Vice President Dirk Smith joined Eastern European Mission following his highly successful tenure as a development officer with his alma mater, Harding University. An accomplished manager, he earned experience in business development with an eye for revenue building through positions with firms like Jackson & Coker in Dallas, Texas, and T. Williams Consulting serving clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. He has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and an MBA with a focus on OrganizationalDevelopment and Ethics.

At EEM, Dirk oversees fundraising and marketing efforts as well as assists with U.S. operations. He is an experienced presenter and storyteller and loves sharing the stories of what God is doing through the ministry of EEM.

Dirk is married to his beautiful wife and best friend, Julianne. They reside in the Nashville area.

Luna Rivera is an actress originally from Miami, FL and plays Hope in Still Hope. She grew up on the stage, performing in school plays and competing at All-Star level cheerleading and dance competitions. Luna is known for See/Saw, Ordinary Joe, and Secrets in the Sisterhood.

Richie is the Co-Owner of Studio 523, a production company he runs with his wife and business partner, Bethany. Richie approaches his work as a film producer with the same dedication and care as he would in ministry at a local church, navigating diverse personalities, perspectives, backgrounds and emotions. His goal is to create a film set that is both enjoyable and efficient, all while reflecting and honoring Christ throughout the production process. Still Hope is Richie’s directorial debut.

Not only was the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro legal, but it also has significant precedent.

The dictator’s cronies are still in power and vowing to resist the U.S.

And the reality: It was a superbly executed act of strategic opportunism that removed a vexing enemy.