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(President / Founder)
Sunny as he is often called
was born in Enugu (Coal City) Nigeria to Emmanuel and Margaret Okorie. He is the
3rd of 6 children – 4 boys and 2 girls.
After graduating with a
bachelor’s degree (’79) at Portland State University in Portland Oregon, he
immediately pursued and earned his Master’s degree (’81) in Computer
Engineering at the Bluff - University of Portland in North Portland, OR. He finished his Ph.D. work in Expert Systems / Artificial
Intelligence in 1997.
Following a job stint at
HP in Vancouver as Development Engineer and the Multnomah County Data Processing
Department between 1979-83, he returned to Nigeria to work for the Government. A
year later, he joined the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) as an academic staff and rose to the rank of a
Senior Lecturer in 1993. He founded Solid Rock Computers (Nigeria) Limited
in 1989 to provide computer sales & support services as well as the training
of skilled labor at the Solid Rock Computer Institute, Aba. While at Aba, he
authored the flagship computer training book – “Computer
Fundamentals: Introduction and Utilization” now used in many tertiary
institutions and colleges. He also co-authored “Computer
Studies for Junior Secondary Schools” used in most Federal Government
Schools in Nigeria and West Africa. He has published over a dozen papers in
professional journals & conference proceedings.
He joined Inference
Corporation as a Knowledge Engineer and Consultant after his Ph.D. work &
sojourn in Lafayette, Louisiana early in 1997. A few years later, he decided to
minimize the grueling traveling schedule of a Consulting job by switching to
Equiva Services, LLC in 1999 (a Shell, Texaco & Saudi Aramco owned business)
which later became assimilated into Shell Oil Products, USA.
He is a chartered
electrical-electronics engineer (C.Eng, & member of the IEE London), a
Registered / Professional Engineer in Nigeria - COREN, and currently a senior
analyst & Project Manager working with OLAP technologies, Business Process
Optimization and Business
Intelligence to support various
business units at Shell Oil Products, US.
For Community &
Christian service, Sunny has been extensively involved with various Church
groups and fellowships for several years. These include the FGBMFI (both in USA
and Nigeria) as a Chapter Officer & Treasurer, Scripture Union as Group
President, NIFES (Nigeria Interdenominational Fellowship of Evangelical
Students) as Zonal Chairman covering 5 States; various Church elder-ship /
Deacon positions at Foursquare Gospel Church Owerri, Aba Worship Center, Living
Word Ministries, Aba, etc. He has been a Sunday school teacher for many years,
including at the Lafayette First Baptist Church in Louisiana & the Owerri
Foursquare Gospel Church. With his wife and a few others, he also helped pioneer
Portland International Fellowship and beginning in 1977, collaborated with
Portland First Baptist Church for several years ministering to International
Students. For a number of years (1976-82), he was a leader for the local branch
of ISI (International Student’s Inc.) in Portland as well as Inter-Varsity
Christian Fellowship & Campus Crusade for Christ.
As a
new-born mediator, his global vision is to refocus the energy and insights of
the misguided, disgruntled or disenfranchised in order to help break the cycles
of violence; to further advance the removal of conditions that lead to abject
poverty, and preventable diseases. For RNM, Sunny desires to help
grow it into a multi-national strategic relief & networking agency that transfers
appropriate technological skills to needy people groups around the world
while advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ through the vital interactions of
nationals with RNM volunteers on an individual choice basis.
The
core projects of RNM center on building relationships with trust materializing
in the provision of affordable community water wells through drilling
projects,
pump maintenance training of the
natives, and the use of country-specific V-TEN* curricula for
teaching appropriate vocational career programs.
Sunny likes to share his
faith or testimonies with small groups of people and individuals from various
cultures or
countries. He sees himself as a helper in the Body of Christ and assists
likewise in his local church community.
He is married to amiable
Ogechi F. Ochi-Okorie since 1978. Their marriage is blessed with 3 children –
Amarachi, 20, Chidiebere, 18, and Chinonso, 15.
V-TEN* Vocational
Technical Education Network – a program jointly developed with Grace
Network Ministries, Inc. based in Portland Oregon.
