Jim and Glenda Platt Rudat

Glenda, widow of longtime West Side Associate Pastor Louis Platt, and her husband Jim have served as missionaries in Germany for over 20 years. Fluent in German, they now travel to Europe for extended stays one or two times a year, focusing their efforts on refugee outreach and providing care for young missionary families under the Greater Europe Mission.  

Years ago, Glenda and her late husband ministered in a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, where thousands of mostly Muslim refugees arrived from Turkey in overcrowded boats. That experience marked the beginning of lasting relationships with many refugee families. Today, Glenda and Jim continue nurturing those connections across Europe, reaching out to refugees who have resettled in various cities.  

Once refugees leave the camps, they often face isolation and lack spiritual support. Without guidance, many return to Islamic fellowships, distancing themselves from the message of the Gospel. To address this, Glenda and Jim are compiling a Europe-wide directory of evangelical refugee outreach ministries—a resource to connect missionaries working across borders. Their efforts have already helped build bridges between ministries and shared tools with others doing similar work.  

They’ve also seen spiritual fruit: three refugees recently expressed a desire to follow Jesus. One, Ali from Afghanistan, reflected on their meeting in the UN camp, saying, “All last year, I wondered how God led you to us out of the hundreds of people in camp. I still don’t understand how someone could hear what Christ did for them and not want to follow Him.”  

Their visits to refugee families often draw new listeners as friends and neighbors gather to hear their message. These seekers continue to reach out—asking questions, requesting literature, and exploring faith. While many have grasped the Gospel, they wrestle with the personal cost—especially the impact on their family relationships.