Staff & Board Members

The Forsaken Children Staff

Director: Joe Bridges

Joe and his beautiful bride, Karyn are really just ordinary people who have fallen in love with the people of Ethiopia, especially the children. After experiencing  the site of thousands of children living on the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia firsthand in 2006, they helped start The Forsaken Children, Inc. (TFC), which exists to bring lasting hope to Ethiopia through these, Ethiopia’s street children. Joe and Karyn have a passion for partnering with Ethiopian ministries to carry out this task and have loved doing so with the Onesimus Children Development Association! Most importantly, Joe and Karyn fully recognize that The Forsaken Children and Onesimus are not these children’s savior, but they know who is and aim to direct those whom God puts in TFC’s care to Jesus. The Bridges currently live in North Carolina where Karyn is a stay at home mom and Joe is a full time student at UNC – Chapel Hill (studying social work with an emphasis on international development). The loves of their lives are their three kiddos – Jack, McLaine, and Silas!

 

Sustainability Coordinator: Jonathan Bridges

Jonathan and his lovely bride, Jess Bridges felt God’s call to join the work of The Forsaken Children in 2006. Prior to this call they never really thought that they would do international missions, but Jonathan made the leap first and traveled to Ethiopia in January 2008 to make preparations for the family’s visit in May. That summer while the family was surrounded by the culture and life so far away from the United States, they were exposed to the beauty and despair that is Ethiopia. Throughout the three month trip, Jon and Jess could see God’s hands at work and became connected with this ministry in a way that would later lead them to join the staff as the Sustainability Coordinator in 2011. In late 2010 the Lord led them to make a major move and go to Ethiopia long term and fully invest in the people there beginning in the fall of 2011. Jonathan uses his experience in agriculture to aid The Forsaken Children’s Ethiopian partner organization, Onesimus, with their agriculture project, Kota Ganate. In addition, he works to teach Ethiopians in the rural countryside to drill low cost, low tech wells through his training with Water for All International. Jonathan is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a BS in Biology and Jessica received her BA in English from Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. In addition to staying busy with their son Dawit, Jessica will work to teach English to both children and adults in the Ethiopian countryside.

 

Administrator: Kara Moses

Kara is a founding board member for The Forsaken Children. She came to love the ministry of TFC and gained a passion for their vision through her relationship with Karyn Bridges. As her best friend, Karyn would share all the stories from her time in Ethiopia that broke Kara’s heart. In response to her brokenness, Kara desired to find a way to help Joe and Karyn with their ministry and was ultimately invited to be on the board. Having previously worked for a non-profit, Kara immediately took on trying to help with bookkeeping and anything she had former experience with. That helpfulness eventually turned into Kara officially taking on an administrative role with TFC in 2009. Kara lives in Memphis, TN with her husband, Johnpaul and their two daughters. Alyssa is their oldest and is quite the artist.  Kelsey is their young entertainer, singing and dancing all the time. Kara is a home schooling mom and part time administrator for TFC. The Moses family is very involved at their church, Central, where Johnpaul leads worship and they both teach a class for married couples.

 

Sports Ministry Coordinator: Kelly McGugan

In June 2010, Kelly traveled with his wife, Heather to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on a short term mission trip with their church. For just over a week, the McGugans were able to invest in The Forsaken Children’s partner ministry, Onesimus, and therefore fall in love with the children and community it serves. Since their first experience in Ethiopia, Kelly and Heather have jumped in with both feet to serve TFC. Kelly became TFC’s sports ministry intern in the fall of 2010, working to develop the basis for a sports ministry program at Onesimus and traveling a second time to Ethiopia in December 2010 to begin forming the foundation of the program. Following his third trip to Addis Ababa in 2011 as the leader of another short term mission team from church, Kelly officially became TFC’s Sports Ministry Coordinator – currently a volunteer position.  Kelly and his wife live in Memphis, TN with their two dogs and attend Central Church. Kelly is a Manager for the University of Memphis Men’s Soccer team and will finish his degree in Sports and Leisure Management in December 2011.

