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Celebrating Baher Wassif's 10 Years of service to EMI

EMI Mexico,

We're thrilled to invite you to celebrate Baher Wassif's journey with EMI! Over the past decade, Baher has contributed to more than 90 EMI projects, starting as a volunteer during his time as an architecture student in college. After graduating university with a B.Arch in 2011, he joined the EMI MENA team in 2014 as a staff architect. Baher quickly excelled as a project leader and furthered his education, earning a Masters degree in Non-Profit Management in 2020. His deep devotion to God and dedication to ministry have played a vital role in EMI's impact worldwide.

Baher and his wife, Sarah, have been happily married for 8 years. They've dedicated their lives to serving in various ministries and their local church, using their professional skills to help others. In 2022, they moved over 12,000 kilometers west to join the EMI Mexico office, where Baher leads projects and supports office leadership by training new staff and shepherding the overall vision of the team, while Sarah serves as intern coordinator. They are making a positive impact in their new home and continue to spread love and kindness wherever they go.

We joyfully celebrate this milestone with Baher and offer prayers for continued blessings upon him and Sarah in the years to come. Thank you, Baher and Sarah! 

Celebrating Kevin and Jenni Keiter's 10 Years at EMI

EMI United States,

For the past 10 years, Kevin Keiter has been an important part of EMI USA, currently leading the projects team as a deputy director. His background in mechanical engineering, and having run a branch office in Florida before joining EMI, gives him the experience to serve ministries around the world. Kevin leads with a great balance of vision for the future and compassionate care for those under his leadership. Most importantly, Kevin deeply loves Jesus and loves being part of EMI’s unique role in serving the global church.

EMI benefits doubly from the Keiters in Jenni. Mixing a part-time EMI photography & videography role as a home-school mom started as an experiment. For 10 years now, Jenni has pioneered a pathway for creative professionals to join in EMI’s ministry through her role in the EMI Global Office. Her adventurous spirit, willingness to try new things, and learn new skills & technology have kept Jenni excited to go get the next EMI story. We are so grateful for Jenni's help in sharing what God is doing through the people of EMI.

The Keiter family's love of community and nature has led to many opportunities for our interns and staff to experience the beauty of Colorado. They have hosted many interns and fellows in their home and been an integral part of our office culture. 

Thank you, Kevin and Jenni, for 10 years of service to the ministry of EMI!

Celebrating Henry Watts's 20 years at EMI

EMI United States,

This year, we celebrate Henry Watts reaching the milestone of 20 years with EMI!

Henry first served as an intern in 1998. After working in the construction management industry with his structural engineering background, Henry, and his wife Erika - a landscape architect - both joined staff in 2004. In those early years, they often led project trips together. In 2008, they spent 8 months in Jordan where Henry served on a construction site for an EMI-designed project.

Erika left staff in 2009 to stay home with their kids. Those kids – Owen, 17, Claire, 14, and Jordan, 12 – have never known life without EMI! And they got to experience a true taste of EMI mission life in 2014 when the Watts family moved to Kenya for a year where Henry again worked on a construction site for an EMI project – Tenwek Hospital. We’ve been excited to recently welcome back Erika to staff as she started back part-time at EMI USA in 2023.

Henry has held many roles throughout his years at EMI, perhaps most notably serving as the Director of EMI USA since 2017. Henry is a peacemaker and an includer. He makes people feel valued because he actually values them. He has strong convictions about the Vision and Mission of EMI and our unique role to play in world missions. He’s passionate about protecting EMI from drifting away from our Christ-centered roots, while at the same time, he’s been at the center of our desire to grow and change towards better mission practices.

Congratulations and thank you, Henry, for your two decades of service with EMI!