Mark and Nancy (Lewis)
Nelson
Church: First Baptist, Newark Valley, NY
Children: Drew '81; Sandy '79
Phone: (717) 691-8160
E-mail: menelso@attglobal.net
Country: Western Europe
Mark: When I was nine, I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior in Hamilton
Square, New Jersey where my dad, Richard Nelson, served as a church planter with
the Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions. Since my decision, I don't think
I have questioned where my loyalties lay and have endeavored to serve Him.
In 1987, I started NELCORP which became
a thriving multi-state contracting firm. We sold our business
in 1995 and moved to Harrisburg to serve at ABWE. I was an
internal consultant to the president's office and administrated
the construction of the new training center. Over the past
seven years, Nancy and I developed Expedition, the program
that gives teens the opportunity to experience missions first
hand.
Nancy: I was born into a god-fearing
family. We attended church regularly and heard the gospel.
At camp—the only summer I was able to go—I was
saved. I had heard the message of salvation many times, but
this time it was as if the speaker was speaking just to me.
I went forward in that crowded open-air tabernacle and the
course for my life was set at twelve years old.
Mark and I were married in 1974 and spent
20 years raising our family and serving the Lord in various
capacities at First Baptist Church of Newark Valley, NY.
Our lives were changed when we took a group of teens from
the church on a missions trip to Peru. Upon pour return,
we determined, before God, that we wanted to do something
else with our lives. That decision has taken us around the
globe. We now look forward to this new opportunity to serve
with Jack and Cheryl Shiflett in the Administration of Western
Europe.
Michael and Monica (Bolet) Pasquale
Church: First Baptist, Lowell, MI
Phone: (616) 364-4276
E-mail: michael_pasquale@cornerstone.edu
Country: WORD Ministries
Michael: I was born prematurely, but
providentially in a hospital that had the technology needed
to help me survive. Mine was a religious Roman Catholic family.
My mother's sister, Jean Fote, ABWE missionary to The
Gambia, led her to the Lord. My little brother, Joseph, died
when I was eight. His death led to the salvation of my father
and the rest of my family as the Baptist pastor who lived
next door and the church family at Trinity Baptist Church
in Alma, Michigan showed us Christian compassion.
My love of languages started early. In
kindergarten, I learned German and later studied French,
and Japanese. During my freshman year at Cedarville College,
I dedicated my life to serve Christ. Russia was just opening
for missionaries, and I wanted to go right away. Former ABWE
President, Wendell Kempton, showed me that I needed to wait
for God's plan. My interest in Bible translation led
me to pursue graduate degrees in linguistics at Michigan
State University.
Monica and I have prayed together concerning
our involvement in missions. After talking with Don Trott
and Vicki Ivester, we saw God leading us to work with WORD
Ministries, the new Bible translation arm of ABWE.
Monica: God saved me as a six-year old
when my parents, ABWE missionaries, Sam and Damaris Bolet,
were preparing to go to Madrid, Spain. I grew closer to God
under my dad's preaching, my mom's teaching and example,
and Bible classes at the MK school.
During the missions conference my freshman
year at Cedarville, I made a public decision to do whatever
the Lord asked of me, whether in missions or elsewhere.
In the summer of 1999, Michael
and I helped conduct a Bible translation workshop in Peru
for Bibles International. My "language-wired" brain
enjoyed the challenges of solving translation problems,
and I look forward to helping translate the Word of God
into people's heart languages.
Philip and Gecila (Gouvea) Peace
Church: Saylorville Baptist, Des Moines, IA
Children: Priscilla '98
Phone: (515) 957 0971
Country: Brazil
Philip: My parents are ABWE missionaries,
Tom and Beth Peace. One day my dad told me a story about
a little boy who had been bad and went to hell. I knew I
didn't want to go to hell, so as a young child I was
saved.
At the age of 14 at Grandview Park Baptist
School. I reconfirmed my salvation. Two years later, a Brazilian
pastor baptized me. I am continuing to follow the Lord in
what He wants me to do for Him. God has burdened me to work
with the Brazilians in the Amazon region.
Gecila: I attended a Roman Catholic Church
for most of my childhood, but did not understand why we went.
When I was 14, several of my classmates attended the Baptist
church in Santo Antonio do Iça. One invited me to
a young people's meeting. After the service, a Brazilian
missionary took talked with me, but not about salvation.
We just had a great visit. She invited me to the pastor's
house the next day. Then she talked about Jesus Christ being
the sacrifice for my sins and said I could have a personal
relationship with God and spend eternity with Him. I was
saved that day.
