A visit from our President and First Lady

OMS President Jeff Edwards (L) and his wife Laura with the OMS New Zealand Team

In January, it was an honour for us to be able to host our OMS President Jeff Edwards and his lovely wife Laura for a few days! While it was a short time, it was a delight to chat in person about their heart for OMS, and how we can better work together in the purpose God has given us.

As well as meeting our staff and board members, Jeff and Laura were able to take a day to rest, enjoying the glow worms at Waitomo Caves and visiting Hobbiton! Before coming to us, Jeff and Laura were also able to visit the OMS office in Australia, to meet and pray with the team there.

Jeff and Laura with the OMS New Zealand Board Members

About President Jeff and First Lady Laura

Jeff and Laura have both been serving with OMS for more than 35 years, and it’s because of this experience that Jeff is a terrific fit for this role as OMS’s 11th president.

Jeff, a OMS missionary kid, grew up in Brazil, where he met Laura and they later served together for 22 years as OMS missionaries. Their ministry focus included church planting, leadership development, counselling, discipleship, and couples ministries. They also accepted positions as professors at Londrina Bible Seminary (LBS), where Jeff served as the president of the LBS board for six years, and Laura directed two graduate programs in counselling.

After returning from South America in 2008, Jeff invested 12 years serving as the OMS regional director for Latin America/Caribbean until June 2020 when he served as the OMS Global Ministries executive director before becoming President in July 2022.

Jeff praying at the OMS chapel service

Celebrating the service of OMS missionaries

Laura currently serves in a volunteer capacity with OMS, officially as advisor to the President. She travels with Jeff when her academic calendar allows it.

She currently works full time at Taylor University as a tenured professor and chair of the Psychology Department. Within this setting, she is privileged to minister to many of her students through discipleship and mentoring.

Discipleship and mentoring are their passion. Their goal is to invest in leaders who can multiply themselves, strengthen the church, and give vision to mission sending around the world.

Thank you Jeff and Laura for all that you do!