JOYMissions

08/28/2026

In our September Newsletter:

Something exciting is happening in Botswana—and I believe it is time for us to invest in the next generation of national leadership.
We are watching believers begin to give, churches help new groups get started, and national leaders take greater responsibility for the work.

One of those leaders is Carella Medupe. Carella is helping lead our growing ministries in Botswana while still working a job and providing for his family. Right now, he receives about $300 per month in support, but our goal is to raise that to $1,000 per month so he can reduce his outside work and eventually devote himself full-time to ministry.

As I prepare to return to Botswana, this has become one of the greatest burdens on my heart.

A plane ticket gets me to Botswana. Supporting Carella keeps a trained national leader working in Botswana every day.

In our September JOY News, I share more about Carella, an encouraging new work in Mahalapye, what God is doing among the believers, and our upcoming return to Botswana.

Read the full September prayer letter on the JOY Missions blog:
joymissions.com/blog/joy-news-september-2026

If you would like more information on supporting Carella, please feel free to reach out to Travis at [email protected]

Please read, pray, and consider sharing this with others who have a heart for missions and national church leadership.
Living the Gospel, Loving Every Life.

In our September newsletter! God is doing something exciting in Botswana as believers take greater ownership of their churches and new works begin to grow. At the center of much of this ministry is Carella Medupe, who is faithfully leading while balancing a job and caring for his family. Carella c

08/06/2026

Dear JOY Missions Family,

We're excited to share that we've officially moved our email communications from Constant Contact to our new email platform through JOYmissions.com!

This change allows us to continue sending you ministry updates, prayer requests, newsletters, and exciting opportunities while being better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Since our website includes email services at no additional cost, we're able to eliminate another monthly expense and invest more directly into the work of the Gospel.

I just sent out the first test email; you may need to check your spam folder to allow these to go through. Also, if you would like to sign up for our newsletters, all you need to do is visit www.joymissions.com and allow the pop-up to show to sign up! Or you can email me directly,y and I will add you to our list.

The good news? If you're seeing our emails, you don't need to do anything! Your subscription has already been transferred.
To help ensure you never miss an update, please add these email addresses to your contacts:

[email protected]
[email protected]

This will help keep future emails from ending up in your spam or junk folder.

Thank you for praying, giving, and serving alongside us. Your partnership allows us to continue Living the Gospel. Loving Every Life.

Visit us anytime at www.JOYmissions.com, or you can check our blog for our most recent News and Articles: https://joymissions.com/blog

Don't forget to check out our new coffee shop while visiting the site: https://the-joy-mission.myshopify.com/collections/all?fbclid=IwY2xjawTh--NwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWdISG4wOWpFb3JIcThDMHBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeDmtVN0ekuc_kxDrOPe6-AFfoA4a0dT8tZV5w4cLlJdY0QaACBKE-kUeehrc_aem_AtfKQVCadzGKXgXd9bOOVw

Travis D***s 8/5/26 Travis D***s 8/5/26 Just a Thought: Is Missions Changing… or Are We Witnessing a Turning Point? Is Missions Changing… or Are We Witnessing a Turning Point?For generations, missionaries have packed their belongings, crossed oceans, and spent decades planting churches and makin...

07/19/2026

Every Cup Has a Purpose

Some coffee simply helps you start your day.

This coffee helps change lives.

We're excited to announce our partnership with a premium coffee roaster to offer JOY Missions Coffee. Every bag is freshly roasted and shipped directly to you, allowing us to focus on what God has called us to do while raising support for Gospel ministry worldwide.

This is a partnership. Rather than roasting and shipping coffee ourselves, we work with a trusted coffee company that handles fulfillment, so every purchase supports the work of JOY Missions.

When you purchase JOY Missions Coffee, you're helping us:
✅ Share the Gospel
✅ Train national pastors and church leaders
✅ Reach Deaf communities with the Gospel
✅ Minister to those struggling with addiction and life-controlling issues
✅ Plant and strengthen churches around the world

Every cup becomes an opportunity to invest in the Great Commission.

Great Coffee. Greater Purpose.
Fresh Roasted, Shipped Directly to Your Door.

Every Purchase Helps Support JOY Missions

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..."
Matthew 28:19

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TRYING THE ETHIOPIAN COFFEE 😀😀😀

🛒 Shop our collection today:
https://the-joy-mission.myshopify.com/collections/all
Drink Coffee. Change Lives. Share the Gospel.

06/13/2026

HELP US FINISH THE JOY LIFE CENTER

For years, we have watched God change lives through local churches, Deaf ministries, addiction recovery efforts, discipleship, and practical community outreach. Now, we have the opportunity to establish a permanent home for that ministry through the JOY Life Center in Botswana.