ABWE missionary doctor, Bill Hawley,
had a great influence on my life as I saw his unconditional
love for my people. Reading God's word daily and praying
increased my desire to know my Creator in a personal and
intimate way. The closer I got to God, the more I wanted
to share with others what God had done in my life.
Elissa Reed
Church: Twin Valley Bible Chapel, Narvon, PA
Phone: (717) 354-4202
E-mail: lilypewter@juno.com
Country: South Africa
During a kindergarten chapel at the Twin
Valley Bible Academy, I trusted the Lord as my Savior. At
camp when I was 12, I dedicated my life to the Lord. During
our church mission conference in 1994, I felt the Lord leading
me into missionary service. The following summer I helped
with Vacation Bible School at a new church in Indiana.
After my senior year of high school,
I went with New Tribes Mission to Venezuela on a work team.
Here the Lord pressed upon my heart the need for MK and Christian
schoolteachers on the mission field. In May 1997, the hand
bell choir from Appalachian Bible College joined Ron Washer
on a three-week trip to Togo, West Africa. After graduation,
I returned to Togo to teach two missionary children for a
year. The Lord changed my plans half way through and transferred
me to South Africa where I taught national children at Good
Hope Christian School. I hated to leave and look forward
to returning to South Africa.
Jonathan and Angela (Mast) Stone
Church: Osterhout Bible, Meshoppen, PA
Phone: (570) 945 7616
E-mail: jonofperu@hotmail.com
Country: Peru
Jonathan: My parents, Dave and Evelyn
Stone, went to Peru as ABWE missionaries when I was two years
old. At the age of four, I asked my mother to explain to
me how to be saved. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and
save me. By the time I was 13, I was involved in ministry
but really was living a double life. In Nasca, Peru, I learned
about the Lordship of Christ and committed to living my life
for God.
Thoughts of the Air Force, a business
career, or some other vocation crossed my mind. However,
when my imagination wandered in those directions I asked, "How
will my life count the most for eternity? How would God choose
to use the experiences, gifts and knowledge He has given
me?" He had placed me in a family that modeled faithful
service. He taught me a language and culture that would take
a newcomer years to master. I saw God at work as I played,
learned, worked, and lived with Peruvians. God has given
me a burden for church planting and leadership training in
Peru.
Angela: I was born in South Korea and
adopted at 14 months into a home with a Christ-like atmosphere.
I thought I would go to heaven just because I was "good." At
Easter 1991, I accepted God's free gift of salvation
My family lived next to Victor Decker
who was Jon's pastor and grandfather. Jon and I attended
first grade together when the Stones were on furlough.
I studied both education and nursing
in preparation to serve the Lord. Jon and I went on the first
ever Expedition trip in 1996 to Arequipa, Peru. In 1999,
I returned to Peru with an IMPACT team. As a result of these
visits, the Lord showed me that I could help lead lost people
to the Lord.
|
 |
Rachel Suko
Church: Discovery Baptist, Gig Harbor, WA
Phone: (253) 851 9856
E-mail: rachelsuko@hotmail.com
Country: Ukraine
I was born in Kodiak, Alaska, and
grew up in Washington where my father was a church planter.
When I was three, my
brother announced that I was going to hell. Frightened by
this, I knelt by my bed and prayed the "sinner's
prayer."
During college years, however,
I was consumed by a deep depression because I constantly
failed to meet God's
standard. I cried out to God, "I can't live this
Christian life without you." For the first time, I
knew God heard my prayer and forgave my sin.
When my father took missions trips to Ukraine, I became
interested in that country. I went to Ukraine in 2000 and
2001, and taught VBS in villages in a country where 95% of
the villages have no believers.
In 1902, my great-grandparents immigrated from Ukraine to
America. Now, 100 years later, God has called me to return
to Ukraine.
Paul and Alejandra (Coca) Watson
Church: Victory Baptist, Newmarket, ON
Children: Ophra '89; Scott '91; Robert '93
Phone: (905) 989-2772
E-mail: pawatson@interhop.net
Country: GAP
Paul: I heard the gospel clearly
presented at the age of ten and accepted Christ as Savior.
I was challenged when
ABWE-Canada's director, Reginal Snell, spoke about
the "mission field"—words I had never heard
before. Shortly after dedicating my life to Christ, I went
to Bible college. I discovered my spiritual gifts and an
interest in other nationalities.
In 1985, I attended an Operation Mobilization conference
in Europe. Before long was driving a truck overland into
Asia. My destination was Karachi, Pakistan where a men's
evangelism team was awaiting new personnel. My position as
leader of the team required me to work closely with both
missionaries and national pastors. Realizing how valuable
Bible college was to me, I returned to Canada to pursue more
training at Canadian Theological Seminary with a view to
training national leaders.
