Rebekah Hoorn
Church: Good News Baptist, Grand Rapids, MI
Phone: (616) 785-0794
E-mail: rhoorn@alumni.cedarville.edu
Country:
Good News Baptist Church has had a vital role in every aspect
of my life. Under the direction of our youth pastor and his
wife, Steve and Sue Mayo (now ABWE missionaries in Australia),
I served in our church and also in mission churches in Michigan,
Utah, and Canada.
At Cedarville College, I majored in both elementary and
secondary English education to be prepared for as many teaching
situations as possible. After teaching high school English
for two years, I traveled to Australia with the IMPACT program
and got my first taste of foreign missions. I then enrolled
at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary to pursue a master's degree
in missions. In 2000, I completed an internship in Durban,
South Africa, serving and learning with the KwaZulu Natal
ministry team, made up of both missionaries and national
pastors.
It is my heart's desire that
God would take my skills, passions, and experiences, and
mold me into an effective
servant for His glory.
Matt and Jennifer (Erickson) Johnson
Church: First Baptist, Fowlerville, MI
Children: Micah '01
Phone: 519 369-9977
E-mail: mattjohnson74@hotmail.com
Country: Spain
Matt: My mother led me to the Lord when I was five. As a
young child, I gathered kids and the dog and preached to
them just like my dad and grandfather, (both pastors). But
as I grew older, I wanted nothing to do with church. I went
to college to pursue a degree in education. After two years,
I was discontent, left school, and began working full-time.
I began attending First Baptist
Church of Fowlerville. And God started softening my heart.
On missions trips to Mexico
and the Bahamas, I saw people accept Christ and thought,
Here are sheep without a shepherd. Brad Buser, a missionary
in Papua New Guinea, challenged me with the need for missionaries
who are in it for the long haul. I trained with New Tribes
Mission for three years, during which time I realized that
obedience to God's call is the main issue of life.
Jennifer: I trusted Christ as my
Savior in my grandma's
Sunday school class when I was six years old. I thank God
for drawing me to Himself at such an early age.
I went to college to study nursing,
thinking I would live out the "American dream." God used a family in
my home church to lead me to the New Tribes Bible Institute
in Jackson, Michigan. After three and a half years of training
in Michigan, a year in Papua New Guinea, and a year on staff
at the Bible institute, I began making plans to serve in
Venezuela. Due to health problems, I rejoined the staff in
Jackson. There I met Matt and as we prepare to serve Him
together, I realize God's plan is infinitely better
than I could have chosen for myself.
Curtis and Bonnie (Rhodes) Jones
Church: South Ridge Baptist, Vancouver, WA
Children: Stephen '79; Erin '81
Phone: (360) 576 9126
E-mail: jonessrb@e-z.net
Country: GAP
Curt: When I was nine years old, I got lost in the woods.
Shortly after that experience, my Sunday school teacher explained
what happens if we do not receive Christ. I didn't want to
be lost forever, so I trusted Christ as Savior.
By the time I was in junior high, I believed God wanted
me in ministry even though I was abnormally afraid of people.
I admired my pastor, Oscar Hegg, who could preach for 40
minutes and seemed so at ease with people. I decided if there
was any way I could be a pastor without preaching or talking
with people, I would be glad to try. Since then God has given
me a great love for preaching, and for people.
I attended Western Baptist College in Salem, OR, met and
married Bonnie, then attended Northwest Baptist Seminary
in Tacoma, WA. We have pastored two churches. We love our
ministry at South Ridge Baptist in Vancouver, Washington,
but this church we planted (under the auspices of Northwest
Baptist Home Mission) is nearly ready to graduate to self-support
status. God has convinced us this is the time to move toward
foreign missions.
Bonnie: As a child I prayed earnestly, "If I should
die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." Those
words scared me! Would I wake? Would I be with God? Could
I ever be good enough for heaven? When I was 17, someone
shared with me how I could be sure I would go to heaven.
When I believed that Jesus died for me, God took my fear
of dying and replaced it with His perfect love.
It has been our privilege to serve God in North America
and on mission trips to the Philippines, Hungary, and Bosnia.
Wendy Jones
Church: Canyon Creek Baptist, Richardson, TX
Phone: (9720 248 8705
Country:
My dad led me to the Lord at the age of five. As he pastored
three churches in Michigan, we kids were very involved in
church ministries.
When I was 17, I surrendered my
life to the Lord at Camp Chautaqua in Ohio. I attended
Pensacola Christian College
and have a teaching degree. Each year since graduation, I
have asked the Lord, "Do you want me to go?" Each
time He has answered, "I have more to teach you."
