Meet Our Staff

Each member of our staff is committed to creating a caring atmosphere, lead from our Christian values and set high expectations on each other.

We are proud to say each of our staff have servered in the mission both here on staff and in-country helping those we support.

Michael Miller
President

Michael Miller is an Eagle Scout and a graduate of Horseheads High School, Horsheads, NY and the B.O.C.E.S. program where he learned carpentry. He is also a 2016 inductee in the GST B.O.C.E.S. Hall of Fame, honored for life-time achievement. Being a builder and a doer was the way of life for Mike and it comes natural. He owned his own construction business for years, but God had other plans. He became active in his church, Horseheads First United Methodist Church, and got involved in Kairos Prison Ministry as well as Short-Term mission trips to Central America. It was on a mission trip to Honduras and helping to reconstruct things after Hurricane Mitch of 1999, that Mike and Glenda were both touched by the need of the people. God called them to sell the business and most of their possessions, leave family, home and job and move to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to live as full time missionaries. They fulfilled that call beginning in February 2004 and have been faithful ever since. 

Michael's life verse is from Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Brad Hinman
Vice President and Public Relations Director

Brad is our Vice President and Public Relations Director. He serves the ministry with a passion for Jesus Christ and for Mike and Glenda. Brad and his wife Janet worship at Victory Highway Wesleyan Church.

They have two daughters. Currently employed as a Funeral Home Assistant, he has served as Lay Leader, Chair of Trustees, Mission Team Leader and Certified Lay Speaker in The United Methodist Church.

Brad and Janet have served on dozens of mission teams both local and international. They served on their first BBM Construction Team (#20) in 2012. Since then they have led a construction team every year.

Brad and Janet live out their life verse, Matthew 25:40, “…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

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Laura Cummings
Secretary
Laura Cummings attends the First Presbyterian Church of Elmira and supports many volunteer activities there and in her community.  She is married to Kevin and they are the proud parents of Daniel, who is a gift from God.  She and her husband have been supporters of Border Buddies since 2008 and are both veterans of BBM Team #4.

Her attention to detail and faithfulness over the long haul has proved to be a huge asset to to the entire board as our Secretary.

Paul Wills
Treasurer
Paul is an active member of Mike and Glenda’s home church, Horseheads First United Methodist Church. He is a career accountant and brings keen insight and great ability to this very important function. Paul and his wife Audrey have known Mike and Glenda for a long, long time. Paul was on a mission team with Mike and Glenda way back when God was laying the foundation for Border Buddies. Paul's many contacts with a wide variety of people and to a wide variety of organizations helps us to continue our growth. He is a well rounded Christian who helps keep us on track.
Bruce Williams
Accounting Specialist
Bruce Williams is a member of Westside United Methodist Church, where he and his wife Gail serve in leadership on a variety of committees. Bruce is a career accountant and he also brings great capabilities to BBM. His job is to look at the larger picture, spots trends and make sure all of our financial paperwork is correct and filed in a timely fashion. He oversees our annual ECFA renewal and financial audits and puts in many hours to make sure every detail is correct. Bruce had the pleasure to serve on Construction Team #33 in May of 2015.
Glenda Miller
Director - One School Sponsorship Program

Glenda Miller is a native of Tegucigalpa and lived there until age 12 at which time she moved to New York City with family. She is a graduate of Elmira Business Institute, and it was while she and Mike were both working a part-time job at the same place that they met and fell in love. The rest is history. Together they form quite a partnership that has taken them into some very challenging situations in the prisons and in the barrios, yet because of their love for Jesus, they are blessed to share the gospel and bring healing to “the very least of these”. They love working with youth in the barrios, with the parents of the youth, with incarcerated men and women, and their reward is to see miraculously changed lives.

Claire Ricketts
Missions Director
 

Claire grew up in a catholic home and gave her life to Christ in 2007. Her ongoing journey in life is constantly learning how to totally abandon it into His hands for His will to be done. (Luke 9v23). Claire lives in Corning with her Husband, Daniel and daughter Siobhan. Claire and Daniel have had the privilege of having been part of short-term missions in the past and have been stretched mentally, physically and spiritually every time they have gone. They consider Mike and Glenda to be family and love being involved in the BBM Ministries wherever they can.

 
My life verse: Luke 9: 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
Mark Erway
Website Administrator

Mark is a retired United Methodist Local Pastor serving Pennsylvania Avenue United Methodist Church, where he previously served as Associate Pastor, Worship Arts Pastor and Celebrate Recovery pastor, after a career in a manufacturing business. It was through Mark’s starting of a Kairos Prison Ministry chapter that Michael got involved in prison ministry. Through this connection their friendship grew and Mark has been a supporter of Border Buddies from the very beginning of this venture. He first traveled to Tegucigalpa with Dale Cleveland in the summer of 2004 where they got to experience Honduran prison ministry with Mike and Glenda. Since then he has been co-leader of numerous BBM Construction Teams starting with Team #1 in 2005; served on 2015 Medical Team #2 as “Gopher” and most recently on Team #50 in May of 2018. Mark and his wife Anne sponsored two children in the School Sponsorship Program, both of whom have now graduated and now have a sponsored child in the village near Comayagua. They have two adults sons who are married. 

My life verse: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Randall Lawrence
Spiritual Director

Randall Lawrence grew up in western Michigan, in a family that loved the Lord. He graduated from Hope College (Reformed Church of America) in 1975, and spent most of his professional life as a teacher and school principal. He met his wife, Debby (also a teacher), while attending college. They have three grown children and one grandchild.

Randy and Debby both have a strong faith in Jesus. They have been involved in a variety of activities in their church and community, including Closer Walk/Tres Dias, leading Bible studies, participating in praise band, leading worship, preaching, and serving in various functions within the greater community. They are members of the Fair Haven Community Church, in Fair Haven, NY, and have been volunteers and served on short term mission teams with Border Buddies Ministries since 2012.