Ale: During Sunday school when
I was four years old, I received Jesus into my life. My
mom prayed faithfully that I would
serve Him one day. When I was eleven years old, my family
moved to Buenos Aires. I made friends in church who were
a good influence on me as a young teen. My weekends were
busy with children's clubs and ladies' meetings. After
watching a movie about Jim Elliot life, I dedicated my life
to the Lord's service
Child Evangelism Fellowship in
Buenos Aires was my first exposure to overseas work. C.E.F.-
Brazil invited me to take
a teachers' training program in Sâo Paulo for
one year. I spent three years on the Ship Doulos where I
was involved in children's programs and family conferences.
Later I served with Operation Mobilization in India. That
involved outreach and discipleship in Nepal, Pakistan, and
Bangladesh. I learned to embrace being part of different
cultures and serving under national leaders. I was able to
return to my country encouraging young people in mission
conferences, sharing what the Lord is doing with ordinary
people who are obedient to His call.
Daron and Yunae (Judge) Wilson
Church: Harbor Community Baptist, Tacoma, WA
Phone: (253) 759-4884
E-mail: deezer@attglobal.net
Country: Singapore
Daron: I grew up on the plains of Alberta where my father
pastored a church for ten years. When I was five, my mother
found me hiding behind a door. She realized I had a spiritual
need, prayed with me and led me to Lord.
I entered college to study mechanical engineering, but knew
I needed to study the Bible. At Northwest Seminary, I saw
how practical theology is and wanted to display it in my
life. Seeing the importance of theology, I desired to use
my educational opportunities for God overseas. At seminary
I met Yunae. Since she was not saved until she was an adult,
she helps me explain theology in a way people can understand.
Yunae: I was born in Korea and came to the USA when I was
seven. During college, I began to ask philosophical questions
about the meaning of life. I was granted an internship with
the Samsung company. A fellow intern exuded the Christian
life, gave me my first Bible, and took me to a Bible study.
In 1995, in Seoul, South Korea, I was born again.
Upon returning to the USA, I began to attend a Korean-American
church, where Bible study was heavily emphasized. My eyes
were opened to the beauty and richness of the Scripture for
the first time. The pastor and his wife guided me in my quest
for a deeper relationship with the Lord and introduced me
to the possibility of attending Northwest Baptist Seminary.
My knowledge, appreciation and application of Scripture as
well as my heart for missions has continued to grow under
the expert teaching, example, and integrity of the professors
at NBS. I look forward to this new stage in my service for
God.
Amy Wood
Church: Calvary Baptist, Vestal, NY
Phone: (607) 748 4605
E-Mail: amybwood@juno.com
Country:
One year ago I was battling head
lice contracted from children in South Africa at Evangelical
Baptist Mission's home
for children who are AIDS orphans. I visited a nearby graveyard.
When I returned in just a few days, I saw 18 new graves.
I also saw believers in Christ who were passionate about
their faith. This experience changed my life.
I came to know Christ as Savior
at the age of five. My parents serve the Lord faithfully,
and I was in morning and evening
services, Wednesday night, and AWANA. I focused more on "doing" than
on a relationship with the Lord.
When I was 16, a speaker at our church missions conference
stepped out into the congregation, crying over the lost.
I surrendered my life to the Lord's will, specifically for
full-time ministry or missions. In college, I pursued a major
in social work, not knowing exactly what that involved. I
was more interested in having fun. Then three people I knew
suddenly died. That woke me up to the shortness of life and
the need to do whatever the Lord wants.
Richard and Cari Woughter
Church: First Baptist Church of Glen Este, Batavia, OH
Children: Jared '92; Christy '94; Derek '97;
Lindsey '98
E-mail: MRDDCOUNT1@aol.com
Country: Nicaragua
Richard: I grew up in a Christian home and am thankful for
parents who sacrificed to send me to a Christian school.
Through the influence of the school and many godly people,
the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin and I was saved.
At a recent missions conference at our church, my wife and
I dedicated our lives to missions. We feel the peace of God
as our family follows His direction.
Cari: I, too, grew up in a Christian
home and attended a Christian school. When I was seven,
I asked Jesus to forgive
me of my sins. As I grew older, I didn't develop a
close relationship with God and often wondered whether I
truly was saved. When I learned to pray and study God's
Word, those doubts went away.
I attended Pensacola Christian
College for two years, then Cedarville College where I
received a degree in Elementary
Education. Now, with our four children, we are learning to "Be
a missionary every day" as the song says.
|
