Country: International
Account No: 76074
Special Ministry Assignments provide short-term opportunities for individuals to step into a specific ministry need. For a defined season, they offer their God-given gifts, professional skills, and willing hearts to strengthen ongoing Gospel work across Latin America. These assignments meet real, timely needs while supporting and encouraging our long-term teams on the field.
Chris and his wife, Linda, have been married since 1979 and live in Superior, Montana. They have two adult children, and they are active in their local church. Chris serves as an elder and board chair.
Chris spent 20 years teaching junior high and high school science before serving as an elementary principal. After retiring from public education, he led a private Christian school in Missoula for 12 years, continuing to invest in students and Christian education. In his free time, he has also served on short-term ministry teams in Kenya, Mongolia, and Iraqi Kurdistan, building relationships, teaching, and encouraging educators.
During this Special Ministry Assignment with SAM, Chris will serve as a substitute teacher at SAM Academy, caring for students, supporting missionary families, and strengthening Christian education. He looks forward to investing in the next generation and supporting the school staff during his time of service.
Tavarres Berrian:Tavarres Berrian is an aspiring videographer and documentary filmmaker, originally born in South Georgia and raise in South Carolina. He served 7 years in the Army as an Engineer and was deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom. He has a bachelors degree in Digital Media and Cinema from CIU and is currently pursuing his masters in Intercultural Studies. He currently serves in the media department of his church, Agape Christian Fellowship, and is undergoing training to lead Bible studies and Sunday school.
Community and family are key motivators to Tavarres and his love for culture drives his ambition of continued learning. He’s worked with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), partnered on the mission field with Good New Mission and International Crusade Evangelism along with various other churches on video projects.
Tavarres has had the opportunity to travel to Central America, England, Africa, Japan, Thailand, Israel, etc. and his diverse exposure has opened his eyes to the beauty of the world and its people while also showing him the desperate need for the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He is confident that his role on this earth is to shine the light of Christ in the deepest pockets of the world.
His biggest passion is telling stories through a camera lens and using his skillset to further the kingdom of God. Whether shooting documentaries or teaching a young kid how to use a camera to tell his own creative stories, Tavarres’s ultimate desire is for Christ to be glorified.
Tavarres will be serving on a Special Ministry Assignment with SAM, where he will be traveling to Peru to capture the stories of our summer interns, short-term missionaries, and missionaries new to the field. These projects will further share of the work SAM is doing in Peru and the various avenues through which people may serve in a mission capacity alongside SAM’s ministries.
Tavarres knows it will take an army of believers, prayer and financial support to continue God’s mission and he is looking forward to partnering with those willing to step boldly in faith alongside him.
