Mission Exploration - You Are All Invited
FIND WHERE GOD IS WORKING AND GO THERE - Wade Cole
If you don’t know who Wade Cole is, do you recall Pines PIE fundraiser? The one that gave everyone the best sugar high of the year - thanks to Sue and wonderful pie creators. Wade was the man behind the pie tables, with the huge smile, who wore a colorful Ensenada shirt standing next to his beautiful wife Kendra. Perhaps you know Wade as the man who oversaw the construction of the new church building or the newest member of the Pines Church Board. Although a man of many talents (pickleball included- just ask Kristal), his passion and focus are MISSIONS for Jesus.
Thirteen years ago, in a church not so far away Wade sensed a call and signed up for a short-term mission trip that included a jail and prison ministry. This was not a Douglas County jail mission, but a jail mission in Mexico, (Does anyone watch those jail videos from other countries???) This first experience flooded his heart and soul with the love of Jesus for the Mexican people. Continuing to stay on fire for the Lord, Wade has completed 25 missions and continues to thrive behind bars and other wild mission environments.
Wade’s first mission started by him and fellow volunteers flying from Minneapolis to San Diego, a food stop at an “In and Out Burger” restaurant, riding in a van/bus along the ocean to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico which is located about 2 hours south of Tijuana. The volunteers stayed at a YWAM basecamp near the ocean, surrounded by the sounds of waves and scent of salt water. From the YWAM basecamp both men and women volunteers were transported to home build sites and the Mexican prison that houses both male and female adult prisoners in separate facilities. Many inmates had never heard of Jesus or the Word. Wade developed a compassion for the men and women he met behind bars, so he continued to go back two times a year. In addition to prison ministry the mission trips also involved building homes for the needy as part of the “Homes for Hope” program, (think in terms of our local Habitat for Humanity effort, only the home is built in 3 days!)
About three years into the Ensenada missions, Wade developed close relationships with fellow ministering Christians, Pastor Ricardo and his wife Erika Green and Pastor Gabriel, two of the local pastors who brought the volunteers into the prison. A Home of Hope was built for Ricardo and Erika in Ensenada. The Green’s consequently converted their home into a church facility and added a room for their residence.
Out of their desire to serve the Lord, the Greens were discovered by Carolyn Koons, a professor at Azusa Pacific University in southern California. Carolyn had been able to purchase 17 acres in the mountains of Ensenada from her employer when the school decided to sell the land. Carolyn’s inspiration was to carry on with ministry in Mexico and wanted Mexican nationals to oversee the ministry. After much prayer for those who had a heart for taking on the ministry, Carolyn found her local administrators in Ricardo and Erika in clown suits as they shared the love of Jesus with children in a local park. Through this joint venture the Ranch of Refuge was created. Ninety percent of the staff at the Ranch of Refuge are former inmates from the prison. Due to the power of God through prison ministry these men and women have transformed lives as they came to understand the freedom we have in Christ, and now minister at the Ranch, including returning to the prison to share the Good News with others.
About the time Wade and Kendra (Wade's wife) began attending TCITP, YWAM changed their policies on hosting teams in Mexico. Due to the calling God had placed on him and his knowing the needs of the Ranch, Wade made a proposal to the Pines Church Board to begin taking teams from TCITP on mission trips to the Ranch of Refuge. The church board agreed. Wade spoke with the Greens and Carolyn about bringing teams to the Ranch of Refuge to build homes for believers and help share the Gospel in the vicinity of the Ranch.
Now, Wade along with over 30 TCITP volunteer missionaries have gone to the Ranch of Refuge to build housing, rehabilitation centers, paint buildings at the Ranch, build bunks for volunteers, and remodel an old school structure into more on site housing. Carpentry and trade skills are also being taught.
In addition to the above, Ericka has recently created outreach programs. By working with ranch church members, Pines volunteers shopped for food staples and baked goodies, then created food baskets for families living in the surrounding mountainous region. With mountain transportation provided, good trekking shoes, and an interpreter the volunteers met and visited with the families about Jesus. Volunteers gave bread and food, and Bibles, explaining how Jesus is the Bread of Life. Individuals and families were told that the Bible’s story was the most important part of their visit. Each household was given a Bible in their language. The volunteers received heartwarming gratitude from those they visited. Erika shared with Wade that after these village visits some of the mountainous families are now attending the church at the Refuge.
