Becca Hafer
2001 ABWE Appointee
Church: Perry Baptist, Perry, MI
Phone: (517) 625-7773
E-mail: beccahafer@juno.com
Country: Eastern Europe
I accepted Christ as my Savior when
I was four after my pastor preached about heaven and hell.
The faithful training I received as a child from my parents,
church, and Christian school helped me grow in my walk
with Christ.
While I was in junior high, God planted
in me the desire to be involved in missions. After a Romanian
pastor spoke at our missions conference, I surrendered
myself to do God's will whether He wanted me in the United
States or overseas.
From September to December 1999, I
served short-term in Hungary through the Missionary Apprenticeship
Program. Dr. Nik and other missionaries encouraged
me to try various outreach methods new to me, including
teaching English as a second language. God used the time
I spent in Hungary to give me a burden for the people in
Central and Eastern Europe.
Beth Hafer
2001 ABWE Apppointee
Church: Perry Baptist, Perry, MI
Phone: (517) 625-7773
E-mail: eehafer@juno.com
Country: Central & Eastern Europe
I received Jesus as my Savior at age
four after a children's church service. Although I was
young, the memory of that day remains vivid in my mind.
My mother tells me that when I was six, I responded to
a call to missions. I don't remember that, but God holds
us to our word. During my teenage years, my youth pastor
was Dr. Nik, now with ABWE in Eastern Europe. I often
felt drawn toward missions. I would say, "I want to
be willing to go." That, however, is a far cry from, "I
AM willing to go."
After graduating from Bob Jones
University in 1994, I worked in publishing for the Michigan
Family Forum. A friend and I saved money to take a whirlwind
tour of Europe. Through
the years, Mark often asked, "When are you coming
to Hungary?" I began asking God for direction, but
the words "Just GO!" kept coming to mind. By
March 2001, I still hadn't made a decision. Dr. Kempton
preached at our missions conference. His sermon had a
one-word title-"GO!" At the end of the Sunday
morning service, I surrendered my life to missions.
Shane & Lonna (Shirley) Jobson
2001 ABWE Appointees
Church: Calvary Baptist, Grand Rapids
MI
Children: Gwendolyn '86; Braden '88; Caleb '91; Dylan '92
Phone: (616) 754-2149
Country: Ukraine
Shane: I came to the saving knowledge
of Christ at the age of five, through the love and teaching
of my parents. At the age of 12, I dedicated my life to
serve God in missions. Lonna and I married in 1985, and
at our wedding dedicated our lives to missions service.
Five years later, I took my first short
term-trip to the Philippines. While there, God taught me
He loved me enough to take care of our family on a foreign
field. Our family served for the past three years in Ukraine,
working in economic development, leading small group Bible
studies, working with youth/children, and helping to plant
churches.
Lonna: From my toddler days, my mother
regularly taught me about salvation. Just before I turned
four, I accepted Christ as Savior. I was eager to share
this experience with several friends. Through difficult
family times, God has proven Himself faithful. As a sixth
grader I began a daily quiet time. In my teens I felt His
call to missions, and through the years, God continued
to prepare me for life and ministry overseas.
During our time in Ukraine my simple
desire to serve God in missions grew into a passion. I
love the people and ministry, and look forward to our return.
Al & Paige
(Bobeck) Kemper
2001 ABWE Appointees
Church: First Baptist, Goshen, IN
Children: Tyler '95; Jacquelyn '97; Hannah '99
Phone:(219) 862-1685
E-mail: akemper@aol.com
Country: Australia
Al: Except for a grandmother who sang
hymns to me, I grew up in an unsaved family. My whole life
was sports. After high school, I began attending church
with my friend, Dave Eger, and Paige (now my wife). I accepted
Jesus Christ as Savior in 1985, then went to college on
a baseball scholarship.
I began my career as a police officer
in 1991. Paige and I attended church, but weren't very
involved. In 1995, our son, Tyler, was born. The first
time I saw him I thought, Someday he's going to die and
it's my responsibility to give him the chance to know Christ.
That was the first time I witnessed to anyone out loud,
and it was to a newborn baby.
During our church's 1997 mission conference,
I felt the Lord calling me into missions. I told Him He
had the wrong person, because I was satisfied with my life.
I fought God's calling for two years, although I continued
witnessing to criminals. God used Dave Wilson's presentation
to show us the needs in Australia.
Paige: My parents took their children
to church, and at the age of six, I accepted Jesus Christ
as Savior. I was in sixth grade when I first felt the Lord
calling me to be a missionary. I immediately said, "No
way," and suppressed the thought. As I grew older,
I attended church, but God was not first in my life. This
pattern continued as I graduated from college in 1990 with
a nursing degree.
After the birth of our son, I began
to develop a more personal relationship with God. At our
church's 1997 missions conference, I sensed the Lord's
call into missions. Reading the requirements, I decided
we weren't qualified to serve. Then we visited ABWE's Candidate
Seminar in 2000. Hearing the challenges and needs around
the world was God's final step in confirming His call to
us.
