Meet the Staff
Mark & Viola Warner
www.MVWarner.com
Greetings from St. Croix… God’s playground, America’s Paradise and the “Gem of the Caribbean!” We are Mark & Viola Warner, the Directors here at YWAM St. Croix. We met in 1985 while attending a School of Evangelism (SOE) in Salem, Oregon. We were married three years later, and are now working on year nineteen! We have two beautiful daughters, Rebekah (17) and Hannah (15), who are both growing up too fast.
We have served with YWAM in several locations and in many different roles over the past 24 years. Most recently, we invested five and a half years at the YWAM Montana base… and in turn, we were greatly invested into! It was during that time when God called us to move to St. Croix long-term.
Loading up “lock, stock, and barrel”, our whole family moved to the island in June of 2005, and we have been in St. Croix to this day! What a wild couple of years it has been. One would think that moving to a US Territory where English is spoken, the US Postal Service is used and KFC and McDonalds are present, that it would be a fairly easy transition for a family… not necessarily so!
There have been many adjustments as we are learning how to function effectively in this culture. It is a very “multi-faceted” Caribbean island, with surprising twists and turns around every corner! There are unexplainable nuances embedded within our daily experiences with people… and yet, it is not difficult to find sincere commonalities as well. All people share the same need of being loved, valued, and accepted.
Each of our family has faced different challenges as we endeavor to become more “en-culturated”. Yet, the confidence that God has called us to St. Croix pushes us onward! We are compelled to do whatever we can to see lives transformed for eternity. We may be small, but God is mighty… and He is our Boss! We know that nothing is impossible for Him to accomplish. We’re honored that He has chosen to use us “for such a time as this” here on the little island of St. Croix. Prepare to hear of miraculous things coming from this place!
Rhonda Sauder
My name is Rhonda Sauder. I was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I did my DTS in St. Croix in September 1998 and went to Antigua, Anguilla, Guyana and Brazil for my outreach. I have been on staff here in St. Croix since March 1999. I lead the Children’s Ministry, work in the accounting office and also in the kitchen.
Lori Rietema
www.Lorietema.com
I’m Lori. (Just in case you missed that part a couple seconds ago.) My days in YWAM started at the age of 11 with my parents hauling me and my four siblings off to do a Crossroads DTS. We’ve never been the same since! God changed each one of us. I was in and out of YWAM as a teenager and I went on to do my own DTS in Honolulu, Hawaii in the Spring of 1998. The following year, I went on staff in Montana, with the intention of being there for 3 months. Yeah. I ended up staying for 6 years… (it happens).
In August of 2005 I moved to St. Croix to become the DTS Director. We have a very small base, and because of that, we often feel like one big family. We face a lot of challenges here, but God is always so faithful to meet us! I am passionate about our Discipleship Training Schools. The reason for that is pretty simple: God moves! He changes lives because of the great big love He has for each unique individual He created. He will take every willing soul (and a few that are maybe not quite so willing, too) and use them to advance His Kingdom. What a ride!
Cherilyn Derusha
www.CherilynDerusha.com
Hello! My name is Cherilyn Derusha, I am 19 years old and originally from Syracuse, New York. I did a Performing Arts Discipleship training school in Jan -May 2005 with YWAM Metro New York. I also did a nine month Foundations of Theatre Production School 05-06 with YWAM Montana. I came on staff with YWAM St. Croix in March of 2007.
Nikki Reeves
www.NikkiReeves.com
Hi! My name is Nikki Reeves, and I joined the staff of YWAM St. Croix in March of 2007. My passion is for children’s ministry. I did my DTS in St. Croix in the fall of 2004 with an outreach to Grenada after hurricane Ivan. I am from Kalamazoo, Michigan and am 29 years old. I finally know I am doing what God has called me to do. I am excited about the possibilities here in St. Croix, and feel that God is going bless our efforts here in St. Croix. I have no idea what the future holds, but (at the cost of sounding too cliché) I know who holds tomorrow, so I rest in that fact and daily surrender to His will!
Silas
Hello, my name is Silas and I was rescued by Mark & Hannah when I was just a kitten from the local animal shelter. I enjoy roaming the YWAM property, chasing chickens, sleeping 20 hours a day and taunting the local dogs who roam on the other side of my fence. Please pray my curiosity does not get the best of me, I continue to get my beauty rest and I'm able to break my addiction to catnip.