Mary Van Rheene | Europe
Mary Van Rheenen is Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel serving as resource coordinator for Romany and those working with Romany throughout Europe, alongside her husband Keith Holmes. This husband-wife team focuses on Christian media resources in major Romany languages and educational resources.
Romany respond warmly to hearing the Gospel in their own language. More than 20 different Romany languages and dialects are spoken in Europe. Keith partners with the Wycliffe translation team to create and distribute culturally appropriate media resources in these heart languages. Since Romany have an oral rather than a written culture, this includes dubbing Scripture videos as well as working with Faith Comes By Hearing to make audio recordings of the entire New Testament.
Many Romany children do not speak the national language when they begin school. Mary works with a network of educators and Romany workers to promote culturally-sensitive education. This includes the development of Davar: Bridging to Literacy, a fun, flexible, low-cost way to improve literacy-related skills in whatever language the children speak at home. Mary and Keith also partner with the Moldovan Baptist Union to facilitate Romany outreach in the poorest country in Europe.
Learn more at www.cbf.net/holmes.