(Secretary)Mike graduated from Baylor University in 1980 with a degree in Computer Science. He has worked in the Houston area since graduation where he has pursued an information technology career at several big oil companies. Mike is currently a business analyst with Shell Oil Products, US in the Applications Development & Projects group.
Mike grew up as a missionary kid in Valencia, Venezuela along with an older and younger sister. His parents, Buck and Ila Mae, served for over thirty years as church planters and evangelists in Venezuela. He still maintains ties to Venezuela via his parent’s ministries and projects coordinated through the Gospel Vision Foundation based in San Angelo, Texas. Also, Mike’s younger sister and her husband pastor a church in Caracas.
Mike, his wife Pam, and two daughters make their home in Sugar Land, Texas. They are members of Sugar Creek Baptist Church and enjoy regularly volunteering at Second Mile Ministries in Stafford, Texas. Mike shares RNM’s vision of helping those in need physically as well as spiritually.
TreasurerCyril Edozie Okeke is the current treasurer of the ministry. He currently works as a Sales Inspector for Orkin Inc. in Houston Texas, and brings a variety of skills to RNM for ministry.
Cyril is graduate of Civil Engineering from Yaba College Of Technology Lagos. He is an ordained Pastor with All Believers Congregation Lagos, Nigeria. He is married to Adetutu Okeke (Pharm D.) a clinical pharmacist with Ben Taub General Hospital Houston, TX. They have two children Ebube and Ozioma, and happily Serving the Lord, Jesus Christ. They are active members of Abundant Life Christian Center, in La Marque Texas.
Born in Houston TX, Ashley has two children (Anthony-36, Brad-29); for
education, Ashley graduated from University of Houston with a BS, and from
UTMB-Galveston as Physician Assistant with Special recognition in Cardiac
surgery, Post grad studies at Yale (Surgery).
Workplace & Experience: various Cardiac surgery jobs (UTMB, St Joseph’s, UMASS
Hospital), Current: (past 10 yrs) Primary Care PA for Geriatric and Hospice
Medical Services- specialized in Geriatrics. Ashley is currently running
practice as Chief PA and Managing Director of Continuity Care Home Health Agency
in Kingwood, Texas.
Business interest: both Ashley and Dave own and operate the Home Health Agency
in Kingwood for the past 3 years... serving the needs of the North (Kingwood,
Conroe, Woodlands, Spring areas) and employ about 15 staff.
Hobbies she enjoys include - motorcycling, scuba diving, sky diving and pets.
(Volunteers Director / Relief Ambassadors Coordinator)
Her marriage is blessed with two grown and married sons, Ron and Steve. She enjoys working out at a local gym and stays connected via her computer. She loves to travel, read, hike, and be with friends to play table games, cribbage and pinochle. Her belief in continuous learning has led to her new pastimes with water coloring, and the musical keyboard. She takes Taffy, her dog, for daily walks.
At Valley Springs Presbyterian Church (VSPC) in Roseville where she is a member, Barbara leads a Divorce and Relationship Recovery ministry. Along with one of their pastors, she also heads up the Stephen Ministry .
In 2006, she made her first mission trip to Nigeria (Zing) with the Jesus Film Project of her local church, and also visited the Philippines on a short term mission trip. She has helped organize and facilitate the fund raising for Project Village Well in Zing between 2007 and 2008, and later helped take a collaborative team of VSPC, RNM, and Lighthouse Baptist Church to Nigeria in Nov. 2008. Her purpose in life is to love Jesus and to love others. She is looking forward to meeting each one of you as we volunteer together!
Director - Program Development
About Vanda Borders: Vanda is a multi-faceted individual and brings a lot of skills to the ministry, including a deep love for people, especially children. She currently teaches special needs children as a volunteer in the Granite City school district where she also serves as a sports coach. Prior to these positions, Vanda worked in the banking sector for a number of years before changing her priorities around her family's need. She is married to Brian and their marriage is blessed with 3 children - a boy and 2 girls. She has been a leader in several bible study groups, and presently attends Valley Springs Presbyterian Church in Roseville, California. She enjoys taking long walks with her 3 dogs and uses the opportunity to pray for people including strangers she sees or meets along her route. She will serve as RNM's Program Development & Fundraising Director.
