I was in the midst of an earnest season of prayer that God would make His will for our lives unmistakably clear. We had been wrestling for some time about whether to become frontier missionaries or to remain in pastoral ministry.
Minutes after this special prayer time, the phone rang. It was John Baxter, AFM’s personnel director. I could hardly believe the timing. Philip and John spoke about the deep spiritual darkness of many unreached areas. They prayed together that God’s will would be done in our lives. Their conversation was added confirmation that we should move forward in frontier missions.
Philip grew up one of four children in an Adventist home on a sheep and cattle ranch in New Zealand. As he grew older, he felt God’s call to become a different kind of shepherd. Leaving his family, his beautiful country, and a life he loved, he came to the States to study theology at Weimar College. After receiving his degree in theology, he became a Bible worker and literature evangelist.
I grew up in Northern Washington State. I was raised in an Adventist home with two brothers. Being an avid reader, I loved mission stories, and I dreamed of becoming a missionary. For seven years, through academy and college, I worked as a literature evangelist.
Philip and I met at a summer literature evangelist program in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our friendship later blossomed into love. In the fall of 1998, while I was finishing my degree in religion and elementary education, Philip received a call to become a pastor. We were married September 12, 1999. Since then, Philip has graduated with a Masters of Divinity degree from Andrews University and has pastored a three-church district in Michigan.
While we were in seminary, God expanded our territory to include two precious children, Grace, now four, and Jacob, who is two. They have filled our lives with much joy and have also driven us to our knees with the great responsibility of raising them to be lovers of Jesus.
We prayed that God would make it clear if He wanted us to go with AFM, and He has! We both love pastoral ministry, but when the Lord calls, we dare not go our own way. We have sensed the clear conviction of the Holy Spirit to devote ourselves to the unreached. We will follow where He leads.
God has given us a burden for the Great River people of Cambodia. This minority people group of 250,000 is originally from Vietnam. Because of their Islamic beliefs, the Khmer Rouge singled them out in the 1970s for annihilation. They are a deeply wounded people who need the healing only Jesus can give.
We invite you to consider whether God is leading you to share this love for the Great River People. Will you pray for the Great River people? Pray that the Lord will prepare a way for us to minister to these precious people. And will you pray for us? Pray that He will keep us strong through the storms that are sure to rise as we enter into enemy territory. Thank you for your support as we prepare to bring the light of Christ to the Great River people.

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