Africa
- Madagascar
- Antananarivo
- Mahajanga
- South Africa
- Johannesburg
- Knysna
- Western Cape
- White River
- Mozambique
- Chimoio
- Dondo
- Lichinga
- Machava
- Matola
- Mieze Village
- Mocimboa da Praia
- Nacala
- Pemba Center: Village of Joy
- Zimpeto
Asia
Australia
Europe
Middle East
North America
South America
Africa
- Madagascar
- Antananarivo
- Mahajanga
- South Africa
- Johannesburg
- Knysna
- Western Cape
- White River
- Mozambique
- Chimoio
- Dondo
- Lichinga
- Machava
- Matola
- Mieze Village
- Mocimboa da Praia
- Nacala
- Pemba Center: Village of Joy
- Zimpeto
Asia
Australia
Europe
Middle East
North America
South America
Joao was born and raised in Brazil and lived with his adoptive family, until he became a soldier. It was in the army that he became saved as he was impressed with a fellow soldiers testimony of the love of Christ. His life continued to be shaken by turmoil and sin until he was encouraged once and for all to leave the world behind him. He went to Bible school in Curitiba; and in 2001, Joao was radically touched by the power of God at a FourSquare Conference where Randy Clark was the guest speaker. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit and a new direction for his life, Joao chased after a call to the mission field he received while at the altar one morning of the Conference. On 2/2/2002, Joao arrived to the Mozambican mission field, and began working with Iris Ministries. Joao worked as a Bible School teacher at the Zimpeto Iris Ministries base and was a part of the evangelism team. In 2004, Joao married Jennifer and they moved to Dondo expecting their first child to be born in Mozambique. In Dondo, Joao was involved in the Bible School, home group, base leadership, conference organization, and construction. While living in Dondo, Joao purchased land for a new center in Chimoio. Joao and his wife are currently base leaders of Iris Chimoio. The future for the Base in Chimoio is promising new life. To capture that vision, the base has been named “River of God”. “Where the river flows everything will live” - Ezekiel 47:10b
Jennifer was born and raised in a Christian family in the United States. At the tender age of five she became aware of her need for Jesus, and was saved and baptized in water. When she was ten years old she was so touched for missions that she heard a voice behind her audibly asking, “Will serve me as a missionary?”. Upon hearing the voice, Jennifer looked for a man behind her, but there was none. It was clear that God had asked her to serve him as a missionary. A year later Jennifer had a life changing encounter with God that directed her steps for the future; and a decade later her feet touched the soil of the mission field of her dreams. Just after her second visit to Mozambique Jennifer was busy planning her wedding with Joao Wenningkamp, an Iris Ministries Long-term Missionary. A few months after their wedding they moved to Dondo, where five months later their first son, Jonathan Gabrial, was born on April 14, 2005. Jennifer and her family spent the next two and half years serving at the Dondo Iris Ministries base. After a one year furlough, and the birth of their second son Daniel Amos on April 11, 2008, they returned to Mozambique to build a new Iris Ministries Children’s Center in Chimoio. On July 1, 2010 Jennifer and Joao’s third son, Benaiah, was born. Jennifer and her family are currently lead the Iris Chimoio - River of God Children’s Center. ‘River of God’ is the reminder that ‘Where the River flows everything will live…’
Claudia has been radically and passionately serving Christ and the church since she became a Christian at the age of 17. After finishing high school and joining YWAM for a year she moved back to Germany to study social work and became an intricate part of a newly emerging church in Germany called “Jesus Freaks”. Claudia soon became involved in leadership and even pastoring churches. Her passion for church planting and evangelism soon burned into a desire for loving the nations and leading them to Jesus. Claudia has set her feet on every populated continent and in many countries since she said yes to the call of loving the nations. Claudia is serving with Iris Ministries since October 2005 and is currently living in Chimoio, Mozambique. At present she works in the province of Manica in four different ministry areas: prison ministry, hospital prayer ministry, food distribution for church based orphan care, and partnering with the local church leadership in evangelism, church planting and encouraging believers. Claudia is also part of a team of Iris Missionaries that has repeatedly traveled for short term evangelism and outreach trips to Zimbabwe.