My wife and I have had the honor of serving as missionaries first as singles, then together as a couple. It has been a wonderful life and we would not have it any other way. I would love to share a little about our lives and how we continue to serve God through WorldVenture.
I was born and raised in a Christian home in Minnesota. I came to faith in Christ when I was five. As I grew, I was surrounded by strong Biblical teaching from people whose character matched their words. I was always familiar with missionaries as many visited my church.
My personal interest in missions began in college. I felt that God might be leading me in that direction and, in my first year after college, went to Rwanda to serve for one year. That year confirmed two things. First, it confirmed my call to missions. Second, I needed more specific training. I returned to the US and went to Denver Seminary for a Master’s degree in counseling. After working in Denver for a few years, God opened up the door to return to Rwanda in 2015.
My wife, a Brazilian, came to faith at 13, shortly after her father and mother came to faith. Her family quickly embraced serving God, with her parents serving as local missionaries. Her church emphasized reaching the lost. She felt the call to missions and in 2009 left her home to serve another country, where she lived and served for 10 years.
We met, by the grace of God, in 2018 and married in April of 2019. After a short period in Rwanda, God opened a new door for us. WorldVenture asked us to serve as regional member care coordinators for Africa. That means that we are responsible for supporting all WorldVenture people in Africa for the purpose of helping them thrive, living out what God has called each of them to do. It is a great opportunity to come alongside others who serve and uphold them so that the gospel may continue to spread.
