physical needs while also sharing the hope of Jesus. How You Can Pray For those who are still missing to be found. For God's provision for families who have experienced devastating loss. For supernatural comfort and peace from the Holy Spirit for those living in fear and anxiety. For wisdom, strength, and open doors as I continue ministering through Thursday outreach and rehabilitation centers. Strength, wisdom, and protection for our missionary as she serves the people of Colombia. Your Next Step Take a few moments this week to intentionally pray for our missionary and the people of Colombia. Your prayers and faithful giving are helping bring the hope of Jesus to people who need it most.

Amanda Berger

August 10, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Earthquake in Colombia
This morning at 7:30 local time, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia. Colombia is the mission field of one of our missionaries, Amanda Berger, who is working to break the chains of addiction in many Colombians' lives and to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. Amanda posted this update this afternoon, and we are so grateful for her safety.Follow Amanda's ministry on Facebook. Would you join me for 60 seconds right now, wherever you're at, to lift up a prayer for Amanda, the people of Colombia, and those who are suffering at the hands of this terrible natural disaster? Praise God that we have missionaries across the world who are able to minister in times like this, and praise God for keeping His workers in the mission field safe One of our favorite partners, Convoy of Hope, is already responding to this crisis. You can learn more about their response teams and Convoy of Hope updates below.Convoy of Hope Response UpdatesReuters report on Colombian earthquake

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor

August 3, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
A story from DW in the Gulf
Embracing Unexpected Interruptions “Being in this country again was not a part of *the plan*.” “I’m *supposed* to be in the Gulf right now.” “I’m not *supposed* to be here.” These are a few of the repeated thoughts I’ve had since the war has delayed my move to my intended destination. I’ve been so grateful to return to the field, to be with amazing teammates, and to be back in this country; yet, I have still wrestled with this unanticipated change of location. Questioning “why” and wondering what God is doing in me and in this season of “not yet” and waiting for the next season to start. Despite my wrestling, Jesus has shown Himself faithful and that He is still at work! A specific testimony came from an unexpected interruption. Much like this particular season! Some of you may remember I came to help with the internship program here. Thank you for praying for them! They all had an incredible 5 weeks encountering God’s love and calling over their lives and over this region. Their first weekend in country we took them to many tourist locations – around the region – so they could see the country as a whole before starting language study and team life. After 2 long days, I was very ready to return home for a shower and sleep. But as it happened, this was the very night I met my neighbor for the first time. I greeted the father, hoping this would just be in passing. However, he answered with the appropriate cultural response, inviting me over for tea with him and his family. So with a nudge from Jesus, I delayed my shower, dropped off my bags, and visited them. We exchanged pleasantries, introduced ourselves, and I sat with their adult daughter, Natalie*. After about 45 minutes of chatting, we ended the visit, but not before they invited me back for a meal a few days later. I brought one of our intern girls with me when I went back, and I had no idea what these visits would open up… After we ate, the intern needed to leave for a meeting, and Natalie* and I went for a walk around our neighborhood. We talked about life and God! We shared about our differing views on religion. I told her about the importance of Jesus and how we were all made in God’s image – both of which were strange concepts to her. However, the most impactful moment of our time together was at the end of our walk. We rested on a park bench where Natalie* shared about some struggles she had been having with mental fog and loneliness. I asked her if I could pray for her in that moment, and she said immediately said yes. It was a touch from the Lord that she was thirsty for! I ended the prayer “in Jesus’ name,” and she reported feeling a lot better. Wiping away tears, she couldn’t stop hugging and thanking me. I pray this prayer and our conversations repeat in Natalie’s* mind, and she begins to have a curiosity about Jesus and a life lived with Him. God showed me His intentionality behind interruptions. That it’s not about a timeline, a location, or what *should* be or *should not* be. It’s all about Him. Whether big interruptions or small ones, Jesus is at work. He made this day, and He has intentions for it. He put me here in this season, and He has intentions for it! “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 Prayer Requests Natalie* - that she would become interested in Jesus! Wisdom within my witness and showing Jesus to my friends here Preparations and prayers for my upcoming move to the Gulf, I fly out mid-August! Thank you as always for your support and prayers! I thank the Lord for each of you, and I feel so blessed to reach this world together. With love, DW (A Note from Ps. Abram: If you would like more information on this worker, reach out here from us.)

