Liberty University graduate Dwight Poggemiller (’88, ’92) said he and his wife, Melissa (’98), were given so much while at Liberty that they sense now is the time to give back. As mission workers in Europe, they want to inspire the next generation.
“We were really poured into by Liberty professors and through short-term trips, and we feel like now is our chance to give back and to be on the encouraging, helping-to-send, and mobilizing side of things,” he said. “We have realized as a couple that it has been a huge blessing to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. We can help others to be a part of that blessing, and they are going to experience an incredible work of the Lord in their lives if they say yes to Him in this area.”
The Poggemillers are missionaries in Romania, sent out by Thomas Road Baptist Church to serve through Greater Europe Mission. Dwight Poggemiller is the leader for GEM’s Training and Development team and has served in Europe for over 25 years. In his effort to give back to LU, Dwight helped facilitate the recent LU Serve trip to Romania. He traveled with the team from site to site throughout their stay and spent time talking to students about his life’s work and the importance of reaching the world for Christ. (Read more about this trip.)
The Poggemillers with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell.
Dwight’s parents, Dr. Helmuth and Esther Poggemiller, were English professors at Liberty from the 1980s until their retirement in the early 2000s. Dwight attended Liberty Christian Academy before enrolling at Liberty. During his years in Lynchburg, he said he built relationships with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and his son Jonathan Falwell (TRBC senior pastor and Liberty University campus pastor). They graduated from LCA together.
“While I was preparing to go to the mission field, (Dr. Falwell) was so supportive,” he recalled. “He wrote letters of recommendation to other pastors to help with raising support. He was a real encouragement throughout that time. There has been a continued, personal interest and support that started with Dr. Falwell and has continued down through Jonathan. We praise the Lord for that.”
After graduating with an undergraduate degree in history and then his Master of Divinity, Poggemiller traveled to Romania and taught theological studies at a Bible school for two years. He met Melissa in 1998 during a brief visit back to Lynchburg. The couple married in 2000 and moved to Romania in 2001 to continue teaching at the Bible school. They continue to serve in a variety of roles as long-term missionaries with GEM in Timisoara, Romania, while raising their four children.
The family was able to take part in serving Ukrainian refugees last year in Moldova, a country between Ukraine and Romania.
“Together with many partners, I think we touched well over 40,000 refugees in some way with the love of Jesus,” Dwight said.
Additionally, with his assistance, LU Serve partnered with GEM last fall to send supplies for Ukrainian refugees. The supplies were made possible by donations to the Liberty University Fund for Ukraine’s Future.
