Called "The Mother of Bangladesh" by Nazarene leaders there, Elaine Bumstead serves up to six months a year in developing nations as the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Canada (NCMC) director of international projects. She also coordinates food relief, food security and nutrition projects which are mainly funded through Canada Food Grains Bank. She helps local leaders to expand development projects such as microlending, vocational training and child development centers.



Exchanging her dream for something better
Bumstead shares how she felt a call to mission service as a child, but then felt she must let it go. God had a different plan for her that started with life on a dairy farm in Canada, and grew to include working in nutrition programs for elderly and shut-in people in her area. This set the foundation for her international development work. Listen to her testimony.



Food, climate, culture
Bumstead describes the challenges involved with traveling in her work, and providing training to local leaders in different cultural settings.



Doing more together than apart
The Church of the Nazarene is a partner with many other churches in feeding the hungry around the world through Canada Food Grains Bank. Bumstead describes how the Food Grains Bank got started and how it works.

She also shares the history of the Canada Nazarene churches' investment in starting and growing the church in Bangladesh through compassionate ministries and pastoral education.