CBM Global Field Staff, Rupen & Mamta Das, have been redeployed from Beirut, Lebanon to be based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

For over five years, Rupen has been working with the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development as Director of Relief and Community Development (LSESD). During that time, the civil war in Syria thrust Lebanon into the forefront of one of the world’s most critical humanitarian crises, with over 1.4 million refugees fleeing Syria and Iraq. Rupen led a relief program working with 20 agencies to serve over 40,000 refugees. He was also the head of the Masters program (M.Rel) at Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, focusing on Middle East and North African Studies.

Following a consultation with LSESD and with the leaders of the European Baptist Federation (EBF), CBM has decided to redeploy Rupen and Mamta to serve the broader network of Baptist aid agencies in Europe and the Middle East beginning in January 2015. Rupen will be the Senior Consultant for Relief and Development for European Baptist Aid, based in the new Baptist Centre in Amsterdam. He will also serve as Adjunct Faculty at the International Baptist Theological Study Centre (IBTSC). In addition to his role with EBF, Rupen will also continue to design and implement training programs for CBM partners and help train new CBM staff in community development.

Terry Smith, CBM’s Director of International Partnerships commented: “Working with the new Baptist Centre & IBTSC in Amsterdam places us at the birthplace of the global Baptist movement, but also one of the world’s most influential crossroads between north and south, east and west. Here, ideas converge and worldviews are shaped. Rupen’s prophetic voice contributes to a solid evangelical missiology of cultural engagement through local churches.”

At the recent Annual Council of the EBF where Mamta and Rupen were introduced to the 50+ member bodies and related organisations, EBF Assistant General Secretary Helle Liht spoke warmly and affirmatively of CBM’s ongoing “gift” of partnership. She said, “We welcome with open arms the gift of Rupen’s leadership, expertise and experience in helping shape our churches across Europe and the Middle East as they learn and grow in the practice of Integral Mission.

This story first appeared on the website of Canadian Baptist MInistries and is used with permission.

Photo: Canadian Baptist Ministries