Stefan and Marie Dell

I Saw Global Missions in Action!

Since our last update, we have experienced some wonderful moments and difficult family circumstances.

First, we completed the I-GO project in Thailand. I (Marie) am very proud of the students in the Communications and Design track.

“I saw global missions in action!” is the phrase I used to describe my witnessing time at the University of Chiang Mai. Nanbal, from Nigeria and I, paired up to speak with students about Jesus.

We met Tee, a Thai student whose parents are from China.We spoke about Buddhist prayers; he had memorized many, but because they are in Nepali, he couldn’t explain their meaning.

Nanbal and I showed Tee the “Knowing God Personally” booklet in Thai. After he read the first point about God’s love for us, I asked him if he had ever heard that before.

I was shocked when he said yes. He told us that a team from Taiwan had visited his village and shared that information the year before. We continued through the booklet, and Tee decided to invite Jesus into his life. It was a joyous moment.

The Thai team is following up with him, but I was so amazed. Just think: Chinese parents moved to Thailand, and Christians from Taiwan, Nigeria and South Africa helped their son discover Jesus. That is global missions in action!

Although language barriers often made communication difficult, we saw the Lord open many opportunities to show His love during our month in Thailand. We are deeply grateful that you helped make it possible for us to be part of this project. Thank you for praying, giving and partnering with us.

Nanbal, Tee and Marie at the University of Chiang Mai

Family Update

Stefan’s father had a serious fall and shattered his femur. He required extensive surgery, and Stefan is now in South Africa helping to care for him. At the same time, Stefan’s sister and uncle were also in the hospital. This has placed a great deal of strain on the Dell extended family, and we would appreciate your prayers.

Prayer Requests

Please pray that Stefan’s father, sister and uncle will experience the Lord’s peace and healing. Pray also for strength and stamina for Stefan as he serves his family.
Since returning from Thailand, I have been battling a double ear infection and blocked ears. Please pray that my hearing will return to normal.
Pray for Tee and for the Thai ministry team as they follow up with him and help him grow in his new relationship with Jesus.
Monica is beginning her final year at university. She is excited about her studies, please pray that the Lord will make her steps after graduation clear.

Thank you for continuing to walk alongside our family. Your prayers and partnership encourage us more than you know.

With love and gratitude,

The Dells

From Thailand: Equipping Communicators

Greetings from Thailand!

It has been a joy to spend the last ten days investing in students and new staff members from around the world who share one desire: to use the gifts God has given them to help fulfill the Great Commission.

This project equips those wanting to serve in operational roles to see how their skills in communications, technology, and event planning can help make Jesus known.

Marie is leading the communications track for six participants from Burundi, Malawi, Nigeria, The Gambia, and Canada. They are learning to tell compelling stories, communicate vision, create engaging content and videos, and use digital tools to strengthen their ministries.

It’s encouraging to see them immediately apply what they are learning. They are sharing the training materials with colleagues back home through WhatsApp and developing new ideas to strengthen gospel communication in their countries.

Thank you for praying for us and making opportunities like this possible. It is a privilege to serve alongside these emerging leaders and watch God prepare them for His global mission.

Please pray with us:

Pray that each participant would continue to grow in both skill and confidence as they discover how God wants to use their gifts.
Pray for wisdom as they return home and apply what they have learned in their ministries.
Pray that their work would help communicate the hope of the gospel with greater clarity, creativity, and effectiveness, leading many more people to know and follow Jesus.

With gratitude,

Stefan & Marie Dell

A Soccer Tournament with Eternal Impact

Like millions of people around the world, we have been enjoying the excitement of the FIFA World Cup. Even though Orlando is not a hosting city there is plenty of soccer vibes going around and we are proud of Bafana Bafana.

What has encouraged us even more is seeing how God is using this global moment to draw people to Himself.

In Burundi, a local leader shared, “Before our first World Cup watch party, we showed clips from the JESUS film. Nineteen people chose to follow Christ before the match even began. We are now helping them grow in their faith and multiply through small groups.”

Another exciting initiative has been through Athletes In Action®, our ministry that use sport to reach people. Nearly 10,000 “Jesus Loves You” soccer balls have been distributed around the world. Each ball includes a QR code that links people to gospel-centered media. In the first week, people in 133 countries scanned those codes and explored the message of Jesus.

