As a mom, Mindy Lee Irvine has raised her kids to have hearts of compassion and generosity towards others. She herself has been an example to them and to others in her life – especially when she set out to raise $40,000 on her 40th birthday to protect children in poor countries from trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. Hear her incredible dedication to the vision she had for making an impact, and how a chance encounter with a little girl in a remote village in Sri Lanka solidified her calling.

Alderwood Community Church Executive Pastor of Care, Steve Brooks, has traveled extensively and been in ministry for many years, but his perception of “missions” changed dramatically when he found himself in the wilderness of South Sudan. Hear his extraordinary experience of preaching in a village where traditional healers chanted outside the local church in an attempt to deter him. Through this and other interactions with people in South Sudan, Steve’s realization that we’re all connected as...

Imagine showing up for a new job and finding your living accommodations consisted of a simple room, a single toilet shared by 15 households, and a weekly trek for water that was barely enough to last a few days. Humble humanitarian, Rose Ogolla, faced not only difficult living conditions, but spiritual opposition and cultural challenges during a life-changing season serving in Samburu, Kenya. Hear how spending her nights in deep prayer helped her and her team impact lives for eternity in this...

Buckle up for this one! World Concern President, Nick Archer, takes us on a journey to the distant and mystifying land of Somalia. Step off a small plane into an abandoned airport in Hargeisa in 1991. Take in the vast, arid desert surrounding you, as you walk the path of hardship so many Somalis have traveled for centuries. Experience God here and meet the people in this place that challenged and changed Nick forever. You’ll be surprised by the similarities we all share as people looking for...

If you’ve ever felt alone or abandoned by God, you’ll want to hear what Jamie Winship, former DC police officer and founder of Identity Exchange, has to say about God’s presence in trials, hardship, and even in the face of danger. He takes us on a journey to an island in Indonesia, where he, his wife Donna, and their three young kids, lived for 10 years. Through his experiences there, including being arrested and faced with years in jail, Jamie learned that no matter where you are in the...

Tag along on a fascinating journey to a place that even hardcore humanitarian Merry Fitzpatrick considers the most remote place she’s ever been. Through her detailed description of the days-long trek to get there, you’ll be transported virtually to an isolated village in the Congo that’s only accessible only by a 7-hour canoe ride. Hear Merry’s heart of humility about being called to serve in places like this, as well as her encouragement to others to serve with this same attitude, wherever...

Journey with humanitarian relief and disaster expert Merry Fitzpatrick through the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in the days following the 2010 earthquake, and through total devastation in Eastern Chad, when armed rebels on horseback burned hundreds of villages to the ground. In both of these crises, Merry found ways to connect with people on a very personal level, seeing them through God’s eyes. Hear what she believes most people really need when they’ve lost everything.

In this conversation with Nick Archer, he digs deeper into World Concern’s calling to work in the world’s hardest places and answers some important questions, like how World Concern decides where to work, why we don’t respond to every crisis or disaster, and why we focus our efforts outside the U.S. Plus, he recounts a harrowing journey to a part of Kenya that is so remote, he didn’t see another person for days on his trek through the desert, until he came across one young man who had a...

Why would someone walk into a potentially dangerous, difficult situation? Or intentionally step towards something they know will cost them a lot and potentially fail? In this episode, World Concern President, Nick Archer, shares why he feels the organization he leads is uniquely called to work in some of the hardest places in the world. Hear how Nick himself chose to move his family, including two young children, to the end of the road, and how it shaped his future and theirs.

Walk the city streets of Cairo, Egypt, and Kabul, Afghanistan, with Maggie and Katie, two women who spent years working and living in the Middle East and Asia. Hear what they loved and learned about these cultures from their loyal neighbors and faithful friends as they share their unique perspectives on what life is like for women in these parts of the world. You’ll likely shed some tears with them, but don’t worry, as they both learned, “You’ll never cry alone here.”

Part 2 of our interview with Harun Ringera takes us to the wilderness of South Sudan as he describes his arrival in Warrap State more than a decade ago, with nothing more than a guarantee of some food, a place to sleep, and an opportunity to reach people living far beyond the end of the road. You will be captivated by his adventurous spirit, his heart to help, and his incredible stories, including escaping an attack on the town where he was serving.

Journey back in time with our guest Harun Ringera as he recounts stories of his childhood in a tiny rural village in Kenya and how his experiences and struggles there shaped his heart to help others. Imagine being a young child, running barefoot through rocky terrain to get to school each day, frequently cutting and bruising your feet on the sharp rocks, and then finally, at age 14, getting your first pair of shoes. Harun shares the story of his first pair of shoes, and what his father had to...

Hear host Cathy Herholdt’s vision behind this podcast and get glimpses of some the people you’ll meet and places you’ll hear about in season one. Cathy shares some of the things she learned, personally, in her time at the end of the road – about herself, about people, and about God. “Mostly, I learned that I have a lot to learn. Even though I’ve traveled to some very remote places, I still know so little about the world, beyond my own familiar surroundings. I had no idea how mind and...

Welcome to the End of the Road – a podcast that takes you on a virtual journey to places like South Sudan, the Congo, Myanmar, and the Middle East, through stories of people who have lived and worked there. Join host Cathy Herholdt for an experience that will open your heart and mind to what God is doing all over the world and stretch your faith. So buckle up! We’re going to the end of the road.