NMI Central - April 22, 2026

Mission Call Testimony – Emily Gwaltney (Brown)

As the Global Missions placement coordinator, Emily helps candidates prepare for the missions field. She notes that the biggest fear they express is often, “Am I adequate?” Other concerns center around family – both those left behind and those traveling to the field. “Who will care for my elderly parents if I leave?” “Will my special needs child get the care she requires if I take her to another country?”  

These issues are real, but missionaries aren’t left to struggle alone. Emily and the team in Global Missions provide a support system before, during, and after missionary service. Nazarene Missions International volunteers in local churches are also part of the support system – loving, praying, giving, and encouraging at every stage of the journey. 

In this video, part of an NMI Central video series on the missionary call and the missionary journey, Emily Gwaltney shares about her own missionary journey. Her passion for helping at-risk youth in a particular part of the world led her to the missions field, and she arrived in Croatia just as the refugee crisis exploded in that country.  

Early on, she spoke with a Christian woman who had escaped from being kidnapped by a terrorist group. This woman’s generous spirit, even in the midst of losing so much, deeply impacted Emily’s view of the world. 

 “As Nazarenes, it’s part of our core belief to be missional,” she says. Watch the video HERE and learn how to inspire others in their call.