We were also encouraged by what is happening in South Asia. Local missionaries and volunteers handed out 12,000 World Cup-themed flyers and posters with QR codes leading people to a gospel-centered NextSteps digital journey.

The first question people saw was simple: “Who do you want to win the World Cup, Argentina or Brazil?”

That one question opened the door to much deeper conversations. So far, 887 people have entered the journey, and 67 have indicated decisions to follow Jesus or a desire to learn more about Him.

We love seeing the creativity of our missionaries as they look for natural ways to start spiritual conversations. Whether through a soccer ball, a flyer, or a community watch party, every interaction becomes an opportunity to introduce someone to Jesus.

On a personal note, we will be flying to Thailand on Monday (6 July) to serve at a Summer Project. Marie has the privilege of leading the communications and design track, helping students discover how their creative gifts can be used for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom. Stefan will be investing in students throughout the project, encouraging them as they prepare for a lifetime of ministry.

Prayer Requests:

For safe travels, good health and for the students to grow in their faith and sharing Christ.
For God to give each one of the participants a vision for reaching the nations.

Thank you for praying, giving, and partnering with us. It is a joy to serve together with you and to see God using ordinary moments, whether a soccer tournament or a summer mission project, to change lives for eternity.

Training the Next Generation in Thailand

God often uses students to help spark missions movements. Many of our missionaries invest in students and use university holidays to take them on mission trips. Looking back, our own student mission experiences played an important role in shaping our lives and calling. Stefan travelled to Transkei, Botswana and the Caprivi Strip in the early 1990s, and Marie went to Bulgaria shortly after the fall of Communism. Those trips left a lasting impact on both of us.

This July, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve in Thailand with students from around 30 different countries. Marie has been invited to lead a communications and design track for students who want to use their creative skills to serve God’s Kingdom.

What makes this project especially exciting is that it combines practical training with hands-on ministry experience. The programme will take place at the Campus Crusade for Christ office in Chiang Mai and functions much like an internship. Students will receive training while helping meet real operational needs for missionaries serving around the world.

Alongside tracks in technology, event planning, and communications, students will also be involved in evangelism and discipleship as we reach out to Thai students together

We are excited to pass on some of the practical lessons the Lord has taught us over the past 30+ years. So much of what we have learned has come through experience, and it is a joy to encourage young believers eager to be used by God in missions.

You can learn more about the project on this website and we will write more closer to our departure date.

Prayer Requests:

Pray for the students preparing for the Thailand project, that their faith would be strengthened.
Pray for God’s provision for all the travel and ministry expenses needed for the trip.
Pray for strength and unity for our family during this busy season.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and faithful partnership. We are continually grateful for the way you stand with us in the work God has called us to.

Blasts from the past -photos from our early student mission trips.

Easter Impact: Millions Watch “JESUS”

We trust you had a meaningful Easter, reflecting again on the hope we have in Jesus. We’ve been praying for the many outreaches that took place this season — that hearts would be open, and lives would be changed as the good news was shared.

We’re so grateful to share a glimpse of what God has been doing through the “JESUS” film Project this Easter. We know that 103 TV stations showed “JESUS” or one of our other films during the Easter season. Although the final viewer numbers will not be in for a few more weeks, we trusted the Lord for at least 120 million views over the Easter season.

On our other channels, where we have “JESUS” available, like YouTube, we reached an all-time high of 18.2 million views over the 7 days of the Passion week. On Good Friday alone, 4.2 million people watched — our highest single-day viewership ever, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.

Behind every view is a real person — someone choosing to press play on the story of “JESUS”, perhaps for the very first time. Thank you for standing with us in this work.

Please pray with us:

That many who watched the “JESUS” film would take their next step towards Jesus.
Pray for Marie and her team as they prepare for Campus Crusade for Christ International’s 75th anniversary.
Stefan will be in Armenia and Georgia for the next two weeks. Pray for safety and good connections with our church planters and missionaries in those countries.

A glimpse of heaven in Ethiopia

The voices of 308 people from 93 countries rose together in worship of our Risen Saviour. It felt like a small glimpse of heaven.

