Venturer

ven·tur·er (noun): 1. one who ventures 
a voyage to a place where a need has 
been identified. 2. one who undertakes 
a project of mission and service as 
part of a venture or as an adventure.

Venturers are individuals at least eighteen years of age who serve in hands-on mission roles for a period of six months to two years.

The Venturer Program provides opportunities for longer-term mission service in local and global settings. Requests for Venturers originate with our ministry partners who have specific needs. Individuals’ exploration toward Venturer service can begin by reviewing these requests or by describing to our staff their sense of call. View the listing of current Venturer positions available.

Meet Our Venturers and See Where They Serve

	CECIL AND RUTH McKINNEY Nove Zamky, Slovakia Read the latest newsletters from the McKinneys: January, 2010 November, 2009 October, 2009 September, 2009 August, 2009 July, 2009
	ERIC REIBER Anne Arundel College, Maryland Download the "Reiber Reader" Newsletter for December, 2009
	NIC AND APRIL UEBEL Baptist Campus Ministries on the campus of Virginia Tech, Virginia

Venturers Who Completed their Time of Service

	RUSSELL AMES Door of Hope and Touch Life Centre, South Africa
	AMY DOUGLAS Harvard University and Hope Fellowship Baptist Church, Massachusetts
	SARA HUBBLE Door of Hope, South Africa
	RICK AND MELISSA KESTERSON Committee for Plaquemines Recovery, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana View the Committee for Plaquemines Recovery webpage
	JUSTIN LEEP Deeds of Love Ministries, South Africa
	BRUCE AND ERIN LEPOINT Committee for Plaquemines Recovery, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana View the Committee for Plaquemines Recovery webpage
	DREAMA MONTRIEF Lovosice Baptist Church, Czech Republic
	BOB AND CELIA MUNSON Baguio, Philippines
	JAMIE SUE NANCE Vienna, Austria
	KIM PETERSEN Precious Children’s Home, India View Kim's website
	PHIL QUAGLIARIELLO Baptist Campus Ministries on the campus of Bridgewater College, Virginia
	MEGAN REDD Cornell University and Ithaca Baptist Church, New York
	CAROL SEELEY Touch Life Centre, South Africa
	DENNIS STROLE AND NANCY BELL-STROLE Nutshell Camp and Conference Center, Jamaica
	LAURA TUTERAL Precious Children’s Home, India Read Laura’s blog
	SHELLY WEBB Massachusetts Institute of Technology
	AMBER WILLIAMS Touch Life Centre, South Africa Read Amber’s blog
	PAUL WILLIAMS James Madison University, Virginia

How it Works
The first step for those interested in service as a Venturer is to complete an application package (to apply, a person must be at least eighteen years of age and meet other qualifications for service).

Once an applicant has submitted an application, he or she will be scheduled for an interview with the Venturer Advisory Committee. Upon recommendation and endorsement by the Committee, the application will be given to the executive directors of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia for review.

Pending approval by the two executive directors, the applicant’s file will be sent to the prospective field supervisor for final approval. Once all parties have approved and accepted placement, the Venturer will be scheduled for an orientation and commissioning.

Depending upon the specific position, a Venturer’s funding may come from one or more sources:

1. Venturers may receive some funding from Virginia Baptist Mission Board and/or Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia sources.
2. Venturers may raise their own support from churches, friends, family, and other sources.
3. Venturers may enter into partnership with ministries that have funding but seek personnel to meet strategic needs in their overall programs.

Become a Venturer!
Here is a list of placement request that the VBMB currently has (this list is constantly being updated with new requests):

• English as a Second Language among youth, college students, and adults in Macau
• Church leadership at Galilee Baptist Church in Belize City, Belize
• Worship leadership and community outreach among the Native Americans living on the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota
• English teacher in Belize
• English as a Second Language in China working with a Chinese college or university
• English as a Second Language in China working with Amity Foundation
• Assist the Caribbean Christian Publications with developing a new Sunday School curriculum to be used by Caribbean churches.
• Assist the Caribbean Christian Publications with multi-media needs.
• Teaching English as a second language in Lebanon.
• Assist with teaching at The Solid Rock Christian Academy in Port Sulphur, Louisiana.

Contact Nichole Bulls for further details on Venturer qualifications, applications, and available positions.