Another ranch outreach is journeying to the “red light district” in Ensenada on Saturday nights. With tracks and Bibles in hand the missionaries team up with staff from the ranch and hit the streets, talking via staff interpreters, with prostitutes and drunkards. Missionaries observed individuals sobering up before their eyes and several of the encountered people were receptive to the Gospel and stated they wanted a new life in Jesus. Hearts and ears were open. With God nothing is impossible!
This partnership between TCITP and the Ranch of Refuge (Rancho El Refugio - "The Ranch") Mission & Outreach has been established and ordained by God. Pastor Ricardo and Erika have visited our church in 2024 and may be returning soon to assist us in outreach efforts to our Hispanic brothers and sisters. There are more events planned for future trips to the Ranch of Refuge.
In October of 2025, TCITP leaders (Pastor Jeremy and Kelly Lanctot and Pastor Chad and Connie Runge) who have been instrumental in a program called “Journey to the Heart” prison ministry went to the Ranch to meet with the staff there and church members to train them in using Journey to the Heart Bible study curriculum to reach the unsaved and enhance believers faith with deeper roots.
In March of 2026, Wade’s brother-in-law who operates “FREEDOM CLINIC” out of Ocala, Florida, will travel to the Ranch and surrounding villages for ten days with portable medical equipment, volunteer doctors, dentists and ophthalmologists. FREEDOM stands for free of charge: Dental, Optical, and Medical treatment. Some have expressed a desire to volunteer for this mission and more information will be coming soon. Wade will also be putting another team together for an April/May 2026 TCITP mission trip.
If any of this mission information interests you and you want to pray God’s word over yourself about whether to come alongside the Pines Ensenada, Mexico or Africa missions (lead by Neil Thielke), pray and read Matthew 25:31-41.
You are free to seek out Wade and Neil.
All are welcome at the table where Jesus always has a place for you.
Writers Note:
When Wade speaks of or is in Kendra's (his wife) presence his joy and wonderment of God's gift to him of a Proverbs 31 woman is apparent. "An excellent woman who can find? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil all the days of his life." Proverbs 31:10-12. In other words, Kendra rocks Wade’s world. She is why Wade is so cool.
If you don’t know who Wade Cole is, do you recall Pines PIE fundraiser? The one that gave everyone the best sugar high of the year - thanks to Sue and wonderful pie creators. Wade was the man behind the pie tables, with the huge smile, who wore a colorful Ensenada shirt standing next to his beautiful wife Kendra. Perhaps you know Wade as the man who oversaw the construction of the new church building or the newest member of the Pines Church Board. Although a man of many talents (pickleball included- just ask Kristal), his passion and focus are MISSIONS for Jesus.
Thirteen years ago, in a church not so far away Wade sensed a call and signed up for a short-term mission trip that included a jail and prison ministry. This was not a Douglas County jail mission, but a jail mission in Mexico, (Does anyone watch those jail videos from other countries???) This first experience flooded his heart and soul with the love of Jesus for the Mexican people. Continuing to stay on fire for the Lord, Wade has completed 25 missions and continues to thrive behind bars and other wild mission environments.
Wade’s first mission started by him and fellow volunteers flying from Minneapolis to San Diego, a food stop at an “In and Out Burger” restaurant, riding in a van/bus along the ocean to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico which is located about 2 hours south of Tijuana. The volunteers stayed at a YWAM basecamp near the ocean, surrounded by the sounds of waves and scent of salt water. From the YWAM basecamp both men and women volunteers were transported to home build sites and the Mexican prison that houses both male and female adult prisoners in separate facilities. Many inmates had never heard of Jesus or the Word. Wade developed a compassion for the men and women he met behind bars, so he continued to go back two times a year. In addition to prison ministry the mission trips also involved building homes for the needy as part of the “Homes for Hope” program, (think in terms of our local Habitat for Humanity effort, only the home is built in 3 days!)
About three years into the Ensenada missions, Wade developed close relationships with fellow ministering Christians, Pastor Ricardo and his wife Erika Green and Pastor Gabriel, two of the local pastors who brought the volunteers into the prison. A Home of Hope was built for Ricardo and Erika in Ensenada. The Green’s consequently converted their home into a church facility and added a room for their residence.
