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Our Missionaries

Lois Belsey

Born and raised by Christian parents in Midland, Ontario, Lois attended the Alliance church all her life. Following high school she studied at Canadian Bible College, then took nursing and midwifery. Lois first went to Viet Nam with the Alliance in September 1974 but the country fell to communists in 1975. She was moved to Thailand for a short period and arrived in Irian Jaya (now West Papua) in January 1976, where she still serves to this day.

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Mary McElhone


With a past of immigrating to Canada, being raised in a devout Catholic rural family, working as a registered nurse, and becoming the single Mom of 3 kids, she became a Christian at the age of 35. Life changed dramatically as God healed and rebuilt her broken world. At Tillsonburg Alliance she grew to love the missionaries and their work. In Nov.2008 at the age of 59, she moved to Papua, Indonesia, to assist Lois Belsey.

Michel & Denise Dube


Michel and Denise met while Denise was interning at Kingston Alliance church. Denise had accepted Christ early in her life and Michel was in the army and just a baby Christian. Once Michel saw the light, he was out of the army and into Bible College. Michel and Denise had ministered in Quebec for eight years before they left in the summer of 2007 for Guinea, West Africa.

Rich and Elisa Brown

Both Rich and Lisa accepted the Lord as Savior at an early age. Lisa is the daughter of missionaries, Jack and Jean Shannon. Rich and Lisa were open to the Lord’s leading in their lives and accepted his call to missionary service. The Browns went to Peru as missionaries in 1995. Their home was in Trujillo, a peaceful city of 600,000. They are now in Ecuador and are serving Latin American youth as consultants. Their vision is to reach the 300 million youth in Latin America with Christ’s love. They do this by evangelism and discipleship, training leaders, connecting people and compassion ministries.

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Gary & Sharon Howell

Gary and Sharon Howell went to Gabon as missionaries in 1991. Their first assignment was to Oyem, a remote town in the middle of the jungle, and home to the fang people. The Howells were involved in church planting and evangelism. In 1999 they moved to Libreville where they were involved in youth work. In January 2004, the Howells were redeployed to the Republic of Congo. They live in Pointe Noire where they are involved in youth ministry. Gary is also the regional coordinator for Sonlife Ministries Africa in Central Africa.

Danny & Vera Kuranji

Danny and Vera came to Canada from their homeland Yugoslavia in the late 1970s. They settled in Stoney Creek, Ontario, opened a watch business and began attending Stoney Creek Alliance Church. At missions conferences they heard about God’s work around the world and felt him calling them to fulfill the Great Commission. They knew the languages and cultures of Yugoslavia, and decided that they should serve God there. In 1986 they put their business into the care of a manager and returned to Yugoslavia as missionaries. When another war was started (this time with Kosovo), Danny and Vera chose to stay in Novi Sad even though bombs were falling very close to their home. Praise God, the ministry centre was not destroyed. Since the war ended, a great harvest of souls continues to take place in Novi Sad. Danny and Vera report that people are coming to the Lord almost daily, and many have been baptized.

Lizette Lavoie

Lizette is an international worker in Guinea, West Africa. She has experience ministering in Theological Education by Extension, open-air evangelism, marriage seminars, prayer warfare seminars and practice, training pastoral candidates in a Bible Institute, developing women leaders through seminars, speaking at conferences for women, district church conferences, Youth Bible camps and Sunday services. In the past she was heavily involved in developing leaders among women through seminars on how to teach the Bible. When on home assignment, Lizette settles into life in Sudbury, Ontario.

Bill & Ilana Lobbezoo

Bill and Ilana are international workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They have focused considerable energy on ministries to teenagers and young adults, whether it be on the national level through leadership among the National Youth Committee or on a more local level. They are now involved in more international efforts to make an impact in the college and university student community in the city. This has seen the establishment of a new small dorm ministry for Christian students who have come to the city from provincial areas to study.

Doug & Carol Woon

Doug and Carol Woon celebrate their 20th year of ministry in Japan this year, by moving from field administration duties into a church planting endeavour in Harumi, an island on Tokyo Bay. With new apartments and condominiums being built all around the population is rising quickly, and the Woons are attempting to reach individuals and families in this dynamic environment. They work with a small group of believers who meet in the activity room of a 50 story apartment tower, and with fellow Canadians Don and Carol Love. Their vision is a rapid multiplication of groups of rapidly multiplying believers. Through various interest classes and groups, contacts are being made and relationships are being formed.