As the mission arm of The Wesleyan Church, Global Partners stands among the foremost denominational mission agencies. As a dynamic leader in modern missions Global Partners brings together resources, personnel and other organizations to make an impact in the lives of people around the world. Global Partners serves more than 90 countries with 230 missionaries. The mission to exalt Jesus Christ by calling and mobilizing believers to global ministries of evangelism, church planting, leadership development and ministries of compassion is strong. Global Partners is challenging college graduates to give at least two years of their life to the un-reached people groups representing one-third of the world's population who have never heard of Jesus.

Email: JeWhitney@aol.com
    Website: www.webmissions.org/russianwesleyan

Jeff is a graduate of Southern Wesleyan University and Syracuse University, receiving a bachelor's degree and master's degree respectively, both in the field of accounting. Following summer mission trips in 1993 and 1994, Jeff moved to Russia in 1995 for what he thought would be one year of missions service. Twelve years later he is still serving. His ministry has extended beyond Russia as he now has accounting and administrative responsibilities throughout Europe, assisting with other Global Partners' ministries.

As a child, Gelya experienced the transition of the Soviet Union into the Russian Federation. Included among the many changes was the influx of Christian missionaries and programs. While attending an evangelical crusade in 1994, Gelya and several members of her family came to Christ. Gelya's first university degree prepared her to be a teacher of geography and ecology. She went on to receive a postgraduate degree in management and economics. In 2004 she began attending the Tokareva Wesleyan Church, where she met Jeff. In 2006 they were married.