Out of their desire to serve the Lord, the Greens were discovered by Carolyn Koons, a professor at Azusa Pacific University in southern California. Carolyn had been able to purchase 17 acres in the mountains of Ensenada from her employer when the school decided to sell the land. Carolyn’s inspiration was to carry on with ministry in Mexico and wanted Mexican nationals to oversee the ministry. After much prayer for those who had a heart for taking on the ministry, Carolyn found her local administrators in Ricardo and Erika in clown suits as they shared the love of Jesus with children in a local park. Through this joint venture the Ranch of Refuge was created. Ninety percent of the staff at the Ranch of Refuge are former inmates from the prison. Due to the power of God through prison ministry these men and women have transformed lives as they came to understand the freedom we have in Christ, and now minister at the Ranch, including returning to the prison to share the Good News with others.
About the time Wade and Kendra (Wade's wife) began attending TCITP, YWAM changed their policies on hosting teams in Mexico. Due to the calling God had placed on him and his knowing the needs of the Ranch, Wade made a proposal to the Pines Church Board to begin taking teams from TCITP on mission trips to the Ranch of Refuge. The church board agreed. Wade spoke with the Greens and Carolyn about bringing teams to the Ranch of Refuge to build homes for believers and help share the Gospel in the vicinity of the Ranch.
Now, Wade along with over 30 TCITP volunteer missionaries have gone to the Ranch of Refuge to build housing, rehabilitation centers, paint buildings at the Ranch, build bunks for volunteers, and remodel an old school structure into more on site housing. Carpentry and trade skills are also being taught.
In addition to the above, Ericka has recently created outreach programs. By working with ranch church members, Pines volunteers shopped for food staples and baked goodies, then created food baskets for families living in the surrounding mountainous region. With mountain transportation provided, good trekking shoes, and an interpreter the volunteers met and visited with the families about Jesus. Volunteers gave bread and food, and Bibles, explaining how Jesus is the Bread of Life. Individuals and families were told that the Bible’s story was the most important part of their visit. Each household was given a Bible in their language. The volunteers received heartwarming gratitude from those they visited. Erika shared with Wade that after these village visits some of the mountainous families are now attending the church at the Refuge.
Another ranch outreach is journeying to the “red light district” in Ensenada on Saturday nights. With tracks and Bibles in hand the missionaries team up with staff from the ranch and hit the streets, talking via staff interpreters, with prostitutes and drunkards. Missionaries observed individuals sobering up before their eyes and several of the encountered people were receptive to the Gospel and stated they wanted a new life in Jesus. Hearts and ears were open. With God nothing is impossible!
This partnership between TCITP and the Ranch of Refuge (Rancho El Refugio - "The Ranch") Mission & Outreach has been established and ordained by God. Pastor Ricardo and Erika have visited our church in 2024 and may be returning soon to assist us in outreach efforts to our Hispanic brothers and sisters. There are more events planned for future trips to the Ranch of Refuge.
In October of 2025, TCITP leaders (Pastor Jeremy and Kelly Lanctot and Pastor Chad and Connie Runge) who have been instrumental in a program called “Journey to the Heart” prison ministry went to the Ranch to meet with the staff there and church members to train them in using Journey to the Heart Bible study curriculum to reach the unsaved and enhance believers faith with deeper roots.
In March of 2026, Wade’s brother-in-law who operates “FREEDOM CLINIC” out of Ocala, Florida, will travel to the Ranch and surrounding villages for ten days with portable medical equipment, volunteer doctors, dentists and ophthalmologists. FREEDOM stands for free of charge: Dental, Optical, and Medical treatment. Some have expressed a desire to volunteer for this mission and more information will be coming soon. Wade will also be putting another team together for an April/May 2026 TCITP mission trip.
If any of this mission information interests you and you want to pray God’s word over yourself about whether to come alongside the Pines Ensenada, Mexico or Africa missions (lead by Neil Thielke), pray and read Matthew 25:31-41.
You are free to seek out Wade and Neil.
All are welcome at the table where Jesus always has a place for you.
Writers Note:
When Wade speaks of or is in Kendra's (his wife) presence his joy and wonderment of God's gift to him of a Proverbs 31 woman is apparent. "An excellent woman who can find? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil all the days of his life." Proverbs 31:10-12. In other words, Kendra rocks Wade’s world. She is why Wade is so cool.
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