Kenya Mission Team
Greetings, friends of Stony Brook Church. Today, I'm pleased to announce that Stony Brook is headed to Kenya this summer! The team plans to visit John Langer and Go and Grow Ministries.
I'd like to give the folks going on this mission trip the opportunity to introduce themselves and explain what this trip means for them personally as well as for the Kingdom of God. Without further ado, here is the 2026 Kenya mission team!
Note: This post will be updated as team members finish their introductions, so check back soon for updates.
Hello, my name is Melissa Hanna.
I am, first and foremost, a child of God saved by grace through my loving Savior, Christ Jesus. That truth defines who I am. God has blessed me beyond measure with an incredible family. I share life with my wonderful husband, Chris, and together we are thankful for our three sons: Blake; Steven and his wife, Amy; and Michael and his wife, Crystal. My heart overflows with gratitude for our six grandchildren—Jaxon, Zach, Emma, Taylor, Jayden, and Dawson—and our precious great-granddaughter, little Miss Oakley. I am incredibly blessed. Of course, family would not be complete without my brother-in-law Rick, and my best friend and sister, Pam, along with her ever-growing family. This family—along with my church family—serves as a daily reminder of God’s goodness and His abundant grace in my life.
I deeply love our Lord and Father, and I know that I was bought at a heavy price. Jesus gave everything for me. And oh boy, how often I trip, stumble, and fall short. Yet it is in those moments that I am most grateful, because even in my failures, His grace is greater.
My favorite verse, Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” This verse continually calls me to praise and worship, shifting my focus away from the temporary things of this world and toward the eternal life found only in Christ.
As I prepare to travel to Kenya in June of 2026, my heart is emptied of self and filled with purpose. I go not for my own will, but as a servant of Christ—desiring only that His will be done through me and in me.
I humbly ask for your prayers as this mission trip approaches. Please pray for wisdom, humility, and sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Pray for unity and strength for our mission team, and that God would prepare every step before we take it. Most of all, pray that Christ would be glorified in all we do. That we would serve faithfully, love deeply, and reflect Jesus clearly so that His name alone is lifted high.
Melissa Hanna
We're Scott & Kelly Hembertt...
(Our introduction is coming soon... and it's gonna be awesome!)
Scott & Kelly Hembertt
Hello, readers.
I would like to introduce you to one of the greatest individuals I know. This person is wise and humorous, and they love Jesus. He is married to a wonderful and powerful woman of God. She has supported him in all endeavors over the past 49+ years. She is his prayer warrior and best friend. She listens and guides him when needed and even when not needed. This man is a loving and caring father and grandfather. He works and teaches the special needs students at one of his current jobs. He serves at the front door of the church almost every Sunday, greeting and smiling at all who enter. He works with everyone, and he helps out where needed as long as he doesn’t have to change diapers.
His favorite verse in the bible is Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
Mo Lowry
Hi, I'm Melissa Kelly.
I’m incredibly excited—and honestly very grateful—to be heading to Nairobi, Kenya on an upcoming mission trip. Being included in this opportunity feels like pure grace, and I’m going with open hands, ready to serve the people Jesus deeply loves in whatever small or meaningful ways He allows.
While I hope to be helpful and impactful, I already know I’ll be the one learning the most—from the faith, joy, resilience, and wisdom of the Kenyan people I get to meet. I’m praying that I come home a little dustier, a lot more grateful, and more fully shaped into the image of Jesus... and maybe with a new appreciation for things like patience, perspective, and really good Kenyan tea.
I send my love and prayers to all of you I will be serving with! May we reflect Jesus in Kenya and always.
Melissa Kelly
Hello! Jambo! My name is Dakota Lyman.
I have been married to my husband Wade for almost 8 years and God blessed us with our son Azariah in the spring of 2025. Some fun things about me include: my favorite color is sky blue, I was a blacksmith/ferrier for three years, my favorite animals are horses and otters, I have six younger siblings and love to do anything outdoors! God has given me a heart for missions and especially children's ministry from a very young age. I have been to Mexico in high school and served as a children's ministry worker state side for over seven years in multiple capacities. Over the last five years I have stepped back as God has helped us find a great church family and settle down in Omaha! I felt the call to Kenya from the very first announcement that we were going with Go and Grow missions as a church and God has been blessing this endeavor ever since!
The thought that keeps going through my mind is this: Go…”Matthew 28: 19a therefore go and make disciples of ALL the nations… 20b and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” It has been a long while since I have felt God’s call like that and I’m ready! I am so excited to see what he has planned for this mission and am so excited to be on his team!
Dakota Lyman
Hi, I'm Carla...
