About Us

James R. Krabill served from 1978–1996 as a Mennonite mission worker teaching Bible and church history in oral culture settings among African-initiated churches in West Africa. Recently retired from decades as Senior Executive for Global Ministries with the Mennonite Mission Network, Krabill now teaches extensively at seminaries and universities around…

Joy is a musician, an arts advocate, and a teacher at heart. She loves teaching children music, arts, history, and cultures. She studied piano, church music, and music education, and graduated from GIAL (now known as Dallas International University) with a master’s degree in World Arts. Joy is a mom…

Melanie is a musician and arts advocate who has served cross-culturally in Southeast Asia and North America. As a multi-instrumentalist and church worship facilitator, she has served with congregations in Malaysia, Cambodia, and the US. While working as a primary school and English as a Second Language teacher at an…

Elsen Portugal is a pianist, music director, and missionary. He was born in Brazil in 1963, received his B.M. in Piano Pedagogy from East Texas Baptist University and his M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Central Arkansas. He has a PhD in Worship and Mission majoring on applied…

Anya has an M.A. in Translation and Interpretation and a Ph.D. in World Arts. She has worked for over fifteen years as a NASA translator and interpreter while serving as a Wycliffe Russian-language volunteer. When not supporting human space flight, Anya teaches at Dallas International University’s Center for World Arts…

Born and raised in Venezuela, Juan is an arts advocate who serves as a missionary with WEC International in Spain. He lives in the Basque Country with his wife and three children and is currently leading Arts Release Spain, part of a collective of creative arts specialists who love Jesus…

Laura Roberts is a PhD student and Adjunct Faculty at the Center for Excellence in World Arts at Dallas International University. She holds an MA in World Arts from GIAL (now known as DIU). She serves as the Arts for a Better Future Global Coordinator for the Global Ethnodoxology Network.…