OUR MISSIONARIES
EUROPE
Czarek & Ewa Byckiewicz
Łódź, Poland
Czarek and Ewa began their ministry when they launched a house church along with two other missionary couples in 2016. Throughout the years God has added people to their church and in May 2022 it was officially registered in their country under the name Zjednoczeni w Chrystusie, "The United in Christ Church." Czarek is one of the lecturers at the missionary school, equipping and preparing missionaries for both short- and long-term mission trips. The school focuses on cross-cultural ministry in Orthodox, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist contexts.
Florent & Lori Varak
Lyon, France
Florent serves as Director of Church Equipping for Encompass World Partners. Encompass is a church planting organization, and as such, Encompass missionaries seek to empower national believers to lead local churches and ministries. Once this process is completed, Encompass still maintains a relationship with local churches, assisting in theological education, ministry training and more. Florent is responsible for overseeing all of these efforts in his area. He teaches at a number of Bible institutes and seminaries across the globe, has authored a few books, and holds a weekly podcast. Florent and Lori are based near Lyon, France, and are initiating a church plant in a small town northeast of Lyon, France.
Philippe & Sophie Viguier
Lyon, France
Philippe serves as the teaching pastor of a church in Lyon, France. God has used this church to plant several new churches in the surrounding area, and Philippe helps provide care for these churches. Philippe is also engaged in writing books and worship music and assisting in leadership development in the French-speaking world.
Vance & Jenn Yzbick
Dublin, Ireland
Vance and Jennifer served in Poland for 11 years with their two sons, Nathan and Josiah. God used them to make disciples and plant a church that is now flourishing under the leadership of four Polish elder-pastors, and they give Him all the praise. Church planters at heart, Vance and Jenn are now looking toward Dublin, Ireland, a city with a great need for gospel-centered churches. Partnering with an American family who has been in Dublin for over 20 years, they hope to join in the work God is already doing there—making disciples and, in time and God willing, helping plant new churches.
ASIA
Matt & Mai Higby
Osaka, Japan
Matt and Mai Higby are part of the Encompass World Partners church-planting team. Matt and Mai have been praying for years for some Japanese missionary partners to team up with in their church planting efforts. God has answered their prayers and they recently partnered with another couple in a collaboration between Encompass World Partners and Mustard Seed Network with plans to start a new church in Osaka in 2027.
Allana Drianis
Osaka, Japan
At a young age, Allana felt God calling her to reach Japan. After many short-term trips and years of preparation, she moved to Japan in the spring of 2026 and began Japanese language school two weeks later. She is currently enrolled and will be in language learning full-time for the next two years. She has been working hard to learn the language and culture, all while building relationships with various classmates and neighbors. God has given her a gentle, quiet spirit which is the perfect fit for Japanese culture, yet she boldly brings up spiritual matters in a comfortable, non-invasive way.
NORTH AMERICA
Randy & Susan Clark
Osaka, Japan / Orange, CA
Randy and Susan Clark are passionate about mentoring and encouraging missionaries in Japan, one of the world's most spiritually challenging mission fields. They have raised five adult children and bring decades of ministry experience, including five years as missionaries in South Africa. Based in Orange County, California, Randy and Susan work with Encompass' Japanese Returnee ministry. They also plan to travel to Japan at least once a year to support Encompass World Partners’ team in Osaka, offering guidance, biblical counseling, and mentorship.
Cecil & Debbie O'Dell
Long Beach, CA
Cecil and Debbie O’Dell help lead Encompass World Partners’ ministry to Japanese students in Long Beach, CA. After ministering in Japan for several years, Cecil and Debbie found that Japanese people studying in the US are often more open to the gospel than those living in Japan. More than ever before, Encompass is recruiting and deploying global workers for Japan. In Cecil’s role as a ministry coach, he helps these new teammates sharpen their skills in sharing the gospel, gathering new believers into spiritual communities, and training local leaders so that over time, church-planting movements in Japan can flourish.
The S Family
North America
Matt & Becca served overseas in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Birmingham, UK, for 15 years, spending the whole time focusing on reaching Indians & Pakistanis from Muslim & Hindu backgrounds. After having planted and released ministries in both of those countries, Matt & Becca were surprised to find out that there were millions and millions of unreached South Asians in the US, and half of them were in California! Now Matt & Becca volunteer as teachers, tutors, children’s and youth program directors, ELL teachers, US Citizenship test teachers and whatever else they can do to love and serve the South Asian community in Los Angeles’ “Little India” as they develop trust and relationships in which they hope to share the gospel and make disciples.
AFRICA
Stephen & Lisa Wreesman
Mango, Togo
Stephen and Lisa live in Mango, Togo, with their four children. Stephen serves as a doctor at Hospital of Hope, a hospital dedicated to meeting the medical needs of the tribes and villages of northern Togo. He manages their labor and delivery department. Stephen and Lisa seek to share the love of Jesus with those they serve and help them grow in their love for God.