Episode 4 - Gilberto Araujo - Raising kids in the mission field, life in the Middle East, and surviving violence

Our country director for the Dominican Republic shares his lifelong journey in missions, from a missionary’s kid in the north of Brazil, to Africa and the Middle East as an administrator for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and now in the Caribbean for Maranatha. Gilberto talks about the advantages and challenges of raising kids in the mission field, the unique blessings and difficulties it presents, and the lessons he’s learned from a full career of service abroad.Gilberto also reflects on how he grew as a leader without an abundance of mentorship and why some of his fondest memories are actually the places where he faced the most challenges. He recalls how he first connected to Maranatha as a liaison from the Church, just how difficult the work is in the Middle East, and what it was like surviving violence in Togo. Thanks for listening! Please like, comment, and subscribe.Visit maranatha.org for more info on the work of Maranatha Volunteers International.Text us! Let us know what you thought of this episode and the show in general!On September 19, 2026, join us in Sacramento, California, for our annual convention, Mission: Maranatha. You’ll be inspired by volunteer testimonies, stories from the mission field, and updates from Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders around the globe. Plus, be blessed by Oakwood University's award-winning choir, The Aeolians.Learn more at https://maranatha.org/media-events/maranatha-convention/