Practical, prayerful, passionate Dakotans first created and now sustain Solar Oven Partners.
Grounded in flexibility for changing needs and times, we work for the economic, physical, spiritual and environmental well-being with the people in places we serve.
Initiated by lay persons and built on trust over a 20-plus-year history, today Solar Oven Partners are:
- Donors whose contributions fund materials and support training
- Hands-on volunteers at fabrication workshops in the Dakotas or through projects in their churches
- Volunteers-in-Mission team members who travel to serve
- In-country partners on mission sites who provide cultural and administrative connections; and
- Advisory Board, Staff, and Communication Team members who ensure accountability and transparency.
Solar Oven Partners is both a mission of the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church, supported by contributions to Dakotas UMC Advance #637 and an accredited Advance Special #418812 of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).
In-country administration and outreach partners include:
- Iglesia Evangelica Dominicana (Evangelican Church of the Dominican Church), Dominican Republic
- United Methodist Church, Sierra Leone, West Africa; and
- Four Corners Native American Ministry based in New Mexico.
Advisory Board Members
Rev. Phil Lint, Board President, Montrose, SD
Christopher Sylvah, Director
Ariana Armapatzis, Mitchell, SD
Gene Bethke, Raymond, SD
Gloria Borgman, Spearfish, SD
Adam Burnison, Rapid City, SD
Jay Niedert, Madison, SD
Dave Silbernagel, Zeeland, ND
Emily Warns, Madison, SD
Karen Workman, Bismarck, ND
Our Staff
Christopher Sylvah
Director
Christopher Sylvah retired from many years at Wells Fargo Bank and became the new Solar Oven Director on January 1, 2023. He was an active community volunteer during his employment at Wells Fargo in Minnesota (MN) and in his free time. He is also a lifelong member of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church in Saint Paul MN. During this time, he served as a Lay Leader and Lay Representative to MN UMC Annual Conference. Christopher and his wife, Winifred immigrated from Sierra Leone, West Africa and has been living in MN for the past 30 plus years. They have two adult children Irwin and Idella.
Al Roll
Missional Impact Development Coach
Dakotas United Methodist Church
Communications Team
Christopher Sylva
Director
Donna Fischer
Stillwater, MN
Connie Smith
Montrose, SD
Karen Workman
Bismarck ND
Workshop Managers
Central Workshop, Raymond, SD
Pack oven components for shipping; manufacture bread pans
Gene Bethke
Insulation Workshop, Montrose, SD
Cut insulation; wrap oven components
Rev. Phil Lint
Mission Partners
Dominican Republic
Erasme Figaro
SOP Director and Pastor at Iglesia Evangelica Dominicana (Evangelical Church of the Dominican Republic)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Navajo Nations
Debra Yazzie
Executive Director for the Four Corners Native American Ministry
Shiprock, New Mexico
Sierra Leone, West Africa
Joe Edward Pormai
SOP Coordinator in Sierra Leone
United Methodist Church
Sierra Leone, West Africa