Missionary, Keegan Cullen, who has been collecting winter-themed LEGO village sets since 2009, was enthused to share his collection with others while in the states to rest and rejuvenate before returning to the mission field in 2026. 

“Having an open house for church members was a great opportunity to talk with them and share what we have been doing overseas,” said Cullen. Keegan and his wife, Karmen, shared prayer cards with those who stopped by and had a fun contest for children to search for 10 Star Wars minifigures hidden in the display. The prize for finding all 10 characters being a Christmas-time favorite, a candy cane. 

Also on display was ceramic pottery made by Karmen, something she learned to do in high school and developed a passion for later in college. Her pottery items were works of art with practicality, and included toothbrush holders, spoon rests and travel cups for hot tea or coffee. 

Having been back in the states for six months, the Cullens have enjoyed spending time with family and friends, a welcome opportunity to recover from the homesickness and loneliness that can result from serving in long-term international missions. They have also engaged with the local community by volunteering weekly in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College. 

As they prepare to return to the mission field, they look forward to “starting fresh with a new set of people who have never heard the gospel,” said Cullen. Going to a city in Spain where around 30,000 unreached college students reside, the Cullens are excited to serve alongside a church plant, where students will have access to a local congregation where they can grow in faith and be discipled. 

Hillcrest Baptist Church already has plans to send summer interns and a mission team to help launch the new college ministry in 2026. “While we expect language barriers and other challenges along the way, we are looking forward to having a great church partnership while we serve on mission in Spain,” said Cullen. 

Their ministry service in the United States was followed by seven weeks in international missions training, then immersing themselves in the Spanish culture and language studies abroad.

They currently serve as missionaries in Spain with a local church plant, focusing on university ministry. To the Spanish people, tradition and relationships are very important. While battling a sense of homesickness and desire for their family and friends, Keegan and Karmen work to build relationships with students and create open doors for sharing the gospel.

Each week, they host in-home gatherings, called Tapas y Temas, where they take a close look at what the Bible says about real world topics. They also host game nights and meet-ups at local parks.

International mission work has brought a feeling of loneliness due to rejection and hostility to the gospel. In working with college students, they have seen a more open heart to the gospel than with older generations, and they rely heavily on God’s faithfulness while celebrating the wins.

They have witnessed college students coming to know Christ as Savior. The college ministry that began with zero students now has a number of students meeting regularly with excitement about what the Bible says, eager to know God’s plan for everyday life. The church plant they work with has grown in both attendance and maturity.

Through the support of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, they receive monthly counseling with a certified biblical counselor, a stipend and, most importantly, prayer. Hillcrest members have traveled twice on mission to their area of Spain.

“Our team is small, but growing. A few Mexican pastors are coming to help our church plant, and we have a few very involved couples. God is doing some great things!” emphasized Keegan.