Our Story
Our founders, Jim and Tammy Walter, began their passion for South Africa’s wildlife, scenery, culture and people on their first trip to the Limpopo Province in 1999. But the passion God put in their hearts for this region of the world was deeper than just travel, adventure and friends. After much prayer, conversation and consultation with local South Africans the ministry was created in early 2014 as a part of the mission department of their church, Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford NJ.
Over the next two years the number of trips to South Africa grew in scope and passion. Partnerships with South African churches, schools and businesses continued to develop and deepen. By 2016, the leadership felt called to expand the ministry from a trip centric endeavor to a full-time ministry with staff on the ground in South Africa. This required a couple who would lead the ministry in South Africa, a reliable vehicle for transport, and a location that could support the couple, mission teams, kids’ camps and on-going consistent ministry. Miraculously, God supplied all these things in short order.
It was also during this time that due to the expansion of the ministry it was decided to create a separate non-profit to operate the ministry more efficiently, effectively and expand our footprint in the US. New Road Missions was created at the end of 2016 with a separate board of directors to govern all operations and expansion. The newly birthed entity focused primarily on youth ministry, and conducted children’s camps.
One of the ministries we partnered with in South Africa is a children’s home called “The Fold”. In late 2019, The Fold founders, Micky and Paul Prince, had to return to the US due to health reasons, so The Fold was in jeopardy of closing. They asked if we would assume control of The Fold ministry with management oversight, which we did in early 2020. We maintain a close relationship with Micky and Paul with regular communication and their yearly visit.
Since the beginning hundreds of folks from all over the US have traveled to South Africa through NRM on short-term trips that occur each year. Everyone that joins a team sees God at work in dramatic ways, falls in love with the South Africans and feels a strong sense of being part of something significant. NRM has become a movement of God, powered by His Spirit through prayer and dependence on His word. It provides an opportunity to be used by God to accomplish extraordinary things for His kingdom!
