Meet the Team: Jeff & Malen — Building Relationships, Transforming Communities

Ministry is never just about completing tasks.

It is about people.

It is about presence.

It is about building relationships that reflect the heart of Jesus.

Many years ago, during a ministry trip of Caleb in the Philippines, he attended a small worship gathering. It was simple—around 50 to 100 hungry believers gathered in one place, worshiping the Lord with deep sincerity.

That night became more than a worship service. It became the beginning of a Kingdom partnership.

It was there that he first met Jeff and Malen—a young couple whose love for Jesus was immediately evident.

Jeff and Malen Dapanas

There was something distinct about them: they were available.

Available to listen.

Available to obey.

Available to go wherever God would send them.

At that season in their lives, the Lord began stirring their hearts toward the mission field. As they sought Him, He gave them a specific and surprising assignment:

minister to the unreached tribes and languages within their own nation.

That "yes" changed everything.

They left the comfort of the city and stepped into the far-flung mountains and islands of the Philippines. By faith, they entered places few were willing to go. But rather than arrive with an agenda to “finish ministry tasks,” they came with something far more powerful:

the willingness to build relationships.

They connected with local leaders, tribal chiefs, and families. They listened before they spoke. They learned names, stories, struggles, and traditions. Trust was built not through events, but through consistency and love.

One of the most moving testimonies came from a village high in the mountains. When Jeff and Malen arrived, they discovered that the tribe had already heard about Jesus but had never met anyone who could teach them more.

So Jeff and Malen did what defines our heart as a team:

They stayed.

They lived among them.

They shared meals.

They laughed with families.

They walked alongside them in daily life.

They discipled them through a relationship.

This life-on-life discipleship became the bridge through which the village came to know Jesus. Today, that community continues to follow the Lord faithfully.

That is the kind of ministry culture we cherish.

Since 2019, we have had the joy of running alongside Jeff and Malen—learning from them, serving with them, and witnessing what God can do when relationships become the foundation of missions.

Because of their faithfulness, many across the tribes and languages of Mindanao have encountered Jesus. We have seen people saved, healed, delivered, and discipled, all because someone chose presence over performance.

In November 2025, we celebrated a beautiful milestone as Jeff and Malen were officially commissioned and ordained as Evergreen missionaries. Tribes gathered. Our Philippines core team stood together. Friends from the United States joined in worship.

It was a holy moment.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

— Romans 10:15

But what makes their feet beautiful is not simply that they preach the Gospel.

It is that they live it.

They model what we value most as a team: not just finishing assignments, but walking deeply with people until Christ is formed in them.

Because people are never projects. They are image-bearers worthy of love, dignity, and relationship.

Jeff and Malen embody this beautifully, and we are honored to have them on the team.

The Lord is just getting started.