As I have waited for the Lord's timing, I have gone
on missions trips to Colombia, England, and South Africa.
This last year through a visit to my parents, Barry and Linda
Jones, ABWE missionaries in Asia, the Lord made it clear
that NOW is the time to go. I am excited to be involved in
children's ministries, as the Lord has given me a great
love for them.
Jonathan and Noella
(Fisher) Kleis
Church: Grace Baptist, Cedarville, OH
Phone: (937) 766-4853
E-mail: kleisn@cedarville.edu
Country: Italy
Jonathan: My dad led me to Christ at
the age of four. From ages 3-15, I was on the Children's
Bible Hour radio program. I first felt an interest in missionary
service when, as a senior in high school, I went on a missions
trip to the Dominican Republic. The next spring, I attended
a missions conference at Cedarville University with George
Murray as keynote speaker. Not long after that at the age
of 19, I committed my life to missions.
My wife and I led a construction/puppet
ministry team from Cedarville University to Italy last year.
After we returned I sensed God calling us to serve there.
Much prayer, God's Word, and ABWE missionaries Peter
and Lisa Brock helped confirm our call to Italy. There is
nothing I desire more than to spend my life in a place where
people desperately need the gospel.
Noella: When I was four, I asked Jesus
to save me from my sins. By God's grace I was able to maintain
my testimony and faith throughout high school. I entered
Cedarville to major in accounting. After my sophomore year,
I went on a summer missions trip to Italy. Through that experience
the Lord gave me a desire for missions. I changed my major
to International Business. To make sure I was not just on
an emotional high, I returned to Italy the following summer
on my own. Working with missionaries Steve and Stefania Standridge
showed me that missions was how the Lord wanted to use me.
Since then I have returned twice to Italy
with my husband to lead missions trips. In March of 2002,
Jonathan and I made the decision to pursue missions full-time.
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Shannon and Lisa
(Baker) Ledford
Church: Victory Baptist Church, Kensington, OH
Children: Abigail '94; Hannah '96; Leah '02
Phone: (330) 332-2803
E-mail: theledfords4@att.net
Country: Spain
Shannon: My mother took me to church by herself until my
father got saved and joined her. I made a profession of faith
in Christ when I was eight but a profession was all it was.
I took my first drink at 14. Drinking led to marijuana and
that led to cocaine. By the age of 20, I was in jail. I got
down on my knees in that filthy cell, repented of my filthy
sins, and asked Jesus to save me.
Right after I was saved, I surrendered to the call to preach.
We had a difficult time in our first pastorate. When we left,
we had no money and no job. My father-in-law had just returned
from Africa, and we moved to help him in his small church
in Ohio.
During this time, I determined
to pursue God's will
for my life like never before. Through the combination of
preaching, searching the Scriptures, and much prayer, God
led me to give my life for missionary service.
Lisa: I was born in the Central
African Republic, the daughter of missionaries. While on
furlough one year, I attended a
service in which my father was preaching. At the end of the
message, I went forward to accept Christ. But the counselor
said,"Your parents are missionaries; you're already
saved." It was ten more years before I repented of my
sins and asked Christ to be my Savior.
I was again listening to my father's
preaching on Matthew 8:19-27 where Jesus speaks of the
cost of following Him.
That day, I yielded my life to full-time Christian service.
My parents have made—and continue to make—an
impact upon my life. They've always said, "Do what God
wants and you cannot go wrong."
Bruce and Debbie (Mowrey) Maddux
Children: Joshua '93; Josiah '95; Jonathan '98
Church: Grace Baptist, Cedarville, OH
Phone: (937) 376-8191
E-mail: bmaddux@systran.com
Country:
Bruce: I was reared in a moral
home and attended Sunday school and Vacation Bible School.
But when I was 11, I got
into trouble with the police for destroying property. When
the Billy Graham film "For Pete's Sake" was showing
at a local theater, I went forward at the invitation to confess
Christ as my Savior. My mother was saved around this time,
and about three years later, my dad trusted Christ. Today
my dad pastors a Baptist church
I grew in my faith during high school because of a faithful
Sunday school teacher, pastor, and youth pastor. My folks
were very involved at church; missionaries and evangelists
stayed at our house regularly.
I served for a summer at HCJB World Radio in Quito, Ecuador
after graduation from Cedarville University. I served on
staff at Cedarville for almost six years and was able to
go on a missions trip to Italy working in radio.