(My introduction is coming soon... and it's gonna be awesome!)
Carla Miranda
Hello, my name is Brett...
(My introduction is coming soon... and it's gonna be awesome!)
Brett Miranda
Hello, I'm Kelly...
(My introduction is coming soon... and it's gonna be awesome!)
Kelly Mischanko
Hello, my name is Jeanne Morrison.
For many years I have felt called to financially and prayerfully support many mission trips to other countries. Our Lord has led me many times to answer the call for those in the mission field right in my own back yard. When John Langer who is the President of Go and Grow Ministries came to speak about the amazing work they are doing in Africa I felt a burning desire to be a part of the mission trip to Kenya they were planning for June 2026. I had never felt called to physically travel to another country to serve in this way. I admit that I had questioned God because of my age and some physical issues. My Lord assured me that he knew my age “haha” and my body issues and He would not have placed the hunger in my heart to serve in this place if he wouldn’t equip me with all I would need. All he needed me to do was answer “Yes Lord and trust in him.” I am reminded that God knows the plans he has for me and I just need to be obedient and follow his path. There has never been a time in life that my Lord has let me down. Through the many trials of loss of loved ones, during family crises, business decisions that would impact many, I always felt His love, grace, and mercy in ways that deepened my faith for this amazing Father. If any of you my dear Christian friends and family want to know how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ please ask me to share my witness to how amazing it is.
Ephesians 3:21, "To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever."
Jeanne Morrison
Hi, my name is Jason Starinieri.
Why do I want to go to Kenya? That is a huge question. I have always had a heart for foreign and domestic missions; I want to see people come to know Jesus and to grow in their relationship with him. It is literally my purpose in life. Having been on international missions trips before I have been longing for a new opportunity to go again. Then God brought my family and I to Stony Brook and hey, there is an upcoming mission trip to Kenya. I am not much of a math person, but I was able to put 2 and 2 together and as I prayed over it I knew this was an opportunity I needed to pursue. Here we are, in six months I will have the privilege, Lord willing, of leading a team to Kenya to participate in this mission trip, to support John Langer and his mission work with Go and Grow Ministries, and to see how Jesus is worshiped and honored in another culture.
One of the most exciting things about this trip to me is that my wife Leah is going as well. When I have been on international mission trips before she was not able to come with me but this time she is able and I can’t wait. I love serving alongside my beautiful wife of 28 years. We have three amazing kids together, all of whom are adults. One of the greatest blessings in my life is to serve our gracious God with my wife and this is going to be a wonderful opportunity to do just that. I am excited, humbled, and blessed to be able to do this and I am looking forward to what God will teach me and how God will use the team to bless others through this endeavor. My ultimate why is to bring God glory in all I do.
1 Peter 4:10-11, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”
My prayer for myself and the whole team going to Kenya is that God would be glorified. I, and the team covet your prayers and support, however God is leading you to participate. If that is prayer please pray for us and how God wants to work through this trip. If you feel led to contribute financially we would appreciate that as well. We are the body of Christ at Stony Brook, and we are all in this together, each of us has a part to play as God leads so that we can all bring him glory! God bless you and thank you!
Jason Starinieri
Hello, my name is Leah Starinieri.
My husband is Jason, the associate pastor at Stony Brook Church. I am excited for my first international mission trip. I have traveled overseas before but never for the specific purpose of sharing Jesus with others. At first I was hesitant about being part of the Kenya team, however, after a lot of prayer, along with encouragement from others, I felt like God was indeed moving me towards participating in this trip. One of the things I am most excited about is ministering to kids. Children’s ministry is my passion, I am a full-time preschool teacher with the Ralston Public School district, I am also involved in Kid Life at Stony Brook Church. I can’t wait to work with kids in another culture.
Speaking of culture, that is another aspect of this trip that I am really excited about. I cannot wait to learn about and participate in another culture. While I have experienced minor cultural differences in the various places we have lived in the US, I am excited to learn and grow personally and spiritually as I am immersed in the culture in Kenya. I am also looking forward to going on this mission with my husband, we have served together in a number of ways over the years but never on an international mission trip, I think that will be fun and up-building for our relationship with each other and with Jesus.
When I think about my reason for going a Scripture that comes to mind is from 1 Timothy 4:10, “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” I want to be able to come along side my husband, the rest of the team from Stony Brook, and the missionaries in Africa, specifically Go and Grow ministries, so that I can help in any way possible. I would greatly appreciate your prayer support and if you feel God is leading you to support the team financially that would be appreciated as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. God bless!
Leah Starinieri
Hello, my name is Chris...
(My introduction is coming soon... and it's gonna be awesome!)
Chris Welte