After both encountering God in their teens, Herbert and Lorelei Barbutti fully committed themselves to giving their lives for the Gospel. At 17, Herbert began full-time ministry in Italy, and, at 18, moved to Africa on a one-way ticket. With little money and no financial support, Herbert served under Roland and Heid Baker in Pemba, Mozambique, and was soon overseeing outreaches in the northern part of the country where churches were being planted every week.

Although Mozambique was in revival Herbert felt called to go to those places where others were unable or unwilling and started leading teams into new areas such as the Congo (DRC). Herbert and Lorelei began dating in Mozambique as Lorelei was getting ready to go to South Africa and Ireland to minister to sexually broken women in the red-light districts. She went with no place to stay and faith that it was what God had told her to do. God did miraculous things during those months and later they came together again in Kansas City and married there in 2010. After a 6 day honeymoon, the Barbuttis left to start doing missions in Fortaleza Brazil with some wedding gift money and lots of faith.  

In Fortaleza, they pioneered a missions base (Iris Fortaleza) alongside a missionary from England (Andrew Fanstone) who had already been in Brazil for a decade. They focused on missional community and outreach to favelas (slums), red-light districts, and the unreached in Northern Brazil (Sertao). It wasn’t long before  God brought many young people from all over Brazil and other nations to Iris Fortaleza to serve and trained. After 4 years in Brazil, the team had miraculously moved into a larger facility and grown to 40 full-time missionaries living on base ministering all over the city (and nation) and seeing God stir Brazilians to radically pursue Jesus. To this day, Iris Fortaleza continues to thrive and raise up nationals and internationals devoted to God.  

After their first missions training school in Fortaleza (2015) the Barbuttis were asked to oversee Iris Global missions around the world and to train future pioneer missionaries. This required Herb and Lorelei to move to the U.S. and travel frequently, and this resulted in excellent fruit! They saw leaders formed, restored, and sent during this time, while still continuing to disciple leaders in Brazil and all over the world. As wonderful as this season was, the Barbuttis had always known that their callings required them to be overseas among unreached people. In praying and scouting where to establish themselves and start a headquarters for this growing group of missionaries, they were surprised to find Japan continuously burning in their hearts. Since 2020 they have planted the Cross Culture base and church in Tokyo, Japan.