Ophelia De Visser is one of the unsung heroes of the Asian Access family. She was the solid, steady support behind her well-known and renowned family, ensuring they were grounded while they served Christ on a national and global scale.

Toward A New Model for Global Leadership

The world went through some monumental shifts during my tenure in mission leadership. While many had been talking about partnership and collaboration, as well as paternalism and colonialism for many years, it was during early in my 30 years of ministry that major changes were burgeoning in many ways. Of course, the last few years this has accelerated on many fronts making these issues of critical importance.

I just completed an exciting trip for Asian Access that I can’t tell you anything about.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2022

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephen Reed @ 843-964-9339
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Mission Visionary’s New Book Calls For Global ‘Leadership Shake-Up’

Asian Access’ Handley spotlights ‘polycentric,’ inclusive leadership model for missions, nonprofits, businesses

ARTESIA, Calif. — A California-based mission leader with a vision to shake up the way Christian mission agencies, churches and businesses create their leadership strategies has released a new book on the topic.

Laos (MNN) — In the landlocked, Southeast Asian country of Laos, Christians risk much to follow Jesus.

Myanmar (MNN) — The military junta ruling Myanmar has sentenced the former civilian leader to another six years in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi had already been sentenced to 11 years on previous charges. She has been held in prison since a February 2021 coup.

About

Changing the Few Who Change the Many

Women in Ministry is a ministry under Asian Access that serves women leaders in East and Southeast Asia by providing transformational leadership training in three main areas: Spiritual Formation, Leadership, and Missions.

We meet in selected cohorts creating a learning community to foster growth both as a disciple of Christ and as a leader.

History

It began in 2007 with a leadership team

Women in Ministry (WIM) is a ministry under Asian Access (www.asianaccess.org) that serves ministry leaders in East and Southeast Asia. It is a highly relational program to develop leadership skills among women leaders.

Women in Ministry began in 2007 with a leadership team emerging from a highly committed Bible study group of women who had met for three years prior and understood the need for extending the kind of fellowship and teaching they had shared.

This training program developed in East Asia through relationships with more than 60 house church pastors who graduated from Asian Access training since 2002.

Since then, Women in Ministry continues to grow organically out of relationships, already having expanded to a few more countries. 

Reasons

"I'd been wanting to have and be a part of something like this for a long time—mainly because as a pastor's wife I couldn't find a friend who was in the 'same boat'. This meeting was a blessing, Thank you for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and organizing this for us."
—Participant

"The beginning class on spiritual formation was very simple, easy to learn, and understand. Thank God I am able to have discipline in my life much more than before. The last class about leadership was an eye-opener for me in many areas. I definitely shared these with my team."
— Church Leader

"This program has been a God-intended one. It has come at the right moment of my lfe. I am so blessed and overwhelmed by the prayers and prophetic words, too. It is an affirmation of God's wonderful love."
— Participant

"Every time we met, I learned how to tend to my garden, prune the unwanted stuff which hinders my growth and try to bear fruit for the glory of the Lord. The teachings I have received have undoubtedly made me stronger and bolder to be an effective witness for the Lord."
— Participant

Prayer

“Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer.”
— Elizabeth Elliot

Prayer partnership plays a key role in what we are about. WIM has been given the privilege to partner with God to serve women leaders in Asia with training in leadership and Christian formation, but we acknowledge that anything God wants done must first be bathed and birthed in prayer.

Our desire is to connect each participant in the WIM program with a committed intercessor who would stand in the gap and cover her during the course of the program. We also meet bimonthly on Zoom to pray for various topics within the WIM ministry. If you would like to join us, we would welcome your prayers.

If you have an interest in being a prayer partner for one of these precious sisters in Asia, please contact Lori Snuggs at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Come and make an impact for God’s Kingdom in Asia by joining us in this prayer partnership ministry!

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