DON AND ESTHER PARSONS

BIO:

Don and Esther Parsons have served in cross-cultural missions for over 25 years.  As part of SEND International, Don and Esther with their four children lived in Kyiv, Ukraine working as church planters as well as mission mobilizers, equipping and sending Ukrainians across borders to disciple the nations.  In Central Asia Don was team leader for a multicultural missionary team including Russians, Kazakhs, Americans, Canadians and a Filipina. 

Don also served in SEND’s international office for 10 years as their director for International Personnel and Globalization.  He helped expand SEND’s global missionary force to include more workers from Asia, Latin America, Europe and Australia on International missionary teams and helped facilitate multicultural teaming.

Sensing the call to use their language and cultural skills in the region where their missionary ministry began, Don joined the staff of Mission Eurasia in 2020 working as the only western member of their Field Ministries Team.  Through Mission Eurasia’s vast regional network and working with other partners Don is serving as Ministry Director for the Unreached People Groups Initiative; mobilizing, inspiring, and equipping the next generation of leaders in Eurasia to take the Gospel to the unreached in Eurasia and beyond. 

Don and Esther have been married for 29 years.   For the last 6 years they have also volunteered on a local SEND team in Detroit teaching English and sharing the Light of Christ with Middle Eastern and Afghan immigrants and refugees.  They have 4 children and one very cute granddaughter.  

MINISTRY:

We serve in Mission Eurasia focusing on mobilizing, inspiring, and equipping the church in Eurasia to reach the tens of millions of people who belong to hundreds of unreached people groups (UPGs) within the region and even beyond.  Don also serves as a bridge builder and networker with local and global partners to help the church in Eurasia to touch the hurting and share the gospel.  

This year, Don’s help has been needed in Armenia due to a refugee crisis.  New relationships have been built, thousands have been served through the church, and the gospel has been proclaimed.  We are preparing for next stages in our expanded ministry in Armenia.

Esther teaches English to immigrants and refugees in Detroit.  As part of a local ministry team, Don and Esther work to build relationships with these friends in order to shine the light of Christ and see His Kingdom expand.

GOALS:

• Launch the first stage training of the UPG Initiative training on Mission Eurasia’s School Without Walls (SWW).  SWW is a grassroots training program with locations spread across the region and Israel.  I have been asked to bring the first stage of training to some of the coordinators this year and have already begun.
• Develop a comprehensive vision for the UPGI.  We are looking to partner in key locations with key people and organizations to develop missionary sending (from Eurasia) to the unreached.  This includes getting to know the ME team and building a UPG-focused ministry team in the region.
• Visit (and provide some teaching) multiple key locations in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucuses to better understand what ministries to UPGs are already taking place and to build a foundation for mobilizing and training the next generation in Eurasia.
• Build partnerships with churches in North America for expanding a missionary vision here and in Eurasia.  This includes building a prayer network and short-term missions opportunities

Don and Esther serve with Mission Eurasia in Eastern Europe countries. 

Click Here to read their Update Letter.