“What are you thinking? Why would you not build on your beautiful retirement property like you have been planning, where you have grandchildren nearby and can enjoy your well-earned retirement?” People have asked us this question many times since we accepted the call in March to join AFM as Asia field directors. But, with 40 years of denominational service in the USA, Canada and Africa, a strong desire to be in the center of God’s will compels us.

Throughout our early years of growing up and attending church schools and Adventist colleges, we both maintained an interest in missions. The miracle of our coming from opposite corners of the continent to meet, marry and enter God’s work together strengthened our desire for service. Our years of service at Solusi College during Zimbabwe’s war for majority rule convinced us that God has the power to equip us to serve wherever He directs.

We first became acquainted with AFM when we housed some missionaries attending meetings at Union College. Then Adventist Frontiers magazine began arriving at our home. Several years of inspiring reading convinced us that AFM was practicing Christ’s methods of outreach. We were strongly attracted to this model of service, but we felt we did not have the qualifications to be frontline missionaries. Surely 40 years of teaching, counseling and mentoring young people was enough. But God’s Spirit continued to whisper. A discussion with John Baxter during his annual missions-week visit to Union College added fuel to our smoldering conviction that we could be of service through AFM and convinced us to apply. The sale of our home and acreage (after four years of marketing) the day before we left for AFM orientation in Michigan was confirmation to us that we were on a new journey with God.

So what do we hope to do as Asian Projects Field Directors? We hope to be bridges between AFM, the Church entity where the projects reside, and the frontline missionaries. We plan to research sites for new projects and assist in planning culture-specific evangelistic strategies. We will also perform administrative functions such as approving budgets, facilitating strategic planning, providing a safety network and representing our projects in committees and meetings. Finally, we will uphold the spiritual, physical and emotional wellbeing of our missionaries. As one friend observed, “you will be Mom and Dad to the frontline missionaries.”

As we move forward with our project, we hope to inspire others with love for the unreached and the value of using Christ’s outreach methods. But we need your support! Thanks to those praying a hedge of protection around us, we have already escaped several attempts by Satan to derail our project. We have extended training to do, so we hope to have our funds all in place before May when we go to AFM training. Our hearts are already with God’s work in Asia as we maintain contact with some of those we already know there. Please join our team in the joy of service.

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