YUVIA 2026 Annual Conference - April 24-26, 2026

Building a Prevailing Ministry

“Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:20-22

About our 2026 Annual Conference

April 24-26, 2026
Sunscapes Resort Dominicus La Romana, DR

Missionaries live high paced, deeply spiritual and vitally important lives. They give themselves fully and freely to the call from God they have accepted. Often, they say “yes” to as many opportunities and obligations as possible to maximize their impact on the mission field.

This pace coupled with the place can lead to premature burn-out at worst and being dangerously weary at best.

Yuvia invests in the Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual well being of missionaries by developing and deploying resources to enrich and extend the impact of missions to Latin America.

Our hallmark event is an annual retreat/conference. At this event we bring in physical therapists to diagnose and treat the many stress-related ailments missionaries carry along with them without complaint. We mobilize child care to give parents a much needed break. We
bring top tier worship leaders to bring attendees into a spirit of praise. We offer practical and biblical teaching from seasoned ministry leaders who know a thing or two about the long marathon of ministry.

We keep the registration fee for the conferences as low as possible and also know that if material comes at no cost whatsoever, it lowers the perceived value for the missionaries we hope to encourage. We host the event at a location that offers many amenities so missionaries
can find time to relax, recharge and refresh. We space meetings out so there is ample down time.

We’re looking for partners who care about the efficacy of missions and love the missionaries carrying the gospel ahead.

The regular prices for the conference are:
Single – $79
Married Couples – $109
Groups of 4 and up – $59 per person

Room Fees are:
Single – $150 per person, per night
Double Occupancy – $112.50 per person per night ($225 for the room per night)
Triple Occupancy – $100 per person per night ($300 for the room per night)

Reserve your room now! Contact Jackie Johnson to make your reservation.
Whats App 1-849-358-7780 | Email Jackie@graceworldministries.org

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Meet Our Speakers

Ken Lassiter
Lassiter Coaching
Ken and Cindy (Cunningham) have been married for over 50 years and have three daughters and 11 grandchildren. Cindy is currently completing her 50-year K-5 teaching ministry, actively engaging students and parents in training and child development.
Ken is a graduate and degree holder from Pahokee High School (FL), Southwest Baptist University (MO), Delta State University (MS), and Aiden University (FL), with a certification as a Certified Professional Coach. Additionally, Ken has completed multiple levels of advanced training in leadership development, cross-cultural initiatives, and international partnerships. He has been actively engaged in project development in over 48 countries across the Americas, South and Central Asia, North Africa, and Europe.
Ken is a former teacher, administrator, coach, mission pastor, leader of a mission organization, and sports official. He leads a ministry that combines coaching and consulting, discipling, and mentoring. Currently, he is engaged with churches, mission organizations, missionaries, church planters, teachers, coaches, men's discipleship groups, and a large group of sports officials and representatives from Georgia High School sports, as well as his local church, community, and neighborhood.

Joe Friesen
Shepherds Care
Joe Friesen is a Follower of Christ, husband of Patty, and father of Aaron and Tim. He has served in American church ministry for 40 years and has also had extensive experience in leading/directing mission ministry as well as short-term mission trips. As Joe and Patty have journeyed through rich ministry years, they have also had inevitable times of discouragement, loss, exhaustion, and serious thoughts of quitting. These times of struggle led them to begin dreaming of a ministry that would offer RESToration to dangerously weary, broken, stressed and distressed Shepherds. In 2017 they stepped away from church ministry and started a non-profit ministry called Shepherds Care. In the last 5 years Joe and Patty have hosted hundreds of weary Shepherds of all kinds with a week of rest in the Hilton Head Island area of S. Carolina. All Guests come free of charge and experience a week of deep rest and amazing food – in Jesus’ name. More information can be found at: www.shepherdscare.info

Jordan Magelssen
Worship Pastor - Lowcountry Community Church
Jordan Magelssen is a passionate worship leader and pastor based in Bluffton, South Carolina. He has served as the Worship Pastor at Lowcountry Community Church for over 9 years, alongside his wife, Hannah, and their five children. With a heart for creating worship environments that foster deep encounters with God, Jordan is known for his pastoral heart and his dedication to uniting the congregation in worship. He is honored to lead worship at this gathering, serving those who are actively advancing God’s kingdom throughout the Dominican Republic.

Michael Nieves
Founder, Executive Director, Yuvia, Presenter

Michael is a follower of Jesus, husband to Jillian and dad to 3 mostly adult kids. He is a church planter, speaker, coach, and counselor. He has given himself to over 20 years of ministry. He is the founder of Yuvia and a passionate proponent of healthy ministry.

Paying for your Registration.

Payment is NOT required to register.
To pay while registering, use the donate button. Calculate your expense and enter the amount in the donate now box. At the next screen please can enter the first names of the people registering and the letter I, G or M to indicate individual, Group or Married rates.