Debbie: I was unhappy and wondered about the purpose of
life. One day, I went to a Christian bookstore and found
a book that caught my eye: This Way to Happiness by Clyde
M. Narramore. He told about God's love and how we can have
meaning and purpose in life. He gave the plan of salvation,
and also shared stories of people who came to know Jesus
Christ as Savior; some even became missionaries. That night
I cried out to God, asking Him to forgive my sins and use
me as He did the people in the stories I read.
In January 1999, I asked God what
He would have me to do. I read His answer in 1 Chronicles
16:8, "Make known
His deeds among the people."
Russ and Cathy (Lisa) Matthews
Church: Saylorville Baptist, Des Moines, IA
Children: Rebecca '94; Hope '94; Joshua '97
Phone: (515) 963-305
E-mail: matthewscentral@aol.com
Country: Australia
Russ: At 11 years of age, I prayed the sinners' prayer and
was baptized, but did not understand what I was doing. During
my sophomore year in high school, I attended my first Fellowship
of Christian Athletes (FCA) meeting. I met young people who
knew God. I admitted I was a sinner and received the Lord
Jesus Christ.
For two years in college, I ran aimlessly away from the
Lord, but He had not given up on me. One night when I was
lonely, I recommitted my life to the Lord and began growing
in His Word.
Ten years later, I had just started
a new job. We had moved to a new community, were building
friendships, and we were
loving our church. In my Bible reading, I was getting message
for missions. I said, "Great, Lord,. we'll support
missions with enthusiasm!" The Lord said. "Russ,
I want YOU." I shared this with Cathy, and we are running
together to the call He has given us.
Cathy: My grandparents raised me in a home where religion
was considered important. I was involved in my church and
thought this would get me to heaven. In high school, my best
friend invited me to her church where I heard the gospel,
was convicted of my sins, and accepted Christ as my Savior.
In my freshman year of college I dedicated my life to the
Lord.
The Lord had been preparing my
heart for missions for many years. He placed us in a mission-minded
church where we have
met many missionaries and have been able to host them in
our home. After hearing Dr. Nik challenge our congregation
in July 2001, our whole family went forward and accepted
God's call.
Peter and Janice (Cross) Maybury
Church: Knollwood Baptist, London, ON
Children: Benjamin '99; Victoria '01
Phone: (519) 453-1812
E-mail: pnjmayberry@hotmail.com
Country: Togo
Peter: After a few years of thinking
I was a Christian, I came to realize that I had to confess
my sins and ask Jesus
to forgive me. I did that when I was nine. My mother was
a single mom raising six kids. We moved around a lot and
didn't have much of this world's good. Those
experiences were good missionary training.
By the time I was in grade eight,
I was sure that God wanted me to serve Him in missions.
I spent six weeks in Colombia
on a missions trip. During my years at London Baptist Bible
College, I wanted to go on a trip to Brazil but my church
said I wasn't ready. Later I served in Paraguay but
received a discouraging report from the missionaries there.
In January 2002, the leaders in my church said, "We
think you are ready now."
God's Spirit kept my desire alive
for 22 years without ever letting me pursue other options.
God's way is good;
He uses instruments like us.
Janice: I was reared in a Christian home and also heard
about Jesus from Sunday school and Pioneer Girls teachers.
One night I realized that what my teachers said applied to
me. I knelt beside my bed and asked Jesus to forgive my sins
and come into my life
A few years later, a drama group came to our church. I was
enthralled as they told about missionaries and wondered if
God wanted me to consider missions. The drama ended, however,
with the missionaries being killed. I quickly concluded that
was not for me.
Later, when I met Peter, I realized he had a great desire
to be a missionary. I knew I had to make a decision. A year
later, Peter and I were married and began earnestly preparing
to serve God wherever He wanted.
Tim Murphy
Church: Hanson Baptist, Manson, KY
Phone: (270) 821-8818
E-mail: tmurphy@wko.com
Country:
My father introduced me to the
Lord at an early age. Later, he obeyed God's call
to serve in Mexico. This experience planted a seed in my
heart that has influenced me to this
day. He continues to serve along the Texas/Mexico border.
I started at Tennessee Temple University,
and thought about missions, but was also interested in
science. Ultimately,
I decided to study geology and transferred to Miami University.
Studying God's creation was awe-inspiring, yet the Lord also
gave me a desire to work with and serve people. I sensed
the Lord wanted me in medical missions. It was a tough decision,
and I put it off. I went to graduate school to study Environmental
Science, only to realize God's call growing stronger.
I finally applied to medical school and became a family practice
physician in Kentucky.
I have a visited fields where ABWE has medical work and
participated in Medical-Missions Interface at ABWE. God has
blessed me tremendously, just as He does any of His children
who will serve Him.
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