Andy & Anne Hermanns
- Our Local
- Our Reach
- Our Self
Andy and Anne Hermanns serve in Irrigon, a small farming community which is home to roughly 4,000 people. There is a growing drug problem. In fact, a known drug house is located right across the street from the town’s elementary school. While gang-related problems are decreasing, there are still gangs roaming the street. Prostitution is also growing in the community.
There is a large Hispanic population due to the immigrant flow for farming employment. Many people are poor and lack adequate housing and food. Most families are low income and rely on government services. The elementary school secretly packs backpacks full of food for kids who have nothing to eat on the weekends. There are a few churches in this community, but recently church attendance has declined. Many people consider themselves Christians, but don't fully understand the walk.
The kids in Irrigon do not have a safe place to go and mingle with other youth. They crave healthy relationships with people who actually care about them. In the 2017/18 school year, there were 8 attempted suicides; half were successful. Most children come from broken homes. Because of this, many are beginning to get into drugs, alcohol, and sexual relationships before they finish middle school. Teen pregnancy rates are up as well. One of the biggest needs is for connection and unity from the community as a whole.
After seeing the need in their community, Andy and Anne began to facilitate Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at the local high school, lead youth group at their home church, and have small group studies with some of the teens in their home. On Sunday nights they lead Radical Church which is geared toward youth and young adults to learn more about Jesus and the Bible’s teaching. They go to the schools and support the kids during sports games, assemblies, and concerts. In Fall 2018, they will begin volunteering at the high school campus to help the teachers and staff.
Several times a year Andy and Anne gather people for a prayer walk around the community. They both offer whatever they can: counsel, prayer, support, time, love, and more to the youth God lays on their hearts. FCA allows them to take church to the kids once a week who are not able or willing to attend a church. Christian concerts, camps, and events allow for Andy and Anne to take the youth to fun, clean events in a safe atmosphere. They believe God is leading them to expand outside of the church and into the heart of the community in order to take Jesus to the four corners of the city.
Andy and Anne Hermanns became approved candidates with InFaith in 2018.
Andy is a big-bearded, Jesus-loving guy who loves people and youth. Raised in Irrigon, he has a passion to serve his community. His testimony is powerful and beautiful as God called him to a life of hope at the age of thirty-three. He has the energy and spontaneity of a twelve-year-old, which the youth love! He is currently driven to grow Radical — a church designed for youth and young adults. After working as a mechanic for four years, God called him to InFaith to fulfill his dream of doing full-time ministry in his hometown.
His best friend and wife of sixteen years, Anne, participates in the ministry alongside him when she is not homeschooling their four kids or working from home with their small painting business.
