Village Care

David Gray, Director of Product Development

As president and founder of ICCO (Institute for Comprehensive Community Outcomes) established in 2001, David has developed programs that address the need for integrating community, church, government and private volunteer organization programs for children, youth and adults. Looking at the needs of the whole person and coordinating service organizations to operate in the best interests of those in need, his training materials and outcome measurement tools have made positive changes in thousands of lives. One of David’s goals is to form bridges between the church and the community that will empower compassion ministries and mobilize volunteer resources.

David Glenwinkel, Director of Village Development

Over the last several years David has traveled throughout Africa and has made exploratory trips for Village Care to Tanzania, Sudan, and Nigeria. Focusing work in Kenya, he has led dozens of small teams of American volunteers, teaching about AIDS and other forms of disease in the village setting. David visited literally hundreds of widows and orphaned children abandoned in small deteriorating mud huts with no food and little clothing. There, many became the victims of the elements and abuse and fell into a spiral of despair and eventually death. A graduate in International Agriculture in 1976 and Masters in Science in 1999, David was a founding Board Member of ICCO (Institute for Comprehensive Community Outcomes) in 2001. David started Village Care as an idea in 2002 and implemented the first Village program in 2005.

Sally Lunetta, Director of Operations

As our primary logistics administrator, Sally coordinates our many volunteers as we assist churches and organizations around the U.S. in training for partnerships in Africa. From the time the decision is made to go to Africa until your team returns to U.S. soil, Sally is the one who makes it all happen! Sally first visited Kenya in 2004 and has led many teams to Africa since then. She has a heart for the women of Africa and hopes to continue her work with them by bringing more women to Africa to support the many mothers and widows struggling to keep their families from poverty and disease.

Reverend Julius and Salome Bagaka, Kenya National Hosts

Growing up as an orphan in a small village in Kenya has given Julius a unique perspective on the needs of his people and their capabilities. In 2005 Julius stepped down from the leadership of a major denomination in Kenya where he was responsible for the oversight of hundreds of churches, to become Co-Host of Village Care Kenya, along with his wife Salome.

Phillips Elisha, Nigeria National Host

Phillips joined Village Care in 2006, leading the charge in Nigeria. Holding a conference for all Village Care communities in May, 2007, Phillips brought together 30 representatives for review and training of VC concepts and principles, ensuring consistency and inter-faith partnerships and support for community improvement. Starting with the village of Tungan Magajiya, Phillips has been a driving force in community change throughout northern Nigeria. As of mid-2007, Phillips has trained over 25 volunteers to teach Village Care’s Outcomes, Practices and Open Space, expanding the Nigeria outreach to over 15 communities.

Scott Olivett, Director of Orphan Care

Scott Olivett, earned his degree in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Colorado State University, as well as his elementary teaching certificate from Metropolitan State College. For seven years, he taught in both public and private schools. Scott was Director of Cherry Hills Christian PreSchool in Highlands Ranch, Colorado for the past 12 years. Leading our Orphan Care initiative, Scott brings his years of experience in Early Childhood Development to the struggling orphanages in Kenya. Initiating a training curriculum for orphanage directors and working with US teams to improve the children’s homes, Scott is developing a plan to reunite orphaned children with their home villages and extended families throughout Kenya.