For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. Ezra 7:10 (ESV)
This verse was brought to my attention by my youth group leader when I was in high school. When I was in 9th grade, I attended a missions conference at my home church, Edina Baptist Church (now it is called
Grace Church Eden Prairie. The message was a missionary call through the text in Exodus 3 where God called Moses from the burning bush. Despite Moses’ protests and claims of inadequacies, God made it clear that he had an assignment and God would provide what Moses needed. I went forward that night at the end of the service to dedicate my life to long-term foreign mission service.
As soon as I was in high school, I began planning my courses to study topics that would enhance my missionary service. I took whatever was available to me such as French and electronics. I studied English with a passion to know how to communicate well. In 11th grade, my parents transferred me from a public school to a private Christian school,
Chapel Hill Academy. They did not offer French or electronics but I was able to take a missions course and other classes that I believed would help prepare me for missions.
When I graduated from high school, my plan was to study graphic arts at a vocational technical school since I did not have enough money for college. The summer before I started, my grandma had a heart attack and my parents and relatives asked me to move in with her and watch over her for a few months while she recovered. There was a college nearby that I could attend and my parents and aunt would cover my school bills. That along with free room and board at my grandmas got me started in my college education. When I started, I decided to jump right into taking 3rd year classes in business and music so that I would have some skills after 1 year in case I could not afford to go any longer. That was the case. After one year, I had to drop out and work. The secretary skills I had acquired enabled me to get a job as a secretary in a ministry for drug addicts in Minneapolis. I made an effort to save money while I was working there but did not make much progress.
During my 2 years at Midwest Challenge, a few significant things happened to help me along the way. I went to visit the campus of
Northwestern College and really wanted to attend there someday. I did not have the funds for school and I had the conviction that I should not go into debt. But one thing they offered was Ground School and airplane lessons for a private flying license. I went through the course and began the lessons. Another thing that happened was that I met Jeff Anderson. Although we were close friends during my 2nd year at Midwest Challenge, we did not have a formal courting relationship.
In January 1978, the pastor of my church had just returned from a missions trip to Africa and India. I was deeply stirred in my heart for missions. I began to realize that God was renewing that calling in my life and now was the time to begin moving in that direction. I still had no idea how I would pay for college but decided that in order to determine what type of study I should undertake, it would be helpful to serve on the field short term so I can learn first hand what type of training I would need. When I realized that Jeff was not called to missions, I felt that our friendship was not going to develop beyond friendship. This also released me to pursue missions more intently at that time.
By June, I received a call from
SIM telling me of an emergency need they had in the country of Niger for a secretary. They wanted me to serve for a year and they wanted to know how quickly I could get there. I was stunned. After training someone in on my job (by then I was a live in counselor in the women's residential program), raising support and going through a very brief orientation, I was on my way.
Much happened during that year. I learned much about myself, the mission field, what it would take to live there as a single (being unsure of whether or not I would get married) and what kind of training I should get in order to return. Two significant things happened that year which would have an impact on my return to the US. One was that my dad informed me that a friend of his was offering a full scholarship to me to go to Bible college at one of the colleges on his list of 10 schools. I could pick which one I preferred. The other thing I learned was that Jeff had attended a missions conference and clearly felt the call of God on his life to serve Him in full-time, foreign missions. I was happy to learn this but did not realize right away that this would have any importance to my life.
I returned to Minnesota in June 1979 and began applying to a couple of the colleges on the list. I also inquired at
Moody Bible Institute because I knew they had an aviation program and I wanted to become a missionary pilot. They turned me down because they did not have a place for women in their aviation program. But I also learned that the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music did have offer aviation for women so I began to apply to attend school there in January ’80. However, God had other plans. In the months after my return from Africa, God drew Jeff and me into courtship and by the end of the year, we were married.
At the time, I did not think my aspirations for college were over. I was planning to apply to a local community college but again, we did not have the funds for me to go to school. Later we had our 2 kids and in 1984 joined
ACTION. As we were looking for a mission agency, I thought for sure I would have to go to Bible school first, in order to qualify. But ACTION accepted us based on our work experience and training that was offered by our home church. Since that time, I have not been able to fulfill my dream and desire to get a college education.
Jeff and I have served on the field for 23 years. It has been a very intense and fruitful time. I have taken several seminars, workshops, attended Bible studies and done things to keep growing and learning. I learned how to do desktop publishing and served my husband and mission for several years with those skills. In the past year and a half, we have needed a personnel coordinator to handle the applications of new missionaries and help them become established on the field. I have loved this work but feel woefully unqualified and ill-equipped.
A few years ago a friend asked me what my talents are, my spiritual gifts and my passion. I couldn’t really answer her at the time but spent several months seeking the Lord to gain understanding for each of these. I discovered that I have a great passion for helping people who are called to missions to get to the field and then once they are on the field, help them to succeed. Being the Human Resources Coordinator has helped to facilitate that vision. I have been able to recruit, encouraged and assist several toward long-term missionary service.
As parents, by God’s marvelous provision, we have been able to help our children earn their education. They attended
Faith Academy in Manila from kindergarten through 12th grade. Our son Amos went to the University of Minnesota and earned a degree Magna Cum Laude in chemistry with a double minor in math and physics. He is close to earning his PhD in chemistry at Caltech in Pasadena, CA. Our daughter Micah graduated from
Northwestern College in October ’07 with a degree in Kinesology and a double minor in Intercultural Studies and Bible. She did not have an easy education because for several months she was involved in military activities, including a deployment to Iraq. She took Distance Ed courses for that year and earned 30 credits. I am thrilled and praise God that our kids have gone as far as they have in their education.
As missionaries we have also assisted financially or helped raise funds for numerous former street children to earn their high school diplomas or to go to college and Bible school.
My passion for going earning a degree has never faded, it has only intensified. I have been realizing that this may be the opportune time to work toward that goal. However I have the same issue as before, no money designated for that purpose and we still hold to the same conviction that we will not go into debt.
Northwestern College was my original school of choice. It would be the fulfillment of a dream if I could earn my bachelors degree there. Because I am still a missionary and not free to attend school fulltime, it would take a combination of Distance Ed courses and some classroom courses during our furloughs. We purchased a condo in Roseville so our daughter could live near the campus. Now that condo may serve as the housing we need if I am able to take classes. Our next furlough will begin in August 2010 and although I don’t know yet if I will be able to take college classes at that time, I would like to begin my college education by earning a Bible certificate through Distance Ed. I am also applying with
Moody Bible Institute.
Since I do not yet know how it will be funded, I want to step out in faith and apply while praying for God to lead and provide. My long-term goal would be to earn a degree in Bible and Human Resources Administration so I can continue to even more effectively help those who are called to go and serve on the foreign mission field until God releases them. My desire is to learn, put into practice what I learn and teach others. I know that if this passion is from the Lord, He will provide the means.