The JOY Life Center is more than a building. It is a place where people can encounter Christ, find hope in the midst of hardship, receive discipleship, experience recovery, and discover that their lives have purpose in God’s plan.

This center will provide a home for addiction recovery ministry, community outreach, discipleship, Deaf ministry, counseling, practical assistance, and Gospel-centered care for those facing life’s greatest challenges.

By God’s grace, much has already been accomplished, but we still need approximately $300,000 to complete the purchase and development of the property.

We know this is a large need, but we also serve a great God.

Would you prayerfully consider:

Praying for the JOY Life Center project.

Giving a one-time gift toward the remaining need.

Becoming a monthly ministry partner.

Sharing this post with your friends, family, and church.

Connecting us with pastors, churches, businesses, or individuals who may want to be part of this vision.

Every gift matters.
Every prayer matters.
Every share matters.

After 25 years of ministry, we have learned that God often does His greatest work when His people come together in faith. We believe the JOY Life Center will become a beacon of hope for generations to come—a place where lives are restored, disciples are made, and the Gospel is proclaimed.

Jesus. Others. Yourself.

Learn more or give today:
https://joymissions.com/joy-life-center

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” — Psalm 127:1 (KJV)

We are trusting the Lord to build this house for His glory. Thank you for praying, giving, and standing with us.

A good attention-grabbing opening line above the post would be:

“What if one building could become a place of hope for thousands? We need your help to finish the JOY Life Center

05/29/2026

God has been so good!

We are excited to share a new ministry update from the D***s family and JOY Missions. The churches in Botswana and Ethiopia continue to do well, and we are hearing encouraging reports of lives being changed through the Gospel.

On a personal note, our family recently celebrated a major milestone as both Logan and Nikki graduated with honors. We are incredibly proud of them and thankful for God's faithfulness throughout their journey.

As we continue traveling, presenting the ministry, and seeking new ministry partnerships, we are reminded how grateful we are for each person who prays, gives, and stands with us. Your partnership helps us continue sharing the hope of Christ around the world.

Please take a moment to read our latest update and continue praying with us for the churches, leaders, and ministries in Botswana and Ethiopia.

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." — Galatians 6:9

Thank you for helping us continue to Live the Gospel and Love Every Life.

God continues to do great things through JOY Missions! We are thankful to report that the churches in Botswana and Ethiopia are doing well, lives are being changed through the Gospel, and local leaders are faithfully serving their communities. On the home front, our family recently celebrated as bot

04/11/2026

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Christ is risen—and He is still changing lives!

We're seeing incredible things happening in Botswana. One of our Deaf men shared that his sister recently trusted Christ—what a blessing! Churches in Gaborone, Francistown, and Ramotswa are growing, and we’re praying for a full-time pastor in Ramotswa.

God has also opened the door for a new Deaf church plant in Maun, with seed funding already coming together. This is a huge answer to prayer!

Please continue to pray as we travel, raise support, and move forward with the JOY Life Center, living the Gospel, and loving every life.

You can read the full newsletter here 👇

https://joymissions.com/blog/joy-news-april-2026

We ask that you please share this newsletter with your pastor and friends, as we seek to build our support. We are at about 68% of what we need. We have a new page called our "Meet Up" page, where we can schedule time to get together with anyone interested in supporting us here at Joy Missions. Check it out here: https://joymissions.com/meetup

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Christ is risen—and He is still changing lives! We’re seeing incredible things happening in Botswana. One of our Deaf men shared that his sister recently trusted Christ—what a blessing! Churches in Gaborone, Francistown, and Ramotswa are growing, and we....

04/01/2026

Sorry for the recent lull in posts—I’ve been down with strep throat since last week.

I’m on the mend and looking forward to sharing some great news with you later this week! Stay tuned!

— Travis

03/18/2026

We need your help today!

God is opening doors, and we are working hard to reach our support goal so we can continue and expand the work He has called us to in Botswana, Ethiopia, and beyond through JOY Missions.

One of the simplest and most powerful ways you can help right now is by sharing our Meetup page:

https://joymissions.com/meetup

This page gives a clear look at who we are, what God is doing, and how churches and individuals can partner with us.

When you share, you help us:
• Reach new churches
• Connect with new supporters
• Tell the story of what God is doing around the world

Every share matters. You never know who in your network God may use to help meet this need.

Would you take a moment to:
Visit the page
Share it on your profile
Pray that God uses it to connect us with the right partners
We truly believe we are close to achieving this goal, and your share could be part of that breakthrough.

Thank you for standing with us and being part of what God is doing through JOY Missions.

The D***s Family
Living the Gospel. Loving Every Life.