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor

July 8, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Story from Colombia: Forced to take Drugs
Reposted from a message from Amanda Berger: Story: The need is so great the government doesn't even know where to start... WINS: It's been a few days since our Chi Alpha team left - it was an amazing week of ministry with several highs including 6 salvations, but I'm stuck thinking about an interaction I had Saturday night... We were ministering at a youth small group, the team came ready with a sermon but God changed their heart to share on persecution, not really sure why but in obedience changed the sermon. At the end of the night one of the youth leaders shared with me that her nephew who attends the group was asked to do drugs a while back, and said no. He was beaten for saying no and has since been forced to do drugs. My heart shattered at this reality many kids and youth face here. The accessibility & affordability of drugs...and society's indifference, or avoidance, of all those struggling with addiction. I've met with many pastors and been told multiple times, "Amanda, the need is so great the government doesn't even know where to start; we are overwhelmed with need." In the face of overwhelming need, I'm reminded that we serve a God bigger than any need, system, or plan. A God who sees each individual as His child and has a plan for redemption for all of them. Would you pray for: Open doors & wisdom on where to start Pastors & individuals willing to serve Thank you for being a part of breaking cycles and making disciples in Colombia! A day in the life: familiar, yet different. You asked for more a day in the life of a missionary so here we are. First, let me break any illusion that missionary life doesn't have mundane parts, because boy does it. In fact, I just had a month full of mundane adult chores with all the obstacles that come with them: Apartment hunting Attending 80 hr of drivers licensing class Buying a car (pic to come) Oh, and train a puppy These things are familiar things we do in the USA, but in a different language & a different country with their own rules & regulations - some of which you don't know until you break them. It's taxing on the mind and body. While the achiever in me wants to say, geez, Amanda, that's all you did? I can proudly say I DID ALL OF THAT! So whatever you're doing today that feels mundane, or like it's not moving the needle, remember God is in the mundane & necessary parts of life as much as he's in the mountain top moments.

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor

May 25, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
First Priority: end-of-school update and celebration
First Priority is a student-led campus ministry focused on bringing the gospel into middle schools and high schools across the Kansas City area. Through weekly clubs hosted on school campuses, students are sharing testimonies, preaching the gospel, praying for their peers, and inviting friends to encounter Jesus. One of the most powerful aspects of First Priority is simple: students are reaching students. Middle school and high school students are standing up in their schools and boldly sharing their faith with their classmates. Instead of waiting for someone else to reach their generation, they are becoming missionaries in the hallways, cafeterias, classrooms, and campuses they walk through every day. Four years ago, Ps. Abram helped launch some of the first First Priority clubs in Kansas City alongside Rylee Reece, Delaney Summers, and Louise Eskina. That first school year, there were only six clubs in the entire Kansas City area. Now, by the grace of God, there are more than 40 active clubs across the city. Impact This school year alone, God has used First Priority KC in incredible ways: 40 Active Clubs 451 Active Student Leaders 1,672 Weekly Attendees across the City 543 Decisions for Christ Behind every number is a story. A student inviting a friend to club for the first time. A teenager praying publicly at school. A Bible opened during lunch. A teenager making the decision to follow Jesus. We believe schools are one of the greatest mission fields in our city, and First Priority is helping equip students to live on mission where they already are every day. At Commission Church, we are grateful to support and celebrate ministries that are reaching the next generation with the gospel. Your Next Step Pray for students across Kansas City. Pray for boldness for student leaders. Pray for open hearts in schools. Pray for continued opportunities for the gospel to spread throughout our city. Give... Make a donation to our church and write “First Priority” in the memo.Give “And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” — Romans 10:14

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor

May 11, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Irvin Rutherford passing his missionary mantle on to the next generation.
Pastor Irvin Rutherford, a missionary for over 60 years, is passing on his mantle to the next generation. While visiting this past March, Pastor Irvin, our missionary board member, shared that after 60 years of ministering throughout the world, he's passing on the leadership of global ministry teams—GMT—to Pastor Aaron McManus over the next few years. You can watch the service where he shares this update with our congregation by clicking the button below.Watch here Brother Irvin has ministered primarily in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines, for decades. He and his wife, Linda, traveled throughout Asia and the world, raising their kids and ministering. Now that both Irvin and Linda are growing older and are more restricted in their travel, Pastor Irvin has been training a new leader to take over his ministry. Pastor Irvin has trained and impacted the lives of 500 leaders in 83 countries worldwide. Ps. Aaron will be working with Ps. Irvin, as they prepare him to lead the continued effort around the world to preach the gospel and build up the next generation of church leaders, pastors, evangelists, and church workers across the world.

Rev. Abram Bagunu

Associate Pastor