Each potential member of Merryfield Village’s staff shares a heart for the children and exemplifies the very heartbeat of Merryfield’s vision and mission. With a passion for God and desire for kingdom excellence, the village is lead by a God-appointed team.
Steve, Julie, and their children have served a decade overseas as missionaries. They moved to South Africa in August 2014. They served initially in Europe for 8 1/2 years, where early in their marriage they served in Vinnitsa, Ukraine. They went on to join a missions organization in 2005, serving their last 7 years on the mission field in Prague, Czech Republic, and Vienna, Austria before the Lord led them back to the states for a time of refreshing and seeking more in their relationship with Christ. In 2012 they resigned from the comfort of a salaried position with their missions organization, where they had full benefits, paid education for their children and stepped out on faith and went back to the states with nothing but a promise from the Lord that He would reveal His plan and take care of them. Stephen was offered a wonderful opportunity to work for Liberty University while the Lord did a work in both their lives. Steve and Julie were both on a similar journey during those two years that led them to feel empowered to head to South Africa, utilizing the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit in a whole new way. Their prayer is to be used in such a way to see Heaven invading earth and to touch as many people’s lives with the ever-changing love of the gospel and to see the power of the Holy Spirit displayed to the lost and needy. See their entire testimony in the History section.
Partnerships
Silo Ministries strives to help the poor, widows, orphans and dysfunctional/troubled families through a resource/farm-oriented rehabilitation center. The center will provide self-sustainable and viable farming; counseling, rehab, discipleship, skills training, entrepreneurial education, medical and HIV education, agricultural training and micro-financing. Our holistic approach at the center will create an environment where children, adults, and families can be guided towards healing, practical life skills and moral integrity to help equip them to become leaders with a purpose of also helping others where all involved can be unified together and become productive citizens of South Africa.
Liberty Orphan Care is a ministry of New Gen – Liberty church in Somerset West. LOC serves abandoned and orphaned babies, by providing a home, a loving environment, and the hands of Christ to touch, nurture and bring wholeness to body and soul. Our children are often victims of extreme poverty, from families affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis and sometimes having suffered neglect, abuse, or abandonment. We provide a safe haven for these children until they can be placed in forever families, sometimes through adoption and other times through long term foster care.