Director

Rev. Jonathan was born in Perú and grew up in Chile and Panamá before moving to Chicago to attend Wheaton College (where he studied spiritual formation and then intercultural studies). His grandparents attended Wheaton at the same time as Jim and Elizabeth Elliot and were part of that same generation on global mission to Latin America. 

He spent 13 years pastoring and supporting Latino immigrant churches in Chicago and around the country before moving to Texas in 2021 and starting Diaspora Network in 2022. He is ordained and serves in Churches for the Sake of Others (C4SO). Jonathan speaks Spanish, Portuguese and some Arabic after having spent 4 summers in the Middle East. 

Jonathan and his wife Lini reside in the richly diverse Sharpstown neighborhood in Houston and are passionate about God’s beautiful global family. 

Next Gen Catalyst

Samuel is a Canadian-born, second-generation Ethiopian follower of Jesus with a heart for the local church and the next generation. He is 32 years old and married to his wife, Mihret. Samuel brings both cultural insight and pastoral conviction to his ministry, particularly among diaspora youth and emerging leaders. He holds a Bachelor of Biblical Theology and Pastoral Studies from Vanguard Bible College and was ordained in April 2017 in Canada.

His ministry began at the Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Edmonton, where he served the youth and young adults. It was there that his passion for raising up diaspora leaders took root. In 2022, Samuel sensed a clear call to plant churches that would reach and disciple the next generation of Ethiopian diaspora—young people navigating faith, identity, and purpose between cultures.

In 2025, he was installed as the lead shepherd of a new church plant in Austin, Texas, now serving under the covering of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Austin. His vision is to cultivate Christ-centered, Spirit-led, multicultural communities that worship God, walk together, and win hearts to Jesus.

Samuel is passionate about equipping a new wave of leaders who will carry the gospel with clarity, compassion, and cultural fluency—leaders grounded in the Word, empowered by the Spirit, and committed to the mission of Jesus in every generation.

Events Coordinator & Admin Assistant

Haset Asres is a native Houstonian raised in an Ethiopian immigrant household. She is a recent first-generation college graduate of Boston University, where she studied Business Administration and became deeply involved in community building through cultural organizations and creative leadership roles.

At her home church (C3) in Houston, Haset currently serves as an Events and Social Media Coordinator and is part of the Bible Study Ministry. She helps plan community gatherings, create digital content, and foster spaces of connection for young adults. Through this work, she has developed a strong passion for bridging generational gaps and creating welcoming spaces rooted in unity in Christ.

She is excited to support Diaspora Network’s mission of unifying and empowering immigrant churches, ultimately pointing people toward deeper relationships with one another and with the Lord.

Intern

Ana was born and raised in Brazil and recently graduated from Houston Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. Before moving to the United States, Ana served in her church’s children’s ministry in Brazil, where she assisted teachers, helped care for children, and supported weekly activities. Through this experience, she developed a love for serving the church and supporting others.

As an international student, Ana has enjoyed being involved in different communities and using her skills to serve others. At Diaspora Network, she serves as a Financial & Administrative Intern, where she supports bookkeeping, financial recordkeeping, donation tracking, and administrative tasks. She also contributes to the Houston Global Church Directory and Guide by helping connect immigrant churches throughout the Houston area and assists with English and Portuguese translation projects.

She is grateful for the opportunity to combine her background in accounting with her desire to serve immigrant churches and communities. She is excited to continue growing professionally while supporting Diaspora Network’s mission of unifying and empowering immigrant churches.