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Keith & Michelle (Foster)
Lippy
2001 ABWE Appointee
Church: Church of the Open Door, Westminster,
MD
Children: Julee '93; Jessica '95; Jarrett '97; Joseph '98; Sarah '00
Phone: (423) 344-5055
E-mail: lippy28@juno.com
Country: Liberia
Keith: I grew up in a Christian home
and at age seven, I went forward in a service. For the
next 20 years I went through the motions of Christianity,
but my real loves were farming, hunting, and sports. I
even put off marriage because I didn't want to commit to
anyone. Years later, after our marriage, I suffered a fall
and was paralyzed. As I slowly regained strength over the
next three months, God showed me HE had to be first in
my life.
As I finally attempted to live by faith,
things began to happen. God opened the door for us to attend
Temple Baptist Seminary. At the missions conference at
Highland Park Baptist this spring, Michelle and I both
felt God clearly calling our family to share His Word with
others around the world.
Michelle: I grew up in a Christian
home and at the age of seven accepted Christ as Savior.
But I wanted to live MY way. In college, I started partying
and did things I knew didn't please the Lord.
Keith and I actually had known each
other from the time we were five. After college, we dated
for five years. I was sure God wanted us together. But
one week before our wedding, Keith called it off. At the
same time, my dad lost his job, and sold our family home.
I cried, "Lord, I don't know why this is happening." God
taught me I didn't need to scheme and worry; I needed to
trust Him. I got into a Bible-believing church and grew
spiritually. At the end of the year, Keith and I were married,
and God has blessed us with a large family. I always wanted
to be a teacher; God gave me my own school.
Mark & Kimberly (Piell) Luce
2001 ABWE Appointee
Church: Riverbend Baptist, Grand Rapids,
MI
Children: Ashlee '95; Austin '97; Kaylee '98
Phone: (616) 249- 0817
E-mail: Mark_Luce@msn.com
Country: Australia
Mark: During second grade at Emmanuel
Baptist Christian School in Toledo, OH, a chapel speaker
used a karate demonstration to present the gospel. I realized
I was a sinner on my way to hell. After chapel, the school
secretary led me to Christ.
In high school, I made a public decision
to serve the Lord, and my pastor challenged me to study
for Christian service. I didn't openly oppose him, but
I attended Cedarville College and obtained a degree in
business administration. For the next 10 years, I worked
at Zondervan, helping produce Bibles and Christian literature
used around the world.
Soon after Kim and I married, we started
attending Good News Baptist Church. Pastor Steve Mayo asked
me to work with the junior high. Then in 1997, I became
youth director at Riverbend Baptist Church. I wanted the
youth to experience overseas missions. We led an ABWE Expedition
team to Australia. When we returned, Kim was eager to move
into full-time missions. We had the ABWE application forms,
but I was reluctant to fill them in. Finally, through prayer
and seeking God's will, I felt the Lord leading us to Australia
as full-time missionaries.
Kim: At age five during church, I received
Christ as my Savior. When I was 12, in a Bible class at
school, I realized God didn't hold first place in my life.
That day I dedicated my life to the Lord.
Growing up in a pastor's home, I had
many opportunities to see ministry first hand through my
parents and the missionaries who visited in our home. I
saw the joy that is possible in serving God. I attended
Word of Life Bible Institute and Cedarville College, and
have been able to serve the Lord in many areas.
After returning from the Expedition
trip, I wanted to return to Australia right away. Later,
I wondered, "What will our church say? What about
our kids? Our parents?" Their answers have all been
a positive GO. I'm looking forward to seeing how God will
use us to share Him with others.
Aaragon & Malinda (Betz) Markwell
Church: Eatonville Baptist, Eatonville,
WA
Children: Josiah '00
Email: aarmal2@yahoo.com
Country: Togo
Aaragon: My parents divorced when I
was a year old. My mother remarried and, although they
had no religious background, she and my stepfather enrolled
me in a Christian school. I loved the daily Bible hour.
As a 5th grader, I was born again. In 6th grade I returned
to public school and walked away from the Lord. Broken
and frustrated, at the end of high school, I returned to
the Father and found Him waiting for me.
Our youth pastor, Dan Hoffman, encouraged
me to attend Bible school. I was hesitant but with the
help of many people in the congregation, I found myself
at Word of Life Bible Institute then Appalachian Bible
College.
Malinda and I moved to Tacoma so I
could attend Northwest Baptist Seminary. There I met brilliant-but
humble-men of God. Often in theology class, Dr. Jack Willsey
shared his missionary experiences in Japan.
Malinda: My mother led me to the Lord
when I was four. My father was a deacon and drove in the
church bus ministry. I went with him on visitation. Lake
Center Bible Church, was missions-minded, and as a teenager,
I went on three mission trips to Guyana, South America.
As a 7th grader on my first missions
trip, I decided I wanted to be a medical missionary.
My youth leaders, Bob & Cheryl Evans, encouraged
me to keep that focus.;I became a Certified Nurse Assistant.
My husband and I met at Word of Life, then attended Appalachian
Bible College. I thank God He has led us into missions
to help meet some of the great needs overseas.
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