15 Dec Frank Yang Appointed Executive Director of UB Global

Frank Yang has been named Executive Director of UB Global, effective January 1, 2021. The UB Global board unanimously approved him for this position. He has been serving as Acting Director since June 1, 2020.

Frank and his family are members of Emmanuel Community UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind. He joined the UB Global staff in September 2011 as an associate director. His primary responsibilities have included supervising overseas staff, bringing new staff on board, and engaging local churches. He has also led UB short-term teams to Asia.

Frank was born in China, and came to the United States at a young age with his parents, growing up on the east coast. His undergraduate degree was in engineering from Cornell University, and he later earned a Master’s in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College. He worked in financial services in Fort Wayne, Hartford, and Philadelphia.

Frank and Virginia, who was already attending Emmanuel Community Church, met in Fort Wayne and were married in 2004. They served together for four years as missionaries in Asia. Soon after they returned in 2011, Frank was invited to join the UB Global staff.

Frank and Ginny have two young children. Virginia is an adjunct professor at Huntington University, teaching in the TESOL program.

07 Dec Jana Gass Concludes Eight Years with UB Global

Jana Gass has concluded nearly eight years as administrative assistant of UB Global. She will be greatly missed.

Jana joined the UB Global staff in January 2013. She planned dozens of international trips for UB Global staff and other travelers, sent countless letters and emails to keep people informed about UB missions, helped plan and coordinate aspects of the national conference meetings, and was the welcoming face and voice for guests in the UB Global building.

Jana also played an important role with the UB child sponsorship programs in India. The UB Global staffperson there, Miriam, writes:

“Jana’s efficiency, care, concern, and personal interest will be missed by me especially. She has been such a blessing in the ministry of child sponsorship. I know it was a lot of hard work for her, but she was so very patient in dealing with the last-minute changes and contacting the sponsors. I will always be grateful to her for the very important part she played in this ministry. I regret, she never had the opportunity to see first-hand the impact made by her work so many miles away. Children, touched by this sponsorship project and the differences made in their future, plus the love and concern of the sponsors was an amazing blessing. I will also miss her very welcoming smile in the office. My prayers will be with Jana as she shares her talents where the Lord will place her.”

Being a former missionary, Jana could relate to missionaries at every stage of their service. She and her husband, Herb, sensed God calling them to missions after completing the Perspectives course. In 2005, they and their two children, Alicia and Caleb, went to Papua New Guinea to serve as support workers with New Tribes Missions. While there, Jana worked in various administrative and hospitality positions.

They returned in June 2011, and the family became part of College Park UB church in Huntington. Two years later, the administrative assistant position opened up. She applied and was soon welcomed to the UB Global staff.

Jana accepted a new position with a local bank, and concluded her service with UB Global as of December 1. UB Global is grateful for Jana’s valuable work over these years and her underlying heart for world missions.

06 Dec A Sad Homegoing Among the Reeck Family

Roger and Marilyn Reeck, UB endorsed missionaries serving in Honduras with Wycliffe Bible Translators, have spent much of the year in San Antonio, Texas. Their daughter Amanda is a medical doctor in that city.

On Thanksgiving, the entire Reeck clan–the four daughters, their husbands, and the grandchildren–were all together in San Antonio. Marilyn wrote, “This is the first Thanksgiving together in a long, long time.”

However, Covid made its presence known. A number of them tested positive.

On Thanksgiving Day, Marilyn wrote, “Today, 17 days after Roger first displayed symptoms of Covid, he is doing well now in recovery mode! We are so, so thankful. God is so wonderful! Roger moved back home from Amanda’s house (which had been called the Covid house) yesterday and is so thankful to be home. Christy, her husband, and Amanda are still in the recovery stage but doing well.”

But early in the morning of December 5, Amanda’s husband, Amila, passed away. Marilyn made this announcement on Saturday:

“Our sweet son-in-law Amila Jayakody succumbed to Covid and was transported to glory today at 1 am. After being on oxygen for 2 weeks, he was transferred to a military hospital and further procedures were administered. During the week things worsened each day and the Lord silently took him home.

“Our 17-year-old grandson was at the hospital the moment Amila left this earth. He prayed: “Thank you Jesus for leaving Amila’s celebration in heaven to come to earth and suffer with us here.”

“Our daughter, Amanda, had finally found the love of her life at 35 years old and had two-and-a-half years with her Amila.

“Amila was passionate about Jesus, loved people, had a servant’s heart, and had truly become a son to us. He had strong plans for his future service in mission work.

“Praise God our whole family is here together in San Antonio and that Amanda’s three sisters were able to be with her at the hospital for the last 2 days. There will be a small family funeral in a few days.”

Please keep the Reeck family in your prayers.