About Us :: Board Members

Robert Muir is Co-Founder of Beyond Tears Worldwide.  Since the early 1980's, Robert has gone on many different humanitarian aid trips, including five consecutive summers in Gorazde, Bosnia from 2000 to 2004.  Robert's deepest desire is to see Beyond Tears Worldwide unite the disciples of Jesus Christ into fulfilling the Great Commandment of "Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself" and showing that true love does no harm to its neighbors. Professionally, Robert has been working as a Trust & Estate attorney in New Jersey since 1993, as well as serving on several non-profit boards.  Prior to going to law school, Robert worked as an Accountant for three years. Robert holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting, a Juris Doctor from Widener University and an LLM in Estate Planning from the University of Miami Schoolof Law.  Robert has been married since 1991, and lives with his wife, Wendy, and their five sons in Stanhope, New Jersey.

Vice President of Beyond Tears Worldwide

Mr. Lou Felo has been a long time resident in Europe, first arriving with his family in 1976. He has a Masters in Family Counseling and is a member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counseling. Originally from New Jersey, Mr. Felo has worked in different parts of the world promoting the notion of service based on his philosophy that we must train the next generation to make meaningful impact on those who choose to hurt others through oppression or war. Mr. Felo believes in the importance of working with those who suffer, by standing in their plight. He has been a pioneer in establishing charitable organizations whose hallmark characteristics include the notion of serving from the heart and living and working within a troubled area in order to properly understand the dilemma. Mr. Felo and his organization, Beyond Tears are currently developing a literary center for women in Afghanistan and are in the process of building the Friendship School. Mr. Felo has worked on the Administrative team at Black Forest Academy and has directed housing construction and orphanage work in Afghanistan, Nepal, Bosnia, and Kosovo. He has also served others in the war zone that was Croatia from 1991-93. Since arriving in Switzerland in 1997, he has mobilized many schools and their students to be involved in the aftermath of war in both Afghanistan and Bosnia.

Mrs. Elsie Hunter, shown here with her husband Lewis, who was deceased in December 2004, is the bookkeeper for Beyond Tears Worldwide. Elsie grew up in southern Ohio. She and Lewis served together in the pastorate in the United States in several churches in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They also served as missionaries in South Africa for 20 years. Elsie is excited about her opportunity to be a part of the work with Beyond Tears Worldwide. She is presently residing near Scranton, PA.

In 1996, Jay Comfort was transferred to Kumon Leysin Academy of Switzerland (KLAS) from the Kumon Kokusai Junior/Senior High School in Kanagawa, Japan. Prior to his transfer to the Kumon Gakuen Group he was employed by Kumon Institute of Education from 1991 – 1993 and was involved in the startup project-teams of KLAS and the Kumon Kokusai Gakuen. In 1989, he entered a Kumon-related organization call Educational Future Institute for new school startups because of his extensive background in cross-cultural training and understanding. These innovative educational programs are part of Kumon Institute of Education’s effort to prepare Japanese youth as leaders for Japan in the 21st century. In 1987, Comfort moved to Japan and taught for two years at the Sakura Prefectural High School in Chiba, Prefecture as part of Japan’s Exchange and Teaching (JET) program(me) and lived in Japan until his 1996 transfer to Switzerland. Prior to moving to Japan in 1987, Comfort worked at the Washington International Center (WIC) of Meridian House International in Washington, DC as a program coordinator. WIC is one of the most respected non-profit organizations in the world in cross-cultural training, and one of a handful of cross cultural training and understanding centers which provides cross-cultural orientation for the Agency of International Development (AID) contracts to thousands of AID-sponsored representatives from developing countries around the world. Comfort holds a bachelor’s of science degree from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia (1983). He attended Wesley Theological Seminary and completed his coursework in 1990. Other education includes three years of study at Elim Bible Institute (biblical studies) in Lima, New York (1974 – 77) and a year at Guilford College (psychology) in Greensboro, North Carolina (1978 – 79). In addition, he holds a Master Trainer’s Certificate in Cross-cultural training methodology (1986). He is married to Nazuna Konishi of Minoo, Osaka, Japan and lives with his wife and two children, Marina and Aria, in Leysin, Switzerland.

Education:

-1967 Diploma in farm management – University of Guelph, Ontario Canada
-1970 Diploma in Biblical studies – Ontario Bible College

Employment:

• 1971 to present – The Evangelical Alliance Mission of Canada
  
  • 2005 to present - Administration in Nepal
  • 1999 – 2002 business manager – The American School of Lyon, France
  • 1981 – 1999 manager family conference center at Chamrousse – French alps
  • 1977 – 1981 church construction & maintenance in Paris area – France
  •  1973 – 1977 hospital construction & administration – Chad Africa
  • 1971 – 1973 language learning in France

• 1967 – 1971 farm management

Present Projects
Past Projects in Afghanistan
Past Projects in Bosnia