Thank you so much for praying for the Motus Dei church planters conference in Ethiopia. It was a meaningful and fruitful time, with rich discussions around the tables and wisdom shared by experienced church planters. We are grateful for how smoothly the conference unfolded.

Not everyone could attend. Around 80 people from 30 countries were unable to come due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Our own journey was unexpectedly difficult. A week before departure, our route changed from Dubai to Johannesburg, giving us a hoped-for 28-hour stop at home. We were so excited to see family, meet our new niece, and celebrate Marie’s birthday together.

But severe weather disrupted everything. After leaving Orlando on Wednesday, we missed our connection in New York by minutes. The next day brought more delays, and we missed another connection. By then, it became clear we would not arrive in time. After two nights in hotels and much uncertainty, the airline arranged a direct flight with Ethiopian Airlines. A kind check-in agent even tracked down our luggage that had been checked in days earlier.

When we finally took off on Friday, we could only laugh. The Lord gave us peace throughout, and we were deeply aware of your prayers, even though it was exhausting.

Very happy to finally be in Addis Ababa!

Arriving in Addis Ababa on Saturday morning brought great relief. It was a privilege to spend time with believers planting churches in some of the most challenging places in the world. Their faith and perseverance deeply encouraged us.

We were also reminded how much prayer matters. Even when we pray for places we cannot place on a map, God knows and faithfully answers. Thank you for standing with us in prayer. Please don’t grow weary — your prayers matter.

Happy Easter!

Prayer Requests:

Praise God for the Motus Dei conference and for those who were able to attend. Pray that lasting fruit will come from this time together.
Pray for all the Easter outreaches this week that the Lord will soften the hearts of people and draw them unto Himself.
Pray for Monica’s internship in June and July in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, that all details will come together.
Pray for Marie and her team as they prepare for Campus Crusade for Christ International’s 75th anniversary.

On Our Way to Ethiopia

We are grateful for the ways you continue to stand with us in prayer and partnership. God has been reminding us again and again that His work in the world is far bigger than anything we could imagine.

This week we will travel to Ethiopia for the Motus Dei 2026 conference. Motus Dei means “Movement of God”, and that name captures the heart behind the gathering. Our prayer is to recognise and join what God is already doing among the nations.

Almost 400 church planters from 125 countries will be there. Rather than simply listening to talks, the week is designed for collaboration. We will share real ministry challenges, pray together, and look for practical ways to help the gospel spread further and faster.

Behind it all is a vision that continues to inspire us: to see a healthy church or faith community for every 1,000 people on earth.

The theme of the week is “Vital and Sustainable.”

Vital speaks about spiritual life. Our desire is to see local communities of believers who truly love Jesus and are passionate about reaching the people around them.

Sustainable points to multiplication. We long to see churches that not only grow but send people out to start new communities of faith in their own villages and neighbourhoods. When ordinary believers are equipped to lead, the gospel spreads naturally from one person to the next, reaching a whole community.

We have built times of prayer and fasting into the rhythm of the conference. We know that lasting fruit only comes when the Holy Spirit leads the way.

Please pray with us for:

Stefan, he is the conference director. Pray for good health and stamina.
Safe travel and protection for everyone attending. We already had a few flight changes and delays but trust to arrive in Africa tomorrow.
A fresh movement of the Holy Spirit as we seek the Lord’s face.

Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support make it possible for us to take part in opportunities like this. We are deeply thankful for the way you share in the work God has given us.

Grace and peace to you,

Stefan and Marie

Impacting the Next Generation

In December and January, we saw a record number of students gather for conferences around the world for training in prayer, evangelism and discipleship. We are very encouraged by what the Lord is doing in the emerging generation as many of these students commit themselves to being instruments in the Lord’s hands for the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Here are just a few of these conferences:

1. In South Korea, 7 000 students attended prayer and fasting days in 12 locations.

2. In Hong Kong, during the conference, a “Life & Death Education” experience was a profoundly impactful exercise, where students simulated the end of life with mock coffins and funeral photos of themselves. They considered the questions: “If life is so fragile, what is the meaning of life?” and “Who is truly the King of my life?”

