Staff Workers &
Volunteers
Auckland Team
Carrie Rambo-Toehemotu
Auckland Team
City Leader
I came to Auckland from Oregon, USA, in 2004 with a campus prayer ministry, not expecting to stay long-term. It quickly became apparent to me that New Zealand had a wonderfully unique position to minister to international students. I joined the Massey University-Albany Chaplaincy team in 2009 and ISMNZ in 2010, and have enjoyed serving students and graduates from over 60 countries. In 2018, I married Timothy Toehemotu, joining forces to serve students together.
During my time as the Massey Albany Campus Worker, which I've been since 2011, and with my involvement in ISMNZ, I have had the privilege of serving international students and migrants who are deeply interested in learning about the teachings of Jesus. The mission field truly is on our doorstep, and we have the joy of introducing them to these teachings.
In September 2023, I was appointed as Auckland City Leader. After prayerful consideration, I felt led to step into this role in hopes of offering support to our team, helping with networking, and contributing to their development as we serve students together. As I approach nearly 20 years of serving international students and migrants, they still bring me joy. I look forward to seeing how God uses our team in this changing world.
If you would like to financially support Carrie Rambo-Toehemotu, please visit our donate page.
Bre Sao
Massey Albany Campus Worker
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
Bre came in 2018 for a vision trip with WorldVenture to partner with ISMNZ. Since her visit, she has been praying to return to New Zealand to minister to International students. God answered that prayer and Bre moved to New Zealand in November of 2023 from Kentucky (USA).
She is an associate chaplain at Massey University in Albany. There, she will serve international students in different capacities. She is eager to see how God leads her in ministering to students during their time in New Zealand.
Bre graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a Bachelor of Art focused in Evangelism and Discipleship. God has given her different opportunities that have shaped her passion for ministry. Whether it was camp ministry or church ministry, she has a heart for people to become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. Bre shares the vision, mission, and values of ISMNZ. She is excited to be a part of what God is already doing in New Zealand.
Matthew 28:19-20 reminds us that God has commissioned us as Christians to make disciples as we go throughout life. We would baptize and teach them. Through it all, Jesus is always with us.
May Lee
Ministry Coordinator/ Pastoral Care
Auckland Central
The spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1
New Zealand is a special place for May as this is where she felt God’s call for the mission while she was doing her working holiday here a decade ago. It was then she began praying for the people in Aotearoa, and believed that God intended for revival, and restoration and healing in this country. As she prayed, her eyes were opened to the need for more Christian workers in this beautiful land.
May loves meeting people from different cultures, and seeing how God is bringing all nations to our neighbourhood. As she learnt more about the history of New Zealand, she began to understand how God was using this unique period in time, with the increase of International students and immigrants to fulfil His call to all nations to missions. She feels privileged to be part of God's project.
May graduated in Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry in Alphacrucis College in 2014 and worked as a campus staff worker the previous years. She enjoys Bible studies, singing with students, and interacting with people from different cultures and learning languages. As she was an international student herself from South Korea, she is passionate about helping International students find a place of belonging in New Zealand through the love of Christ, to grow in their faith and become a life-long disciple of Jesus.
If you would like to financially support May Lee, please visit our donate page.
Marcellus Christofan
Auckland Ministry Worker
My name is Marcellus and I am originally from Indonesia. I came to New Zealand in 2019 as an international student. Not long after that, God called me to serve the international students along with my wife, Sylvia, who was a big part in this ministry.
I came to Nelson, New Zealand in 2019 as an international student and not long after arriving, I joined the many great events and meetings that the Nelson ISMNZ team had prepared. You can truly see God working through all the workers and volunteers and how they share their love to all the international students that I said to myself, "If this is what it looks like to be a Christian, I want to be like them."
I met my wife in Nelson when we served the Lord together in this international student ministry. Our faith in Jesus has grown exponentially since going through that time period until now. In June 2024, God brought us to Auckland leaving Nelson to still be our New Zealand home.
The Auckland ISMNZ team welcomed us with warmth and with Carrie as our city leader, we got to know what we can bring to Auckland. As we were both an international student before, our hearts are always for them as well and only God can make this happen. We both were called to serve the Lord and share the love of God that we receive with all the international students and graduates that we meet through our journey.
Auckland Team from left to right: May Lee, Rob Thommarson, Donna Thommarson, Randy Jordan, Anita Jordan, Janine Yuan, Tim Bai, Amanda Wang, Carrie Rambo-Toehemotu, Tim Toehemotu