Emily Plaggemeyer

My name is Emily Plaggemeyer. Hudsonville, Michigan is where I call home. I am the wife to an amazing man and the mother of 7 incredible children. One of our children, Emmie, was adopted through WAMM in 2012. I have always LOVED children and did not waste any time beginning a family after getting married. While my children were little, I had the privilege of being able to stay at home with them. Once they were all off at school full-time, I went to work in a special education classroom as a paraprofessional. My love for the special needs community grew immensely through this season. I was involved with that for several years and now find myself again as a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I serve our community together through foster care.  Currently, we are caring for an incredible little man with autism.  I am also delighted to be able to serve foster families as meal coordinator of Closet of Hope.

WAMM became a passion of mine after I took a trip to Ghana in 2011 with my husband. The community, children, and needs within and outside the ministry fueled something in me that I can’t seem to let go. My heart beats all things WAMM. Shortly after that trip, I was invited to join the board and a few years ago I took on the role of Chairman of the Board. It is an incredible honor to be able to serve the WAMM community in this way. Sponsorship Coordinator is another role I claim to fill. I desire to serve this ministry in any way that I can and trust that this desire will not go away anytime soon. I long to see more vulnerable children shown the love of Jesus and He continues to do that through this ministry.  I couldn’t be more delighted to be a small part of that.        

"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10

Jim Ferwerda

I’m Jim Ferwerda, and I’ve been on the WAMM board since 2008.  During that time, I’ve served in several capacities, including Treasurer, Secretary, and several terms as Board President.  I currently serve as the WAMM Board VIce-President.  Over the years, I’ve been to Ghana visiting the ministry happening there ten times, and led eight different teams to Ghana over the years.

As can probably be guessed from the longevity of my involvement in WAMM, the mission of WAMM deeply resonates with me.  As followers of Jesus, I believe our highest calling is to holistic worship of the Lord.  Our worship is demonstrated in how we image Jesus in this world; the extension of mercy to the most vulnerable of this world, the “least of these” (Matthew 25), is the way I believe we best show our worship.  We love God best when we love others the way that He loves us.  This is pure and genuine worship; this is central to WAMM’s mission and operation.  As James 2:17 reminds us, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Professionally, I am a retired public school teacher and currently work part-time for our Madison, Wisconsin church as a ministry coordinator.  Personally, I am blessed to have a wonderful wife, two amazing adult children (and an amazing daughter-in-law), and three sweet grandchildren.  In my spare time, I am often found on my bicycle tackling the Madison-area bike trails and hills, watching ice hockey (especially Badger Women’s Hockey), or reading on our patio (when the Wisconsin weather is cooperative, which is like four months a year).

Chris Baker

My name is Chris Baker and I am a recent member of the board for WAMM. I am the pastor of a rural church in NW Wisconsin, a husband, and father of five children which keeps me on my toes. I try to stay involved in my community as much as possible, both as a coach for the Special Olympics and as a volunteer firefighter. Personally, I enjoy retro video games, jiu-jitsu, and powerlifting.  

Before becoming a pastor, I worked in the field of special education for 15 years in a variety of environments, eventually as a supervisor in an alternative school. It was my experience working with children with special needs that led me to WAMM, and I was able to see things up close and personal through a mission trip to Ghana in the Winter of 2025. 

I am heavily impressed with what God is doing through WAMM and so decided to become more deeply connected as a board member. I am thankful to serve the least of these in the name of Jesus and look forward to helping this ministry thrive for many years to come. As C.T. Studd famously said, 

"Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last."