Staff in the United States
Will Funk
Will Funk has a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University and currently works for Tecolote Research as an Acquisition Manager. Will is an active member at Life Covenant Church. He has twice served on the church’s Vision Team (2008-2011 and 2013-present). Will and his wife Deanne have been married for 15 years. They have two children, Travis (9) and Sadie (7). In his free time he enjoys surfing, reading, and binge-watching the Bachelor (just kidding). Actually, Homeland is his favorite show.
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Staff in Mozambique
Alex and Melanie Viana
Alex and Melanie Viana are two of Life for Mozambique’s founding members. In the fall of 2015 they moved to Beira, Mozambique to support our local ministries there. They provide instruction to pastors and leaders in the areas of theology, Bible, and leadership training; as well as raise up vocational and self-sustainment opportunities for individuals and our two orphanages. In doing so, they are supporting our churches, ministries, and the local communities in ways that maintain dignity and provide a way forward for the country of Mozambique.
Alex and Melanie have been married for 19 years and each possess over two decades of local church leadership and ministry experience. Having run his own business for 29 years, Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to their daily work in Mozambique. Additionally, Melanie has a Masters of Arts in Theology degree Fuller Theological Seminary. In 2009, they adopted their twin sons, Joshua and Joseph. The boys own the biggest smiles and hearts in the eastern hemisphere and are attending school in Beira. They are also working on perfecting their light saber sound effects. In their free time, Melanie likes to sew and quilt, while Alex enjoys watching Portuguese TV, as well as the sitcom Friends (beware, he will quote the show when you are with him!).
John and Maria Jone
John and Maria Jone are Life for Mozambique’s quarterbacks. As seminary trained pastors they bring decades of experience working with pastors and caring for the poor to our ministry. They began their careers working as church planters and pastors in the provinces of Manica, Tete, and Zambezia from 1992 to 2002. From 2003-2006 they worked as coordinators in the Church Development Program for World Relief. Whle with World Relief, Maria directed the Ministry of Women and John was in charge of coordinating with the churches and providing training for pastors in the central areas of Mozambique. From 2006-2007, John and Maria worked for an American NGO called Food for the Hungry. In this capacity, John continued to help and train pastors and Maria developed and organized the women’s ministry. Since 2007, John and Maria have been spearheading the church-planting movement, overseeing the operations of both Melanie Centers, pastoring the local church at the Melanie Center, and managing the two self-sustainment projects in Beira. John and Maria have been married since 1981. They have four grown children and 10 grand children.
Antonio Boisse Quipa
Antonio Boisse Quipa is the Administrative Assistant at the Melanie Center in Beira, Mozambique. He first joined the Life for Mozambique team in 2014 as a translator. He speaks English and Portuguese, as well as two local Mozambican languages, Sena and Ndau. Boisse, as he is known by, manages much of the business and financial duties pertaining to the self-sustainment projects at the Melanie Center. He also oversees the on-site staff and he spends a great deal of time helping and teaching the children who live at the Melanie Center. Boisse, 28, has been married for five years. He and his wife Ines, have three children: Naydee, Shelton, and Leta.
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