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The LoPatriellos, EMI South Africa

Birthplace Torrance, California, USA (Will) San Jose, Costa Rica (Jenny)
Profession Staff Architect
Joined EMI June 2024
Verse Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26
Give to The LoPatriellos
To give, please select your currency:

CAD

GBP

EUR

UGX

USD

ZAR

EMI presently accepts donations in these currencies at EMI Canada, EMI UK, EMI Uganda, EMI USA, and EMI South Africa respectively. Where applicable, donations made to EMI are tax-deductible.

I grew up in Southern California and Park City, Utah, and came to know the Lord during my undergraduate studies in 2005. Soon after, God led me toward a career in architecture. Jenny’s parents’ medical missionary work shaped her upbringing, as she grew up in Costa Rica and Ecuador, followed by their work in healthcare among the Navajo in New Mexico. Jenny went on to study nursing and theology.

We met in 2008 while I was studying architecture, and were married in 2012. Together, we sought a way to integrate our faith, my passion for architecture, Jenny’s heart for maternal health and missions.

In 2014, we discovered EMI and joined as interns in the Uganda office for nine months. There, I experienced firsthand how design can express God’s redemptive work. This season also helped clarify our vision for future service. 

After Uganda, we moved to Denver, where we gained more experience and I became a licensed architect. During our time in Denver, our family grew with the births of Theo (2017), Gwyn (2019), and Benji (2023).

In 2022, we spent a year in New Mexico, where Jenny worked in healthcare on the Navajo Nation. God continued to build our vision for serving in low-resourced settings through both healthcare and design. In 2023, the Lord opened the door for me to join EMI full-time, and in June 2024, I accepted a position as a Staff Architect in the South Africa office. 

Our family plans to move to South Africa in early 2025.

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