Meet Tammy Swailes
Tammy Swailes has lived and ministered in Eastern Europe since 1999. There she directs the INSTE program in Ukraine, as well as serves as regional director for INSTE in Europe, where national directors work in five languages on the continent. Tammy is also part of a team that is helping bring INSTE to two South Asian countries, helping with the translation process and leadership training. Additionally, Tammy heads up a team that oversees the corrections and updates of INSTE materials around the world.
She said, "As INSTE (Institute of Theology By Extension) Director for Europe, I am privileged to witness many people from many cultures grow in their Christian walk and follow God’s call into leadership, and to see the Church strengthened. When I was appointed as an Open Bible missionary and came to Eastern Europe in 1999 to begin the INSTE program in both Hungarian and Russian, I didn’t know how rewarding and how challenging this would be. First I learned Hungarian, and coordinated the translation of INSTE into Hungarian – thus began INSTE in Hungary. When that task was passed along to another missionary, I moved to Ukraine and repeated the process in the Russian language, and then into the Ukrainian language. We have completely translated the INSTE materials in both the Russian and Ukrainian languages – all 28 books – enabling students in Ukraine to study in their preferred language. I travel many miles promoting the INSTE program and speaking to pastors interested in using INSTE in their churches. More than 1,800 students – in churches that range from very conservative to very charismatic – have enrolled in INSTE over the years."
The translation of INSTE Level One into Romanian is complete, but Tammy continues to travel to Romania to train and encourage the national leadership. She is pursuing contacts in Russia for INSTE, too, praying for God’s person and timing. The process of translating INSTE into an unnamed Central Asian language has also begun, and pilot groups have begun with that people-group.
Christian Education on the mission field is Tammy's passion. She loves languages, working cross-culturally, coordinating translation teams, setting up systems for operating, training leaders, making books, visiting groups, assisting group leaders, and promoting INSTE. INSTE fits her to a tee!
Email: swailes@openbible.org
Twitter: @tswailes
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tswailes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tswailes
Read her most recent newsletter here!
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