JOHNNY & IVONNE CRUZ

Johnny Cruz has been involved in missions since 1982, when immediately after graduation from Bible college, he went to Spain. He ministered there for nine years – and also met and married Ivonne, the “lovely Honduran señorita” he met in Spain. From 1992 to 2022, the Cruz family worked out of Honduras, serving as Latin America Directors of INSTE, a TEE program (theological education by extension) . In 2022, the Cruz’s have relocated to Pensacola, Florida, to act as International Directors of INSTE, serving the Global Church.

We are the Perekotiys, a Ukrainian and American family! We have been entrusted with four beautiful children: Chambers (2013), Lev (2015), Mila (2016), and Remington (2019). Our story began when we met in Ukraine in 2008. After living on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, we packed up our gang in 2018 and moved to Odesa, Ukraine, a beautiful, historic port city on the Black Sea. While visiting family in Alabama in 2022, the full-scale invasion broke out in Ukraine. We decided to remain in the US for the 2022-23 school year while supporting our partners in Ukraine through the War Relief Fund. In August 2023, we launched back overseas to share the Gospel among Ukrainians. We are based out of Bucharest, Romania, where we can serve refugees and be close to the Ukrainian border.

Through the War Relief Fund we have sent medical aid, vehicles, food, and education supplies to those in need. The needs of the vulnerable will only increase as this crisis continues, and we are committed to partnering with our friends and partners to meet those needs. We pray to use these resources to rebuild Ukraine when the war ends.

Our heartbeat has always been caring for the vulnerable and fatherless. Our vision is to see Christ proclaimed as we serve vulnerable children and families with national partners and churches. We also serve the unreached deaf community, and provide training and trauma resources for families and volunteers. Thank you for journeying with us!