 

The Forsaken Children’s Board

David Drees

David and his wife Diane met while living overseas and have had a heart for people of other lands ever since. They have had the privilege of leading numerous mission trips and seeing people deepen in their passion for missions as a result. As the parents of two children born in another country, they also have a passion for orphans and living out James 1:27, which lists the care of orphans as one element of acceptable religion in the sight of God. In 2010, David was invited to be on the Board of Directors for The Forsaken Children, bringing experience of overseas ministry as well as over a decade of work in Christian non-profits. David, Diane and their three children live in the Memphis, TN area where David works for FedEx as a marketing analyst and Diane works as a homeschool mom. They are members of Central Church in Collierville where David and Diane also teach a Christian Worldview and Apologetics class.

 

Elizabeth Gillentine

Bio coming soon!

 

Heather McGugan

In June 2010, Heather and her husband, Kelly traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on a short term mission trip through their church. For just over a week, the McGugans were able to invest in The Forsaken Children’s partner ministry, Onesimus, and therefore fall in love with the children and community it serves. Since their very first experience in Ethiopia, Heather and Kelly have jumped in with both feet to serve The Forsaken Children. Heather became a board member at the end of 2010 and now serves as The Forsaken Children’s Visitor Liaison, helping to keep past visitors to TFC’s partner ministry on the ground of Ethiopia equipped, connected, and informed. The McGugans live in Memphis, TN with their two dogs and attend Central Church. Heather works full time as an account representative in sales for a safety manufacturer and is working on a second degree in nursing (BSN).

 

Kara Moses, Secretary

Kara is a founding board member for The Forsaken Children. She came to love the ministry of TFC and gained a passion for their vision through her relationship with Karyn Bridges. As her best friend, Karyn would share all the stories from her time in Ethiopia that broke Kara’s heart. In response to her brokenness, Kara desired to find a way to help Joe and Karyn with their ministry and was ultimately invited to be on the board. Having previously worked for a non-profit, Kara immediately took on trying to help with bookkeeping and anything she had former experience with. That helpfulness eventually turned into Kara officially taking on an administrative role with TFC in 2009. Kara lives in Memphis, TN with her husband, Johnpaul and their two daughters. Alyssa is their oldest and is quite the artist.  Kelsey is their young entertainer, singing and dancing all the time. Kara is a home schooling mom and part time administrator for TFC. The Moses family is very involved at their church, Central, where Johnpaul leads worship and they both teach a class for married couples.

 

Randall Johnson

Randall is a founding board member for The Forsaken Children. He has had the privilege of visiting several countries on short-term missions trips including Ecuador, India and Uruguay.  But without a doubt one of the most thrilling opportunities he has had is visiting Onesimus and meeting Nega [director of Onesimus] and the wonderful children whom God has brought TFC to minister to. Randall fell in love with the children and the amazing staff God has put together to oversee this work of grace and love.  His wife Mary Ann went with him in 2009 and that meant the world to him. He saw her compassion for these children fully expressed in her devotion to see that they had competent health instruction and such basics as school uniforms. He will never forget his trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Randall is a pastor at Central Church. He lives in Memphis, TN with his beautiful wife, Mary Ann. They have four incredible children and seven grandchildren and enjoy spending time with them and seeing what God is doing in and through them.

 

Travis Harms, Chairman

Travis and his wife, Maggie have known Karyn Bridges (wife of TFC Director, Joe Bridges) for a long time, but their first real exposure to the mission and work of The Forsaken Children came through a dessert party they attended in 2007. According to Travis, “Joe & Karyn’s desire and passion for seeking God’s kingdom first is so rare, real, and convicting that my wife and I knew it would be a privilege to become active supporters of TFC.” Since that time, the Harms have been amazed to see how God is rewarding Joe & Karyn’s obedience and blessing the Ethiopian children that are so near to God’s heart through them. Travis joined the board in 2010 and was elected Chairman of the board in 2011. He is a financial analyst at Mercer Capital and lives in Memphis with his beautiful wife and three children, Sophie, Luke, and Nate.

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