Director - Events & Fundraising Support
About Vanissa Plata:
Vanissa Plata is a Global Oracle HRMS professional at Jacobs Engineering with
past experience working in Consulting. Having graduated from the
University of St. Thomas with a BBA in Management Information Systems, she is
now pursuing her MLA in International Development and Theology. Upon her
first mission assignment aiding evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention
Center in Houston , TX after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans; Vanissa
was deeply inspired by the Holy Spirit to do God’s will. Since then she
has been actively working in the mission field which has led her to
Huehuetenango Guatemala , Abuja and Malumfashi Nigeria , as well as Kolkata
India . She is a dedicated advocate for the ONE Campaign and a devoted
associate member for the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP “Ambassadors for
Christ”).
She attends Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston , TX where she participates
in their Sunday morning Bible study. Vanissa has led young adults on World
Youth Day pilgrimages bi-yearly. As a single young adult, God has used
Vanissa to serve his mission through ways unimaginable. The love of God
and the love of her neighbor are her center core values.
Owner, Windstorm Plus Engineering, Dickinson, TX.
Ogechi Florence Ikeji Duru Okorie (Mrs) is third of seven children born to Michael and Felicia Ikeji of Umuchoke in Amaigbo town of Imo States of Nigeria. She grew up mostly in Enugu where she finished High School before proceeding to the USA to join her then fiancé (Sunny Okorie) and to commence her university education.
She got married in 1978 to A. Sunny Okorie at Christian Center Salem Oregon (AGM Church). Their marriage is blessed with 3 children, Amarachi (Rebecca), Chidiebere (Ebenezer), and Chinonso (Daniel). Two of these have graduated from the university, one with a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and the other with a BS. degree in Bio-Chemistry and the third one is a senior in the university.
She completed a Bachelors degree program in Foreign Languages (French) with a minor in Education at the Portland State University in Oregon, which was started at Oregon College of Education Monmouth Oregon, got certified as a Language teacher and was one time a nursing student at College of the Mainland Texas City Texas. Oge’ is also a Certified Nurses Aide CNA. She was ordained as a minister of the Gospel at All Nations Church in League City Texas following the completion of the ministerial program at All Nations Bible Institute with several years of related training. She is a member of Phi Sigma Iota, National Foreign Language Honor Society. Member Phi Theta Kappa, International Scholastic Order of Two Year College.
Prior to coming to the USA in 1977, she taught for several years as an Elementary School Teacher at All Saints Primary School, Bishop Onyeabo Memorial Primary School Onitsha and Omuma Road Primary School Aba, Nigeria.
Following her graduation she taught High School at Government secondary School Owerri in Imo State and for a few more years at National Institute for Nigerian Languages Ogbor Hill, Aba in Abia State. However, she has devoted most of her time to rearing her children. Later in Nigeria, she also helped grow their family business – Solid Rock Computers Ltd at Aba by working as a Project Manger / Supervisor of their Desktop Publishing unit and the Computer Training Institute.
She became born again through the ministry of the Scripture Union Enugu Nigeria and remained a member throughout High School at Baptist Girls High school and Queen’s High School Enugu. She was also a member of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship in Owerri, Gboko and Aba chapters while in Nigeria, and attended their events with her husband in Portland Oregon in the early 80s. She was a Member of Portland International Students Fellowship organized by the First Baptist Church Down Town Portland were she featured as a singer and also a member of ISI Portland chapter led by Mama and Papa Cordell, with the headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was once a Mrs. International beauty pageant Queen at Portland State University, Portland Oregon in 1978/79 School year.
Oge’ loves to sing and has served as a member of the Choir in Assemblies of God Churches Uwani, Enugu Umungasi Aba, and a member at 44 Royce Road Owerri. She has been a Sunday School teacher for several years in a number of local churches, including the Nassau Bay Baptist Church at Nassau Bay & All Nations Church in League City, Texas. She was a member at Portland Foursquare Church in Portland Oregon and a leader in several women’s groups. The groups include - Women’s Fellowship – Owerri Foursquare Gospel Church, Christian Center Church Gboko, Benue State, Jesus Brethren Ministries Aba, and the NIFES (Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students), Owerri Zone. As a trained Bible Scholar, she is addicted to the things of God and a fervent prayer warrior in the Body of Christ. Oge' is very hospitable, and loves to help children.