By the end of the conference, over 50 students had surrendered to the calling to full-time service. Many had discovered their new identity in God and their new mission — to be a witness of this gospel of “radical rest” to a restless generation.

3. In the U.S.A., 12 Winter conferences took place with 7 200 students attending.

Here in Orlando, three students left the Winter conference with car trouble. They called an Uber, and during the ride, they shared the gospel with their driver, John. By the time they reached their destination, John had placed his faith in Christ.

Meanwhile, at the Minneapolis conference, a first year student named Braden — who wasn’t a believer — attended with his friend Evan. After watching his peers live out their faith for two days, his intellectual barriers began to fall. During the conference while driving in a car with friends, Braden suddenly yelled out, “I want to trust Christ!” His friends explained how he could do that, and Braden received Christ right there in the car.

We thank God for each of the students. Join us in praying for them for boldness and faith as they live for Jesus.

Yours in Christ,

Stefan & Marie

Gospel Impact Around the World

We had a wonderful visit to Argentina in December to see Monica as she completed her semester abroad. We were in awe of the beauty of the places we explored and grateful to experience another part of God’s creation. You can enjoy a few photos from our trip at the bottom of the page.

We are also encouraged by what God is doing around the world:

The “JESUS” Film has now been translated into 2,259 languages. Last year, every two seconds someone indicated a decision to follow Jesus, and the YouTube channel surpassed 3 million subscribers just before Christmas.

Digital Outreach: In a North African country closed to the gospel, an online ad asking “How Do We Get Closer to God?” led to 1,100 conversations and the discovery of two believers—one of whom has already seen a friend come to faith.

East Asia: More than 5,000 people, many of them students, joined short-term mission trips in 2025—a 40% increase from two years ago.

Europe: Cross-cultural mission trips have more than doubled in number. Here is just one story – In Prague, a team from the United States met a student who had read the New Testament on her own and believed it because she was inspired by a TV series character who had also read the Bible. She had never been to church and didn’t know any Christians. That day, she met Christians and is now being discipled

Looking forward to 2026: The U.S., Canada and Mexico are jointly creating a campaign for the Soccer World Cup, called Victory: Beyond the Cup. People will be captivated by the competition — and it’s an opportunity to point hearts to something greater than any victory on the field: the eternal hope found only in Jesus. We are praying this strategy will maximize the moment of the World Cup to empower 100,000 Christians and 10,000 churches with tools to share Jesus with their neighbors.

Prayer Requests:

Praise the Lord for Monica’s amazing semester in Argentina.
Praise the Lord for the progress we see in the gospel going out around the world.
Pray for stamina and provision for our missionaries as they faithfully serve the Lord.
Pray for wisdom and guidance as we seek to be obedient to the Lord every day.

Beagle Canal Ushuaia Lighthouse

Glacier Perito Morno

La Boca Buenos Aries

The highs and lows of 2025

Monica in Antartica.

As we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth, we pray that you experience the “exceeding great joy” described in Matthew 2:10. What a privilege it is to share that joy and hope with others.

Highlights:

Kenneth began his career as a surveyor, moved to a new city, and is building a solid community of friends. His stories—from chasing rattlesnakes on farmland to flying drones over forests and cityscapes—keep us entertained and grateful for God’s protection.
Monica spent a semester in Argentina and visited Antarctica – She loved every moment. Her host family, faithful followers of Jesus, welcomed her into their church and home. She also hiked extensively and delighted in the breathtaking beauty of Ushuaia.
Marie implemented a secure, integrated communications platform for our missionaries around the world—a 20-year dream finally realized.
Stefan witnessed new churches being planted and leaders rising up to carry the work forward across many regions.

Lowlights:

Stefan’s mom suffered two traumatic falls and underwent surgeries within a month, eventually needing to move into assisted living.
The opportunities before us in ministry continue to outpace our capacity. The harvest is truly plentiful, and the weight of so many open doors is both exciting and humbling.

Through it all, we remain deeply grateful. Thank you for your friendship, prayers, encouragement, and support throughout 2025. You have been a tangible expression of God’s grace to us.

May the Lord bless you richly this Christmas and use you in ways that bring His hope and light to others.

Highlights:

Lowlights:

Merry Christmas!